W208 How To's
#52
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Location: New York City
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2000 CLK 430
Thanks
Used the instructions from this thread to remove my bumper and it came off wth minimal setbacks. Thanks for the great write ups and keep posting more as they become available.
#57
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Location: victoria,BC
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99 clk320
#59
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2007 bmw 650ci / 2007 Infiniti g35x / 2001 clk430 conv
clk430 fog lights
i will like to put hid fogs in my fogs lights
what bulb size is the clk430 is the fog's
and wha is the easyest way to get to the fogs to install it ???
also what color do you think i should do
i have 8000k head lights
should i match that
or should i do yellow fogs?
what bulb size is the clk430 is the fog's
and wha is the easyest way to get to the fogs to install it ???
also what color do you think i should do
i have 8000k head lights
should i match that
or should i do yellow fogs?
#60
MAF Sensor
Replace the MAF sensor (aka Mass air flow meter):
1: Remove the snorkels that go from the front grill area to your intake housing. These simply snap off and out.
2: Lift your engine cover off of your engine. There are 4 clips holding your cover down. Simply just pull up and they will detach.
3: On the back portion of your intake (behind the engine, where your intake housing connects to the engine, you will see the MAF sensor. Using a flat head screwdriver, unclip the metal clip on the back of the MAF and then unclip the plastic clips on the front.
4: Unplug the wire on the right and place it somewhere where you will find it again. Then gently pull the MAF out of it’s place and reverse the directions to put it back together.
Hey,
Could someone just post pictures of the important stuff if you already have a pic of your engine
I am really not that good with this stuff but (Engine Electronics) Check Engine light went on and I'm sure that it is my MAF and maybe I need new air filters but how do I get there?
1: Remove the snorkels that go from the front grill area to your intake housing. These simply snap off and out.
2: Lift your engine cover off of your engine. There are 4 clips holding your cover down. Simply just pull up and they will detach.
3: On the back portion of your intake (behind the engine, where your intake housing connects to the engine, you will see the MAF sensor. Using a flat head screwdriver, unclip the metal clip on the back of the MAF and then unclip the plastic clips on the front.
4: Unplug the wire on the right and place it somewhere where you will find it again. Then gently pull the MAF out of it’s place and reverse the directions to put it back together.
Hey,
Could someone just post pictures of the important stuff if you already have a pic of your engine
I am really not that good with this stuff but (Engine Electronics) Check Engine light went on and I'm sure that it is my MAF and maybe I need new air filters but how do I get there?
#61
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1999 CLK430 (sold) 03 CL55
A nice update to this thread would be good, because there has been alot of recent DIYs posted that are scattered that could be thrown in here, the title of this thread should be changed as well.... "W208 DIYs" for quicker reference....most links in here are old and don't work and pics don't show up anymore. Just the .02 cents.
#62
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
A nice update to this thread would be good, because there has been alot of recent DIYs posted that are scattered that could be thrown in here, the title of this thread should be changed as well.... "W208 DIYs" for quicker reference....most links in here are old and don't work and pics don't show up anymore. Just the .02 cents.
And if a mod is reading this thread....the original intent was to have DIY instructions only. All comments and questions should be directed to the W208 main forum. Could someone clean this up?
#63
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1999 CLK430 (sold) 03 CL55
I wish I had the power to do so, but I dont... There are ALOT of good info scattered around and alot of people have ALOT of questions that are already here, but just scattered and lost in the mess.
Good hearing from ya over here.
#64
Transmission Oil and Filter Change
(Models post 99 can not do this service at home properly because there is no drain plug for the torque convertor on post 99 models. You ahve to take the car to get mechanically flushed in order to get all of the old fluid out)
- Jack up car as high as you can on 4 jack stands
- Drain tran. oil pan. (about 3 quarts will come out)
- Replace drain plug
- Rotate engine counterclockwise with 22mm socket on crankshaft until you can see the torque convertor drain plug through the oval bell housing.
