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i have jdm 06 in what looks to be same color, but is actually designo mystic white
The Designo white is a bit warmer and has a bit of sparkle in it. A mate had one and I really liked the colour. The one with the black rims is Designo white and mine next to it is Alabaster white.
How is the seating position of these seats compared to stock. My stock seats feel really high and not sporty. I'd like for them to be a bit lower.
Did you retain any electric functionality? Or are they manual now?
Are the seats stiff and firm or do they flex on acceleration and cornering?
How difficult was it to remove the air suspension?
Did you remove the air suspension buttons and replace them with blanks?
Did you code to tell the computer that you no longer have air suspension?
Thanks!
I've very interested because I think I may do these mods very soon.
I'm in Germany and here these modifications have to been approved by an examiner and noted in the cars paper. They won't approve it, if there's an error message, so I did it 100% correctly, even the Xenon adjuster works. The front struts were fairly easy. The rear was a bit tedious, because in order to adjust the ride height, you theoretically have to loosen the control arm again, which needs the exhaust to be loosened as well. For electronics, I looked at the wiring diagrams and and pinned the wires of the two front level sensors and one rear sensor into the headlight level ecu. I then removed the airmatic coding from the instrument cluster and the headlight level ecu. I'm not sure what the exact English names are, cause I'm German 😅
I went with fully manually seats, got the manual seat rails of a W211 and fitted them to Recaros. One seat rail was from a w204 actually, and it fits, since the holes are the same distance. I'm pretty sure MB uses the same pattern on most seats, since the w203 and w209 also fitted, from what I tested. I had to code out the seat sidebags, and installed a passenger occupancy emulator. The seats are lower than stock and quite firm. I did some "spirited" driving today and the seats, suspension and brakes were a blast, no comparison to stock.
You should get the MK ultra "SLR" TCU. The gearshifting in the vid sounds stock very lazy but you were not thrashing the car around there either.
You can modify the sway bars front and rear by drilling holes closer to the round bar front and rear. Makes big difference too body roll but depending on spring rate you might be fine with your coilovers? Im on arnott airmatic so it made a big difference. And get the Ultra racing brace that goes from gearbox mounts too front subframe that makes an enormous difference to these cars under braking and general handling.
I like the look of the 8pot caliper more so than the newer caliper but realize the 6 pot performs better. I have a e63 wreck which Iv already sold the calipers and brakes off but would like to use the standard ABS and retrofit that to my e55 if the SBC ever ****s it self.
You should take the car to an ex shop and get them to add 25-35mm of 2.8" tube where it begins to flare out to the outside of the car where the mufflers start.
Those braces seem really interesting. Do you happen to know, if the stock undertray will fit, with those installed?
Sorry for the late reply, but better late than never Yes, the cooling system is split. I use an M157/M278 water reservoir, because I'm a sucker for the oem look.
The S55 radiator was a bit of an hassle to install. I screwed the Rad with 4 screws washers and nuts to the AC condenser. Because of the water inlet, I had to remove the plastic intake and had to file a little bit of plastic off the left headlight housing.
Unfortunately I didn't measure the A45 radiator. I only measured the water volume. A45 cooler has 850ml, S55 has 350ml and E63 has 500ml. The E63 cooler is actually smaller than the stock unit, I only used it cause of the fittings on each side. I think I'll get a custom one made in the future, if the intake temps get too high in summer.
That helps. I had noticed in the other pics the bolts you used for mounting the S55 coil. So those bolts go through both the S55 coil and the condenser - correct? Is there an air gap betwen the S55 coil and the condenser?
The water reservoir looks like it is suposed to be there - nice add-on.
i have considered an addtional coil to be located where you installed the A45 coil. The one I am considering is 17inH x 13inW (432 x 330). Generally, is the A45 coil in that size range? Did you have to modifiy the fender liner to allow the air to pass-thru?
