Please comment on $/performance gain value for each:
1. K&N air filter
2. Free-flow exhaust
3. "Gutting" of cats/precats
4. ECU chip if available
5. Cam
6. Port/polishing
7. Bigger throttle body
8. Bigger/custom air intake
9. Turbo

I recommend cutting the resonator out. It about 50lbs and gives better flow of the gasses leaving your engine.

As for K&N, all I know is that the better a car breathes, the better it performs. However, I would rather by a new filter and replace it more often then using the same one over and over.

I know people who use K&N, and they are better then the stock ones, but people who use K&N forget to clean them and that is the disadvantage to them.

Other then that, I really haven't gone down the route of the other mods cause they tend to be expensive for MBs. It was cheaper for me to drop and old 3.0 from a 300E then try to fix up my 2.6.

Good Luck.

------------------
Chirag (Charlie) Patel

99 Mercedes-Benx ML 430 V8 w/custom TV, Video, UHF, speaker system
93 190E 2.6 w/ an amp, equalizer, and CD-changer, integrated w. stock stereo for integrated cellular phone speaker system
2001 C-Class - Maybe

IS there a turbo?? I would be VERY interested in that...

How about a chip? I hear lots and lots about performance gains coming from chips. Does anyone make one for the lowly 2.6?

[This message has been edited by makakio (edited 04-04-2000).]

The engine management on the 2.6 does not lend itself to any real gains from "chip" type work. There is a turbo available that should get you in the 250-280HP range. I believe the kit ran about $7,500 awhile ago. Contact Mosselman or Lorinser to see if it is still available.

Good Luck....Lee

Whoa. $7500? As compelling as 280+ hp would be in this car, I think I'd just trade up. Thanks for the info Lee.