- remove Torque conv. drain plug. (about 3 quarts will come out)
- Remove 6 bolts holding trans. pan. (Be careful because there will be about 1/2" of fluid left in the pan)
- Remove and replace filter
- Change gasket and replace pan
- Lower car on flat surface
- Fill to proper amount based on tranny model
- Use dip stick tool to check fluid level at hot mark when the trans. pan is 80C. (Level should be inbetween low and max mark of high reading)
(Make sure you torque the pan bolts, and drain plugs properly)
(Models post 99 can not do this service at home properly because there is no drain plug for the torque convertor on post 99 models. You ahve to take the car to get mechanically flushed in order to get all of the old fluid out)
- Jack up car as high as you can on 4 jack stands
- Drain tran. oil pan. (about 3 quarts will come out)
- Replace drain plug
- Rotate engine counterclockwise with 22mm socket on crankshaft until you can see the torque convertor drain plug through the oval bell housing.
- remove Torque conv. drain plug. (about 3 quarts will come out)
- Remove 6 bolts holding trans. pan. (Be careful because there will be about 1/2" of fluid left in the pan)
- Remove and replace filter
- Change gasket and replace pan
- Lower car on flat surface
- Fill to proper amount based on tranny model
- Use dip stick tool to check fluid level at hot mark when the trans. pan is 80C. (Level should be inbetween low and max mark of high reading)
(Make sure you torque the pan bolts, and drain plugs properly)
#66
What You Need to Know When you Buy a used CLK
First off, I have been driving a 99 CLK for four years now, and going to tell you what I've learned.
It has been a reliable car for the most part and was only stranded once soon after i got it. If you read this post you will probably avoid getting stranded. I have a lot af love for this car, but with an Automatic Transmission this car is a lot more boring than it should be. I mean I could take some long sweepers in my in my manual 99 Ford F-250(R.I.P.) with full size tires much faster than in this car. 80+ vs. 70-72. It has a chronic case of being in the wrong gear in fun moments or when trying to jump after a turn. This is why I haven't bothered with putting suspension on it or sinking anything into extra performance. Unless I could put a manual in it. $10,000++, I don't think so.
It's a lot Pushy too. Way too Pushy.
__________________________________________________ _
If you buy one of these(or if you haven't done it yet), the first thing to do is flush and replace your tranny fluid.
About a year after I got it the tranny blew. Broke. New Tranny needed. 3800
The manual and the dealer say NO maintenance is needed. Wrong.
If gone unchecked the fluid dries out over the years and miles, and most previous owners haven't a clue. Add to the fact that YOU can't check the fluid level in your driveway unless you buy an $80 dipstick "tool".
Who does that? (I did later, so I could keep on top of it.)
---I did try to convert the AT to Manny at replacement time, but no luck in finding what I needed---
Next. Replace the interior air filter. I drove around two summers wondering why the A/C sucked. After the filter change, the air was blowin' and goin'.
It is Very Easy to do. There is a post in the W208 DIY.
Tires.
I bought some after market Benz McClaren style wheels, 8.5in. Front, 9.5in. Rear. From velocity motoring. Not sure why I have not run across this company in this forum. Maybe you thought they were no good cause they weren't carllsen or whatever. Great wheels for almost real cheap. Brand new with tires mounted, balanced, and shipped for 1300. I'll post a photo. They have been more resilient than any other nice rims I've ever had. Still Straight and no wobbles or vibrations after 3 years. Oh, and they are 18's.(It's Not a Race Car)
Biggest Size tires to fit this car(not lowered, why bother, get a different car, cause you still got Atoumatic):
FILLS UP the Wheel Well the most and I don't have any rubbing:
FRONT--255/35/18 8.5in. wheel
REAR--275/35/18 9.5in. wheel
_________________________________________________
I've got more, but it's late.
Late.
