SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: SL55 ECU Tuning
08-02-2019, 12:59 PM
#26
Member
Just a straight tune is going to give you very minimal increase in power. This isn't a turbo charged system that they can just crank up the boost and see big gains from a $500 box tune.
Box tune with no supporting mods, maybe 20-25HP tops and about 35-50lbs of torque. Hardly will be noticeable and anything you feel will be from the torque increasing more so than the HP. Why mess with the factory tune for hardly any gains.
Just adding long tube headers will get you similar or better numbers and you'll feel the difference through out the rev range and still have the safety of running the factory tune. Though your going to pay probably 2K+ for the long tube and about $500 to $800 to install it all with some custom fabrication work. But it will be factory reliable.
A tune works best with supporting mods and that is the real reason of why you get a different tune.
If you want to stay very safe/reliable just do a 83MM pulley, tune, and headers. You'll get around 50-65HP increase and 600lbs area in torque. Just have the Bosch 010 pump(many have this pump on already) and you won't need any other cooling mods and nothing about this set up would ever be the reason for any mechanical failure(unless the tune was just junk). You can swap the pulley yourself. You'd be in probably about 4K to 4.5K with this set up but you would notice a big difference through out the rev range. If you happen to have a shop in the area that works with one of the good Mercedes tuners then go for the 77MM pulley and have them custom tune it. The headers and 010 pump should keep it cool enough in most climates for few back to back hard runs(but you are in the area of highly recommending to upgrade the cooling system). It will still be relatively safe set up. Going any smaller with the pulley your playing with fire at that point without other supporting mods and monitoring everything.
Box tune with no supporting mods, maybe 20-25HP tops and about 35-50lbs of torque. Hardly will be noticeable and anything you feel will be from the torque increasing more so than the HP. Why mess with the factory tune for hardly any gains.
Just adding long tube headers will get you similar or better numbers and you'll feel the difference through out the rev range and still have the safety of running the factory tune. Though your going to pay probably 2K+ for the long tube and about $500 to $800 to install it all with some custom fabrication work. But it will be factory reliable.
A tune works best with supporting mods and that is the real reason of why you get a different tune.
If you want to stay very safe/reliable just do a 83MM pulley, tune, and headers. You'll get around 50-65HP increase and 600lbs area in torque. Just have the Bosch 010 pump(many have this pump on already) and you won't need any other cooling mods and nothing about this set up would ever be the reason for any mechanical failure(unless the tune was just junk). You can swap the pulley yourself. You'd be in probably about 4K to 4.5K with this set up but you would notice a big difference through out the rev range. If you happen to have a shop in the area that works with one of the good Mercedes tuners then go for the 77MM pulley and have them custom tune it. The headers and 010 pump should keep it cool enough in most climates for few back to back hard runs(but you are in the area of highly recommending to upgrade the cooling system). It will still be relatively safe set up. Going any smaller with the pulley your playing with fire at that point without other supporting mods and monitoring everything.
10-11-2020, 02:35 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SoCal - OC
Posts: 266
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26 Posts
2004 CL55, 2003 SL55 and 2009 G55
I put 180mm UDP harmonic balancer with RaceIQ, colder plugs, 550cc injectors, 82mm TB with headers and running great. The crankshaft pulley feels better down low for TQ.
10-11-2020, 10:47 PM
#29
Senior Member
A couple of months ago, I did an 83mm UPD S/C pulley, RaceIQ Stage 2 tune and upgraded to the Bosch 010 auxiliary water pump. For @ $800, those mods are plenty to keep me scared.
Last edited by poppyboy; 10-11-2020 at 10:49 PM. Reason: typo
10-12-2020, 02:16 PM
#30
Junior Member
I gifted my SL 55 with a Pressertech Stage 1 and I'm very happy. Lets face facts the car has plenty of torque and horsepower in a stock stage, but with Pressertech its so much more fun!
10-14-2020, 04:31 PM
#31
Member
I have RaceIQ ECU tune (i flashed the car myself at home), 77mm clutched pulley, RaceIQ TCU tune (had to ship them the TCU), new & improved Bosch 010 pump, larger injectors, colder plugs .... and I am very happy with the results. Very noticeable improvement over stock.
Working with RaceIQ has been a real pleasure.
In the process of installing an additional heat exchanger from PLM and splitting the cooling system.
Working with RaceIQ has been a real pleasure.
In the process of installing an additional heat exchanger from PLM and splitting the cooling system.
10-14-2020, 05:32 PM
#33
Senior Member
Just for a comparison to better understand what 30-50 HP will do for a 500 HP motor.
I previously had a 4 cylinder Turbo Ford motor that I stroked with all billet parts. It put out over 400 WHP and 500 WTQ. I then added a 50 HP shot of nitrous. I could hardly feel it. Had to bump it up to a 100 shot before it was really even noticeable.
My opinion in adding 50 HP to a SL55 is that you will hardly feel it. Doesn't make a whole bunch of seat-of-the-pants difference. There may be other things you gain with a tune like efficiency, response, and a few other things - but for power, your gonna have to add over 100 HP to make any real difference noticeable.
I've done all the things - 77mm pulley, tune, heat exchanger, etc... The stock SL motor has some great power but needs quite a bit more to notice any difference - especially once you get used to the stock power.
I previously had a 4 cylinder Turbo Ford motor that I stroked with all billet parts. It put out over 400 WHP and 500 WTQ. I then added a 50 HP shot of nitrous. I could hardly feel it. Had to bump it up to a 100 shot before it was really even noticeable.
My opinion in adding 50 HP to a SL55 is that you will hardly feel it. Doesn't make a whole bunch of seat-of-the-pants difference. There may be other things you gain with a tune like efficiency, response, and a few other things - but for power, your gonna have to add over 100 HP to make any real difference noticeable.
I've done all the things - 77mm pulley, tune, heat exchanger, etc... The stock SL motor has some great power but needs quite a bit more to notice any difference - especially once you get used to the stock power.
