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After the ECU tune, this is the second best "bang for buck" mod I've done.
You hit the nail on the head, my friend. I am on the path to transform my recent W212 entry from bone stock to a 10s car. No deep pockets and many family responsibilities, so "bang for the buck" is very important here. I am following the forum discussions with great interest. I guess that I would rate performance-oriented mods in the following order:
.
Ethanol ECU tune (E50, E85).
LSD for RWD cars and/or grippy tires.
TCU tune.
Other popular items like the intake spacers, hi-flow air filters, brake pads, spark plugs, heat exchanger, exhaust is really secondary to the items above, but perhaps more affordable or traditional and, therefore still popular. Despite a cool $6K+ at current prices, it is hard to beat the ROI in the list to make the coveted 1/4-mile target.
Keep up the good work. I am sure that many will follow in your tracks and enjoy this platform's incredible potential. I suspect that the W212 tuner's market has reached another level, and more competition is to emerge. It is reasonable to imagine a coordinated ECU + TCU tune next to make things even more interesting.
Brett, it was nice to meet you at ECATX Friday, beautiful car, one of my favorite color combos!
I was able to click off an 11.7 @ 120 that night at Little River. It was hot and my IAT's were climbing from 118-120° to 150-155° from start to end, so I'll be getting that Pierburg pump ordered today. Also, my "used" fuel pump took a dump on the way home and started giving me issues, so I had to yank it out yesterday and reinstall the stocker till my new (from MB) AMG pump comes in...sucks having to use restraint!
I'm fairly confident I'll be getting the TCU soon after I get my pump installed and divorce the coolant systems so hopefully I can get into the low 11's, pushing towards the 10's!
DAMN YOU EUROCHARGED ATX!!!
J/K Adam/Dave...you guys are awesome! Thanks for all the help and all the POWAR!!! Looking forward to seeing how far we can push this little E550 motor!
This is where you'll sign up for the tuning session.
Thanks!
Dave
Have you all considered a different TCU tune as "stage 1" for RWD cars vs. AWD? For example, the TCU tune for RWD perhaps keeps 1st gear as-is (stock), raises 2nd gear a little, and then 3rd+ gears have a much more aggressive change? Whatever works well in testing for RWD street cars on normal good radials like PS4s. I mean something that you all have tested, because most people likely won't know what values to ask for.
Regarding the link, is the 2005 SLK55 unique, or should the SLK55 include more years? I used to have a 2005 SLK55 and didn't think there was anything unique about that year's transmission setup, but maybe there is. Also, are there anticipated dates for the other locations or is it just when enough deposits come in? I'm fairly close to EC Cincinnati.
Last edited by billvp218; May 19, 2020 at 03:08 PM.
Have you all considered a different TCU tune as "stage 1" for RWD cars vs. AWD? For example, the TCU tune for RWD perhaps keeps 1st gear as-is (stock), raises 2nd gear a little, and then 3rd+ gears have a much more aggressive change? Whatever works well in testing for RWD street cars on normal good radials like PS4s. I mean something that you all have tested, because most people likely won't know what values to ask for.
Regarding the link, is the 2005 SLK55 unique, or should the SLK55 include more years? I used to have a 2005 SLK55 and didn't think there was anything unique about that year's transmission setup, but maybe there is. Also, are there anticipated dates for the other locations or is it just when enough deposits come in? I'm fairly close to EC Cincinnati.
Yes - once we have enough signups we will set the date and make it happen, making sure to give everyone enough time to get it on their schedules. We will be doing a session in Cinci
The tune we are offering is considered a "Stage 1 - Safe" tune - well within the limits of all the factory hardware. A stage 2 offering will be available which will include mapping by gear, and some other neat stuff.
As far as the SLK goes - This tune available for pretty much any 722.9. To be 100% sure - all you have to do is shoot me a message, or call the shop and I can easily check it for you
Eurocharged ATX - 512-777-2799
Thanks!
Dave
P.S. More info will for forthcoming from the "Stage 2" TCU stuff
Last day to register for the TCU tune session in Houston this weekend!! Intro price is $1,800 this weekend ***ONLY*** - HUGE performance gains to be had with this tune...Don't sleep on this deal as it does go up to $2,000 from here on out in the Texas region.
Well we had a successful day of TCU tuning in Houston today. Suffice to say there are three additional very happy AMG Owners and three much more rapid AMGs on the street. We tuned 2 E63S, one a sedan and one an estate, and a CLS 63 running Pure Turbos and a host of other bits and bobs.
On behalf of the AMG Social Club, I wanted to thank Adam and David for coming in from EC ATX in Austin to provide the TCU tune, and for Matt and Tom of Legacy Motorworks for graciously letting us use their facility for this AMG Social Club sponsored event. Beside myself, 3 of our members got TCU flashed today. They are all very happy with the results of the tune. If they are reading this thread I welcome them to come in and add to it.
Personally, my car reached new personal best in acceleration today complements of the TCU tune...
To aid in launch, the rears were shod with MT Streets in 285/35R19 running 20 psi cold.
Prior to the TCU tune, all the analysis I had done with our cars led me to the conclusion that specific tires didn't really add much to the equation. As long as they where summer performance tires then our cars were very similar in performance, and they all were up to the task of managing traction. This was due mostly because, regardless of the state of the ECU tune and supporting hardware, all cars were equal in the eyes of the TCU. The TCU tune was agnostic and operated by restricting boost and throttle closure to modulate torque across all the cars, only allowing a set amount of torque to be generated.
Post TCU tune, I can say unequivocally that really good tires are a must if you want to eek out all the performance these cars are now capable of.. On my stock Pirelli's I could only manage what I had achieved previously pre TCU tune. My launches invariably ended up with tire spin in first regardless of what rpm I launched the car at. Now, with the MT's I can launch at the higher RPMs I used to launch at previously (around 2500rpm) with just a hint of wheel spin from the tires as it rockets to new performance heights.
Results below...
We didn't do a full 1/8 mile pull due to our location, but we manged to get a few launches in for good measure.
New best 60ft and 1/8th Mile (even though we weren't trying..) for this car....
My car has never seen a 1.69 60ft before this tune... the MT's definitely play a part in getting out of the hole and maintaining traction, but without the TCU tune the car wouldn't have been making enough torque in first for it to matter otherwise...
I now get access to all the performance in first, without throttle closure.
Note the 1/8 mile run was cut short during this run. We were actually on the brakes by the 1/8 mile. Ignore the ET and trap, they are not valid. I only wanted to show the 60ft time. Whats really funny here though is this is my cars fastest 1/8 mile now to date as well, with a previous best of 7.25@100.41, and this was achieved under braking...lol. If we'd only stayed in it just a little longer... arghhhh
To add insult to injury, we weren't using my draggy so my account doesn't get credited with the new times...so typical... lol This is a screen shot off my friends draggy after the run.
Here's my 0-60 time... again aided by the MT's but made possible by the TCU tune...
0-60(1ft) of 2.89 sec for 4500lb executive saloon is pretty damn impressive.
In closing, the TCU tune really brings these cars alive in the lower gears... 2nd and 3rd are transformed now.
This is a mod that I can totally say is worth it.
Last edited by brutus_tx; May 23, 2020 at 08:43 PM.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
