vrus

<Yawn>.. Excuuuuusssseee Me. Man am I tired...

Well, since I had trouble getting a mechanic's schedule to coincide with mine to do the install on all the Beast's mods that were sitting in the box I gathered up 2 buddies and borrowed the use of a friend's shop on Sunday.

The 3 of us decided to tackle the install of the EVO headers, EVO cooling upgrade and EVO plug wire installation and EVANS Race Coolant for the supercharger cooling system ourselves. A bit of a mod-party.

I didn't want to break up the install and try to coordinate another install day so I will only be able to do an after-dyno which incorporates both changes to the car. I really wanted separate dyno pulls, but it didn't work out. Sorry.

Let's just say this is not for the faint of heart or the not-so-mechanically-inclined.

Start Time: 9:30AM Finish Time: 11:35PM --> LONG DAY! (only stopped for 35min for quick pizza lunch)

Let me try and summarize my thoughts...

Pre-requisites
- Bring lots of beer or Vodka (as a subsitute bring your desired preference of strong liquor!)
- PATIENCE! Lots of it. You will most likely do 4 or 5 runs to home depot before the day is over (I managed in only 3 trips!)
- After tackling both of these jobs in 1 day I can say, it is definitely a 2 day job.
- Battery pack capable of supplying 12volts (for installing the cooling upgrade)
- a full onsuite of mechanics tools, air tools, etc.. In other words, dont do this in your garage unless you have all the air tools, wrenches, etc..


Installation comments

Header & Plug wires Install

Prep: Remove intake tubes, air boxes, coil packs, ignition wires, full exhaust system all the way back to the mufflers (I removed the whole exhaust in one piece because we found it easier than taking it apart half-way down).

Headers are a bit of a pain. Dont dare try this at home on jack stands because you will probably commit harm to another human being for the amount of frustration you will endure. Driver's side is the hard one. Steering rack has to be disconnected and a little bit of "bending" of the heat shields at the sides of the engine bay are required to get those massive headers to slide up there into place. It is a tight fit, but with a bit of coaxing they will go up there. Once the driver's side was on the passenger side header was a walk in the park.. Slid right up there and mounted into place without any problems. Alot more room on the passenger side engine compartment.

My biggest negative about the Mercedes design is that they use individual header steel gaskets for each port instead of 1 complete gasket that handles all the exhaust ports. Also, they use header bolts that are threaded on 2 sides with a stop gap in the middle. Each of the bolts have to be threaded half way down into the heads so that the other half protrudes out. Then you have to slide each individual exhaust gasket onto the 2 protruding bolts for each port, and then try to get the header to slide ontop of the protruding bolts WITHOUT DROPPING THE GASKETS OUT OF PLACE! (This is where you will do the most swearing!). I agree with why the design is the way it is.. But, if you are the guy doing the install, you WONT LIKE IT!

Cooling System Upgrade Install

Prep: Remove front bumper (sounds simple huh?..... NOT!!)

EVO did warn me not to do this myself and to let a trained shop do the install. I know why they say that now. Thanks Brad for the warning!

Cooling System Upgrade is not a difficult job but it is time consuming and requires even more patience than the headers. I didn't have access to EVO since it was Sunday so we basically figured everything out on our own. I will have to make a few suggestions to Brad @ EVO to help improve the installation instructions (they are pretty thorough but a few things lacking that would really help the do-it-yourselfer). The 3 trips to home depot were basically for this job.

Anyone who is thinking of doing this because they really like to wrench on their own cars can PM me and I can give you some pointers before you begin this undertaking.

Post-Install Impressions & Comments

- EVO said that the cooling upgrade sets up the pump so that it is ALWAYS on with the ignition. This isn't quite true. In the kit they supply a relay which is set to trigger from the 2 stock pump wires. Well, the stock pump only turned on when the ECU told it to (based on a certain temperature I think). Since the relay is taking it's queues from the stock wires it only gets energized when the ECU tells it also. I am going to modify this and place a small rocker switch in the car with an LED. Toggling this switch in one position will make it work just like stock. Toggling it the other way will force power ALL THE TIME (race conditions or extreme heat conditions). This way I can control when I want the pump on.

