HEADWORKS...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,803
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
phenolic spacers won't really do anything on an NA car, they are meant more for kompressors car that have very high temps due to boost & SC heat. On an NA car they won't do anything really.
Now, in theory, you could have the entire outside of the stock intake manifold coated with a true heat resistant ceramic coated to make sure as much of the heat stays outside the intake as much as possible, this will do much more than heat wrapping intake tubes or the airbox (which is pointless b/c the massive stock intake manifold is made of metal, where as the airbox & intake pipes are made of heat insulating plastic).
Now, in theory, you could have the entire outside of the stock intake manifold coated with a true heat resistant ceramic coated to make sure as much of the heat stays outside the intake as much as possible, this will do much more than heat wrapping intake tubes or the airbox (which is pointless b/c the massive stock intake manifold is made of metal, where as the airbox & intake pipes are made of heat insulating plastic).
However, spacers are effective at cooling the manifold, more so than a heat wrap/coating. They can make the difference between too hot to touch and comfortable to touch. The manifold has a direct metal to metal contact with the engine block, which transfers heat much more rapidly than through the air surrounding the manifold. For that reason, a spacer will be more effective than a heat wrap, as it eliminates the metal to metal heat transfer.
Next is the airbox. The airbox is plastic, as you mention, and it absorbs heat much less than the manifold. However, it absorbs most of its heat from the surrounding air rather than from metal to metal contact, making it the thermal opposite of the manifold.
The manifold has relatively narrow tubes, meaning air travels very rapidly through it. Since air spends very little time in the manifold, it doesn't absorb a significant amount of heat. The airbox is different. It has large open spaces for the filters, which cause air to lose velocity and effectively loiter in the airbox. The fact that air spends more time in the airbox means it can more readily absorb heat.
In short, a spacer will dramatically reduce the temperature of the manifold, but won't give large gains because air doesn't spend enough time in the manifold to substantially affect temperature.
Heat wrap on the airbox will have a much smaller effect on airbox temperature, and while air spends more time in the airbox absorbing heat, the difference in temperature is small enough that the gains will be small.
There are gains, but they are small.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Bostonian Ma
2012 CLS63 AMG
Generally, I agree. Spacers and heat wrap won't do a lot for you.
However, spacers are effective at cooling the manifold, more so than a heat wrap/coating. They can make the difference between too hot to touch and comfortable to touch. The manifold has a direct metal to metal contact with the engine block, which transfers heat much more rapidly than through the air surrounding the manifold. For that reason, a spacer will be more effective than a heat wrap, as it eliminates the metal to metal heat transfer.
Next is the airbox. The airbox is plastic, as you mention, and it absorbs heat much less than the manifold. However, it absorbs most of its heat from the surrounding air rather than from metal to metal contact, making it the thermal opposite of the manifold.
The manifold has relatively narrow tubes, meaning air travels very rapidly through it. Since air spends very little time in the manifold, it doesn't absorb a significant amount of heat. The airbox is different. It has large open spaces for the filters, which cause air to lose velocity and effectively loiter in the airbox. The fact that air spends more time in the airbox means it can more readily absorb heat.
In short, a spacer will dramatically reduce the temperature of the manifold, but won't give large gains because air doesn't spend enough time in the manifold to substantially affect temperature.
Heat wrap on the airbox will have a much smaller effect on airbox temperature, and while air spends more time in the airbox absorbing heat, the difference in temperature is small enough that the gains will be small.
There are gains, but they are small.
However, spacers are effective at cooling the manifold, more so than a heat wrap/coating. They can make the difference between too hot to touch and comfortable to touch. The manifold has a direct metal to metal contact with the engine block, which transfers heat much more rapidly than through the air surrounding the manifold. For that reason, a spacer will be more effective than a heat wrap, as it eliminates the metal to metal heat transfer.
Next is the airbox. The airbox is plastic, as you mention, and it absorbs heat much less than the manifold. However, it absorbs most of its heat from the surrounding air rather than from metal to metal contact, making it the thermal opposite of the manifold.
The manifold has relatively narrow tubes, meaning air travels very rapidly through it. Since air spends very little time in the manifold, it doesn't absorb a significant amount of heat. The airbox is different. It has large open spaces for the filters, which cause air to lose velocity and effectively loiter in the airbox. The fact that air spends more time in the airbox means it can more readily absorb heat.
In short, a spacer will dramatically reduce the temperature of the manifold, but won't give large gains because air doesn't spend enough time in the manifold to substantially affect temperature.
Heat wrap on the airbox will have a much smaller effect on airbox temperature, and while air spends more time in the airbox absorbing heat, the difference in temperature is small enough that the gains will be small.
There are gains, but they are small.
So they say that Renntech Airbox keeps air much cooler since it's made out of Fiberglass.. doubt there are any real gains but I'm sure it does help when Temps are high
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
Another small mod I forgot about is the engine fan. The stock setup has a mechanical fan connected to the engine, in addition to the electric fans on the radiator. The stock mechanical fan can be replaced (or perhaps removed entirely, depending on your temperatures) and substituted with an electric fan.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 301
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From: Carmichael, CA
2011 G55 + others
pinoyk20 ... there's 2 heads on the car since it's a V8. You're wasting your money IMO. this is not a honda where you can throw any bolt on at it and hope you'll make some power. this motor is very well tuned from from AMG and is almost maxed out in N/A form. there are some good gains to be made from exhaust work(i.e headers, remove primary cats) but that's about it. everything else will cost more than it's worth.
short of a blower, you won't be seeing any dramatic increases in performance.
either way good luck.
short of a blower, you won't be seeing any dramatic increases in performance.
either way good luck.
Former Vendor of MBWorld
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AMG
I wouldn't go that far. There is lots of power to be had NA, you just have to know what to do and in what order. 50+HP is still nothing to laugh at. It may not be 100HP+ , but it it won't add a ton of weight over the front nose of the car and will help maintain a much better handling balance. Also it will be more reliable and less prone to "issues" popping up that is quite normal with FI cars.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: laguna philippines
99 model w210 e55 amg
I wouldn't go that far. There is lots of power to be had NA, you just have to know what to do and in what order. 50+HP is still nothing to laugh at. It may not be 100HP+ , but it it won't add a ton of weight over the front nose of the car and will help maintain a much better handling balance. Also it will be more reliable and less prone to "issues" popping up that is quite normal with FI cars.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Portsmouth, NH
none
I'm going to guess no on the AMS TB....
Why not go the 82mm route? From what I gather your blower is off the car which only makes the machining of the adaptor plate that much easier. I think both abalone and blackbenz put the 82mm on their kleemann.
Why not go the 82mm route? From what I gather your blower is off the car which only makes the machining of the adaptor plate that much easier. I think both abalone and blackbenz put the 82mm on their kleemann.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2008
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From: The Land of Blondes...
2001: Supercharged E55 AMG
Much easier if you already have everything down. 
Former Vendor of MBWorld
Joined: Sep 2008
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AMG
No, we dropped the TB simly because there isnt that much power to be had on an NA application. It only makes sense for amgs that are stage4+, which there are only a hanful out there. Do the headers, pulley, 2nd cats and ecu upgrade. That should be more than enough for 95% of amg owners
