Fatz

Or, that prayer pisses off some entity that wants to show you the err of your ways.......
Seriously, good luck and I'm sure many will be tuning in for the update.....

lowpost

Rudeney

I've forgotten a bunch of what I used to consider useless trivia, but there is something unique about them. I think it;' something along the lines of them being made form a rare alloy that is both strong an light. I don't think anything about torturing them. I assume that's what they were designed for!

Merc Mania

The Mercedes Doctor monitors the M273 engine as it is run in for the first time. This guy only holds a high school diploma, yet is gifted with a prodigious understanding of Mercedes engineering that truly sets him apart from all previous mechanics I hired in the past.


To my profound relief, the engine just transplanted from a 2008 S550 into my 2009 CLK550 starts up and runs at idle with a subdued hum. The total absence of any visible exhaust smoke, and the silky smooth running of the engine, are promising indications that my gamble on a junkyard engine paid off this time.

A couple of fuses got fried when attempts were made to turn over the car's previous engine after it threw a rod, because that implosion was so quiet that the true extent of the damage done to that engine only became apparent when it was hoisted out of the engine bay, to reveal that gaping hole in the crank case. Later today, after those fuses are replaced, I'll give this car its first road test since it arrived here. Roads in this neck of the woods are in general poorly maintained, but there happens to be a 5-mile stretch of highway not far from here, that is kept in superb condition, making it an ideal stretch of highway for testing cars close to home.

xsever

Very happy to hear the good news! Hopefully things continue going as smooth and you'll be behind the wheels soon unleashing the V8 power. Looking forward to the next update.

Yidney

Did you ever obtain an air filter housing?

Merc Mania

The junkyard finally yielded an air cleaner cover, which is now installed as final touches are put to the car for its first road test. I sure do look forward to experiencing the highly regarded Mercedes 7-speed transmission, so I can compare its performance to the 7-speed auto trans in the 2016 Camaro RS I rented at LAX back in December 2016 to ply the Southern California freeways. Something tells me the Merc 7-speed will prove to be a superior design with noticeably better performance, though I won't get to wind the car out through all 7 gear shifts, on the winding country road where this first road test will take place.

Gotta admit to feeling as excited as a kid on Xmas morning, now that I have heard this replacement engine running as smoothly as a new power plant. I'll be sure and pause to take a couple of pictures of this car on the road, hopefully later on before dusk here, or by tomorrow morning. Still fiddling with the headlights for now, and searching for a suitable pair of replacement bulbs, since the Xenon bulbs I ordered at considerable cost turned out to be the wrong ones for this model. That said, I am confident that all the major problems with this car have finally been resolved once and for all.

C280 Sport

This thread is so amazing! What a great accomplishment! Congrats to you and God bless these people doing the work. They are talented and gifted no doubt.

gaazmon

Awesome job and congratulations!

Merc Mania

After its first road test, the CLK550 takes its place in the stable, alongside my 1991 vintage 500SL, and my 1994 E420 retrofitted with a 5 liter M119 engine, to become a poor man's DIY E500.


Stopped for a moment as I crested the hill, to take this shot of my local test track, which is about five miles of comparatively smooth road.


Just to be on the safe side as I tested the car, my trusty Land Rover Defender tagged along with a tow strap at the ready. The car ran flawlessly, though I had to place the wheels carefully on the dirt road, to prevent the undercarriage from making contact with the ground.


There is quite a bit of dust in the air as the seasonal winds blow southward from the Sahara Desert to the Atlantic seaboard. This car was washed before the test run, and was again caked in dust after just a half hour.

Driving this CLK550 on the open road for the first time was a blast, to put it mildly. The raw horsepower delivered by this motor is absolutely phenomenal, and the transmission is so buttery smooth I really had to concentrate, to discern when those ultra-smooth gear shifts occurred. To say that I am pleased to finally own a CLK550 would be a massive understatement. The taut suspension was as smooth and quiet as could be expected on the less than perfect roads here, the steering response was precise, and the motor generates such massive torque and acceleration that it is highly unlikely I will ever have cause to apply throttle settings above a timid 30% of the rampaging fury that would be unleashed just a little further along the gas pedal's full range of travel.

Of the seven forward gears available with the transmission of this car, I doubt if I pushed the car beyond its third or fourth gear change, along the country road shown in the picture above. There simply is not enough straight and smooth highway in these parts. to safely push a CLK550 anywhere close to the upper limits of its power band. From a purely practical standpoint, the CLK550 is designed for the Autobahn, or the wide open interstate freeways of California, and NOT the back roads of Africa, but that small detail won't stop me enjoying to the fullest every moment that I spend behind the wheel of this sedate-looking wolf in sheep's clothing.

