Do you mean the accumulator that's right next to the valve block, or the one behind the rear axle?

I did a similar job last year. I seem to recall having to move the fuel filter. (but them I removed the subframe as well).

Nick

 

You usually have to unbolt and lower the rear subframe to have room to work the lines out.

FWIW, there are no factory established labor times for line replacements, even the guys who build them don't know how long it takes to repair them lol. Those lines are put in before the suspension is when the cars are built.

 

At the very least, you have to lower the subframe, and you may be able to get away with keeping the exhaust and propshaft attached.

You need to be very careful to avoid damaging the end of the propshaft though.

I tried very hard to work like that, and gave up and removed the subframe completely.

That's not too difficult, though getting it back in is trickier.

Nick

 

 

Hey Joey did you get this job done?

 

Hey Nick. I'm having the hose blow out blues here man. Second one in a week. Is this something that can be done in a driveway? Will I need two Jacks? The car is on stands at the moment.

One of the first things I did to the car was change all of the accumulators. The car has mostly original hoses. Good news for those in PR is that I found a great hose rebuild guy in Dorado. Industrial Dorado. $40 for the last hose that went bad and it fit like a glove! Beautiful work. I'm thinking if I get under the rear of the car every hose thats original will be replaced.

 

Howdy HopefullyE63 - did you get the hose replaced? I am on the same hose and wondered if you got it out, and back in without removal of the sub frame?
I have disconnect both ends, but from under the car just could not navigate the hose out.
I saw a guy on youtube that got it out, but the video did not show the hard part. So I have hope...lol

I think pulling it out from the passenger wheel well after it is detached form the holders is the way to go, and the my next attempt at this.
Any input from anyone appreciated.
Thanks.

 

Good Day.
Well I got this hose out without dropping the sub-frame, and in my driveway with the car on jack stands, here's how.....
1. elevate car - I use ramps on each wheel and jack stands, and two 3 ton jacks where needed to add to my comfort of mind.
2. disconnect both ends of the line, I dropped the block to get a good angle...I cut the end on the accumulator off since it was not playing nice and I was replacing it anyways - oh yes you must replace this too if you are going to do this line since you are here already.
3. disconnect all the connectors, the one over the rear axle is a tough one, I did not put it back afterwards, still very secure.
4. remove the passenger wheel
5. remove the last connector for the line to the passenger strut. Loosen the next connector for the same line that is over the axle (removal is impossible). This will provide a little bit of wiggle between the lines for the removal and replacement.
6. Test the line to see that it is nice and free, then laying under the car toward the passenger side, head towards the front on the car, with you left hand grabbing the right angle of the line where it goes up and begins to go over the sub-frame, pull down hard.
7. With right hand, grab the line part that goes to the accumulator and help it exit, continue to pull down, and move the right hand to the left part of the line, right of the diff, and also push towards the pulling down left hand.
8. continue this, pulling down with the left hand and this will come out in a big arch toward the passenger wheel, curving towards the front of the car...this is will cause the line to bend, it will be fine. Oh, yep it is out now and you are happy, almost...
9. lay the removed line on the ground and bend the new line to the same approximate shape, this will help to replace it.
10. Lead with the end that goes to the accumulator, be sure to get it under the line that goes to the passenger strut, and push it hard (150 pounds bench press here while using a screw driver to direct the end) to coerce it towards the accumulators region.
11. Bolt loosely the new accumulator in, and connect the line. Then hard bolt it in, and full torque the line.
12. Route the line across the bottom of the car bending it to get closer to the connectors and route the other end in towards the block, but do not connect it yet.
13. Go back to the left and bolt in the first connector back by the accumulator. As mentioned before the next connector will not go back in, leave it out.
14. Bolt the next connector the left triple connector.
15. Go to the block now, and reconnect the line's other end.
16 Bolt the next center triple connector the right one. - bend the line here and there to get it in...you are getting this line back to the original shape as we do this.
17. Bolt the final connector at the block, and reattach the block.
18. bolt the strut connect in the passenger well, and tighten the one on the same line over the axle.
19. replace the passenger tire
20. at this point everything is in place but the cover for the block, leave it off to look for leaks.
21. Fill the Pump ABC, reservoir, and prime it with pressure to 14PSI. (hand held Mityvac 8500)
22. Start the motor and run for 10 secs., stop the motor, look for leaks, if none, remove the primer hoses, and refill the reservoir, re-prime to 14PSI, and start engine for 10 secs again...repeat -look for leaks and the refill process till system is full...hit the ABC up and down as you go.
23 Drop the car
24. Now drive it around the block, ABC up and down at least 15 times....system should be bled at this point.
25. back to driveway, stop and inspect for leaks..if no leaks replace rear block cover, and rejoice that you did not have to drop the rear sub frame or pay the dealership 2500$ to do it for you.

