New here
#1
09-13-2005, 11:30 PM
New here
Hey guys,
My name is Aaron and I work for a guy in San Diego as his automotive specialist. Basically, my buddy and I take care of his cars, taking them in for maintenance and repair, upgrading them, and detailing them.
One of the cars is a 2005 SL65 AMG, and I am looking to upgrade it. I have done my research on the car and am pretty fluent with automotive performance. Anyways, I'll ask for more details in another thread, those are just the basics. Here are some crappy pics of the car on my camera phone.
Thanks
My name is Aaron and I work for a guy in San Diego as his automotive specialist. Basically, my buddy and I take care of his cars, taking them in for maintenance and repair, upgrading them, and detailing them.
One of the cars is a 2005 SL65 AMG, and I am looking to upgrade it. I have done my research on the car and am pretty fluent with automotive performance. Anyways, I'll ask for more details in another thread, those are just the basics. Here are some crappy pics of the car on my camera phone.
Thanks
#3
09-14-2005, 01:11 PM
RE: New here
ORIGINAL: blackbenzz
Do the renntech ECU reprogram. Makes a BIG difference!
Do the renntech ECU reprogram. Makes a BIG difference!
Thanks!
#4
09-14-2005, 02:45 PM
RE: New here
I would first compare as many before and after dyno runs as I could find. You may just be wasting your money if you're looking primarily for a performance enhancement from an ECU "tuning." Custom tuning has its advantages when you upgrade a hard component, like swapping to a larger cam, higher flowing heads, bigger injectors, etc.
I would venture to guess that if you did only the ECU tuning and buy gas in CA (or almost anywhere else), you may suddenly have problems with pre-detonation. Then you'll need to do mods to keep the engine cooler, and on and on ...
There's not a whole lot tuners can do with an OBDII ECU program. I'm not saying Renntech does this, but you never know. That's why you need to check before and after dyno runs. As an overly-simplified example, aftermarket ECU "performance tuning" may only disable the "bad gas" ignition timing table so the engine always operates using advanced ignition timing. An ignition timing scheme may have a low-octane timing table where ignition timing is retarded (for bad gas) and a high-octane timing table where ignition timing is advanced (for good gas). The result, which is undesirable, would be the ignition timing is advanced when the gas is not particularly high-grade. This will result in pre-detonation. With the low-octane timing tables disabled, there's no way the ECU can deal with it when the knock sensors go ballistic.
Finally, when you're dealing with streetable smog-equipped engines having 500-600+ hp, there's not much unused hp in the ECU programming. IMHO, you'd be inviting problems that far outweigh any gain.
I would venture to guess that if you did only the ECU tuning and buy gas in CA (or almost anywhere else), you may suddenly have problems with pre-detonation. Then you'll need to do mods to keep the engine cooler, and on and on ...
There's not a whole lot tuners can do with an OBDII ECU program. I'm not saying Renntech does this, but you never know. That's why you need to check before and after dyno runs. As an overly-simplified example, aftermarket ECU "performance tuning" may only disable the "bad gas" ignition timing table so the engine always operates using advanced ignition timing. An ignition timing scheme may have a low-octane timing table where ignition timing is retarded (for bad gas) and a high-octane timing table where ignition timing is advanced (for good gas). The result, which is undesirable, would be the ignition timing is advanced when the gas is not particularly high-grade. This will result in pre-detonation. With the low-octane timing tables disabled, there's no way the ECU can deal with it when the knock sensors go ballistic.
Finally, when you're dealing with streetable smog-equipped engines having 500-600+ hp, there's not much unused hp in the ECU programming. IMHO, you'd be inviting problems that far outweigh any gain.
#5
09-14-2005, 04:02 PM
RE: New here
Although I understand your concern, renntech is a time tested company that has been proven at the track. I know of many people who have renntech ECU's and pulleys with satisfying results. There is ALOT of power to be unleashed in forced induction cars. Check the other forums, theres plenty of dyno's and 1/4 times for this mod. I dont know anybody with an SL65 but i know a couple 600's who have done this mod and their cars are BEASTS! Just checked the stats on the renntech ECU/TCU upgrade and it brings the power to 650hp/840lbs torque. Hook me up with a job as an automotive specialist!
#6
09-14-2005, 04:42 PM
RE: New here
I just said check first. I didn't say stay away. What happened in yesterday's cars doesn't necessarily happen in today's cars. In addition, as mods like this are added, reliability is lost. This is especially true when boost is increased to such a degree as to make Renntech's efforts and products look good at the expense of the customer's car's reliability. Many people don't care about that, though. I suspect you're one of those since you refer to 1/4 mile times and a drag racing crowd. You can't care about drag racing AND reliability at the same time. This is not meant as an insult, by the way.
