Hersh's Turbo CLK430 Build Thread

[falls profet]

Man...the more and more I think about this project, more and more scary thoughts come to mind. I'm not trying to dissuade you to not do it, but I would think long and hard about this. You WILL have to eventually get at least an AMG tranny from a 55, and probably have to beef it up. The tuning however is by far the most crucial. That AEM unit you're using is pretty much the same thing as an APEXI AFC or any other piggy-back module. You're just "tricking" the stock ECU, which in my opinion is not proper. I've been down this road when I was in college with my turbo Civic Si. I was boosting 19 lbs. from a T3/T4, fully built engine, and a FULL tune. It is a VERY LONG road to the finish line. Do you really want to dump $5-6,000 more into your car is the way I would think about it... If you really want to get serious, find a computer programmer and an ECU from a CLK and see if they can hack it and rewrite a program for a REAL tune. If you'll go to MarcusF's write up of our ECU, you'll find that it has the capability to become a real tuning source if you can access it. The maps are all in there just like an AEM standalone. There's a website: www.pgmfi.org These guys are the ones that originally started hacking Honda ECUs and writing programs for it so save people hundreds of dollars when tuning boosted imports. It is VERY technical and I can't hardly roll with those guys over there with all their knowledge; but you may be able to find you a programmer over there that can actually break into and write a program for our ECUs. Could make a ton of money too once you got something sound...

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[CLK FAN]

Originally Posted by deyainrdy4ds

what year is ur car and what tranny does it have... its different from mine rite? and how long is a "long drive" and what kinda problems start occuring?

and can u link me to ur old thread...?

thanks

Hersh I'm pretty sure the 430 tranny is the same as a 320...but I may be wrong. I bought a steering box arm from a Mercedes junk yard and asked about trannys and engines and I remember the owner telling me that the tranny was the same on a 430 as a 320.

[P1 Performance]

Go to Potomac German Auto and you can search for a tranny and it will also cross reference the same part between models.

[nastyclk]

Alot of mercedes from similar years have the same Tranny 722 but different clutches and internals. I know that Blackbenz had to get his rebuilt and his is slightly stronger than ours. I will eventually have to do mine. The trannys wont grenade of anything but the clutches and gears will start slipping.The 320 is the same 722.607 tranny and if you plan on running 400+ HP you will eventually need to get it rebuilt.Blackbenz and I have contacts if and when your ready. I hope this guy did alot of homework when it comes to the standalone tuning our cars as most of us are aware are a ***** to tune but you got to take risk to be diff and do great things. Good luck!

[Max Hughes]

Originally Posted by falls profet

Man...the more and more I think about this project, more and more scary thoughts come to mind. I'm not trying to dissuade you to not do it, but I would think long and hard about this. You WILL have to eventually get at least an AMG tranny from a 55, and probably have to beef it up. The tuning however is by far the most crucial. That AEM unit you're using is pretty much the same thing as an APEXI AFC or any other piggy-back module. You're just "tricking" the stock ECU, which in my opinion is not proper.

Not to sound harsh but the AEM is miles above an SAFC. It doesn't tune by simply tricking the MAF. It modifies injectors, o2 sensors, controls boost(if setup that way), controls ignition timing and can display the cars timing, timing retard, injector cycle duties, real time position on all the maps and allows for on-the-fly changes. You can't use an SAFC on a Mercedes boosting more than 2-3psi because the MAF maxxes out. The SAFC has a single 1x9 MAF map. The AEM has 21x17 map tables. I've run both for months at a time and I can prove it if you'd like.

The CLK430 has a different gear train and several more clutches than the CLK320. The same P/N on the outside simply refers to the case and bellhousing since the m112 and m113 are modular engines.

[Max Hughes]

HQ isn't done processing so the quality sucks with the non-HD camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCIokPcSmek

A pic I took before starting the wiring, more pics from tonight as soon as I'm done wiring the injector part of the AEM harness.

[VIPclk320]

Originally Posted by deyainrdy4ds

what year is ur car and what tranny does it have... its different from mine rite? and how long is a "long drive" and what kinda problems start occuring?

and can u link me to ur old thread...?

thanks

mine is 99 320, i dont think i ever did a write up on the turbo but i think there are still photos from my old photobucket account that are floating around on the fourm. the biggest problem is the tranny and the tunning. tunning was never perfect i felt a lot of hesitation at higher rpms, tranny slipping, unless you run low boost, and specialy turbo lag because of the length of the charge pipe.