- EVO high-flow pump is LOUD! Man does this thing buzz... I can tell you that whomever is standing beside your car will look over and wonder what the heck the noise is. It doesn't bother me but I can tell you it will be considerably more noticeable than the stock one which is silent.

- EVO Headers: Great quality.. All 3 of the guys (2 helpers and shop owner) were really impressed with weld and general build quality as well as the thermal coating that they supply. THERE IS NO NOTICEABLE change in exhaust note. The car sounds just a touch louder. Barely noticeable.. The TONE has definitely changed, but the decibel level remains the same from when I had just the Resonator deletes. I really need some front cat deletes like the kleemann headers. That will really wake this thing up!

- EVO Cooling upgrade: Fit and finish is great.. All aluminum AN fittings and race adapters. The look behind the front bumper is now greatly improved thanks to the shiny heat exchanger glaring back at you. I think it looks more menacing now with the cooling kit installed on there. It is really tight behind there but everything fits perfectly.


Driving and Performance Impressions

I did a before-install Datalog on the way up to the install shop which was 40min away. It was 30+degrees Celcuis when I left in the morning but it dropped down to 17degrees when I was driving back.. No point in datalogging the return drive because the temperature differential was too high. I will have to do a clean datalog now during the day when it is warm and try to compare it to an older datalog I did under similar conditions. For today I cant report any hard facts.

Car feels and runs more smoothly if you can believe that. Feels like it revs more freely now. VERY NOTICEABLE pull improvement in the upper RPM RANGE. I can definitely see that at around 3,500RPM it really pulls harder to redline than it with the stock manifolds. Below 3,500RPM I really cant be sure if it improved or not. Car spun its wheels like crazy before so with so much torque, using the butt-o-meter is difficult to say.. Only way to tell is to throw it on the dyno.

I am going to check with the dyno guy and see if he can take me tomorrow night. I feel like there is some definite improvement.. how much we'll have to wait and see...

Next up: Install factory AMG 2004-2005 Engine Oil cooler, Header downpipe fabrication to eliminate front cats, Methanol/Water injection system installation.

JamE55

Victor,

Great write up! Do you by any chance have some pics to share? What do you think your rwhp numbers are now?

vrus

Thanks! Lots of pics were taken but I was too tired to upload them from the camera to the computer last night. I will review them tonight and post a couple of them.

RWHP.. Hmm.. Well, EVO stated that the cooling upgrade was 30rwhp ABOVE their Stage 2.. I expect there is a big difference there because of the extra boost that Stage 2 runs so the cooling system has more effect. The headers are supposed to be good for 30rwhp also... I am guessing/HOPING I will probably see 40 - 50rwhp...

The only problem is that to get an accurate dyno reading I should be pulling in 4th.. Because I am on stock programming I will never be able to get a complete pull so I wont be able to see what my PEAK #s will be. That's why I will have to continue to do 3rd and 4th gear pulls and try to guestimate where I am at.

No point in guessing.. will have to just wait until the dyno pull is complete and then I'll have some hard facts.

Actually, once I do the datalog I'll be able to substantiate exactly what benefits the headers and cooling upgrade will provide. I will datalog during the dyno pull also. Stay tuned...

Vic55

Victor my evo cooling system was noisy too but it stopped making noise? I remember when I would turn off my car it would continue for 2 seconds or so. Like you said it was noisy but not annoying. Now there is no noise at all but I know its working because the reservoir does drop in coolant level.

Jakpro1

Hey V, you sure you don't have it up against something that rattles like the fender (or something like that) ....I have the Kleeman high flow pump and she doesn't seem to make that much noise. I gotta stand up front and check again...maybe just never really listened. Can you hear it inside the car....just curious.

medici78

Why can't you do a complete pull with stock programming?

CLSAMG55

Hey VRUS,

I just bought my CLS 55 and i was wondering where you got this install... i'm pretty interested myself.....

were you recommended by a shop? or someone from the forum?

oh and by the way ... your DYNO looks very nice.....

vrus

Hey Vic. Maybe you had a slight rubbing also and it shifted itself over??

