Missing BHP (Possibly)

[BRABUS R230]

Hi all , I have a 2003 SL55 AMG Based BRABUS SK55 K8, I would like to find out if anyone knows what the "Charge Air Temperature" for a standard SL55 AMG should be, I recently had my car put through the STAR diagnostics and my "CHARGE AIR TEMPERATURE SENSOR" and "INTAKE AIR TEMPERATURE SENSOR" values are 50 C, is this normal, BRABUS have fitted an extra Intercooler and Pump so the "charge air temperature" should be less than a standard SL55 along with the other BRABUS mods S/C Pulley and more I should have more. I had my car put on the Dyno and I should have 550 hp, instead I have 510 hp, where has all those horses gone??? I was told that my S/C temperature may be to high causing the ECU to reduce the engine power!!!

 

[Naraic]

Does it feel slower?

 

[BRABUS R230]

Does it feel slower?

it was hard to tell until my friend bought a standard 2007 CLS55 AMG and he can keep up with me (on a proving ground) and at times almost creep past me!!!! :Oops: it does nit feel slow though.

 

[television]

I am not sure if this data is given in WIS, but I will take a look later

 

[Alex Crow]

star gives the set values alongside the actual values so they should have been on screen. did you notice what the manifold pressure was too? i ask because i had a C32 AMG in last week with severe lack of output. the only clues on star (apart from missfiring fault codes) were high intake manifold temp and pressure at idle. the cause was broken front cats which had blocked the secondary cats.

 

[BRABUS R230]

star gives the set values alongside the actual values so they should have been on screen. did you notice what the manifold pressure was too? i ask because i had a C32 AMG in last week with severe lack of output. the only clues on star (apart from missfiring fault codes) were high intake manifold temp and pressure at idle. the cause was broken front cats which had blocked the secondary cats.

Thanks, I will check later today.

 

[David-Butter]

Remove the CATS and unleash the roar.

 

[BRABUS R230]

BRABUS Contact!!!

Just came of the phone from speaking to BRABUS in Germany, the technical person I spoke to was very helpful, among the things he suggested was to send the ECU to them and they will remap it for free as during the cars life Mercedes Benz may have upgraded the software during a service, clearing the original BRABUS ECU remap!

The other recomendation was to remove the Charge Coolers (Mercedes & BRABUS) and clean them out and/or replace the BRABUS Chargecooler Pump and the Mercedes Benz Charge Cooler Pump.

Or Bring the car the BRABUS in Germany and they will check it !
seven hours drive away!!!

 

[star]

Who's are the stated figures, some manufacturers "beef" the figure to look good on paper also there can be some differences in dyno readings due to tyre slippage or even the dyno itself.

 

[coolhans]

Sounds like a trip to Germany. Book the ferry and get on the autobahn and let the experts look at the car.

 

[BRABUS R230]

Who's are the stated figures, some manufacturers "beef" the figure to look good on paper also there can be some differences in dyno readings due to tyre slippage or even the dyno itself.

Hi star, I had it on two separate Dyno machines (different makes, different garages), they both gave almost the same readings, as for the power, a standard CLS55 AMG with 476Bhp should not be keeping up with me at any speed let alone almost creeping past me, if it was not for that taking place I would be none the wiser, the fact that it did happen alerted me of a problem with the car, when I spoke to the technician from BRABUS he agreed with me, he was very keen to get to the bottom of the problem, he also agreed that there is something wrong!

 

[star]

Gutted for you, I like my power and there is nothing more bugging to be lacking it ( and losing out to a standard car). Best leave this to Brabus, as they are the people to get to the bottom of it. Good luck and let us know what they discover.

 

[100%Bitch]

Or Bring the car the BRABUS in Germany and they will check it !
seven hours drive away!!!

What a fabulous seven hour drive though.

 

[television]

What a fabulous seven hour drive though.

It is,,I drove the max at 155 mph for miles

 

[G3RPY]

have your IC pump checked brabus. if it has gone, get a johnson cm30 on the car.

does your charger cut out?