So this job took me 4 hours once I decided to pull like hell in step 6. The previous weekend I gave up after 5 hours of staring at the bottom of the car laughing... so do not be discourage, just pull it hard and make it a quick job.
Here is a picture of the bend, compare it to the same line as it is mounted and see the secret...these pictures are not from my car.

Thanks for the help from the many posts I have read on other issues, this is my way to give back. Do the same if you have an opportunity. Cheers!

 

WOW! I'm sorry the notification got buried in my email. I got help to do it and my guy lowered the subframe just enough to pull the hose out. We did have to butcher the straps securing the lines little because the custom hose crimps are "less sexy" than the stock ones. This is one note for someone else reading. For these rear lines I think I would go with stock lines just so you don't have to deal with it again for a long time AND not have to compromise the bracket. thank you for taking the time to lay it all out it's great for the community. The cars aren't a huge mystery. MB made them to field serviced in a pinch. At least these cars.

 

Have same issue but here's my question. There is nothing in the line between the valve block to the rear accumulator all the way back at the rear. Why the hell was it placed there? I plugged the block to get it to winter storage and wondering why I can't have the accumulator closer to the block ?
Every time I look at this damn system, it's just one more reason for coil overs.

 

I feel your pain. I am struggling with keeping the ABC or not as well. If I knew what I would be constantly doing one thing or another I would have gone coil over but I am grateful that I had time to experience the ABC ride. It is very special. The CL (fingers crossed) has been great for a few months. My SL is just now beginning the refresh process. I think I'll keep the CL original and take the SL to coilover.

When I did buy the CL the first thing I did was replace ALL of the accumulators. Then as hoses went I got ALL the rear strut hoses done at once. Same for the front. Now all the hoses are swapped and the last thing I need to do is one rear strut.

 

"MB made them to field serviced in a pinch" Really ?

 

So why is it 6 Ft from the valve block when there is nothing in the line.

 

Still waiting for an explanation of why the accumulator is where it is !

 

Probably for noise reasons but without asking the engineers who designed the system you will probably never get a true answer.

 

Pascals Law maybe?

 

I know this is an old post but I hope for a response. I have a 2006 SL500 with 48000 miles. I got these 3 error codes: C1531-8 (" although locking valve is closed, the right rear suspension strut moves), C1525-64 ("system pressure too low") and C1526-16("fault in pressure supply"). These were all stored faults and the right strut was changed many years ago under warranty due to a leak so could have been from that. Very rarely when I start the car the White ABC warning light comes on but I turn the car off and then on and it disappears and doesn't come back on. The car is almost level at all corners except the passenger side (both front and rear wheels) are about 1/2" lower than right when parked. The car has never sagged when left sitting for a week or 2. Even when parked and left on max height doesn't sag. Car responds well when I raise and lower it. I used an autel scanner and performed an "acuation control and locking valve of right rear suspension strut" It raised and lowered the right rear. I then noticed there was fluid under front left of car. I thought I blew something. I took off the front left wheel and fender liner to look for a blown hose and where fluid came from. After searching and cleaning and starting the car and raising and lowering no oil leak. Thank god. It was overflow of the reservoir during the test. I then was bold enough to do an "acuation control and locking valve of left rear suspension strut" with the autel scanner. I compared the power consumption of the y36/2y4 (Right rear suspension strut blocking valve) with the y36/2y2 (Left rear suspension strut blocking valve) all values were similar. Nothing drastically different. Also the y36/2y3 (Right rear suspension strut control valve) and the y36/2y1 (left rear suspension strut control valve) values were very similar. The B4/5 ABC pressure sensor registered between 192 and 197 during the test. After all of this the car is the same as before. I cleared the codes and they have not come back. The white warning light came back once about 2 weeks since doing this and I don't have the scanner anymore to check for codes.

When I had the scanner I was going to try and do a calibration to level the passenger side that 1/2" but didn't go any further because I was afraid of damaging something. I also wanted to replace the fluid and filter but I was afraid to do a "rodeo" for fear of stressing and damaging the ABC system.

Can I do an effective fluid flush raising and lowering the suspension with the buttons in the car or should I do a rodeo or neither. Fluid was never changed and looks dirty. Again, I think a rodeo would put more stress than just using the buttons in the car.

Was the spit up of the fluid the result of a bad front or rear large accumulator, the front pulsation dampner or the rear "air cell"?
Should I change all four of those parts.

