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DIY: ROW Air Box mod

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Old 12-04-2011, 12:56 PM
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'08 E63 Wagon
Arrow DIY: ROW Air Box mod

I read a lot about the ROW Air Box Mod, but I couldn't find a good DIY, just a couple of pictures here and there. Based on that I took the jump and modded my stock air boxes and documented the process.
Keep in mind this can through a CEL if you are not tunned.

You will need:
- A Dremel with a cutting wheel
- Exacto knife
- Long neck pliers
- Sand Paper 150-200

Optional:
- MAF cleaner
- Compressed air

You start with your stock air box top:


Make sure you remove the MAF sensor:


I just rip off the thin plastic lattice by hand:


With a Dremel I cut a superficial groove in the black plastic:


Close up of the groove:


You now can easily separate and remove the plastic pieces:



Note: It may be possible to use a heat gun to melt the glue a remove the black plastic without breaking it, but I didn't try.

With the Dremel cut the "trumpet":


Be careful to cut the trumpet but not dig in the metal parts around the MAF:


After cutting, quite rough:


Trim hard to reach sections with long neck pliers:


Trim the glue with an Exacto knife:


Sand the edges to remove the remaining glue and to smooth the rough cutting around the trumpet:


Clean the air Box with compressed air, then water then compressed air again, make sure there is absolutely no trace of dust or water, then reassemble the MAF sensor. While you are at it you can use some MAF cleaner to make sure the MAF is grease free.


Behold your modded airbox:


Hope this helps!

Last edited by timeToy; 08-05-2016 at 04:20 PM.
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Old 12-04-2011, 02:38 PM
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07' SL65, 04' E55, 03' Evo8, 08' GSXR, DSM's...
Nice write-up. Notice any difference?

Aaron
Old 12-04-2011, 04:21 PM
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Umm...you just destroyed a perfectly good velocity stack.
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Old 12-04-2011, 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by GT-ER
Umm...you just destroyed a perfectly good velocity stack.
Not with that flat spot
Old 12-04-2011, 06:40 PM
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2005 E55 AMG
Originally Posted by timeToy
Not with that flat spot
The flat spot may not be optimal, but it still works better than not having a it at all. The maf especially takes advatange of this because it helps straighten the airflow.
Old 12-04-2011, 08:05 PM
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Haters crazy
Interesting...
Old 12-05-2011, 12:11 AM
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Originally Posted by GT-ER
The flat spot may not be optimal, but it still works better than not having a it at all. The maf especially takes advatange of this because it helps straighten the airflow.
The issue is that the plate is highly restricive: (US vs ROW air box)


Also because there is a gap in the back I highly doubt that there are any velocity stack effect:


Sure real ROW air boxes will be better, but for the price, can't beat it.

Last edited by timeToy; 12-05-2011 at 12:13 AM.
Old 12-05-2011, 01:00 AM
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I have known about this mod, and the velocity stack issue held me back.

To the OP. Most excellent write up. Kudos.
Old 12-05-2011, 08:33 AM
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skills!!!
Old 12-05-2011, 10:29 AM
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Keep us posted on how she feels. I try not to second guess engineers though, at least often.
Old 01-12-2012, 12:08 PM
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stuff
What is the price/part number for the ROW boxes?
Old 01-24-2012, 03:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Ag02m5
What is the price/part number for the ROW boxes?
+1
Old 05-29-2012, 03:25 PM
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has anyone found the ROW part number or cost? Also, does anyone know if this mod really makes any difference?
Old 05-29-2012, 03:27 PM
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stuff
A1560940406 A1560940306
Old 05-29-2012, 09:05 PM
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'07 e63 AMG, '06 e320 CDI, '07 ML350 4Matic, '18 Gls450, '12 cls550
y'all do know that you can send your factory boxes to bruce and send him some cash and he will send you back some air boxes done like this?
Old 05-29-2012, 09:20 PM
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2005 E55 AMG
Originally Posted by BenzoDoc
Keep us posted on how she feels. I try not to second guess engineers though, at least often.
gotta remember those engineers design for performance, AND safety, AND longevity, AND NVH, AND noise, AND emissions, AND AFR, AND...

(of course all within a certain budget - otherwise we'd all be driving cars with gold plated engine parts)

Last edited by Toadster; 05-30-2012 at 09:36 AM.
Old 05-30-2012, 03:48 AM
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03 e55 amg
When you guys are saying ROW what do u mean ?
Old 05-30-2012, 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by SuperchargerV8
When you guys are saying ROW what do u mean ?
ROW - Rest of the World (as in non-US cars)

Interesting mod and ballsy move by OP to perform surgery on the air boxes..it would be interesting to determine the gains.
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Old 05-30-2012, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by BenzoDoc
Keep us posted on how she feels. I try not to second guess engineers though, at least often.
If your modded you have already second guessed engineering lol.
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Old 06-17-2012, 02:45 AM
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Prices of ROW airboxes (1560940306 and 1560940406) on MBonlineparts.com is $258. each.
MSRP is $344.
Old 10-23-2012, 09:57 PM
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Do you need to disconnecting the battery before remove/disconnect the MAF sensor?
Old 10-23-2012, 10:16 PM
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Old 12-01-2013, 11:55 PM
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For some reasons the pics from the OP are gone, so here I repost with the pics.

I read a lot about the ROW Air Box Mod, but I couldn't find a good DIY, just a couple of pictures here and there. Based on that I took the jump and modded my stock air boxes and documented the process.

You will need:
- A Dremel with a cutting wheel
- Exacto knife
- Long neck pliers
- Sand Paper 150-200

Optional:
- MAF cleaner
- Compressed air

You start with your stock air box top:


Make sure you remove the MAF sensor:


I just rip off the thin plastic lattice by hand:


With a Dremel I cut a superficial groove in the black plastic:


Close up of the groove:


You now can easily separate and remove the plastic pieces:



Note: It may be possible to use a heat gun to melt the glue a remove the black plastic without breaking it, but I didn't try.

With the Dremel cut the "trumpet":


Be careful to cut the trumpet but not dig in the metal parts around the MAF:


After cutting, quite rough:


Trim hard to reach sections with long neck pliers:


Trim the glue with an Exacto knife:


Sand the edges to remove the remaining glue and to smooth the rough cutting around the trumpet:


Clean the air Box with compressed air, then water then compressed air again, make sure there is absolutely no trace of dust or water, then reassemble the MAF sensor. While you are at it you can use some MAF cleaner to make sure the MAF is grease free.


Behold your modded airbox:
Old 12-03-2013, 01:13 PM
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Hmm.... That sure looks like it would allow more airflow. Real way to tell if you are getting more air would be to log MAP before and after.

How does it drive ? Any difference ? Still smooth ?
Old 04-21-2015, 10:49 AM
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I did this to my E63. Reset adaptations. No go. Lean faults at idle.


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