Since you didnt do the install you probably dont know how it mounts under there... the stock bracket gets reused for the new pump. The new pump is MUCH thicker than the stock one, so the top hanger for the new pump doesnt get used. It is only fastened on there with the bottom bolt!! I put heavy duty zip ties in a criss-cross pattern around the pump and the body's frame in order to ensure it wouldnt move around.

I think I know what the buzzing is.. I will have to verify next time I get it up in the air. Did EVO rig yours to work all the time or does it only turn on sometimes?

I double checked this morning and it might actually be making contact at the back of the pump onto the metal frame bracket right behind it... I think it is just barely touching there and that is probably where the buzzing is coming from.. When I get it back on the hoist I will double check and see if I am right.

Dyno pulls should be done in a gear where the ratio is closest to 1:1 to be as accurate as possible. On our cars that would be 4th gear. With stock programming, 4th gear will take you to 155mph at 5,400RPM and at that point the ECU will shut off the fuel and you will stop your dyno pull. Our cars make PEAK Horsepower at 6,200RPM I believe. So, I cant see how much PEAK power I am making with stock programming because of the 155mph limit on the dyno.

That's why in my sig it shows 411RWHP @ 5,400RPM. If it would have pulled cleanly right to 6,400RPM I probably would have pulled 420 - 425RWHP.


I guess you didnt read the beginning of my post.

Me and 2 friends did the install. If you are in the GTA I can probably arrange for someone to do the install for you or we can have another mod party and do your car next.

We know what we are doing now, so the second one should only take us half the time cause we'll be prepared!!

Vic55

Evo set mine up to work all the time, its the noise that had gone away. I thought maybe it was not working anymore but then why would the coolant in the reservoir go down?

vrus

Do you mean the coolant level in the reservoir goes down when the car is ON? Or do you mean the level gets lower and lower as the days go on?

The level itself shouldnt change from day to day unless you have a drip-leak somewhere. If you mean the level goes down when the car is started then that is ok because the pump should be circulating coolant and I guess it draws from the reservoir if it needs to.

Check your reservoir (when the car is OFF) and make sure you ALWAYS are at least HALF FULL in there. If you cant see half of the reservoir full of coolant, top it up with whatever mixture you have in there.

Vic55

It mean the overall level after extended driving. I goes down over a period of weeks or a month depending on how much I drive the car. It goes from the middle down about to a quarter full.

vrus

You are probably using the distilled water & Water Wetter that EvoSport recommends.. I am not sure what the effective boiling point of this mixture is, but, it is possible you are getting evaporation and that is why the level is going down.. Either that or there is a slow leak.

I am trying some different. I bought 2 gallons of the EVANS racing coolant. It is super slippery stuff. Much better heat absorption properties than water or water & water wetter combination.

I am about to flush my whole engine block and replace with this stuff to try it out.. If its good enough for Koenigsegg, its good enough for me.

cte430

I would love for you techincal experts to give your thoughts on the attributes of going for the Evo package or the much more simple Kleemann water pump. Let's take the extra few HP out of the mix. Simply from a cooling perspective, do you think the Evo is doing such a better job. And as VRUS just found out, the install for the Evo is much more intense.

The other interesting thing is that Kleemann and Evo use the same pump (to my knowledge). I have read a few of the Evo guys here say it's noisy, yet Spero and Jackpro have no noise issues at all with the Kleemann pump?

vrus

Well.. I cant give you hard facts right now, but I will give them once I get the datalogs complete.

But, let's look at it logically...

Both the Kleemann and Evosport setup use the same pump, so lets forget about discussing the pump for a sec.

Basically, the only thing different about the 2 systems is the extra heat exchanger that Evosport provides. Adding an additional heat exchanger can only be beneficial to heat dissipation. They are effectively almost doubling the surface area that is being used to dissipate heat by adding that second heat exchanger.

Also, as for installation.. I can guarantee that if you bought the Kleemann upgraded pump you would have to still go through 75% of what I went through with the Evosport unit. The new pump that is supplied has a much bigger inlet & outlet than stock. Evosport provides aluminum adapters that go from the stock sized hose to the bigger sized inlet. I am assuming Kleemann would have to supply something similar in order to retrofit this bigger pump???

The only extra work involved is connecting in series to the stock heat exchanger the new one. Then, drilling and mounting the hangers for the new heat exchanger.