Will a good flush maybe fix the error code C1531-8 listed above.

Despite all of this the car seems to ride fine, no leaks and doesn't sag,

This car was once my brothers who died last year unexpectedly at 55. So I just want to make it perfect the way he would have wanted.

Any advice on how to get the car level? Maybe a calibration but how do I do that with the Autel scanner. The Autel scanner has the same commands as the Mercedes STAR diagnostic tool.I see the option to do it but not quite sure. Any step by step instructions would be great. By the way I recently had an alignment at the dealer and everything was done within tolerance except for "rear axle vehicle level ready for driving mm/°) before alignment: left 9mm/-0.5° after 9mm/-0.5° right before 5mm/-0.9° right after 5mm/-0.9° target data: -2.2mm/ +/-1.0°. Don't know if that has anything to do with the passenger side height. Any help would be great and any diagnosis of the ABC system from the warnings and codes would be great. Sorry for so much info.

Oh. an indy mechanic I spoke to about this, he didn't inspect the car, told me to beware of the battery in the trunk. If it is allowed to go low on charge is known to cause a lot of faults.

Thanks in advance.

 

your right hard part but i got the right strut line off diconnect all brackets and e_brake cables right muffler and that center gromet pulls out of bracket lots of turning back and forth it come out right side just like the guy on you tube. good luck it was fun! i almost dropped right carrige mount. your welcome rick.

 

One word... coilovers.

 

You can remove all hoses without actually removing the subframe. You want to lower it so that the struts hold it up, but you don't have to remove the rest of the subframe and it's components to be able to remove the lines.

If anybody wants one of the hoses, just sent me PM and I can sent the fitting flexible sections

 

Mercedes could have made the entire ABC system servicable by centralizing the acumulators and valve blocks in one area of the car, placing hard lines between each strut and a central distribution area and Quick Connect for hoses at the central area and each strut so that all hoses could be easily updated as they got worn out. Hard lines never go bad and just need to be protected from rust. They could have used a dedicated ABC pump that is easier to remove instead of the tandem design. At every step of the design they could have made ABC as simple as ABC but they did not. I just switched to Silver's Neomax coilovers and feel like the monkey is off my back. Once I get the dual pump out then I can remove all the other lines anv valve blocks, sell them and never have to think about them again. If you want to watch my journey, check it out on https://www.youtube.com/@CL500MBZ

 

For new high quality flexible sections, message me!

Last few weekends I've been busy replacing the rear ABC lines. One of them, above the exhaust had failed and I didn't know what line that was.

That was the point I decided to give the whole car new flexible hoses, starting with the rear hoses.

The rear hoses included:

• Both strut lines
• Rear accumulator line

I'll do the line of death soon, which does not have to be taken off the car to be repaired!

Now here are my 2cts when it comes to these hoses.

Despite what everybody is saying they are fairly easy to get to; get the car on 4 jack stands and loosen the sub frame bolts.

The rear sub frame should come lose and the struts will hold it place.
It is essential to do this, otherwise you can't get the lines from underneath the car.

Loosen all retainers and disconnect the slow disconnects from the struts. (I needed to use alligator pliers for this)
Then it's just a matter of getting the hoses out. You'll need to use your imagination to route all the bends over the sub frame and such.

When all hoses are out, you'll want to respray the metal sections, please note the part number of the hose that you have installed (it's on the crimp, near the connectors)
Also, you'd want to mark each section with an unique number and you'll also want to mark the number of the neighboring sections on every section. It's hard to know what goes where when the line is all apart.

Then you'll want to cut out a slot on both sides of the crimp, perpendicular to the line. You'll later use those slots and a flat head to get the crimps off.
Then you'd want to contact me, since I have the correct dimensions for new easy to install flexible sections and I can ship the correct ones to you.

These flexible sections are rated at a whopping 445 bars. These will outlast the car.
For easy installation, you shall install the metal lines first and whilst those being on the car, you should install the flexible sections into place. Then, you should tighten the nuts of the new flexible sections, to the point that you can't rotate them anymore.
In general I recommend starting with the connections to the valve body first, since it's hard to get them in when there is a little tension on the lines.


Fill the reservoir up more than you usually would. Start the car and bleed the system.
You'll now have upgraded hoses installed that will outlast the car.

 

Anyone have a write up on replacing the accumulators?

buying the FCP Euro suspension maintenance kit and found instructions on flushing the fluid but nothing on replacing the accumulators

 

Buy them, remove the old ones, install the new ones, flush the system and enjoy.