Powerchip or Upsolute?

[Kswiss]

Which one would you recommend for a 230 K?
everything else on the car stock......exhaust coming soon but i don't think that would matter ...

[to2image]

im going teusday to get upsolute direct from factory in charlotte nc.i have a 99 c230k ill let you know

[Kswiss]

how much are they estimating you?

[to2image]

they told me $425.00 installed takes 1 hour.so its worth the 2 hour drive.i have done alot of reasearch on this chip seems to be the best for the buck.i am going to get pulleys to but maybe later.i am saving up to go to autofest 2 in july. driving across the country with the benz

[Kswiss]

yeah i got about the same estimate...but the guy is only 15 min away from me. Pulley kits are damn expensive , but i really want one. Which one were u thinking of getting?

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by to2image
they told me $425.00 installed takes 1 hour.so its worth the 2 hour drive.i have done alot of reasearch on this chip seems to be the best for the buck.i am going to get pulleys to but maybe later.i am saving up to go to autofest 2 in july. driving across the country with the benz
Be careful about pulleys, they can wreck havoc with an engine is they are not balanced correctly of too small, I know from personal experience, thank God I put one on a project car years ago, so when the engine tanked I wasn't too upset, but I wouldn't put a undersized pulley on a daily driver for sure.

[Kswiss]

What if i plan to get a chip with no pulley kit? Am i also looking for trouble ? What other mods do you think i should get? 99 c230k
I have all the physical mods done, now its time for performance...everything is stock...2 weeks chip will be installed...what should i get b4 then?

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Kswiss
What if i plan to get a chip with no pulley kit? Am i also looking for trouble ? What other mods do you think i should get? 99 c230k
I have all the physical mods done, now its time for performance...everything is stock...2 weeks chip will be installed...what should i get b4 then?

IMHO nothing, for the engine, until you see how the chip works out, as that will set the parameters for engine mods. Once you see what the chip does or doesn't do. One thing I learned from many decades of building engines, dragster, road racers, is you go one step at a time. Probably the next thing would be a free'r flowing exhaust. Then check that out with the chip and see were your at. Get my point?

[Kswiss]

Point made. I'm actually discussing with a fellow that has a brabus exhaust and talkin him into selling me it. What are my dangers for buying a used exhaust?

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Kswiss
Point made. I'm actually discussing with a fellow that has a brabus exhaust and talkin him into selling me it. What are my dangers for buying a used exhaust?

all rusted out both outside and inside and the correct one for your car. Brabus is an excellent product, shake the muffler and if it sounds like a tin can with balls inside then walkaway, other then that if the $$ is right buy it. Is is a cat back setup, those are the easiest to install, no cutting just bolt in.:)

[Kswiss]

I won't be able to check out the exhaust till like June 7th or so. He said he was out of the country so just waiting for him to get back. Thanks for the info benzmeister....

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Kswiss
I won't be able to check out the exhaust till like June 7th or so. He said he was out of the country so just waiting for him to get back. Thanks for the info benzmeister....

I meant to tell you I got a quote on an upsolute upgrade a year or so ago, from a dealer about 100 miles east of here. He told me he would map my cars cpu and if he had the program he would download it, if not he would send my engine specs to Germany and they would map a new download and send to him and then I would have to return for the download to my car. I guess not all CPU are the same. Anyway at the time I was quoted $475.00, I contacted him again about 4 months ago and the priced dropped to $425.00, but the specs on the Upsolute website weren't that exciting and it was for Euro engines and not US spec engines. One thing he did say, my dealer or any Mercedes dealer would
not detect the new upload and couldn't delete it and reset the cars computer back to factory spec, I had a hard time swallowing that statement.

:( (bad back day today)

[Kswiss]

The guy i spoke with gave me good specs. He said it would raise my hp by almost 40 hp....maybe because i have a kompressor and u dont? since you say you have 280....also theres a remote that you can use so you can either use the chip or bring it back to "stock" anytime you want. This should work so the dealer would never know that theres a chip....something like that lol...

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Kswiss
The guy i spoke with gave me good specs. He said it would raise my hp by almost 40 hp....maybe because i have a kompressor and u dont? since you say you have 280....also theres a remote that you can use so you can either use the chip or bring it back to "stock" anytime you want. This should work so the dealer would never know that theres a chip....something like that lol...

http://www.upsolute.com/eng/index.html, here is the upsolute website in Austria, you can click on the English version, then click on database and type in the model of your car i.e. C230. Your dealer is close shows 39 HP increase and 15HP for my car.

[Renn 208]

I want to see before and after dynos.:cool:

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Renn 208
I want to see before and after dynos.:cool: Very good point. Dyno at the rear wheels tells the real story.

[Kswiss]

After i get it ill tell you how it is.....i have a clk320..nothing much but big difference in power compared to my 230 k....if i can at least match that power...then ill be happy..but i dont expect much.....but i do expect 400 dollars worth!