It has been a reliable car for the most part and was only stranded once soon after i got it. If you read this post you will probably avoid getting stranded. I have a lot af love for this car, but with an Automatic Transmission this car is a lot more boring than it should be. I mean I could take some long sweepers in my in my manual 99 Ford F-250(R.I.P.) with full size tires much faster than in this car. 80+ vs. 70-72. It has a chronic case of being in the wrong gear in fun moments or when trying to jump after a turn. This is why I haven't bothered with putting suspension on it or sinking anything into extra performance. Unless I could put a manual in it. $10,000++, I don't think so.
It's a lot Pushy too. Way too Pushy.
__________________________________________________ _
If you buy one of these(or if you haven't done it yet), the first thing to do is flush and replace your tranny fluid.
About a year after I got it the tranny blew. Broke. New Tranny needed. 3800
The manual and the dealer say NO maintenance is needed. Wrong.
If gone unchecked the fluid dries out over the years and miles, and most previous owners haven't a clue. Add to the fact that YOU can't check the fluid level in your driveway unless you buy an $80 dipstick "tool".
Who does that? (I did later, so I could keep on top of it.)
---I did try to convert the AT to Manny at replacement time, but no luck in finding what I needed---
Next. Replace the interior air filter. I drove around two summers wondering why the A/C sucked. After the filter change, the air was blowin' and goin'.
It is Very Easy to do. There is a post in the W208 DIY.
Tires.
I bought some after market Benz McClaren style wheels, 8.5in. Front, 9.5in. Rear. From velocity motoring. Not sure why I have not run across this company in this forum. Maybe you thought they were no good cause they weren't carllsen or whatever. Great wheels for almost real cheap. Brand new with tires mounted, balanced, and shipped for 1300. I'll post a photo. They have been more resilient than any other nice rims I've ever had. Still Straight and no wobbles or vibrations after 3 years. Oh, and they are 18's.(It's Not a Race Car)
Biggest Size tires to fit this car(not lowered, why bother, get a different car, cause you still got Atoumatic):
FILLS UP the Wheel Well the most and I don't have any rubbing:
FRONT--255/35/18 8.5in. wheel
REAR--275/35/18 9.5in. wheel
_________________________________________________
I've got more, but it's late.
Late.
Last edited by SaintMiles; 05-22-2008 at 03:40 AM.
#67
Next Installment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just going to run through some things here:
--Find your radio code and know where it is(probably somewhere in your owner's manual zipper case). 5 digit code is very easy to use. For whatever reason, it seems like I've needed this a couple of times while I was on the road.
--Once, I failed a smog test, and the guy told me to disconnect the battery to reset the computer. Then, drive for 50 miles and not much more, then have it re-tested. It should pass unless you've got a real, serious problem. I passed.
--The engine belt tensioner pulley froze up and needed to be replaced. I took off the one nut that held the pulley on, removed it and went to the MB dealer. "Oh, we don't sell just that pulley, we only sell the 'belt tensioner assembly' for $180+". Needless to say I was taken aback. I said, "I might be back , but first, I'm going to the local auto parts store."
Well, at the strip center auto parts store, they sell the pulleys alone. Apparently, they don't make our size of pulley, but I got the closest one. It was 1/2 in. bigger diameter than the oem part. I got a new belt(was nessecary anyway 'cause the other one was shredded) with an allowance for the bigger pulley. I think we took the difference in pulley size, doubled it and added that amount to the belt size.
At the dealer:
$180+ tensioner
$35+ belt
At the auto parts store:
$14 Pulley
$12 Belt.
The Pulley fit right on with no problem whatsoever. You wouldn't even know if YOU looked at it. This happened about a year and a half ago. Still going strong.
This is not a joke. Save your money.
--Another BIG $$ saver:
My drivers window stopped working. I could push the window down and pull it up by hand. But I could still hear the motor working(whrrrrr up, whrrrr down).
I took the door panel off(find the steps here in the w208 diy section) in order to check it out. I could see the mechanism moving with the window, but couldn't figure it out, so I removed the whole regulator assembly(I think I had to search this entire site and ended up with instructions from an E-class sedan, it was close enough).
It turned out that the cheapy spot welds that hold the main arm of the reg. and the body of the reg. together had failed.