[VIPclk320]

Originally Posted by Max Hughes

HQ isn't done processing so the quality sucks with the non-HD camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCIokPcSmek

A pic I took before starting the wiring, more pics from tonight as soon as I'm done wiring the injector part of the AEM harness.

i didn't use the safc, i used the Apex'i FC. the complete piggy back with the side remote. that system is capable of more function controls than the AEM, it is by far one of the most advanced systems in the market. and the tunning is still very iffy. as for the tranny MAX is absolutly right the housing is the same but the clutches are different. and some more of the internals are different.

[Williams707]

Finally, some excitement to this forum.
Always good to see and hear technical observations and opinions.

It's also, gay, I mean good to see how much Hersh is luv'd

[Max Hughes]

I don't know about you but when I see these wiring diagrams I get excited. More pics soon.

[Max Hughes]

Cheap tuning solution? I think not. 4AM and time for bed...

[jtbeche]

Not that it really matters, but are you sure on the TQ numbers? I had to go back and look at some of my dyno numbers on my old CLK. Pre-mods I was putting down something like 215/217, post mods it was 234/238. So the HP number seems just about perfect. That nearly 280 TQ number seems crazy high to me. Anyway, just rambling at this point......

[Max Hughes]

That's what the dyno readout but I'm not really concerned with the stock numbers. The turbo numbers are what matters.

Wiring the AEM is 100% done. It will be made pretty once I am 100% that everything works like it should. Only used half of the AEM unit's wiring harness since o2 and MAF correction are not being used. The spark plugs have been replaced too. Didn't have time for the injectors or plug wires yet. I will finish that up tomorrow and get the base tune on it before it goes to the shop for the new exhaust .

[da_guitarist]

awesome....keep us posted! thanks for the great pics and info

[buffyclk500]

go work cant wait till it is done

[Max Hughes]

The ECU is fully functional and wired up. Now that the supporting mods are done, the part you've all been really waiting for begins tomorrow(insert dramatic music) .

http://www.youtube.com/v/NCXHqXFdGJo&hl=en&fs=1&

ECU all tied up:

Interior like it wasn't touched:

[CLK430Benz]

[deyainrdy4ds]

hellloo from the grand cayman islads while a little tipsy lol... finally xaught sum wifi... been so eager to get online for updates.... hope everything is goin well... throw me an email if anything max thanks

[falls profet]

Originally Posted by Max Hughes

Not to sound harsh but the AEM is miles above an SAFC. It doesn't tune by simply tricking the MAF. It modifies injectors, o2 sensors, controls boost(if setup that way), controls ignition timing and can display the cars timing, timing retard, injector cycle duties, real time position on all the maps and allows for on-the-fly changes. You can't use an SAFC on a Mercedes boosting more than 2-3psi because the MAF maxxes out. The SAFC has a single 1x9 MAF map. The AEM has 21x17 map tables. I've run both for months at a time and I can prove it if you'd like.

The CLK430 has a different gear train and several more clutches than the CLK320. The same P/N on the outside simply refers to the case and bellhousing since the m112 and m113 are modular engines.

Be as harsh as you'd like, Sir. I'll take no offense

I'm not going to pretend I know more than you do, as I have never personally tuned a car, but I understand the justs of it. That AEM does seem to have much more control over timing and fueling (which is the most important variables) so maybe it will be fine.

Besides...who the hell am I to argue with someone who has a freak'n top mount on an E Class and obviously understands tuning a lot more than I do.

Very nice work, Max. Looking great, and can't wait for you to post today!

[Max Hughes]

Update for today:

Gross, I think there might be some Herpes in there:

If this isn't the beefiest electric oil pump lol...

Ugh so that electric cutout he said he had, where'd it go? I was wondering why it was so loud. Amazing welding job.

This muffler probably cost more than half the turbo kit lol:

Performance exhaust turbulence

Performance dent!

The only part of his catback being retained:

Before I head to the shop to put the turbo on I had to do this

What could these be for?

A hoss-ass oil pump maybe?

Silicon sealed:

Mounting nuts from behind:

The Y-pipe which will be the starting point of the turbo up-pipe.

Waiting...

[vizionclk430]

This project is coming along great. Man that was some nasty exhaust work

[deyainrdy4ds]

cudnt find ne internet in honduras or belize... finally got sum in cozumel...hope everything is goin okay wit the install rite now... guess u had to remove the eisenmann .... ne update max?

[C43AMG]

deyainrdy4ds ......where you at in Jersey? I gotta see this thing when its done.

[Max Hughes]

Turbo is on but the pic is on my phone. Here is the finished exhaust, non mandrel bent but mandrel bends aren't required for his rear turbo setup since his exhaust was so big:

[deyainrdy4ds]

i liv in hudson county and yea man feel free to come
by....max try to email me soon if u can cuz the boats guna b leavin in like 30 min.... ne more pics of the turbo on... oil pump wastegate bov intercooler etc v