I met up one of my buddies today, and he has a 2001 CLK430 and I have a 2002 GS430, so of course we decided to have a run for it real quick, we went to a local road and raced using a rolling start. Well he ended up hitting the gas before me so he beat me by half a car, then we did it from another rolling start, and we were Dead even up to 80 mph, then we raced from the lights and we were still dead even, what im confused about is that if my GS430 has "supposedly" 300hp and 325ft lbs of torque, how could a CLK430 with 285hp and however much torque, be the same speed as my car, if not then a little faster? and if anyone could, please let me know the real stock Dyno for a GS430, because I remember reading one time that the GS400/430 didn't really have 300hp and that it only had like 255hp when someone did a Dyno for it after they first got it, please could someone offer some info about this topic because it's really buggin me, I HATE the fact that a MB was just as fast as my GS430

 

I believe the CLK 430 is lighter than the GS allowing it to get to higher speeds faster. That could be a reason.

 

the 255hp is rear wheel horse power. 300hp is engine crank horsepower. So if the CLK has 285engine crank horsepower, I would say it has around 240~245 rear wheel horsepower.

CLK430 and GS430 should be pretty close, but the GS should be faster by alittle. Try torquebraking.

 

I have had no trouble with CLK430's. 4 of them so far. All a comfortable lead on my part. From a stop and on the highway.

 

Yea granted that the CLK may be a little lighter, but the thing is that the person who was driving it was alot heavier than me, he probably weighs anywhere from 250 to 290lbs -=oX

 

Yes that is very troubling!? I too have come across them on several occassions on the Tollway, and have given them an opportunity to go fast and look at the rear of a GS400. Here is one such occassion............

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=25503

 

that was a great story man, but still im kinda Mad about how my friends CLK430 was dead even with me, another thing, i really dont want to learn the hard way with my car, but i read in the manual that it can be very bad for the transmission if while ur going through the shiftgates while holding on the gas, now do u let off the gas right before u switch it? because a few ppl told me that it wasn't needed to lift ur foot off the gas, but they dont have a lexus either so, go figure

 

Now when you say "shift-gates" I think of an actual manual transmission? If you mean did/do I keek the pedal to the medal during E-Shift changes, then I most certainly did/do! Don't fret ShowGSLuVv, it could have been a fluke. I understand that from time to time all factory cars are "stronger" than identical models (meaning a couple out of the bunch).

 

ShowGSLuVv,

Here's a medium level mod that will even the odds or even best the CLK430 at your short interval race. I recommend changing to a higher stall convertor and the TRD LSD. The mod will not affect your horsepower at all... however you will sacrifice about 3-4 miles per gallon of fuel.

Also drive with the traction control off.

 

Many possible reasons why and how it happened. Consider the following:

1. mods to either car
2. fuel used in each car
3. gear ratios and final drive ratios of each
4. launch and/or shift methods
5. whether both vehicles were operating properly
6. traction
7. power to weight ratio of each car
8. weight of unsprung and sprung weight (aftermarket wheels)
etc etc etc

Don't let it get you down.

 

Ira: You took the words out of my mouth. HP is great but if you have the wrong gear ratios or can't put the power down (traction) then it doesn't matter.

Also, please consider the HP (and TQ) values you quote are peaks. You didn't start your race at 6300 RPM did you? It's the area under the curve that matters.

Peter

 

It's a chocolate lab. Still just a puppy too!

Peter

 

Another thing i was wondering about, IM trying to decide whether or not i should get a New air intake, but wouldn't that make me lose a little speed for around town cruising but will increase my freeway speed a little bit? im kinda curious, what kind of intakes do u guys think would be the best choice to get the max amount of improvement from? Srt? Rmm? and if so, will it make my engine sound louder? and if u guys could offer some tips on some exaust systems that would give me just a little deeper growl and not a high pitched sound, because i still wanna keep the luxury and smoothness of a lexus, next time i race that CLK my foots not coming off the gas until i beat him, lol, unless a car gets in front of me then i guess i have no choice -=)