@UncleBenz55 I've looked for a coolant reservoir like in the pic you posted and I'm coming up empty. I've been all through EPC nothing seems to match. Part number or specific vehicle you can direct me to? Thank you!
It's used on the M278 and M157 on the W212 for example.
Interesting - my version of EPC shows reservoir 204 500 09 49 for both of those enigines (and all other engines) for the W212. Thank you for your help.
@UncleBenz55 you have enlightened me. I now realize that what you were directing me to was that the cars with the M157 and M278 engines in the W212 body (and I'm sure other model/engine combinations) that have seperate cooling systems, one each for the engine and intake charge. The coolant reservoirs I had been looking at were for the engine only. Thank you again.
When you did your research did you consider any other coils for the location where you installed the S55 unit? Such as the larger unit from the W212 - part number 197 500 01 03?
I tried one from the A45, but that one was too wide. The S55 is a bit wide already, as you might see, I had to leave out the intake trim piece, as it wouldn't fit. The other radiators are even wider. The SL55 one is as wide as the S55 one I believe, but is longer, so that would be a even better fit I think. I had to fiddle with the servo steering cooler too, since the bracket wouldn't clear the rad. Best would be, to completely use a different cooler for the power steering as well. I think the ABC collier from the w220 would work well.
It's a lot of testing, since not all measurements are available online. So it includes buying 2nd hand stuff etc. to check
I tried one from the A45, but that one was too wide. The S55 is a bit wide already, as you might see, I had to leave out the intake trim piece, as it wouldn't fit. The other radiators are even wider. The SL55 one is as wide as the S55 one I believe, but is longer, so that would be a even better fit I think. I had to fiddle with the servo steering cooler too, since the bracket wouldn't clear the rad. Best would be, to completely use a different cooler for the power steering as well. I think the ABC collier from the w220 would work well.
It's a lot of testing, since not all measurements are available online. So it includes buying 2nd hand stuff etc. to check
Yes, that is where I am and the reason for asking. No reason to follow a dead-end path if you have already gone there. Yes, the SL55 is one I had noticed looked larger. I'll see what I can find online that will help provide some clarity. I did find the size info on the A45 wheel well cooler you used. As you probably know, that unit is widely used by MB in several models.
Yeah that one is used in pretty much all M157 and M133 engines. If you don't have the Pierburg CWA100, I highly recommend that as well. That pump is a huge upgrade over the Bosch 010 and other pumps out there.
Yeah that one is used in pretty much all M157 and M133 engines. If you don't have the Pierburg CWA100, I highly recommend that as well. That pump is a huge upgrade over the Bosch 010 and other pumps out there.
Yes, the Pierburg pump is on my list. I'm wondering if you looked at this coil. It is used on a bunch 205 platforms with smaller engines. The posssible beneift is that it is very close to the size of the stock radiator coil (without tanks), has fairly small tank areas, and it is 16mm thick which may allow for an easier fitment with the stock power steering coils. Part number is 099 500 20 03.
This is the S55 cooler measurements. It's not as wide as the w205 one, but it was a tight fight already. I don't think the w205 will fit. I found the wheel well cooler measurements on my phone, if you still need them. If the cooler was any taller, it wouldn't have fit. The top is almost touching the xenon washer nozzle and the bottom is very close to the unstertray
This is the S55 cooler measurements. It's not as wide as the w205 one, but it was a tight fight already. I don't think the w205 will fit.
I found the wheel well cooler measurements on my phone, if you still need them. If the cooler was any taller, it wouldn't have fit. The top is almost touching the xenon washer nozzle and the bottom is very close to the unstertray
Thanks for the thoughts on the W205 unit. I am leaning to trying the SL55 along with the power steering cooler that is married to it and typically available on the used market. I am gaining hope it will fit since the SL55 main radiator is the same size as the W211 (some aftermarket manufactures use the same unit between the two platforms) so the overall sizing is the same.
Thanks for the sizing on the wheel well cooler as I had not found those specs, so that is very helpful. And your comments about the fitment is good to know too.
