oops this was in response to the "Top Speed" thread...sorry
ive pushed my 1989 300E to 130 mph, the stats read that its top speed is 140 mph so im a little hesitant to push it up that high but it drove well at 130 and it was effortless at 120. I installed a K&N air filter and believe it or not it makes a huge difference, im sure that my car can go a couple mph over 140 with the high performance airfilter
The other night I was on my way to Madina (420km north of Jeddah) and those two guys in a 2003 Nissan Maxima V6 and a 2004 Mazda 3 were racing. "Those guys need to be taught a lesson," I thought, "so let's have some fun!" First, I chased them to get a emasure of their speeds, which was some 185km/h (perfectly illegal in Saudi Arabia [8D]) Then, pedal to the metal, up to 210km/h, and bombs aweigh... and they simply couldn't catch up! Ain't Mercedes a jewel? [:)]
jmvellis how much was the air filter. I'm really surprised that it made that much of a difference. Where were you able to go 130? did you have a radar detector cuz i sure need one.
the K&N air filter cost me like $60 (American) and it definitely makes a difference. It's not an outrageous difference (adds a couple hp) but it helps with acceleration in first gear and overall top speed. Definitely the easiest and most cost effective upgrade you can make. As for driving 130 mph I do that at certain times during the year on the highway because I live next to an old SAC base (Strategic Air Command, dating from the Cold War, its one of the places where B-52's would take off from with nuclear payloads if we ever had open hostilities with the Soviet Union) so the highway had to be maintained to high levels. It is still maintained to high levels because the naval shipyard nearby services our nuclear subs on a regular basis. As far as worrying about the law...well as good a car as the Police Interceptor Crown Vic is it cant accelerate fast enough to catch me going 130. And I always make sure that no one is on the road when im doing it cause it is just one big straight.
the K&N air filter cost me like $60 (American) and it definitely makes a difference. Definitely the easiest and most cost effective upgrade you can make.
i do not agree... they k&n air filter shows no increase in hp whatsoever over a stock filter when dyno tested on a 300e... either at the wheel or at the crank shaft... at any rpm... and the k&n air filter is proven to be harmful to your engine... i do not suggest this filter at all... even if it did show a hp gain in my dyno test... i wouldnt put something in my engine that has been shown to cause damage to it...
this is a copy and paste from another forum (porsche forum) although it is not for a mercedes... the info and principles are the same... take it for what it is...
Quote:
"I see a few of you sporting K&N air filters and I wanted to share some information I’ve learned in my years of collecting exotics and some not so exotics. I presently own three Porsches (all vintage wasserpumpers), two Volvos, a TVR, and an Italian exotic investment grade automobile.
After purchasing two K&N air filters I eventually ran into a friend on a forum who had a car just like mine. It happened to be a 1983 928S 5-speed. I recommended a K&N air filter to him, and I received a surprising response from a Mr. Wally Plumley, former NASA Engineer, holder of two speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats, and presently associated with the reputable firm of 928 Specialists. http://www.928gt.com/928GT.htm
Wally advised me that they won’t sell the K&N air filter (any more) for three reasons: too much dirt gets through them, they don’t add any power to a 928, and they got way too many calls regarding drivability problems stemming from the oil on a K&N getting into the MAF system.
Upon hearing the news from a complete stranger at the time, I naturally question his information. He was polite, but firm. I checked independently, and found he was right. I am therefore sharing this information with this particular forum, along with a couple of links for your reading enjoyment.
In the end, I burned my K&N filters ceremoniously, and I took photos, ha ha. Since I have a variety of my cars published, some with engine shots sporting a K&N air filter, I’m trying to get the “word� out, that these filters will do damage to your fine machinery, and anyone (such as me) is a victim of the K&N marketing program if you bought one. I consider myself a “sucker� for having bought one, but now I know better, and I’m running “premium� paper filters that I buy from “reputable� firms such as 928 Specialists. I’m not in the automotive business, I’m just an enthusiast. I have no reason for posting this information, other than to spread what I believe is good information. Pay particular attention to the link where the racing team experienced premature leakdown problems. Then if you care to still debate, you should get in contact with the gentleman who races a FE Ford (427) who also runs a fleet truck line. He decided to try the K&N air filters to see if he could get better gas milage. The results were no additional gas milage, and increased silica (the equivalent to fine sand) in his oil analysis program. He stopped using the K&N filters and the silica readings on his oil analysis dropped.
I question the use of a K&N air filter on street machinery for several reasons. One, they are often used in a “cone� assembly, and all this does is place the air intake behind the radiator where it will suck hot air, and this is bad for performance. Two, why would I want to get zero to nil performance gain, as documented by many a dyno test, and then subject my fine machinery to additional dust ingestion?
I also have to question the motives of people who sell these filters to people who are going to use them on street driven vehicles. Certainly the motivation has to be profit. However, in the instance of 928 Specialists, they put profit aside due to what they believe is “better information� and what I call integrity.
Street driven vehicles normally have air boxes and filters sized far in excess of what the engine needs for cfm in the first place, and this is the reason we see zero horsepower difference from a dyno most of the time. For performance applications, where a 944 Porsche, for instance, has been tweaked for GTU competition, then yes, you will need something that flows better, lets more dirt and small bugs in, lets the motor develop that 600-hp for the duration of the race, and then needs to be torn down for new rings, valves, and bearings.
Submitted in good faith, for your reading enjoyment
http://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/k&nbitesthedust.htm
This is a test by AMSOIL, and I use their oil but not their filter. It is interesting that this test shows the paper air filter flowing better than the K&N and filtering out more dirt. I view this as just one more piece of evidence in which to make a decision."
again that was a porsche 928...for K&N to make an airfilter that was to do any better than the stock 928 airfilter they would have to sacrifice. its different on a 300E. the K&N that I received was of noticeably superior construction and utilized superior materials to that of the stock airfilter. I have been running the air filter for about 1,500 miles now and have yet to have a single problem with it
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