MB Fanatic

My car hasnt stalled on me once, however, given the numerous complaints about the car stalling or the supercharger disengaging, its a genuine problem that Mercedes and AMG need to look at with their suppliers and determine the best remedy for it.

Gunite

Victor,

I think the only difference here is that the heat is now escaping through a hood vent rather than being trapped. I will talk to a paint shop this week and find out for sure at what temperature I need to worry about paint damage.

I still cant see how the hood insulation is anything more then sound deadening material. They don't make it from cotton for obvious reasons. Removing it certainly does not expose a combustible surface does it, so how am I creating a fire hazard in any way. The only way I can see it is if the engine catches fire and its incased in this thermos without any air it obviously cant burn. If my engine does catch fire I don't want this car any longer for sure.

If the paint shop says put it back on I'll talk to Victor about his idea but I'll leave the hood vent unobstructed to release heat.

Evolution Marine

Gunite - There is no additional fire hazard because of what you have done. The heat you have released thru the hood vent goes up (away from the components) not down and the temp. of this released heat is no where near the flash point of any of the materials in or around the engine compartment. You are also correct that if the motor does catch on fire you don't want the car anyway. As far as oxygen goes to feed a fire there is plenty with or without the things you have removed. The reason for the secondary firewall is primarily sound attenuation. BTW, has the motor noise increased inside the passenger compartment since you have removed these items?

As far as the paint goes, in the short run (6 yrs.), there will be no discernible deterioration of the paint. In the long run the paint will start to loose its shine easier and need more polishing/waxing to stay in good condition. The higher temps. over the long run will deteriorate the paint faster, and are also not high enough to burn/bubble the paint. - Bob

medici78

Have you noticed any appreciable drop in underhood temps? I know on the diesel cars, its mostly sound insulation. Don't believe me? Go check out an E320 CDI. Let it run and have the salesman comment how its such a quiet engine. Then open the hood. That'll shut him up, lol :p
I wonder if we would be able to hear the supercharger whine on the E55 if the insulation is removed...

Gunite

Bob,

Shame on you for calling it motor noise. To my ears it sounds more like motor music. I'm telling you this motor has such a sweet sound to it that I have not heard before. You hear a whoosh of air mixed in with a little supercharger whine as you get on the gas. Flooring it sounds like and idle remains the same.


Have you ever left your car in the hot scorching sun all day and then tried to put your hand on the paint. A little hand burn is in order. Honestly my paint was not even close to being that hot and it cooled down very rapidly through evacuation of the hood vent. I think the hood vent is the great equalizer with all the paint issues. Without the hood vent to evacuate the heat removing the insulation with out question would be frivolous. However I will still research this issue some more.

When I have some time I would like to do some temperature testing under the hood with and with out these items installed.

Joe

medici78

So you CAN hear the S/C whine? Sweet. It might be worth removing it just for that. One of the things I always felt the E55 lacked was the S/C sound.

shaw01

Something like this makes the most sense in the world, maintains the insulation while increasing the airflow in and out .. just a thought (pic from the CLS forum)

Rafal

This should stir the loins of the C/F vented hood enthusiasts again....

Rafal

Oh, really? I suggest you ask someone to take a video (with good sound!) of your E55 approaching at full bore from about 1/2 mile away. Play it back on your surround sound TV and then you will change your mind. You cannot hear the Kompressor whine from the interior, but on the outside it sounds like a low flying F16.
At all my track days people always come up to compliment me on the fantastic sound of this car (stock, BTW)

ShazAMG

I second that, the sound from the 55ers give me gusbumps...

medici78

The one time I took it out to the drags, people mostly commented how silent it is going down the track.

pas

I have read a lot of posts on this site regarding heat and excessive heat ect ect. I just did my first track day last week at NHIS with BMWCCA and my engine temperature didn't budge from normal street driving it stayed right around the 90 mark all day the next bar never illuminated. It was about 85 degrees out with maybe 50% humidity. My brakes overheated several times but never the engine. I live in Miami and I have never seen the engine temp move down there either. My car is stock. Is something unique with my car or does everybody with temp problems have mods?

vrus

Most of the heat issues revolve around intercooler heat soak.. the ECU pulls timing and eventually shuts off the supercharger.

Engine temp and IAT are 2 different things.

pas

thanks for the clarification. I have not noticed any power loss on the street or track so I can assume my intercooler has not gotten hotter than it is supposed to?

DJE55

You probably have had a loss of power just not enough to really notice. My car can be off as much as .25-.35sec in the 1/4 with just a 10deg c difference in the motor.

Rafal

As compared to cars without mufflers it sure is quiet...LOL. It's mainly hoons at the drags.
I am talking circuit, with other street legal cars.

medici78

Gotcha.
Well, except for the "hoons" thing. What's a "hoon"?

vrus

I'm with Gunite... I am gonna pull mine off tonight and see how it reacts tomorrow.

OzE55

Hoon = rev head = bogan = petrol head etc
All Oz slang for someone who drives like a maniac - often in a heavily modified older muscle car/japanese turbo.... loud exhaust, loud stereo, spins the wheels going around suburban street corners......generally a nuisance on the road showing off to their underage mates in the car.

Come to think of it many of us could be called hoons some of the time!

Rafal

Right on! This is a rich hoon's paradise!
BTW, that's how we are perceived by the genuine hoons described perfectly by my Aussie mate, thanks!

Thericker

Curious??? Vrus, Gunite, any updates??? I find this idea very interesting Anything that cools down the blower has to = some positive performance..

E552006

This post got me thinking about whether or not my Supra's had under-hood insulation.
I went back and checked some pics of my old cars and can see that they did not.
Now I am going to say that the underhood temps of a single turbo and the temps it created on the paint were even higher than those created by the E55's blower.
No paint issues on 3 Supras and over 6 yrs.

In fact, when I put a single on my last Supra, the turbo sat about 3 inches from the hood and there where never any negative effects on the paint.

Josh

99e320

id leave it off/out i did this too all my cars, never an issue with paint melting, esp if a single turbo doesnt melt the paint that close to the hood well then thats proof enough. i dont see why all you people cry to him that he found this mod, if your so worried dont do it. jeez relax

rflow306

X2 with an ASP pulley.

zoink

You criticized a 2 years old argument? LOL