I just acquired a 2000 E55 with 85k lowered 2 inches with 19's. I want more power out of it and I am having trouble finding a chip/tuner/programmer for my car. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best one out there or a web site where i can get one? If anyone can recommend any mods to me that would be cool too. I already looked into a custom exhaust for $500 no x pipe though. I also want to get dual intakes if I can. Let me know your suggestions and get your feed back thanks a bunch. I'm looking to get at least 100 more horse power. If anyone has any aftermarket parts they want to sell let me know. thanks again.

 

Where are you located?

 

ECU tuning appears to give very little benefit on a stock E55. AMS does offer it at a reasonable price (performed by Speed Tuning USA). Exhaust (muffler and piping) changes give very little benefit as well. The areas for improvement appear to be headers, high-flow cats, x pipe. I've read conflicting reports, but based on C55 dyno's, it appears the Renntech airbox is about the only one that provides benefits (W211 E55 dual box didn't help any).

There is also lightened crank pulley. After some other mods, ECU tuning appears to give modest gains. Cams are available, as well.

And of course, supercharger (Kleemann, used HPS unit), custom rear mount turbo, nitrous. To get 100 extra HP, you'll pretty much need to go this route.

Anything I missed?

 

Thank you Saintz. You are very helpful.


I am at bartonsville PA. 18321

 

Just to add a little more, the stock piping is pretty large. The stock muffler is the size of a suckling pig, and is pretty efficient. A muffler replacement can change the exhaust note, but won't add power.

In short, the cat back is efficient. The intake is, reasonably speaking, efficient. The filters have a huge surface area and they pull cold air from the front dam. Not bad.

The real problem appears to be heads, compression, and pre-cats (headers, double cats, and lack of cross or x pipe).

I'll throw something else out there. Under 40 mph, on the street, I normally have traction issues (especially if the steering wheel isn't pointed straight). I'm thinking some really sticky tires will help around town performance more than anything else (i.e. better than engine upgrades). On the highway, of course, well, you know the saying: there is no replacement for... boost!

 

Check our website. Thx

 

Just an FYI....
I'll be doing another C55 dyno this coming week with the stock vs Renntech airbox to see what the results are. This will be the third time I know of that this sort of test will be done on a C55. I'll use the same filters in each so there's no skewed results. Hopefully the dyno will show a HP/TQ increase with the Renntech box.........

 

It appears that none of the airbox mods really do that much. AMG really did their homework on the intake side of the engine. Even the Kompressor boxes require software to really make any power (which has more to do with the software than the intake itself).

The majority of the gains to be had with regards to airflow are between the exhaust ports and the secondary cats. Most of the gains are upgrading these components as these are the only real non-amg components, they are just off the shelf mercedes base components which are not designed for high flow or performance but for cost saving measures. Infact, if you look at all the components we make... none of them replace any of the true AMG components, they all are design to improve on the off-the-shelf bone stock Mercedes components which were never really optimized for the AMG engines (headers, pulley, etc).

I always recommend to my customers do not touch the stock AMG catback muffler, its the best there is, and in most cases do not touch the stock AMG resonator (except on the W210 e55 amgs for the X-pipe replacement). AMG also did their homework on these components. If you want more sound, upgrade the FRONT half of the exhaust system and I can assure you, you will get the sound you want with headers and 2nd cats. It sounds almost black series-esque while still keeping the refinement of normal AMG (not quite as loud be same type of burble & grunt as the BS). Its very OEM sounding, yet more aggressive than the stock car which is just way too quiet for its nature.

Once you have done headers, pulley, high flow cats, and K&N filters... then ECU will be worthwhile but up until that point, its really not necessary or that beneficial (and remember AMS sells software and admitting this). On the NA 55s its all about Hardware... software is the last step.

Just being honest....

~AMS~