I would like to once again offer my sincere gratitude to the highly knowledgeable writers in this forum, who have been kind enough to share their wealth of experience with new and inexperienced CLK owners such as myself. Of course a very special mention is due to Rodney the Mercedes Oracle, because it was at his recommendation that I first began researching the Mercedes CLK family. Also, I recall that the deal was sealed for me the moment I read Rodney's mention that the CLK is perhaps the ONLY modern V8-powered Mercedes design that rides on tried and tested shocks and spring suspensions, rather than those trouble prone pneumatic or hydraulic suspensions that bedevil so many of Mercedes newer models. Thank you sir. I owe you a beer fer sure.

And with all protocol thus duly observed, let me just conclude the proceedings by making this scholarly summation : Yeeeeeeeeehaaaw !

xsever

So happy to read and see how happy you are with the car finally. Your writing style is definitely worth praising as well.

What you need to do now is find a wide enough strip to drag race all three cars and shows us the results in a video

Anyway, have a blast enjoying the new car.

Godspeed!

Fatz

Yaaaahoooooo!!!! I feel like I just got to the final pages of "Gone With The Wind" or "The Godfather".....

Congrats! Such tenacity........

Yidney

The previous owner would probably be somewhat surprised to learn that his car is now blue, and residing in Africa. The straight section of that road looks good for at least 120 mhp, even if you do have to dodge the occasional lion.

megacrazy

Love the pics. Glad it's come to an end...mechanical adventure wise....now time for real adventure and drive the CLK around Africa

Rudeney

Love it! Nice work!

Anker

Congratulations!

Those road pictures remind me of my late teenage years in Tanzania. Straight roads, windy roads, paved roads, dirt roads, no traffic, no speed limits! And lots of different cars I was allowed to drive. Boy, did I have fun!

insame1

Looks great man, Glad i is finally running and bringing smiles.

lol!

jahquan3

This is #Epic...Congrats and #Salute

Peter Fan

Wow, what a fascinating thread and even more so the effort! Congrats on the success, MercMania!

xsever

@@Merc Mania

How's the car running now that you've had it for a while? Still enjoying it? Anything new and interesting?

Merc Mania

Much thanks for the kind words fellas. For a while there I really wasn't totally convinced that this car would run reliably after all that major surgery performed here, but thus far it as been a real joy to drive. I haven't logged many miles on it yet, because I still hope to find a tire and rim combination that will give the vehicle the improved ground clearance that is needed for the rutted roads here. Replaced the rear brake pads, but other than that minor maintenance item, everything seems to be running smooth and quiet. With the windows up and the air condition blowing arctic cold, this car delivers a magic carpet ride, even on the far-from-perfect roads out here in the sticks.

This 2009 CLK550 is the closest I've ever been to owning a new car, and the quiet running of the enormously powerful engine is almost surreal, in comparison to the older Mercs I own that all have the odd suspension clunk or body rattle, regardless of how many bushings are periodically replaced. Keeping my fingers crossed with this car, which I anticipate could be the final automotive purchase that this old geezer will ever make here in Africa.

shahram72

I just read the entire thread and enjoyed the story. What a journey! And I LOVE the color! Very classy. Yes I am looking to get my first German car and your bravery inspires me as I am wary of what problems will arise. Yes, costs to repair here are very high, therefore, used Mercedes cost much less here because most people are afraid of them. On the flip side, some popular used Hondas here cost more than new ones, if you factor in how much life is used up, it's ridiculous. My problem is I have to use a mechanic because with my job I simply don't have time to do my own work unless it's simple bolt on parts. I hope to find a mechanic who is mobile and familiar with these cars, I have heard from a few here that there are one or two, but I also have a local German shop as an alternative to the dealer. Buying a new Mercedes is cheaper than taking a used one to the dealer for repair.... SOMETIMES!

von Buckholtz

This is, perhaps, the most inspirational forum post I've seen in MBWorld! Thank you, MercMania, for your unquenchable perseverance and staunch endurance throughout that incredible CLK project. Believe me when I say I've learned so much about myself from reading this thread. Thank you!

Merc Mania

Thanks so much for stopping by, Von Buck holtz. If I'd known what was in store when I first spotted this car up for auction online, I probably wouldn't have clicked that "buy" button, yet now that the dust has settled and the car drives like new, I do not for a moment regret this impulsive purchase. This is by far the best engineered vehicle I have ever driven, and I plan to keep it roadworthy for many moons to come.