What sort of upgrades have you done to your MB? - Page 9 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

winmutt · #**121** 01-09-2008, 11:17 AM

IC is not going to give you a power increase by itself, it will allow you to turn up the fuel and boost. It just helps keep the EGT's lower.

sailor15015 · #**122** 01-09-2008, 01:27 PM

I've done the 115 amp alternator upgrade for the purpose of replacing the stock fan with a Spaal electric and a Spaal pulse width modulator. My stock clutch had seized up and the fan and controller were comparable in price to a new clutch. This way I can have full fan speed while idling with the a/c on for better air flow over the condenser. That's very important during Oklahoma summers. Another reason for the alternator upgrade was to upgrade the wiring and add relays for the headlights to be able to use 100w high beams and to replace the fogs with additional 100w lamps. I drive lots of back roads at night coming from work and going to visit my parents so they're a necessity. I'll also be upgrading my condenser to a parallel flow unit in a couple of months, along with replacing my compressor that seized last September.

yogarda · #**123** 01-10-2008, 10:47 PM

My 240D had a cassette tape holder with these junky spring-loaded chambers that I think may have come from the factory but who needs tapes, so I ripped out the tape holders and built a wooder pair of cup holders out of it... Perfect.

But to possibly make a considerable contribution to the group, how about a hydrogen supplement to the system? It works pretty great and I will take some pics of what I've done if anyone is interested.
It's basically a simple hydrogen electrolyzer in the trunk, made from a plastic paint can, that converts salt water to 3psi of hydrogen right off the battery power. It's a very un-intrusive mod that can only be noticed as an extra tube and power wire under the hood and the same in the trunk.
At the moment I have it relayed off the subwoofer signal from my stereo because I had already run a wire for a butt-kicker sub under my driver's seat before I began this project. (I guess that counts as a mod as well.) This keeps it from running the battery down when parked (and also makes me have to drive with my stereo on if I want to experience the benefits... which it is always on anyway.)
I have tried two destinations for the hydrogen gas feed; one directly to the air filter housing to dump the hydrogen in with the incoming air, and more recently I built a small brass fitting assembly that injects the hydrogen directly into the diesel fuel right after the secondary filter.
Total price for all the parts was around $35. Took me a couple hours to get it all hooked up, which would go a bit faster if I were to do it to my wife's 300D.

What I know is that I was getting 29-30 mpg before I started, on Michelin X all-season radials. Hooked up the air-filter feed version of the system the same week that I had to change over to snows for the winter, and noticed a significant difference in acceleration and highway cruising. Unfortunately, any mpg rating at the moment would be heavily distorted because of the snow tires... So I don't have empirical data yet on this.

Then I disconnected the feed for two weeks to get used to how it used to drive, to be sure I wasn't kidding myself.

So this afternoon I hooked up the direct-to-fuel version (would that be fuel injection-injection?) and also noted a change in acceleration and cruising immediately. I still have plenty of examination and tweaking to do on this method though, to try to get the best possible results. If I had to guess, I'd say the air filter version had a better immediate result than the fuel-injected version.

At first I was thinking that I'd like to get the hydrogen directly into the fuel because some of it would burn on contact with the air as it traveled into the manifold, making the amount that actually gets to the cylinder less than what I sent in.
I was especially convinced that the air filter method was suffering once I found out that there is not always vacuum in the air filter housing. In fact, more often than not, there's positive pressure. Not what I expected from my years of dealing with gasoline engines. So my guess is that hydrogen enters the filter housing (directly over the hole that drops into the manifold; it bypasses the filter) and then must swirl around a bit in the semi-vacuum that exists there. No good for a gas that begins to combust with its first contact with air.
So I am still learning what's the best method but I can tell you it's easy to build, easy to install, and definitely exhibits a difference in drivability.
I can describe the process I went through to come up with my solution if anyone expresses interest; again with photos that I have not yet taken.

And thanks to the group for helping me learn that I had to take two screws out of the side of the auto transmission my wife's 300D to get the vacuum modulator out. Can't see much up in there, even with the driveshaft disconnected and the rear of the tranny dropped a few inches! I hope to be able to make some sort of return contribution in the years ahead.

Best regards

ichbineinekrous · #**124** 01-11-2008, 08:41 AM

Yes by all means post pics and more details. Great idea.

Chad300tdt · #**125** 01-11-2008, 09:08 AM

Most of the stuff I've done on my wagon has been to bring it back to acceptable daily driver condition.

"Upgrades" I've done are:

1. The leak-free Primer Pump
2. clear turn signal lenses
3. Blacked out grill
4. LED bulbs in gauge cluster
5. Keyless entry that utilizes the vacuum central lock system
6. New head unit, speakers and subwoofer (mounted in spare tire cover) with amp (mounted in first-aid kit location).
7. 16" Reproduction SLK wheels (some may not think of this as an upgrade

)
8. Limo tint

I'd like to add a boost gauge as another upgrade.

Stevo · #**126** 01-11-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogarda

My 240D had a cassette tape holder with these junky spring-loaded chambers that I think may have come from the factory but who needs tapes, so I ripped out the tape holders and built a wooder pair of cup holders out of it... Perfect.

