Smac770

Hello,
My uncle has a 2011 GL350 Bluetec and is looking to do some work himself on it after watching me do a lot of my own work on my 2009 A4 quattro. He needs to replace a fluid heater and has some issue with it dropping into limp mode. He's gotten all the oil leaks addressed finally, but the shop in his area has not progressed at all in months on the limp mode issue. He believes this video to be relevant: www.youtube.com/watch?v=efcpq_dtOm4 But I'm not the kind to go taking my engine apart with just a youtube vid as a guide. I'm trying to make sure we have on hand the kinds of resources I have when trying to work on my A4, but I need some help understanding what's what in the MB side of things.

Scan/Service Tool:
For Audi, you buy a Ross-Tech cable and you're as good as you can be short of the actual Audi laptop and subscription. There doesn't seem to be the same all comprehensive third party tool in the MB world. What I see is basically at $200ish, the iCarsoft MB v2.0 (supersedes the MB II) or the Foxwell NT520 Pro (supersedes the NT510 Pro). At $500ish, the Foxwell NT644 Pro, and at $800ish, the Autel DS808 (supersedes the DS708). He's working some engine issues at the moment, but he's had a problem with the air suspension in the past. I believe like my A4, you need, to make it easiest, a tool for brakes, etc, also. Is there any particular shortcoming to the NT520 Pro? He has a Lexus GS also, so he might consider the NT644 since it'll cover both vehicles. But if the budget question also implies different functionality just for the GL, then that's more important.

Documentation:
For Audi, you go to erwin and get a day pass and pull down the PDFs. You won't stay updated, but for an old car like my 09, things aren't changing. The MB site seems to be WIS, or WIS-Net, on the startekinfo.com web site. The daily price there is a bit higher. Is the material in a downloadable presentation like PDF, or is it more like browsing a web site? There does not seem to be a third party repair manual like Bentley. I do see repair documentation DVDs on eBay. But it seems indeterminate if these are standalone resources. It seems some of these sales are for a software that you have to install (seems a security risk) and then must connect to some external server you have to hope is up and running well. If it's four DVDs with 10s of GBs of content, is that likely to be standalone? Or is the "remote client" actually that large? Do these knockoffs tend to include the wiring diagrams (WDS & ETM) along with the repair docs (WIS)? Is ASRA relevant for the private owner?

Parts:
While parts.audiusa.com has many parts and parts diagrams, it's become less complete over the past few years. etka is their electronic part catalog and diagrams. There's a number of free clones out there on web sites that are easy enough to use for an older vehicle like mine. MB has EPC online (epc.startekinfo.com). At $75 a year, it's not bad. But this seems to be something that you can get a static copy of on DVD on eBay. Is that the norm for the private owner? I would prefer a resource I can reference for latest part revision, but does that exist without paying another fee for having bought a MB? Are there any online EPC variations out there? Do the MB parts for the X164 and the OM642 still tend to revise these days? I go to ecstuning, fcpeuro, europaparts, pelicanparts, and shopdap for Audi parts normally. Are there other places I should reference when looking for MB parts?

Tools:
In the repair manuals, there's often reference to use tool VAG 12345 or such. They are all at audi.snapon.com, but I also look for 3rd party versions and alternative sources for the VAG tool. Is it that simple for MB? Trying to understand the special tools link on startekinfo, it seems they are mixed into EPC. But do you need that reference? Do the repair guides provide enough info to know what the tool is you need, and can you go to the Internet at that point to source the tool? Does MB use a tool supplier like Snap-On, or are all their special tools only directly from them?

Audi like triple square, MB likes eTorx. We've picked up an eTorx 3/8" socket set. Would a set of eTorx wrenches be beneficial also, or are most of eTorx that you have to side approach provided plenty of clearance for a socket? The VIM set is complete, while the GearWrench set ratchets. But the ratcheting set lacks the E16 and E22. Would that lack of an E16 or E22 wrench (we'd still have the socket) be noticed with a X164 and OM642? I notice GearWrench and VIM and Sunex all have eTorx universal joint socket sets too. I would normally just use a universal joint with the normal socket, but are things compact such that the one-piece set would be beneficial? There doesn't seem to be any kind of open spanner for eTorx. The video above talks about this one long bolt on top of the engine where you cannot put the E10 over the stud. He used a spline drive instead; is that the normal solution for that nut (on an intercooler pipe I think)? It's at 13:30 in the video.

Web resources:
Beyond MBWorld and startekinfo and youtube, the one thing I've found is MBMedic. Are there other knowledge repositories out there to consider?

Thanks for the assistance,
Scott

kajtek1

.....

Micah / AF1 Rac

kajtek1

My iCarsoft will not read modules for OM642 nor OM651 engines.
I did recent update and still no kudos. DPF regeneration bypass ECM, so it still works, but don't expect too much.
I am tempted to buy recommended Autotel for try (amazon will let me return it easy).

DanD.

+1 to this
iCarsoft MB II will not do a lot. Just sent my back to Amazon.
Id didn't work for me with DPF reset not Transmission and car is 2014

kajtek1

For me iCarsoft did the regeneration and show much smaller sot contest, but the CEL for pressure difference come back.
Having no access to sensors I am in dark.
So tomorrow my Autotell arrives. I don't expect a miracle, but some help.
Funny that TorquePro will read my DPF pressure, but it gives me over 1000 psi, what can't be happening.

DanD.

Please keep us updated on Autotell.

Micah / AF1 Rac

kajtek1

Even the same main engines can have several different control modules.
The OM651 engine was sold under several badges. I've seen 2.2 cdi, 2,0 cdi 220 Bluetec 250 Bluetec.
Took me a while to figure out those are all the same engines, but with different attachment and smog equipment. European models always come with few HP more than US models and the 4-banger can be chipped to 270 ponies.

kajtek1

AUTOTELL IS IN !!!

dpf regeneration is "not supported"
engine adaptation are "not supported"
I tried what can it do on my Ford diesel and it supports years up to 2014...... mine is 2017.
It does have some functions I could play with like ECO functions, but nothing that would be worth $250.
Thanks Amazon for hassle-free returns.

DanD.

COL. last hope was just ruined. Thank you for getting us know.

gkgeiger

kajtek1

I ask question about Autotell on amazon site.
5 days and still no answer. I tried several scanners in last year.
Only MaxiEcu list each module they support and they have new updates coming every few months.
Other (mostly Chinese) will give you long list of thing the scanner might work, but "forget" to tell you that the software is outdated by 5 or 10 years.
W211 seems to have much more support on those scanners, but 5 years old W212 is still white elephant.

kajtek1

Autotel does some reading on OM624 engine !!!
Planning to return Autotel, I decided to play with it on my W211 with 320 Bluetec.
It does read more than on 250 Bluetec, including keys tracks, but when I tried to do DPF regeneration I come to screen below. The car with 183k miles runs perfect on what I believe is factory DPF (knock on the wood) and it doesn't have any codes.

Smac770

Thanks for all the inputs. I'll post back how whichever tool he runs with works out.