C43 Cold Air Intake (W205)

The shipping box showed up in tatters including a large hole on one side of the box.

When unboxed I found several smaller boxes and a bag of nuts, bolts, wires, and the two billet clamps.

Fortunately I took everything out of the boxes and bag to inventory and see if there was any damage or part shortfalls.

I noticed there were nuts, but no bolts for the Kevlar plates, so I had to order a kit with M3 lock nuts, and a kit with M3 bolts and washers. I noticed the AIO was supposed to incled 8 M4 bolts and nuts for this, but I noticed the kevelar plate holes were too small and close to the edges of the plates. Amazon was my friend, and It took a week for shipment before I could proceed.

After additional parts arrived, I began install. Driver side was okay, but the MAF hole does not line up neatly with the billet clamp bolt hole. The reach angle is horrible, so I was able to use my fingers to start the bolt, and the finish with a L shapped alen wrench as there was room for my hands underneath.

The passenger side was just a mess. Again the MAF hole angle was useless, and you risk cross threading the bolt at the billet clamp. It was near impossible for me to get the bolt in the hole at the turbo inlet, even with a magnet, in fact I had to fish the bolt from the bottom engine pan at one point. I then discovered I could move the antifreeze bottle, and that gave me just enough room to get two fingers on the bolt at the hole after feeding the bolt through the hole of the lower air box assembly. After numerous two finger tries, I was able to thread the bolt.

There has to be a better way, because if I take this off at some point, the stock system is going back in.

I did throw a cell, as the MAF sensor came loose at the extension cable. I will take blame for that, and fortunately it cleared the code and limp mode.

I don't like the MAF sensors on the bottom as there is nothing holding them in place beside a bit of friction. In the OEM box thy are on top. I thought about placing a rubber grommet over the MAF stem, but decided it would be risky if the grommet disentegraded over time and would fall unobstructed into the turbo. If they were on top of the box before the filter to turbo, this might be accepatable. It maybe pressure readings are better at entry to the turbo, and if so, a better way of securing the MAFs in place is in order.

As to performance, tip in at the pedal is nicer. You can hear the turbo woosh, and the exhaust sounds popplyier on de-acceleration and down shift. I do have the sport exhaust.

As to power, i only have a seat of pants feel. It does feel more linear, holds that glorious F1 like sound, but I am still breaking the computer reset in at the moment, so a bit more time is needed.

I am not joking about if I have to take it out. I have done plenty of CAIs in my day. This one left me frustrated, and less than confident. I can tell thought went into the design, in principle it makes good sense, but I was left with the notion of if it is so good, why didn't Mercedes do this? So so close, possibly mm away from perfection. I think a version 2 might be in order.