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Kswiss
After i get it ill tell you how it is.....i have a clk320..nothing much but big difference in power compared to my 230 k....if i can at least match that power...then ill be happy..but i dont expect much.....but i do expect 400 dollars worth!

That's a lot of money for a relatively simple job according to my son who is a software and web developer. If he had the the right connections he could download the settings from my car and with software you can buy reprogram it himself. Once he downloaded it he would make a folder and then reload back to the car so I could drive it until he is finished. Smart Kid I got.

[Linh]

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY !!! Two reason, NO body has proof hp gain on chip 5 or more hp. Second, if you car ever get software upload from the dealer, the new software wouldn't wipe out the old one. I can only speak for my 99' Slk 230 experience with Upsolute chip, they try 4 difference version but all of them make my car run slower.

[SLAMMED_C]

If your thinking of getting a chip I'd do engine mods first.. this way when you get chipped the company can actually retune the stock program they have to better suite what youve done to your car. if you get a chip now and later on decide to do a pulley kit on a supercharged engine.. you will need to get the program modified to better fit the new HP increase from the pulley kit.
I have a Kleemann pulley kit and custom cat back exhaust right now.. and I have been talking with Upsolute, Im gonna get chipped soon.. probably next weekend.


here is the upsolute website in Austria, you can click on the English version, then click on database and type in the model of your car i.e. C230. Your dealer is close shows 39 HP increase and 15HP for my car.
I think the dyno they have on the Kompresser car is with a pulley kit and chip together.. there is no way you can pick up almost 40hp with remapping the ECU.. maybe 10-15 at the most.. but not 40!!

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Linh
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY !!! Two reason, NO body has proof hp gain on chip 5 or more hp. Second, if you car ever get software upload from the dealer, the new software wouldn't wipe out the old one. I can only speak for my 99' Slk 230 experience with Upsolute chip, they try 4 difference version but all of them make my car run slower.

waste of money for the miminal if any power gain you get, and if you do get a power gain it is usually at the hight RPM and or speeds, so at the low end they are worthless IMHO. I spent over a $100 on a BMW I had before my Benz for computer upgrades, CEI, bored Throttle Body, in the end I wound up with about 5HP extra at 5500 rpm, but the car burtned more gas and belowe the 5500 rpm mark the HP was lower then stock and this stuff was from the best known BMW tuner in the country.

[SLAMMED_C]

I'll be going back to the Upsolute rep in my area to get chipped.. I went last week so he could read my stock chip, he now has the program from upsolute.
I will let you all know if I feel any difference, and if its worth the $$$$.

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by SLAMMED_C
I'll be going back to the Upsolute rep in my area to get chipped.. I went last week so he could read my stock chip, he now has the program from upsolute.
I will let you all know if I feel any difference, and if its worth the $$$$.
the math and spoke to a tuner and I concluded the return on investment wasn't enough for me.

[SLAMMED_C]

well I got chipped on saturday.. ddidnt drive very much over the weekend.. but this today on te way to work and home again.. I can honestly notice a difference.. seems to pul better and faster, also seems to lauch off the line with more authority!!
The Upsolute rep claimed to me a 15hp increase.. and I believe him.. Im pretty pleased so far with the outcome of the chip.. worth the $675 canadian???... so far I would say yeh.

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by SLAMMED_C
well I got chipped on saturday.. ddidnt drive very much over the weekend.. but this today on te way to work and home again.. I can honestly notice a difference.. seems to pul better and faster, also seems to lauch off the line with more authority!!
The Upsolute rep claimed to me a 15hp increase.. and I believe him.. Im pretty pleased so far with the outcome of the chip.. worth the $675 canadian???... so far I would say yeh.


What kind of day was it weather wise? Under certain weather conditions, cool, dray day a car's engines will run better. just a point, drive the car for awhile and then report how it is. Just spending $675.00 canadian would make anyone feel like they got there monies worth.

[MrSpace]

You should have dynoed it.

I am putting my car on dyno soon for a baseline,t hen after the ASP pulley, then after the other mods.

Etienne

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by MrSpace
You should have dynoed it.

I am putting my car on dyno soon for a baseline,t hen after the ASP pulley, then after the other mods.

Etienne

If so, the pulley's will void practically the entire engine is they fail.

[MrSpace]

Originally posted by BenzMeister
If so, the pulley's will void practically the entire engine is they fail.

what? I don't quite understand what you mean by this sentence. Can you reformulate?

Etienne

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by MrSpace
what? I don't quite understand what you mean by this sentence. Can you reformulate?

Etienne

Unless your a racer, not the street kind, underdrive pulleys can do some serious damage to a car, if they let go or the belts break as you also know, many of your system such as AC will not be working to full capacity and could be damaged, Unless you are going to be a serious racer I wouldn't put those things on. If you want more ponies, get new headers a performance exhaust, for the small gain you get from an undersized pulley, headers and exhaust will have a far better bang for the buck. IMHO. There they be people who disagree, but I have been around cars a long, long time and I've seen guys who put these on other brands under warranty and a few months later the AC compressor went or the alternator went and the manufactuer wouldn't cover it because of underdrive pulleys, you don't want to ruin such a beautiful car with trick street racer junk do you?