The actual difficult part was mounting the pump and getting all the hoses connected properly.

You basically have to decide which you prefer. To me, I wanted the very best possible solution to handle the extreme heat issues so I chose the Evosport one.

Unfortunately no one has any hard facts to backup the comparison between just a pump and having the pump and heat exchanger so I cant say for sure, but, logically it only makes sense the extra heat exchanger will work better.

I am not sure about the pricing for just the pump from Kleemann, but the Evosport kit is around $2000.

I'll post some pics in a little bit...

vrus

Here are some pics that the "designated photographer" took.. Not the best quality, but he at least captured some detail...

Look at the size differences between the 2 pumps (new pump almost looks like a mini turbo-charger)

Also notice all the AN fittings and CNC aluminum adapters.. Great quality and attention to detail..

mbprince

vrus - great write up! Hats off to you and your team for 'gettin her dun' mp

Can Drive 55

Great write up and good details. Remindee me of installing Hooker Headers on my 1967 Olds 442. It took most of a week. Regards to the entire team.

BenzoBoi

Awesome write up mang

vrus

Thanks guys. It was a fun day. Long... but fun!

Today the car felt even crazier (faster) than yesterday. Sunday when we finished the install I had to grab fuel before jumping on the highway to head home. Only thing open at that time had 91octane max.. I put enough in to get me home and get me to the office for Monday. Last night on the way home I filled it up with my usual Sunoco 94 octane.

Either someone snuck into my garage late last night and was wrenching on my car, or the beast worked on itself overnight...

This morning, new pump is MUCH quieter than yesterday.. Don't ask.. I am scratching my head on this one too. Car feels like it picked up another 30 - 40hp.. Don't ask again...

Wow! I guess having some miles on there and letting the ECU remap plus getting some nice quality fuel really woke up the car even more. Throttle response is even more crisp now. The slightest touch of the accelerator and its up and moving.

It's like a god damn banshee... check speedo... 87km/h... click ESP off button... 3rd gear.... 3,500RPM (pretty sure that's where it was at).... 3/4 down on the throttle and split second later full throttle... massive 295 rears wiggle the rear end and it takes off like a rocket. I am hooked big time...

I NEED MORE BOOST!!!!

As soon as I finish with the meth injection, I gotta get me some new programming and a bigger pulley! I want to see a 700hp E55.

JamE55

Victor,

This is after the Evo cooler/heat exchanger and headers upgrade correct? How many miles have you put on the car after the install? Also i think another factor is that you've added the Sunoco 94 octane. And this is all running on normal stock boost correct?

vrus

Yup.. I installed EVO headers, EVO cooling system upgrade, EVO plug wires, and I put in some EVANS NPG-R racing coolant into the intercooler system.

Total miles since install: hmm.. 40min drive back, 150km/h avg speed... roughly 100km drive back home... 48km to the office, 48km home... So, I can say I put on just shy of 200km since I did the install.

Still have stock boost and stock programming. Wont touch the programming or the pulley until the very end. I figure I might as well put on whatever I want to do to the car and then program the ECU at the very last point so I can take advantage of all the changes. That's the best way to do it otherwise you end up having to reflash the ECU everytime you change something if you want the optimal programming in there.

JamE55

That's great! So it sounds like you should be around or close to 450-470rwhp by now right? And yes i do agree about the ECU flas that it should be done last after all the hardware upgrades. How's traction? You getting an LSD?

vrus

I'm hoping that I am around that point.. It sure feels like it.. Trying to get the dyno guy on the phone so I can get in there to verify.. He hasn't called me back yet. I hope he isn't in the middle of his move still.

LSD.. To be honest, I dont need one right now. I've had alot of high horsepower cars and have been accustomed to modulating throttle.. When you are pushing 600hp + you learn to not mash your foot to the floor or you will wipe out quick! You can control wheelspin really well if you know how to control the accelerator.

It is on my list, but I won't look to the LSD until I see the stock one becomes a hindrance for me.

JamE55

That's great! Just curious when you do you ECU who are you going with (company wise)?

rflow306

I wish you were local we would be at the dyno right now. I wanna see what your changes will net. Good luck Victor.