so been researching how to get the cars shifts feeling better and faster in my 03 sl55 and after searching it looks like the slr/blue top solenoids are the fix.
it looks like it depends on the year of your car as some may already have them. has anyone done this in their sl55 and does anyone know if there is production or year cut offs to ones that already have them?
from the e55 side it seems anything pre 2006 maybe 2005 did not have them. anyone know if this holds true for the sl55?
i found them on parts.com for $165 each, which looks like a good price.

 

I am interested as well... anyone????

 

Go into your das and investigate/ study the adjustable tranny shifting parameters. There are many of them. There are even more in the developers edition (how good is your German?)

I don't think there is any need to upgrade solenoid hardware. Your money are better spent on a tcu tune.

 

money already spent on tcu tune. didn't notice much over stock. definately not enough to change the way the trans over thinks all of it's shifts. a tcu tune from one tuner is slr parameters. the only other change from the way an slr shifts is, yes, the hardware. solenoids. the trans is the same.
the diameter of the opening of the solenoids will change the pressures induced to each clutch pack in the trans. i personally am sick of a trans in a "performance car" that takes over one second to change gears. when making more power you have to shift earlier, and lose time over the shift. the faster the shift, the more you will stay in the powerband. last time driving my car i would have to initiate shift at 4500 to not hit rev limiter. that is crap imo.

trying to find a better way. if there was a 6 spd manu version of our cars i would do it in a blink!!

 

I have Eurocharged TCU tune but shift still super slow, can't really tell from stock

 

My car gets rubber sifting from first into second sometimes, never touched the trans. Before I did my cooling upgrades, the only time shifts seemed laborious was when the car got heat soaked. Some say the TCU tune = placebo effect.

Edit...You can open your hood, look at the engine while you power brake the car to see how much your motor shifts. It the engine looks like it wants to jump out of the engine bay, you may need motor/trans mount.

 

i am already at the point of solid mounts. the trans just isn't there at full throttle.

i wanna go fast. hahaha

 

I'm tired of breaking mounts, going to use a ratchet tie down on the motor. Your car should be flying with all the mods you have listed.

 

i built solid mounts for my viper and it seems easy for this chassis also. let me get past this body portion and then.........

 

i posted a great design for mounts earlier. just follow that. it still will allow slip at very high loads and allow variations for install. the trans mount is easy.

 

Attached is a old thread posted By MBH ( Hooley Boy in the old days )

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-problems.html

Cheers _PTEngineering

 

i think you guys will be playing with fire.

those things (the trannies) are really tuned to work well with stock valves.

you can certainly replace the valves, but i am thinking software adjustments will be needed also as everything pressure-wise will change.

btw, parts.com have the big valves for $164.40

 

Mine is a 2004, how do I know if I have the brown top or blue top selenoids?

 

the ec tcu tune is the slr parameters for software. changing to the blue top solenoids will in essence, create a trans that shifts and acts like an slr. the trans are the same.
i also heard (don't quote me as of yet) that the v12tt cars and the black series also had the blue tops. that is where the part number comes from.
it's not playing with fire at all. they just saved the good stuff for the higher end models. same as every other manufacturer.

 

yup, thats the thread i ran across to get the juices flowing!

 

unless someone can chime in that knows for the sl chassis, i would put a guess that it ran the same as the e55's. so 2005 and earlier would be brown tops. i will be pulling my trans pan soon to take a peak, which sounds like is the only true way of knowing.
from the way mine shifts i seriously hope it has the brown tops, if it already has the blues, then all hope is lost and i shall run my car off a cliff. lol

 

if i stopped effing with it and drove it, it probably would be flying. haha. seriously, the car has only been drivable for about 2-3 weeks out of the 4-5 months i have owned it.

 

Keep me updated, if yours is brown, mine prob too. Thanks.

 

might be a couple weeks, but on the to do list for sure!

 

finally got the blue top solenoids. will be doing the swap over the next week or so and will let you guys know how the outcome!

 

Looking forward for the outcome!

 

 

Hate to ruin your day my 03sl55 has them stock so don't tear it down yet,call southern hot rods and talk to Eddie and give vin he can tell you,plus I dropped the valve body anyway hoping it wasn't true and guess what,blue tops ,eh a learning experience

 

This doesn't ruin anything for me... just saves me money!!!! I just checked my VIN with my buddy @ MB & he said the same thing... The solenoids in my car have the same part number as the blue tips. This was always the question & all I needed to hear was that someone actually checked in the tranny to confirm

I hope you can get your money back OZ

 

i am sure i can sell them quick if i need to. it is my understanding only the sl65's and the slr's had them.
if it is true and mine already has the blue tops, it seems there is no hope for this trans. the thing i hate most about the car is the shifting. if mine has the blue tops, i think you would have to shift off idle to get a gear change at redline with the brown tops!

after all the body kit and all other recent mods this was the one i was most excited about. i need to hit jerry up for a way more aggressive tcu program then.