How do I get at the air filter in the 2004 SL500?
 

Can I do this myself? Anyone know?

Thanks.
John

Boy, I gotta ask,,, why? That thing has to have a warranty that covers everything for who knows how long. If it were mine the only reason the hood would come up would be to look at the engine and polish & dust.:p

I want to put in a KandM air filter. Thanks for your help.

you're kidding right? trying to wind everyone up?? nice work.....

seriously though DO NOT INSTALL a K&N filter in your wonderful merc, for fear of damaging the mass sensor. Please use the search and scan for other posts re air filter changes. Here's one to start

Lea

Ha, ha, ha... will a K&N filter make any appreciable difference to performance? With 308 stock bhp you'd need an extra 20 to 30 before you felt anything at all; a new filter will add next to nothing. And upset your engine's most delicate bits.

Thanks....I am going to bag it at this point.

K&N filter?
 

You will actually LOSE power if you substitute a K&N filter. The present system is carefully calibrated and changing the pressure drop (really insignificant unless you are near red line with throttle wide open) will screw up the fuel injector mapping.

I'm sure this isn't true.

Fuel delivery is a function of air mass and is calculated with extreme precision, so by 'allowing' a little more air into the car I cannot see how this will effect the 'injection mapping'- unless the R229 doesn't have any air mass sensor of course - which I doubt.