Sounds like you have a great start with all the major hard parts.
I used the Split Second AIC1-A2L which is for the two additional injectors.

The key to power and not burning holes in your pistons is to get the AFR around 12.5:1 under boost.

Keep me posted, anything I can help you with feel free to ask !

Happy New year

Ed A.

You know the thought occurred to me last night that your fuel maps would probably be of great value to me since I will be running the identical setup and the same level of boost. Is there any way you can do a data dump from the Split Second or perhaps convert you computer map file to a pdf. Even better would be to email a copy of your fuel map file since I will be using the R4 software to program my unit as well.

Do you run a AFR meter in your car? What gauges are you using to monitor the health of the turbo related systems?

Thanks again for all your help and a happy new year to you too.

Kurt S.

Well I just got back from a road trip over the new year. The car got 25.1 MPG on the highway including a climb from sea level over a 4000 foot pass and down again. That's about 3 mpg better than I got prior to replacing the diff 3.46 gear with the 2.88 gear. Going up hills I just grab 3rd gear and the car is as happy as it can be with the stock engine. Now I am ready for the turbo's as soon as I get the tranny rebuilt.

RBYCC,

Are ya still out there?

Motor Head

AH! Someone else had this idea and acted upon it. :D

I think I sent you a PM, but if not... how do you feel acceleration is starting in first with the 2.88:1? What about a 70mph cruise down the road?

I think I'm here ????

Having major lower back problems, but improving !!!

Should be visiting more .

Ed A

Hit Man X,

Actually, my wife (it's really her car you know) thinks it accelerates better with the 2.88 gear and I agree but let me qualify my statement. It accelerates better at part throttle and the reason I believe this is true is because we are in the converter a lot more with the lower gear and reaping the benefits of torque multiplication. However, when we reach freeway speeds we are safely above the converter stall speed so I don't worry about overheating the transmission.

Acceleration from say 70 mph seems about the same and 3rd gear is definitely more useful during a downshift.

Full throttle acceleration is slightly penalized but since we don't drag race the 300 SEL it's not to much of an imposition :)

I got what I was looking for in this swap with the improved fuel economy and the engine is much more relaxed at freeway speeds.

Ed,

Sorry to hear about your back but glad you are... back:thumbup1:

Makes total sense and just the reply I was looking for. I'd gladly give up some acceleration for smoother part throttle driving along with lower revs in each gear. The 300 is a cruiser, not a stop light bandit.

Do you still have it coming off a dead stop in 2nd gear?

70mph cruise RPM? 2800-2900?

I still have it starting in 2nd gear but have a first gear start valve body ready to go in when I do the rebuild.

To my recollection you are about right on the rpm @ 70 mph. It works out to about a 600 rpm drop over the old 3.46 gear.

Excellent.

Did you mod the VB to start in first yourself or send it out?

Sorry for all the questions.. :o

ALSO - I have the factory PDF for the 722.3 if it can help you. PM me with your email and I'll zip it over. Please be certain it'll accept a large file.

Any pictures of the modifyed valve body?

Hit Man,

I had the valve body done by Mario Aristides at Independent Transmissions in Miami. He is a small business but a recognized Mercedes trans expert. In fact, I understand that he designed the shift kit you can order from superior transmission on the internet.

You can reach him @ (786)597-7738

Superior Transmission Shift Kit:

http://www.superior-transmission.com/products/shift_correction/722A_g.htm

But to answer your questions above, the answer is yes and yes :)

First I installed a kit supplied by Mario into my own valve body. It was a combination of a shift improvement kit and a first gear start. It wasn't to tough to do but I have some experience with valve bodies.

The shifting was greatly improved but I could never get the car to start in first.:mad:

After a number of discussions with Mario we determined that my valve body fell into a roughly six month production run that is not compatible with the normal first gear start mods. As a result I just had him build, test, and ship me a valve body and seperator plate which I have not yet installed. The valve body is fully assembled so there isn't much to see.

A word of caution: be prepared to wait if you comission the valve body mods. It took about six months for him to turn my stuff around but I was in no hurry.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions.

Motor Head

Can you talk a bit about the overall driveablity of the car now?

What does 1st gear "feel" like with the 2.88 rear? Compared with stock?

Thanks!

2.88:1 + first gear is lower than 3.47:1 + second gear.