300e 300se cold air intake

The primary air intake for M103 engines is very well designed and very functional. In esscence, it is already a cold air intake design, also it is designed to give a ram air effect at high cruising speeds. The slight curve of the snorkel is needed to keep out water when driving fast in the rain. A modified air snorkel would not yield any performance benefits and probably would not have a clean fit and finish appearance. That is probably why there are not any cold air kits avail. on the market. Always remember, this is a MERCEDES-BENZ not a chevy camaro or a ford mustang. Don't mess with perfection.


89'300e
92'400e
92'500e

There is absolutely nothing to be gained by fiddling with the air intake system on your car, except for some more induction noise.
The best air intake system takes fresh air from outside the hood (which Mercedes do) and goes straight to the air filter, which you are thinking of modifying with your 90deg. bend.

You can mess with perfection because its not perfect. I have learned many lessons in performance from modding Vettes and Camaros. I do not know what the inside of the 300's air box is but my E 320...I gutted the silencer inside the box and enlarged the opening to where it draws cool air from behind the headlight. Now a hole you not put a tennis ball through you can now put a softball through. Got a pretty good seat of the pants feel. However nothing would have been gained by using a under the hood cone filter like the little underpowered honda kids use.


Brian Felts

You might, might gain 1 or 2 horses at best.
Not anything noticeable and not worth the work.

If you want real performance gains spend the money on SHRICK sport cams and a GIAC remapped control unit.
The cams are available from a web site in the U.K.
This will yield about 20 real horses or something you can really feel on the top end(4500 to 6300rpms) and will also eliminate the 130mph speed governor. The V8 W124's are the ones that can benefit from a revised air box. Renntech and Brabus have their own versions that net gains of 15 to 25hp respectively. The V8 boxes are tuned be be quiet and flow well.