 Performance Modifications for SL600
I'm fishing for ideas concerning perfomance modifications of the SL600 with the only current restriction being that the motor is not opened. As you may be aware, perfomance parts are not readily obtainable, short of a major stroker engine package for $20,000+ The goal is to have an overall mix of handling and perfomance. I want the car to run to full potential, not emission bogged potential.
My car is a 1994, and has 87,000 miles with questionable plug wires, 02 sensors; and spark plugs. (I've not replaced these items yet, and some parts look really original) I intentionally looked for a 1994 or 1995 car because the value was less, emissions were pre-OBDII, and I was convinced that the car could be made to run better than all the literature I had read after driving three or four candidates.
I picked my car up in Beverly Hills from a heart surgeon last year -- then immediately drove it 1550 miles home. I was not satisified with the performance of the stock car, it seemed lethargic in responsiveness. I could sense and hear the car loafing -- at least it was not sharp in response. In particular, the transmission and gearing were too efficient. The engine began moving the car right off idle (ie. 600 rpm), so there was no snap when floored, even in first gear. Don't get me wrong, the car ran well, but did not have the right tone or responsiveness from the engine or driveline.
I've done the following to my 1994: 1) Split the airboxes open at the seams and removed the foam deadening material and ground out the reinforcing ribs to gain better added cfm and airflow, then reassembled them; 2) K&N airfilters; 3) eliminated the 1/4 inch honeycomb MAF screens on the intake side and replaced with regular thin screens like on the back of the MAF; 5) Removed the rear muffler and fabricated a stainless race muffler replacement with a three inch diameter outlet; 6) Modified the cats; 7) ECU perfomance chips; 8) New caps and rotors; 9) and a much bigger and wider set of tires and rims off a new CLS series. Best measured performance by G-Timer is: 4.95 0-60; 13.35 1/4 mile; 106mph trap speed. The car will not spin the tires unless power braked.
Future modifications include: plugs, wires, O2 sensors, stall converter (about 2000 rpm), elimination of the middle muffler, first gear enabled starts in drive, stiffer front springs, new front struts and new a-arm bushings. Every modification so far is reversible, and the original parts have been saved, and can be can be reinstalled.
Is there anything else other than possibly altering timing with off-set keys in the rotor assemblies to gain static advance (not sure if this will work with the computer controlled ignition), raising the compression to 11/1 with head milling and some porting; installing a device to quicken throttle response, and installing some type of limited slip parts in the rear differential for traction with the stall converter effectively lowering the gear ratio?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
-- Thanks - Mike.
__________________
macdai
| 