#7
09-14-2005, 04:56 PM
RE: New here
What are the before and after dyno numbers on the other forums you mentioned? What kind of gains are the average Joes getting?
I wouldn't put too much weight on Renntech's claims alone. McDonalds says their sandwiches are healthy, but hey.
What year SL65 did the Renntech numbers come from? What were the before hp and tq numbers on the stock SL65?
I'd go check myself, but you're making the claims so you should provide the back up. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Besides, I'm lazy.
I wouldn't put too much weight on Renntech's claims alone. McDonalds says their sandwiches are healthy, but hey.
What year SL65 did the Renntech numbers come from? What were the before hp and tq numbers on the stock SL65?
I'd go check myself, but you're making the claims so you should provide the back up. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Besides, I'm lazy.
#8
09-14-2005, 05:39 PM
RE: New here
ORIGINAL: Lugnut
I would first compare as many before and after dyno runs as I could find. You may just be wasting your money if you're looking primarily for a performance enhancement from an ECU "tuning." Custom tuning has its advantages when you upgrade a hard component, like swapping to a larger cam, higher flowing heads, bigger injectors, etc.
I would venture to guess that if you did only the ECU tuning and buy gas in CA (or almost anywhere else), you may suddenly have problems with pre-detonation. Then you'll need to do mods to keep the engine cooler, and on and on ...
There's not a whole lot tuners can do with an OBDII ECU program. I'm not saying Renntech does this, but you never know. That's why you need to check before and after dyno runs. As an overly-simplified example, aftermarket ECU "performance tuning" may only disable the "bad gas" ignition timing table so the engine always operates using advanced ignition timing. An ignition timing scheme may have a low-octane timing table where ignition timing is retarded (for bad gas) and a high-octane timing table where ignition timing is advanced (for good gas). The result, which is undesirable, would be the ignition timing is advanced when the gas is not particularly high-grade. This will result in pre-detonation. With the low-octane timing tables disabled, there's no way the ECU can deal with it when the knock sensors go ballistic.
Finally, when you're dealing with streetable smog-equipped engines having 500-600+ hp, there's not much unused hp in the ECU programming. IMHO, you'd be inviting problems that far outweigh any gain.
I would first compare as many before and after dyno runs as I could find. You may just be wasting your money if you're looking primarily for a performance enhancement from an ECU "tuning." Custom tuning has its advantages when you upgrade a hard component, like swapping to a larger cam, higher flowing heads, bigger injectors, etc.
I would venture to guess that if you did only the ECU tuning and buy gas in CA (or almost anywhere else), you may suddenly have problems with pre-detonation. Then you'll need to do mods to keep the engine cooler, and on and on ...
There's not a whole lot tuners can do with an OBDII ECU program. I'm not saying Renntech does this, but you never know. That's why you need to check before and after dyno runs. As an overly-simplified example, aftermarket ECU "performance tuning" may only disable the "bad gas" ignition timing table so the engine always operates using advanced ignition timing. An ignition timing scheme may have a low-octane timing table where ignition timing is retarded (for bad gas) and a high-octane timing table where ignition timing is advanced (for good gas). The result, which is undesirable, would be the ignition timing is advanced when the gas is not particularly high-grade. This will result in pre-detonation. With the low-octane timing tables disabled, there's no way the ECU can deal with it when the knock sensors go ballistic.
Finally, when you're dealing with streetable smog-equipped engines having 500-600+ hp, there's not much unused hp in the ECU programming. IMHO, you'd be inviting problems that far outweigh any gain.
Custom tuning has a lot to offer on forced induction vehicles, becuz it mainly raises boost.
If I have problems with pre detonation, the stock ECU will pull timing, and in the AMG's case, pull boost as well. That is why the AMG is so advanced, its ECU variably controls boost as well as ignition timing in accordance to sensor readings.
From what this forum, and tohers have said, Renntech seems to be a very highly spoken of company. And if I put this piece on, and run into problems, then it will go back to the dealer(With the stock ECU), and they won't ever know it had it.
Thanks for the opinions. Has anyone had any bad experiences with Renntech?
#9
09-14-2005, 06:20 PM
RE: New here
ok, now I feel like a salesman for renntech that actually has something to gain by him buying the ECU software. Buy it if you want, I'm not going ot waste my time looking through the forums to satisfy you. I have seen dyno's and 1/4 mile runs in person with the renntech mods. I am convinced, thats all that matters to me. I try to help out a fellow benz enthusaist and I end up having to defend myself. Yea I go to the track to see what my car can do, why else would I mod it? So it can sit in the garage and I can tell everyone that I have a xxxhp mercedes?