Took off the grill yesterday to see how hard it would be to make my own grill and mount it without modifying too much existing stuff... and I noticed 2 plastic 'box-like' items on either side. They are just below (attached?) to the air intake nozzles. They have an opening in front and if you stick a finger in there you can feel a flap. Does anyone know what this is?

Was thinking of modifying the plastic intake part to enlarge it or to fit cone filters up front if/when I make a new grill, but I didn't want to mess with that plastic box until I know what it does.

 

im pretty sure youre talking about the horns. or is there something else back there youre describing?

 

The horns are in the center. These are on the sides, right on the right and left side. If you follow the intake tubes down to the grill, they slide onto plastic intake 'nozzles'. When you look at the 'nozzles' from the front, with the grill off, the boxes are directly below, with an opening in front.

At work so I can't really go outside and remove grill to give better description.

 

Well, I think I know what the boxes are now... and feel kinda dumb now. I think (haven't gone back out and taken off the grill again) they are just the drains for the air intake nozzle, to help keep rain from getting all the way up the tube.

Was sitting thinking of how to keep water out if I make the tubes bigger and remount a filter and it suddenly hit me, that's what they had to do and thats why it has a 1-way flap.

duh

 

Those dam smart Germans.

 

This is my take on the doors. There made to let air in and not out. So I thought why would you not want to let air out. Then I thought what kind of weather to you encounter in Germany, and all the surrounding countries. Its gets to below freezing conditions, in a great portion of the European countries for more then 6 months at a time. So I figured they did that so the car would take air in while it was in motion, exhausting more heat. Then when the car is stopped it could keep that air in there so it can maintain a consistent air temp, in the attempts to lesson the chances of explanation and contraction that the metal, and rubber pieces would do. They pretty much don't want the belts, hoses, or like the engine block to crack.
That type of engineering won't work in places were the weather will exceed like 90 degrees for any length of time. You'll kill that engine a lot faster by keeping that hot air trapped in there.
I had personally taken mine out of there, and noticed a difference in performance, because well for one it allowed more external air to be channeled into my cone filters which is a good thing. And I noticed that the engine would just rev out so much, as when it is to hot. Has anyone noticed that the cars power will drop a touch when it is a really warm day. I live in the Greater Los Angeles Area, and warm to me is like 90. I've noticed a difference when it is cooler then that. I think these engine setups are able to put out a lot more, if they were just properly set up for warmer climates.

 

OF COURSE warmer air will result in LESS power. Cooler air is more "dense" and hence has more oxygen to support better combustion and hence more power.

 

Not to be a smart a*s, but I live in Phoenix, AZ and warm to me is like 110 Heat causes gas to expand, meaning it's less dense - so on hot days, even though you're drawing the same amount of air by volume, you're drawing in less air by mass, so you don't have as efficient a bang. This is in no way limited to our cars; every car will have this occur, particularly cars with turbos.

 

I'm talking about the inlets, underneath your stock airbox inlets are located. Do you even know what
i'm talking about? You'll see them if you take off the grill you can see them. They have little one way doors. They only swing in the direction to let air in, and not out. My post prior, was what My theory was on what are they needed for. Why would you have these tiny *** little trap doors in an air inlet tube. Well for some reason, they don't want what ever it is that goes threw there.......to get out.
That's why I'm talking about the colder climate stuff. The most sales for Mercedes isn't the US. we sure do like them here, but I don't see us using them as Taxi Cabs like in some parts of the world.

 

XethW, your totally correct.

I'm not just putting the spot light on us, I was just trying to bring up an idea, that maybe no one really thought about before. As far as Mercedes is concerned, who are they aiming to please as far as the market is concerned. Who's buying more of there vehicles, is what I guess I'm trying to explain. Maybe they were thinking of people who live in a much cooler climate and have to worry about things like there engine blocks freezing. I guess another example might be some of the gear ratio's on the cars, a lot of them are geared to be able to cruise at 135+ MPH, now in LA you get caught going 135, not only will you not see your car again, you won't see the light of day for a while.