New to me 95 e320 wagon

[ccrelan]

RHW- thanks for the suggestion. I already have the H&R's and bilstein sports bought and in my attic. Do you know what the drop is on the H&R's versus the sportline set up? I should get some spring pads as well so the largest pads would likely be the way to go based on your comments.

Thanks- Cory

[RHW]

The Sportline drop is mild, I'd say the H&Rs go an inch or so lower.

Missed the attic comment, so yea, I'd bolt up what ya got...but if you find roads a nuisance, consider the height choice is not permanent anyway.

[ccrelan]

Update:

The suspension rebuild is for the most part complete. Near everything was replaced: H&Rs, front bistein sports, (firm) front sportline control arms, sportline subframe bushings, 500e front and rear sway bars, adjustable camber arms, rear wheel bearings, diff bushings, and a lot of undercoating was applied. The rear links were all replaced last year.

There is not a lot of clearance in the front with 225/45/17s on there. I am using the biggest bump pads and need to install the fender spacers to get a bit more extra room. We have been fiddling with the rear ride height and have it pretty close to where it needs to be.

I had a shop do a sportline alignment as well. The car handles very nicely and the floaty-ness is long gone.

The big news is that I managed to find a 86 300e 5 speed at the local junkyard. I picked up the transmission and all necessary swap parts today. Sometime next year, I will convert the wagon to a 5 speed manual. The combo of the 3.6 motor and the 5 speed will be killer. The automatic in the car is shifting badly and flaring bad between the 2/3 shift. There was a receipt for work done to the transmission when I bought the car, but the previous owner must have just had only reverse fixed.

This fall, I was able to find a late style valve cover off a c280 so that I can use the 3.6 crossover tube. Seeing I am using the w124 wiring harness, it is much easier to use the original valve cover as the channels inside fit all the wiring. We are going to dremmel the later style channels off so that it can fit the existing wiring. I am curious to see what if any difference there will be running the 3.6 tube.

Cheers- Cory

[sbaert]

Don't expect too much difference (apart from the embossed 3.6), unless you really start to build up the engine at $$$$.

IIRC, the stock MAF is the same between all variations of the M104 which is the single largest source of air restriction.

The looks factor, of course, is priceless.

[ccrelan]

Originally Posted by sbaert

The looks factor, of course, is priceless.

Yea, I know that going in. However, it will "tie the room together" if you will. If you opened the hood right now, there is no way to know the 3.6 motor is there.

At some point in the future, I have a V8 headlight intake that I want to use with this sort of intake and eliminate the stock box.

CDA - CARBON DYNAMIC AIRBOX | Products | BMC AIR FILTERS

[sbaert]

The stock M104 air intake is actually more efficient than the stock M119 V8 intake due to it sitting in the prime location right at the bottom of the bumper and thus creating a ram air effect.

The V8s air intake are quite restrictive, preventing optimum air flow and don't create the ram air effect.

[ccrelan]

I am referring to the black plastic surround that goes on the back of the V8 cars headlights. The intake tubes connect to this part. It draws in air from around the headlights.

I was thinking of connecting it to the carbon air box and then connected to the mass air sensor. Flickr is being a pain and not uploading the pic of the piece I want to show.

[sbaert]

I heard you the 1st time around. Still, the stock M104 box is a much more efficient system. You don't get any ram air effect on the V8 models