ESP and brake bleeding
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Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Minneapolis
2002 CLK55, 1993 190E, 1975 230C, 2007 E350
ESP and brake bleeding
My daughter is out of the hospital, and she wanted friends over for watching movies tonight (it's been a couple of weeks since I've had a house full of kids), and I thought I would go out and bleed brakes on some cars (springtime - I do it every year) while they had their fun. I did my E320, and the old 230C, and then was about to do my 2002 CLK55 and my neighbor told me I needed a star diagnostic system to run the esp and abs systems on the car while bleeding it. Is this correct? Do you have to go to a dealer or indy shop to bleed the brakes on these cars?
I use a power bleeder system on my other cars, and they are just pour in fluid, pump up pressure, and open bleed valves until fluid is changed (I run ATE blue/gold for a visual). I also got ATE SL.6 (low viscosity DOT4 stuff) for this car. Can I just rig up the power bleeder and run like my other MB's?
I use a power bleeder system on my other cars, and they are just pour in fluid, pump up pressure, and open bleed valves until fluid is changed (I run ATE blue/gold for a visual). I also got ATE SL.6 (low viscosity DOT4 stuff) for this car. Can I just rig up the power bleeder and run like my other MB's?
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
I've bled my brakes at least 4 times, but I can't get the Motive Power Bleeder to work. At 2 BAR the fluid barely dribbles when I open a nipple. Instead I use a 1-man-bleeder contraption. It's basically a pump the pedal method - no STAR box used.
Last edited by MarcusF; May 7, 2011 at 02:36 AM.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
Yeah, it's every two years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic - absorbs water from air. Once enough moisture is absorbed, brake parts start corroding. It used to be common for Corvettes to need calipers after a few years. Old fluid was considered the cause.
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Supercharged CLK500,ML500,S580
Could you confirm I can use ATE Blue and ATE 200 (DOT4) on my 2004 CLK500?
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
I’ve been alternating between ATE blue and 200 since I bought this car. It will work fine in yours.
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12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
I have a bleed-o-matic, which I never use. I’ve used old soda cans, but it works better/keeps the garage floor clean if you can see how much fluid is in the catch can. When I can’t find my patented water bottle (which seems to go missing between 2-year fluid flushes), I use the 5 ounce reservoir bottle that came with my Mityvac and a section of hose. The "patented water bottle" is a hose in a 12 ounce clear water bottle - drill two holes in the cap and run the tube through one. Set the water bottle in an old coffee cup and it won’t tip over.
I’ve been alternating between ATE blue and 200 since I bought this car. It will work fine in yours.
I’ve been alternating between ATE blue and 200 since I bought this car. It will work fine in yours.
Last edited by DRBC43AMG; May 10, 2011 at 10:08 AM.
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E Class
How much is the motive bleeder and what's the turn-around time to perform the labour? Any special attachment(s) or fittings needed?
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
A Motive power bleeder is between $50 and $70, depending on the supplier. If the car is on a rack, it takes about 30 minutes. At home in a garage is longer. No special tools are needed.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
As long as we're hijacking a thread, does anyone know what year Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid? This question is not to imply synthetic fluids need not be changed. The point if this question is to know when Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid.
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From: Minneapolis
2002 CLK55, 1993 190E, 1975 230C, 2007 E350
synthetics
I think a word (maybe a thread, maybe a forum) could be lent to synthetics. Big thing to remember with synthetics is the base grade - most of what you see out there is grade 3 (or III) base stock, and some is grade 4 (IV). Grade 5's and exotics are for those with the money (military and aerospace), and are usually used as additives.
Difference is in how they are made - Grade III is really just highly refined dino oil - most of the sulphur and ash are removed by cracking and other methods, but they still have sulphur (really bad for your metals) and ash (grinding stuff) in them. Grade iV is chemically engineered, and has almost no sulphur or ash, and is a better lube for all things.
I build gyro's for aerospace applications, and have been specifying oil and grease for these applications for many years. A synthetic will allow you to change oil less often, but they still need to be changed. And power steering fluid is simply oil (low viscosity/low compressibility type) with some additives, so you should change it - I do mine every couple of years. I get it at the dealer for my MB's - now run synthetic in them, and run Redline in my other cars. I think my 95 came with dino oil in the PS box.