[MrSpace]

I hope I won't have any problems with my warranty.

Isn't the Kleeman/ASP/Other pulley only a pulley to get the SC to compress more air. I always tought the pulley did not affect the other vitals (alternator and such) compared to an underdrive pulley on a NA car.

Explain me please.

Etienne

[SLAMMED_C]

I hope I won't have any problems with my warranty.
Isn't the Kleeman/ASP/Other pulley only a pulley to get the SC to compress more air. I always tought the pulley did not affect the other vitals (alternator and such) compared to an underdrive pulley on a NA car.
Explain me please.
Etienne

Well.. my car is out of warranty now so I dont have any problems with the dealer not doing work on my car.. and even when I did have warranty they never knew or took notice of what I had done to my car.. granted the only performance mod I had at that time was a custom exhaust..

I dont know what is included in the ASP pulley kit.. but I know in my Kleemann kit the 2 pulley's that I replaced to gain the extra boost from the supercharger spinning faster was the whole crank pulley and the alternator pulley.. and since the crank pulley drives 2 belts, the belt that actually goes to the a/c compressor and water pump... is still the same size, its just the pulley that drives the supercharger and alternator are larger, and also with the alternator pulley being larger in diameter the alternator will actually spin slower.. so there is now way that it can be damaged.. I just wont be cranking out as much voltage and amperage as I normally would with the stock set up.
The whole idea of the kit is to just spin the supercharger faster to cram more air into the engine and create lots of boost!


Unless your a racer, not the street kind, underdrive pulleys can do some serious damage to a car, if they let go or the belts break as you also know, many of your system such as AC will not be working to full capacity and could be damaged, Unless you are going to be a serious racer I wouldn't put those things on. If you want more ponies, get new headers a performance exhaust, for the small gain you get from an undersized pulley, headers and exhaust will have a far better bang for the buck. IMHO. There they be people who disagree, but I have been around cars a long, long time and I've seen guys who put these on other brands under warranty and a few months later the AC compressor went or the alternator went and the manufactuer wouldn't cover it because of underdrive pulleys, you don't want to ruin such a beautiful car with trick street racer junk do you?
I have heard of someone with an ASP kit on a C-coupe that had the crankshaft pulley blow apart.. it was an early kit and I think it has been resolved. but I agree with some things your sayin.. I only buy parts from companies that are very reputable and that more specialize in the car you own or the manufacturer your car is from.. this way you know lots of extensive testing has been performed and the bugs have been worked out.
I dont agree with what your sayin about the header and custom exhaust.. I really dont think you would make that significant an increase by doing that.. I have gained about 55hp and 55-60ft lbs of torque from my pulley kit and chip.. and I cant see an exhaust and header giving that much of a gain.. it may have more of an effect on a n/a car.. but with supercharged and turbo'd cars.. its really about getting the air in and out.


What kind of day was it weather wise? Under certain weather conditions, cool, dray day a car's engines will run better. just a point, drive the car for awhile and then report how it is. Just spending $675.00 canadian would make anyone feel like they got there monies worth.

Its been about anywhere from 20-25 degree's celcius and very humid.. so maybe 30-35 celcius. been that way all week so Im positive it was the chip that made the difference.. but I will keep you all updated on how the performance gain is.

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by MrSpace
I hope I won't have any problems with my warranty.

Isn't the Kleeman/ASP/Other pulley only a pulley to get the SC to compress more air. I always tought the pulley did not affect the other vitals (alternator and such) compared to an underdrive pulley on a NA car.

Explain me please.

Etienne

is an under drive pulley, it will effect all systems that are tied into it, so in a serpintine system every pulley is effected in a older car where there are separate belts one or two might only be effected. I was watching a car program on a cable station and they were redoing a Mustang a 2002 I think and they changed to a underdrive pulley and the host said don't do this mode if your car is under warranty as it will void it. Now I am talking about the don't know the laws in Canada, but I still believe you can get more ponies out of your car without the pulley, and have no headaches. The Kleeman kit was designed for a specific purpose your SC and from what you say this is OK, but the other pulley now confuses me, what is it for? As you write the Kleeman already changed the crank case pulley so why and where will the other connect to?

[MrSpace]

The Kleeman kit has made his proofs
The ASP kit is already installed and tested on MANY SLK230k with the same engine so I'm pretty confident.

On and I might loose part of my warranty, but not everything. My car has many electronic module sproblems due to corosion in the connectors and this is not related with any mod I made.

Etienne

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by MrSpace
The Kleeman kit has made his proofs
The ASP kit is already installed and tested on MANY SLK230k with the same engine so I'm pretty confident.

On and I might loose part of my warranty, but not everything. My car has many electronic module sproblems due to corosion in the connectors and this is not related with any mod I made.

Etienne

Keep in mind Temptation was Eve downfall and the downfall of civilization.