Yeah I think SL55 cooler with power steering cooler will be the best fit, but it won't be plug and play. Please share your results once you've changed your setup, will be interesting to see
Yeah I think SL55 cooler with power steering cooler will be the best fit, but it won't be plug and play. Please share your results once you've changed your setup, will be interesting to see
The A/C condenser has one of the dryer lines coming across the front right lower corner which would make it tough to get the SL55 HE in place. Did you have that as issue upon your install of the S55 HE? If that line was in the way, how did you deal with it?
The S55 cooler is not as tall. I think it ended, where the AC lines are
Yes, that's the assumption I made when i realized the way that tubing was there. I may have to end pursuing the SL55 cooler. This condenser issue also limits any other coolers such as the W205 unit considered.
So I'm on holidays this week. Sunday evening I went ahead and did some brake bedding. Stopping the car 20+ times from 100 to 50 kph does make you feel sick, but it's worth it. Then the weather was really good yesterday with it being dry and 17°C, so I decided to do a lap of Touristenfahrt. I wanted to see how the intake temp was, and how the car harmonises with the seats, suspension and brakes. I have to say the car is really fun for a 2000kg taxi, even my friend who drives an ND Miata was surprised how the boat got tossed from corner to corner. I'm still new to the track, this being my first lap, where I remotely pushed the accelerator. The previous 4 laps I've done in the last 4 years were just like going on a walk, so I'm yet not comfortable enough to push it past 200kph on the track But it's fun as hell
So I'm on holidays this week. Sunday evening I went ahead and did some brake bedding. Stopping the car 20+ times from 100 to 50 kph does make you feel sick, but it's worth it. Then the weather was really good yesterday with it being dry and 17°C, so I decided to do a lap of Touristenfahrt. I wanted to see how the intake temp was, and how the car harmonises with the seats, suspension and brakes. I have to say the car is really fun for a 2000kg taxi, even my friend who drives an ND Miata was surprised how the boat got tossed from corner to corner. I'm still new to the track, this being my first lap, where I remotely pushed the accelerator. The previous 4 laps I've done in the last 4 years were just like going on a walk, so I'm yet not comfortable enough to push it past 200kph on the track But it's fun as hell
Yeah the temps are really okay in the video. I'm mostly happy about the brake and suspension perfomance, since they really work well. Handling 2000kg is no joke
Yeah the temps are really okay in the video. I'm mostly happy about the brake and suspension perfomance, since they really work well. Handling 2000kg is no joke
Yes, the front heavy and basic suspension design of the W211 is not known for its turn in or any where close to being balanced in overall handling. Kudos on the efforts on getting that dialed in.
@UncleBenz55 - hopefully I have not worn out the path of asking for guidance. I now have the coolant reservoir you suggested and have looked carefully of your posted pics of your underhood setup. Based on the unique reservoir mounting bracket that is intregrated with the reservoir, I have to assume you have partially or completely removed the bracket as it is not at all visible in the pics. If so, did you just cut off the four 'legs'? How have you fashioned a mounting method of the reservoir?
I'm still looking at possibly using the larger SL55 intercooler. Since several aftermarket radiator sellers provide the same radiator for the SL55 and the E/CLS55, I have some degree of comfort the intercooler can mount directly on the existing radiator. The used market of the SL55 intercooler also includes a mounted steering cooler (mounted directly at the top of the intercooler) so that would remove the existing steering cooler and the issues trying to work around that. Also, the SL55 intercooler is sandwiched between the A/C condenser and the main radiator. That placement would remove the problem of mounting the intercooler in front of the A/C condenser and interferring with the condenser tubing. So, I'm working on chasing down what would be involved with going that route. I wonder if you have already investigated any of this craziness?
03-13-2022, 03:39 PM
Yes, the cooling system is split. I use an M157/M278 water reservoir, because I'm a sucker for the oem look.
But it's fun as hell
