Has anyone had any experience with this Air intake upgrade? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

EricSP · #1 07-25-2008, 07:29 PM

I was doing my daily search for Mercedes cars and parts and saw this air intake upgrade?

Has anyone used this system?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Diesel-Performance-AIr-Intake-Kit-300d_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6763QQihZ002QQitemZ120286702662QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

bgkast · #2 07-25-2008, 07:36 PM

The general consensus is it's crap, and over priced crap at that. Does not filter as well as stock, and intakes hot air from behind the radiator

That being said I use something similar on my Turbo 240D, but I made it from parts at the auto parts store for much less.

#3 07-25-2008, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricSP

I was doing my daily search for Mercedes cars and parts and saw this air intake upgrade?

That is a downgrade, not an upgrade.

Its a hot air intake, stock is a true cold air intake.
The filter is too small, not enough filtering surface for the cfm its being made to flow.
It does not filter worth a darn, it will wear down the turbo blades from the dirt it does not filter out.
Its priced 3x what its worth.

The only increase it will give you is more noise.

Chad300tdt · #4 07-25-2008, 07:43 PM

The stock setup is a true cold air intake. If you want more air flow get an Air Hog filter and keep your stock air filter housing.

EricSP · #5 07-25-2008, 07:50 PM

Thanks guys.

patbob · #6 07-26-2008, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricSP

I was doing my daily search for Mercedes cars and parts and saw this air intake upgrade?

Has anyone used this system?

That particular one? No, but something similar.

Only problem was where the crankcase ventication was routed. In mine, it went through an inefficient separator and most blew out under the engine, totally coating the LCA bushing on the passenger side and making a greasy, dirty slick down the underside of the car. I'd also sometimes get visible clouds of smoke (probably really blowby) wafting out from under the front of the car.

I replaced it with a stock air filter setup, fixing the blowby issue and quieting the turbo down a tad. No noticable performance loss either, so you probably won't see any gain by making the switch to such a filter.

As for the hot air intake theory, someone on this forum actually measured underhood temps and concluded that the air only gets hot under there when completely stopped, otherwise it was nearly ambient.

lowriderdog37 · #7 07-26-2008, 08:53 AM

As far as setup goes, you probably won't gain any performance unless you sit in hot traffic a lot. The stock filter heats up and just cooks your intake air after about 10-15 minutes of stop and go, then never seems to cool off. I did a sample of temp readings and posted the results...somewhere, I'll look for it later when I have more time.

I would prefer a more efficient, paper filter, that way you don't get the small particulate into the engine. I ended up using the oil separator from the stock intake and filled it with steel wool. You can get all that stuff for less than $20 at Autozone.

forkintheforest · #8 07-26-2008, 09:08 AM

I have a question.
The bigger the filter is the more cfm it can flow right?
Thus if the stock air box could hold a taller and/or thicker filter then we'd be good to go.
Unfortunately it can't fit anything much bigger.
So, how big is big enough. Or, How many cfms do the om617's need?

CoyoteStarfish · #9 07-26-2008, 09:33 AM

I run a marine flexible wet exhaust hose on my vehicle as an air intake hose, connected to a $20 washable filter element from Advance Autoparts.

Hold the slam right there, my vehicle did not even have an air cleaner when I got it.

YES, it is a hot air intake. This is obvious, but rather than go back to stock (beside being ugly, the mount for it is completely missing) I'm going to just build an enclosure around it. Given the size of my filter element, I could probably use a coffee can and port the other side to the original cold air ram.

DieselKid (monstercraftsman1) is a regular user on this forum, and while he does make some inventive stuff (metal center console replacements, valve wrenches, etc.) -- this kit is just off the beat and uninformed.

It's a Home Depot/Autoparts store $20 kit up to the oil seperator. Contrary to what most people say I personally do NOT like using a crankcase draft tube. Made my undercarriage disgusting in a matter of days.

I would pay, maybe, $25-30 for the oil sep. alone. But the rest? Meh.

--edit--

Something else to consider, being that my hose is flexible I can tell when the filter is clogged or otherwise not getting enough air flow, the hose contracts on load. I have to wash my filter once every two weeks. Not a bad thing in my opinion, just shows that it is working.

Diesel911 · #10 07-26-2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patbob

That particular one? No, but something similar.

As for the hot air intake theory, someone on this forum actually measured underhood temps and concluded that the air only gets hot under there when completely stopped, otherwise it was nearly ambient.

That was me. I disconnected that wrinkled tubing that goes to the cold are inlet (I have a Federal car not the CA one with the big air filter housing) and taped the temperature probe on the air horn of the air filter and took a car for a drive on the freeway and in city traffic several times.
While the car is moving the temp will drop to near ambient temp; however when you stop and idle for along time the temp goes up; I do not remember if it went up to 111 degrees F or 121 degrees F while at idle.
I was surprised that the temp went down so much while the car is moving. I guess there is enough turbulence from under the car when moving that the cooler outside air gets up under the hood.
What I concluded is that if you have an under the hood air filter while your car is moving you will not be pulling in a lot of hot air.
You will pull in hot air at idle but I do not think that creates any problem.

I used a digital oven thermometer with a 4 foot wire probe connected to it (made for sticking inside of meat to see if it is cooked to temp). The thermometer part has magnets on the back to stick to the oven door/hood.

bgkast · #11 07-26-2008, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoyoteStarfish

DieselKid (monstercraftsman1) is a regular user on this forum, and while he does make some inventive stuff (metal center console replacements, valve wrenches, etc.) -- this kit is just off the beat and uninformed.

Dieselkid does not make the filter posted at the top of this thread, he makes one with a "can" enclosure around it.

Hatterasguy · #12 07-26-2008, 01:37 PM

Thats the hot air intake option. You need to slap some type "R" decals on the trunk, maybe a kanji or two on the windsheild, and than go to the muffler shop and get the cheapest fart can made installed.

#13 07-26-2008, 04:48 PM

The stock air filter flows around 450cfm, more than enough for the stock engine and a little bit more.

http://www.napafilters.com/filterlookup/PartDetail.asp?Part=2194

Actros617 · #14 07-26-2008, 08:05 PM

Wait since the air box is on top of the exhaust manifold will the air box get hot, thus making the the intake air hot???? If you want to take cold air form a K&N style intake you have to make a hole on the side panle like the 190D 2.5 turbo diesel those fins i know i going to do that soon...A week ago i purchaced this product and its still not here i e mail him and no response (scam??) Dose he make this form scratch or something???? I bought this product because i am tired to changing the air box mount, the mounts last no more than 2 weeks and dont know how to make a oil seprator till today!!!!