FIX- I drilled a few holes with a small drill bit and mixed up some JB Weld. I put a couple of tiny self tapping screws in it with JB weld in the threads and also some weld in a couple of other drilled holes. Note:make sure the screws don't protrude too far and interfere with the body of the regulator.
Also: go to the dealer and buy the oem rivets in order to reinstall the regulator. 67cents each.
Works like new.
__________________________________________________ _______________
'Til next time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just going to run through some things here:
--Find your radio code and know where it is(probably somewhere in your owner's manual zipper case). 5 digit code is very easy to use. For whatever reason, it seems like I've needed this a couple of times while I was on the road.
--Once, I failed a smog test, and the guy told me to disconnect the battery to reset the computer. Then, drive for 50 miles and not much more, then have it re-tested. It should pass unless you've got a real, serious problem. I passed.
--The engine belt tensioner pulley froze up and needed to be replaced. I took off the one nut that held the pulley on, removed it and went to the MB dealer. "Oh, we don't sell just that pulley, we only sell the 'belt tensioner assembly' for $180+". Needless to say I was taken aback. I said, "I might be back , but first, I'm going to the local auto parts store."
Well, at the strip center auto parts store, they sell the pulleys alone. Apparently, they don't make our size of pulley, but I got the closest one. It was 1/2 in. bigger diameter than the oem part. I got a new belt(was nessecary anyway 'cause the other one was shredded) with an allowance for the bigger pulley. I think we took the difference in pulley size, doubled it and added that amount to the belt size.
At the dealer:
$180+ tensioner
$35+ belt
At the auto parts store:
$14 Pulley
$12 Belt.
The Pulley fit right on with no problem whatsoever. You wouldn't even know if YOU looked at it. This happened about a year and a half ago. Still going strong.
This is not a joke. Save your money.
--Another BIG $$ saver:
My drivers window stopped working. I could push the window down and pull it up by hand. But I could still hear the motor working(whrrrrr up, whrrrr down).
I took the door panel off(find the steps here in the w208 diy section) in order to check it out. I could see the mechanism moving with the window, but couldn't figure it out, so I removed the whole regulator assembly(I think I had to search this entire site and ended up with instructions from an E-class sedan, it was close enough).
It turned out that the cheapy spot welds that hold the main arm of the reg. and the body of the reg. together had failed.
FIX- I drilled a few holes with a small drill bit and mixed up some JB Weld. I put a couple of tiny self tapping screws in it with JB weld in the threads and also some weld in a couple of other drilled holes. Note:make sure the screws don't protrude too far and interfere with the body of the regulator.
Also: go to the dealer and buy the oem rivets in order to reinstall the regulator. 67cents each.
Works like new.
__________________________________________________ _______________
'Til next time.
#68
Senior Member
#69
Lubing up the W208 windscreen wiper mechanism
Not a job that is done by MB servicemen in the UK and as a result the mechanism can seize after many years
Worth reading the whole thread if you are interetsted as there are some alternative tips offered
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showt...+wiper&t=28430
Worth reading the whole thread if you are interetsted as there are some alternative tips offered
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showt...+wiper&t=28430
#70
Window Reset
Window roll up reset.
Open the window all the way.
Close the window all the way AND hold the button down(all the way down,second click).
AFTER Ten Seconds release the button.
repeat for the other window.
This will reset the automatic windows.
At least it does for me.
If this doesn't work, hey it'll only took 30 seconds to try.
(works for the sunroof too, but do it in forward position, and do it in back position)
Open the window all the way.
Close the window all the way AND hold the button down(all the way down,second click).
AFTER Ten Seconds release the button.
repeat for the other window.
This will reset the automatic windows.
At least it does for me.
If this doesn't work, hey it'll only took 30 seconds to try.
(works for the sunroof too, but do it in forward position, and do it in back position)
#74
Need directions for removing trans module in console
got wet and probably blew it up. I can do it but I don't want to break trim panels as this is my first time working on my clk430 cab. Please help!
Thanks!
Thanks!