But to possibly make a considerable contribution to the group, how about a hydrogen supplement to the system? It works pretty great and I will take some pics of what I've done if anyone is interested.
It's basically a simple hydrogen electrolyzer in the trunk, made from a plastic paint can, that converts salt water to 3psi of hydrogen right off the battery power. It's a very un-intrusive mod that can only be noticed as an extra tube and power wire under the hood and the same in the trunk.
At the moment I have it relayed off the subwoofer signal from my stereo because I had already run a wire for a butt-kicker sub under my driver's seat before I began this project. (I guess that counts as a mod as well.) This keeps it from running the battery down when parked (and also makes me have to drive with my stereo on if I want to experience the benefits... which it is always on anyway.)
I have tried two destinations for the hydrogen gas feed; one directly to the air filter housing to dump the hydrogen in with the incoming air, and more recently I built a small brass fitting assembly that injects the hydrogen directly into the diesel fuel right after the secondary filter.
Total price for all the parts was around $35. Took me a couple hours to get it all hooked up, which would go a bit faster if I were to do it to my wife's 300D.

What I know is that I was getting 29-30 mpg before I started, on Michelin X all-season radials. Hooked up the air-filter feed version of the system the same week that I had to change over to snows for the winter, and noticed a significant difference in acceleration and highway cruising. Unfortunately, any mpg rating at the moment would be heavily distorted because of the snow tires... So I don't have empirical data yet on this.

Then I disconnected the feed for two weeks to get used to how it used to drive, to be sure I wasn't kidding myself.

So this afternoon I hooked up the direct-to-fuel version (would that be fuel injection-injection?) and also noted a change in acceleration and cruising immediately. I still have plenty of examination and tweaking to do on this method though, to try to get the best possible results. If I had to guess, I'd say the air filter version had a better immediate result than the fuel-injected version.

At first I was thinking that I'd like to get the hydrogen directly into the fuel because some of it would burn on contact with the air as it traveled into the manifold, making the amount that actually gets to the cylinder less than what I sent in.
I was especially convinced that the air filter method was suffering once I found out that there is not always vacuum in the air filter housing. In fact, more often than not, there's positive pressure. Not what I expected from my years of dealing with gasoline engines. So my guess is that hydrogen enters the filter housing (directly over the hole that drops into the manifold; it bypasses the filter) and then must swirl around a bit in the semi-vacuum that exists there. No good for a gas that begins to combust with its first contact with air.
So I am still learning what's the best method but I can tell you it's easy to build, easy to install, and definitely exhibits a difference in drivability.
I can describe the process I went through to come up with my solution if anyone expresses interest; again with photos that I have not yet taken.

And thanks to the group for helping me learn that I had to take two screws out of the side of the auto transmission my wife's 300D to get the vacuum modulator out. Can't see much up in there, even with the driveshaft disconnected and the rear of the tranny dropped a few inches! I hope to be able to make some sort of return contribution in the years ahead.

Best regards

Yes, please send pics. My son in law is experimenting with a hydrogen system on his Subaru. The first time I heard about such a thing is when he came over and built a small unit in my shop a few weeks ago. He has since ordered a commercial unit. Very interesting stuff.

yogarda · #**127** 01-11-2008, 11:52 AM

Okay I'll throw together an HTML page with description and pics over the next couple days and post it on my domain.

omegabenz · #**128** 02-13-2008, 04:56 PM

I can't keep it quiet anymore. I have some parts coming from Germany (should arrive friday) for an afterglow relay set up for my 617 turbo motor on my 83 300CD. There I said it!

sixto · #**129** 02-13-2008, 04:58 PM

Sorry to say afterglow won't make your 617 quiet

Sixto
87 300D

GREASY_BEAST · #**130** 02-13-2008, 07:55 PM

a whole bunch of general maintenance items, 2.47 rear diff, A/W intercooler, full load adjust, timing re-set to 28°BTDC (drip method), front suspension rebuilt with new springs, LBJs, tie rods, steering damper, etc and bilstien HDs, 2 tank veg sys with onboard 12 volt "mad max" centrifuge filtration system... Roof rack... trailer hitch...

This weekend: Manual steering box (no more power steering

!!!), rack limiter removal, maybe a torque control capsule adjustment.

Future: Water/methanol injection? Aerodynamics modifications? We'll just have to wait and see...

yogarda: I would be wary of introducing a gas into your fuel supply. You WILL F.U.B.A.R. your injector pump doing this. Gasses do not lubricate. If anything, inject it into the air supply, as it will do the same thing. I am interested in this too, please post pics, and results!!

omegabenz · #**131** 02-13-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

Sorry to say afterglow won't make your 617 quiet

Sixto
87 300D

I live where its very cold right now. It starts pretty well right now, but I want it to start really well.

babymog · #**132** 02-13-2008, 08:11 PM

Not only will it not lubricate, it will lower the amount of fuel injected and thus the power, because the pump will not pump gas efficiently, plus it will delay injection as you are effectively putting springs in the liquid, the gas will need to compress before the pressure will spike and open the nozzles.

It seems unlikely that 3psi will overcome the low pressure present in the fuel filter outlet if it can't overcome the vacuum in the air filter housing. Not to pick, but your write-up has several technical improbabilities that make me doubt you.

babymog · #**133** 02-13-2008, 08:13 PM

Flagstaff, AZ is cold (going from the shipping location on your ebay auction)?

I was there in June, was above freezing. Baby (LOL).

Quote:

Originally Posted by omegabenz

I live where its very cold right now. It starts pretty well right now, but I want it to start really well.

omegabenz · #**134** 02-13-2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

Flagstaff, AZ is cold (going from the shipping location on your ebay auction)?

I was there in June, was above freezing. Baby (LOL).

It snows here man, 7000 feet elevation. Temperature fluxuates a lot, but a cold morning can be sub zero here actually. People always think arizona is phoenix, but its not. www.noaa.gov type in Flagstaff, AZ

babymog · #**135** 02-13-2008, 08:22 PM

Yeah, when we stayed, end of June, it was the first night above freezing. Great planetarium though, I was told that Pluto was discovered there.