Difference is in how they are made - Grade III is really just highly refined dino oil - most of the sulphur and ash are removed by cracking and other methods, but they still have sulphur (really bad for your metals) and ash (grinding stuff) in them. Grade iV is chemically engineered, and has almost no sulphur or ash, and is a better lube for all things.
I build gyro's for aerospace applications, and have been specifying oil and grease for these applications for many years. A synthetic will allow you to change oil less often, but they still need to be changed. And power steering fluid is simply oil (low viscosity/low compressibility type) with some additives, so you should change it - I do mine every couple of years. I get it at the dealer for my MB's - now run synthetic in them, and run Redline in my other cars. I think my 95 came with dino oil in the PS box.
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From: Los Angeles, CA
Supercharged CLK500,ML500,S580
I'm going to guess my post was a lot less clear than I intended. Allow me to rephrase the answer. Yes, I can recommend a PS fluid. Although not having "changed" the PS fluid in my car, my recommendation would not be on based on experience. You may wish to ask someone with experience in the area of using a PS fluid purchased somewhere other than a dealer.
As long as we're hijacking a thread, does anyone know what year Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid? This question is not to imply synthetic fluids need not be changed. The point if this question is to know when Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid.
As long as we're hijacking a thread, does anyone know what year Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid? This question is not to imply synthetic fluids need not be changed. The point if this question is to know when Mercedes-Benz began using synthetic PS fluid.
I could stop the thread jack (sorry OP). I would appreciate your expertise Marcus!
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'05 CLK55, '04 CLK320
I'm going to guess my post was a lot less clear than I intended. Allow me to rephrase the answer. Yes, I can recommend a PS fluid. Although not having "changed" the PS fluid in my car, my recommendation would not be on based on experience. You may wish to ask someone with experience in the area of using a PS fluid purchased somewhere other than a dealer.
I think a word (maybe a thread, maybe a forum) could be lent to synthetics. Big thing to remember with synthetics is the base grade - most of what you see out there is grade 3 (or III) base stock, and some is grade 4 (IV). Grade 5's and exotics are for those with the money (military and aerospace), and are usually used as additives.
Difference is in how they are made - Grade III is really just highly refined dino oil - most of the sulphur and ash are removed by cracking and other methods, but they still have sulphur (really bad for your metals) and ash (grinding stuff) in them. Grade iV is chemically engineered, and has almost no sulphur or ash, and is a better lube for all things.
I build gyro's for aerospace applications, and have been specifying oil and grease for these applications for many years. A synthetic will allow you to change oil less often, but they still need to be changed. And power steering fluid is simply oil (low viscosity/low compressibility type) with some additives, so you should change it - I do mine every couple of years. I get it at the dealer for my MB's - now run synthetic in them, and run Redline in my other cars. I think my 95 came with dino oil in the PS box.
Difference is in how they are made - Grade III is really just highly refined dino oil - most of the sulphur and ash are removed by cracking and other methods, but they still have sulphur (really bad for your metals) and ash (grinding stuff) in them. Grade iV is chemically engineered, and has almost no sulphur or ash, and is a better lube for all things.
I build gyro's for aerospace applications, and have been specifying oil and grease for these applications for many years. A synthetic will allow you to change oil less often, but they still need to be changed. And power steering fluid is simply oil (low viscosity/low compressibility type) with some additives, so you should change it - I do mine every couple of years. I get it at the dealer for my MB's - now run synthetic in them, and run Redline in my other cars. I think my 95 came with dino oil in the PS box.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
Nope, I’ve never been employed by a MB dealer. Decades ago while in college I was a P-car wrench/apprentice, have rebuilt/repaired countless air cooled P-car motors and do almost all my MB maintenance (and some for friends), but haven’t been employed in that area for decades. Rather than changing/swapping brands, have you considered ordering a quart from Autohaus AZ? I don't think the system holds more than about a quart. They have MB fluid and their rates must be lower than the dealers. Although you'll still have to know whether your car uses synthetic or not.
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Joined: Dec 2007
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'05 CLK55, '04 CLK320
Nope, I’ve never been employed by a MB dealer. Decades ago while in college I was a P-car wrench/apprentice, have rebuilt/repaired countless air cooled P-car motors and do almost all my MB maintenance (and some for friends), but haven’t been employed in that area for decades. Rather than changing/swapping brands, have you considered ordering a quart from Autohaus AZ? I don't think the system holds more than about a quart. They have MB fluid and their rates must be lower than the dealers. Although you'll still have to know whether your car uses synthetic or not.