 

[BRABUS R230]

Johnson CM30 Charge Cooler Pump!

have your IC pump checked brabus. if it has gone, get a johnson cm30 on the car.

does your charger cut out?

No my charger does not cut out, I understand from BRABUS I have two Charge Cooler Pumps, original Mercedes (I think its made by Bosch) AND a BRABUS one (not sure of the make) , perhaps the mercedes one has packed up, perhaps they are both made by Bosch, I amd going to find out from BRABUS. I understand its very common for the Bosche Charge Cooler Pump to fail on all the 55 Kompressor Engines, even low milage cars, how much is the Johnson Pump? I understand that its an American product for the USA market, is it a direct replacement of the original one or is there some adaptation needed?
BRABUS told me to do the following,

1). Check and Replace Air Filter if Dirty.
2). Check both Charge Cooler Pumps are working correctly.
3). Disconnect both Charge Coolers and flush them Out.
4). Check if Mercedes has "Flashed" the ECU (clearing the BRABUS Remap)
5). If all else fails bring it to BRABUS.
6). Drive it Like You Stole It! (Not realy Just Kidding!!)

 

[David-Butter]

Number 6 could be your best bet.

 

[BRABUS R230]

BRABUS Charger Cooler Pump

I am not sure if this data is given in WIS, but I will take a look later

This documentation was very hard to get, rarer than rocking horse sh'#t!

BRABUS Charge Cooler Pump alongside the AMG one, the BRABUS one is connected electronically piggybacked to the AMG one, I wonder what Star Diagnostic sees if either one packs up!

 

[BRABUS R230]

AMG Charge Cooler Pump Replaced!!!

Hi All I think I am back!! (Maybe)
MotorAid checked both pumps on my car and found the AMG (Bosch) pump not working at all! so only the smaller BRABUS pump was operating and its job is to only pumping the water around the smaller additional charge cooler, the water was not flowing through the larger AMG charge cooler causing the Supercharger temp to rise to high also causing the air intake temp to also rise. The faulty AMG pump did not show up in Star as the BRABUS pump was wired in parallel to the AMG pump therefore there was still a resistive load telling star all was working. my "BRABUS" power seems to be back now albeit my charge temp at idle still remains at 50C but at driving on the proving ground the air intake temp sensor measurement was recorded as follows.
40 MPH -38C
50 MPH -40C
70 MPH -42C
80 MPH -57C
90 MPH -60C
100 MPH - 61C
120 MPH - 58C
130 MPH - 77C
140 MPH - 73C
150 MPH - 75C
I was told that the Air intake temperature readings are to high causing power loss but the car feels more punchy! Its very difficult to find ot what would be considered to be normal as BRABUS say 50C at idle is OK but two independent Mercedes Tuning specialist say its to high and it should be between 30's and early 40's and not 50C, apparently Mercedes state 50C is the Max, but with all my additional BRABUS cooling the temp should be considerably less! not quite sure what to do next if the air intake temp is to high, I have now changed my air filters to BMC Air Filters which contain no oil like the K & N filters which I have read the oil from the K&N Air filters can damage the MAF sensor, not sure if the is true so I did not want to take the chance.
I will have to compare with my friends CLS55 AMG, yesterday he has it remapped by Evolve, prior to his remap he told me he had his exhaust mid-boxes removed which may have given him additional BHP when we firs compared the performance of our cars, he now has 535 BHP from his Dyno Run, i will be seeing him soon!

 

[Alex Crow]

where did we get to with this one Mr brabus?

i have a customer with a dms pulley mod and remap. he is complaining of low power (only circa 450bhp, sooo low ) and has consulted dms who gave him some values for charge air temp - namely up to 38 degC at idle and up to 50 degC under load. they also suggested that if the charge cooler circulation pump fails the values will read around 50 degC at idle, and up to around 80, 90 or even 100 degC under load! sure enough we got 50 degC at idle and high 90's under load. puzzlingly dms told me that the circulation pump is mounted atop the engine, but as far as i can see it in the N/S/F bumper/wheel arch area?

i guess i ought to first verify that the pump HAS failed, any thoughts anyone?