really bad acceleration, any ideas?

[steveo04234]

Ok, so i just got my first car, a used 1996 mercedes-benz c220. its got a 4 cylinder and about 150hp. But my 0-60 is 10 seconds, quater-mile is 18 seconds....Any one have any experience with mercedes or any good ideas to help with my painfully slow acceleration? I'm 17 yrs old and have limited experience with this car. Please help!

 

[obi_waynne]

HI Steve and welcome to Torquecars. 150bhp will produce a 0-60 time of 7.5 seconds in some cars. The Merc is quite a heavy car - weight reduction will help. The gearing is also quite long as they are built for cruising on autobahns so a lower ratio gearbox will also help improve your 0-60 time. If the engine is high mileage then it will be worth decoking it and getting the head flowed and ported. Run a good quality injector cleaner like REDEX through for a couple of tank fulls and that should at least get you nearer the factory standard spec. Has the car been serviced recently? Before you start modding the car you should make sure it is running as efficiently as possible.

 

[HDi fun]

Don't muck about with cheap petrol, either. Stick with a known brand, Esso Shell etc.

Get it fully serviced and then drive it progressively harder over a couple of hundred miles in one go, thus burning away all the clag that's probably accumulated.

 

[steveo04234]

The car has 134,000 miles and is scheduled to go into the shop in 2 days because the check engine light and abs light is on, and it also just needs a tune up. When you say "decoking," does that mean just cleaning out all the junk that has accumulated in the engine? o and the car weighs about 3500lbs, so yea it's a little heavy haha. Im going to run by the store today and get some REDEX, thank you so much i really appreciate it!

 

[obi_waynne]

You are spot on with decoking. Ideally its a head off and manually clean the head and cylinders but you can get sprays that go in the intake and clean the engine as it runs (ekotek power boost spray is one of those!)

 

[Brendan]

Ekotek Power Boost Spray

I saw the post about this ekotek power boost spray and have been looking for some indepoendant information/reviews on the product but every site I come across is the same as the manufacturer and before I put anything thru my engine to clean it or otherwise I want to know that it is going to do what it says it will do, do you know of a site that gives some independant review or access to Torque Cars research on the subject.

You are spot on with decoking. Ideally its a head off and manually clean the head and cylinders but you can get sprays that go in the intake and clean the engine as it runs (ekotek power boost spray is one of those!)

 

[Miniman]

Re: Ekotek Power Boost Spray

I saw the post about this ekotek power boost spray and have been looking for some indepoendant information/reviews on the product but every site I come across is the same as the manufacturer and before I put anything thru my engine to clean it or otherwise I want to know that it is going to do what it says it will do, do you know of a site that gives some independant review or access to Torque Cars research on the subject.

I was also looking at this product the other day and was wondering if it is any decent.

Bit of a nice car for a first car isnt it?, insurence must be high.

 

[obi_waynne]

I've used the stuff and it works well. It makes a hell of a lot of smoke during the treatment but the car went a lot better afterward. I did it on my Rover 220 just after I got it and it really did wake the car up (mileage was around 70,000).

Don't buy it if the car has done a low mileage or does lots of long motorway runs.

Buy it if the car has a higher mileage or does lots of short journeys.

It won't make the engine more powerful than it is meant to but it will restore power and some cars can be 20-30% down on power due to gum and carbon deposits.

Interestingly the Ekotec valve (which TorqueCars members generally don't recommend) has been used along with the Power boost spray in most of the tests. I therefore feel that the power gain felt is mainly due to the power boost spray than the little valve.

 

[Miniman]

Alright i might look into getting some then as my car is on 79,000 miles and does lots of short journeys, althought i have a full service history and the last service was 5,000 miles ago it doesnt mention it being de coked so.

 

[Twamgl3]

The Ecotek valve does work - it make your wallet lighter so your power to weigh ratio goes up!

I'm willing to swear by Redex, mind.

 

[Miniman]

The Ecotek valve does work - it make your wallet lighter so your power to weigh ratio goes up!

I'm willing to swear by Redex, mind.

Is that the cheap stuff that halfords do for like 4.99?. I was looking at something like that but was too scared to buy it and put in my engine lol.

 

[Twamgl3]

Redex is great stuff. Don't expect miracles for £4.99 but it helps out. If you do use it there's three main flavours; for diesel engines; for petrol injection engines and engines with carburettors.

 

[charger69]

welcome to TC mate.
slow acceleration is a problem because of the heavy weight of them, try to get rid of unecesery stuff.

 

[Twamgl3]

I remember thinking 0-60 in ten seconds was fast. I don't any more but none of my current cars can beat that.