Air Intake in 87 MB 190E - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

daindiankash · #1 11-24-2007, 06:35 PM

I was thinking about putting a better intake in my 1987 MB 190E 2.3L I believe its a 4 cly.So is there a intake that someone would like to recommend, its stock right now....

List to be completed by spring -
Exterior:
Euro black head lights/taillights - $582
LCD Alarm System - $170
Paint Car *Gloss Black* -$500
Evolution II Body Kit - $2000
Get Tints - $100
Neon Underbody Kit - $150
Remus Dual Exhaust - $510
Chrome Door Handles and Trim - If possible
-------------------------------
Performance:
Intake - If I can
headers - if I can
-------------------------------
Interior:
Lights - $50
Sunroof motor - ?
Switches - ?
Tape Deck - ?

P.S. Is there anything else I can do for performance?

MTI · #2 11-24-2007, 10:15 PM

Sell your car and take all the money that you were going to spend to "tune" it and just buy a decent 2.3-16.

daindiankash · #3 11-25-2007, 12:55 AM

I could, but im not going to. It was my dads car and he pasted away and its the only thing I have of him or I can feel that he is right there when I'm driving. Thats why I was doing all the tuning to restore this car like he wanted it to be. I just need some performance parts for this car. if there is any? please give me some. Much appreciated.

MTI · #4 11-25-2007, 01:12 AM

There is little, if any, "bolt on tuning" for the M102 four cylinder. Please forget any thoughts of a cone style intake, which may look fast but results in a slower engine due to the intake of warm air. If you examine the OEM air intake system, you'll see that it takes in cool air from the front of the grill and it has never been shown to starve the intake system for air.

The only tube headers for the M102 8 valve are from Supersprint, but I'm not sure if they are still available. Many owners have reported needing to repair welds at the flanges.

The biggest impediment is the Bosch fuel injection system. If you are actually serious about performance, the first thing you'd want to do is replace it with an EFI system, which would yield performance and tuning options in the future.

If you examine your list, you're mostly adding weight to the car, which is not the path to "performance."

Building a FEVO (FakeEVOlution) on the 8 valve powerplant seems like a lot of effort and costs for questionable return.

daindiankash · #5 11-25-2007, 01:15 PM

do you think you can give me a like detailed performance parts, cuz some i dont even understand..yea im that dumb...but if its not to much to ask that is.

MTI · #6 11-25-2007, 03:59 PM

Tuning the 190E may sound like an easy, entry level project, like doing a Honda, Nissan or the like, but in reality it's not. There aren't many new "bolt on" performance parts for a 20+ year old entry level Mercedes.

The 190E was not designed to smoke tires at a stoplight launch or raise the hairs on the back of one's neck. However, it was designed to be safe, features a suspension system that was nearly "sporty" compared to other Mercedes and was able to cruise comfortably at over 100 mph on a freeway all day long.

Getting much more HP out of the engine is expensive. There are no quick fix, easy add on, off the shelf pieces. Adding a turbo or supercharger will cost approximately at least twice the resale value of the car and that's if you do most of the work. If you do intend to keep the car, your best strategy would be to spend to get the engine back to spec and increase reliability. So, have the engine tested, make sure there's good compression in all cylinders, the timing chain tensioner has been serviced, the valve seals are all in good order and that other maintenance hasn't been neglected.

At the same time, you should be looking at the condition of the suspension pieces. There's a lot of rubber bushings and ball joints that need keeping an eye on at this age.

About the Evolution II kit. Don't look at pictures of the real Evolution II, concentrate on pictures of other cars that have been kitted, since the installation of an Evo II kit is not for the novice or faint of heart. All four fenders need to be cut larger to install the fender flares. Then after the flares are installed, you'll need some seriously sized wheels to fill the "fender gap" since non-Evolution cars lack the front adjustable suspension that raises or lowers the front of the car. While a kit may cost $1.5K . . . installing it and painting can triple that, making the cost of just the bodykit project around $4-5K.

daindiankash · #7 11-25-2007, 06:24 PM

i got good connects to getting the evo II body kit, i know how it works and stuff, plus it was one of my dad's wish to get it, so im just getting it in his name. plus getting a nice gloss black on it, with his face painted on the car, and have words saying R.I.P. April 17, 1949-April 5, 2005, You know.

For performance wise...I was thinking if these things

Exhaust - Remus Sports Label Cat-Back Exhaust System - $510 (It sounds good)
Intake - I don't know exactly, would you be able to link me up with some intakes?
Engine - The engine is fine and in very well good shape my dad took care of that
Fuel Injection - is it possible to convert it? like what exact part do I need? Link?

Thats all I really want for performance, I don't want to much performance done like super charger or turbo charger or all that crap.

Exterior stuff I can get done, its not a big deal, I just want the performance information and thats really bout it. If its not to much trouble to ask, I'll be very appreciated

t walgamuth · #8 11-25-2007, 11:04 PM

I suggest instead of spending all that money on questionable performance enhancers, to buy a nice set of 1" lowering springs, and some sport shocks and a nice set of taller wider wheels and tires. Take off the rear muffler and put on a straight pipe, leaving the stock middle muffler and cat. This will make it growel a bit and not cost much.

Put the RIP memorial on the rear glass low so that it does not impede your view out the back and go carve up some serious corners.

I lost my Dad a couple of years back (nearly 3 now). I also wanted to complete his unfinished projects. That is why I now have an antique Kayak hanging from the ceiing of my garage and a lot of other smaller things. I sold his volvo wagon for my mom too. I had real mixed feelings about that.

I now have two of his favorite (I like to imagine) rifles and some of his clothes which don't really fit all that well but I like wearing them anyway.

Good luck on your project and on missing your Dad. I still think of him about every day. I like to quote him and my grandfather on life's mysteries.

Tom W

daindiankash · #9 11-26-2007, 12:09 AM

hey, yea i know its hard, my dad went through a heart transplant but was one of those 5% that didn't make it, but you can't really anything bout it, but just move and hope for the best.

yea for the RIP Memorial picture i was thinking bout putting it on the top of the car on the roof, i dont know if I should air brush it or just have a big sticker, I'm not really certain bout that stuff.

thanks for the tip on the exhaust.

t walgamuth · #10 11-26-2007, 01:02 AM

I would have a sticker made for the back window. I saw one recently on the back window of a pickup for a son lost in Iraq.

Tom W

daindiankash · #11 11-26-2007, 05:19 PM

oh i see, yea, but imma just do the roof top, thats all.

anyone know any good intakes to put in my car?

yhliem · #12 11-26-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daindiankash

oh i see, yea, but imma just do the roof top, thats all.

anyone know any good intakes to put in my car?

There ARE NO GOOD INTAKES to put on your car aside from the factory setup. All the "Cold Air Intake" kits you see on Ebay and other sites for pretty much any Mercedes is about as useful as tits on a bull. As MTI said earlier, they do not actually provide cold are since the MB factory setup does so.

Removing the stock aibox in favor of a cone type filter just allows your engine to suck in HOT UNDERHOOD air instead of FRESH COOL air from IN FRONT OF the radiator.

These intakes do nothing for performance; they just look as if they do.As far as other performance upgrades go, there are really only 2 ways to gain "performance" from the existing engine:
1) forced induction (turbo or super charge)
2) change the existing Bosch mechanical fuel injection to a standalone EFI injections system (such as megasquirt).

No complete bolt-on kits exist (to the best of my knowledge) so no matter which route you take there's a lot of fabrication and home brewing that you are going to have to do. In terms of cost, you'd be looking at a range of a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars and a hell of a lot of elbow grease. And no, you can't just "chip" the 190E.