airmatic issue
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Newbie
Joined: Nov 2020
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1995 sl 500
airmatic issue
Look thru a lot of emails about the struts and air bags what I need is something to ell me about the air compressor I don't here it go on would like to find a way to fill them with a out side source and find the compressor and start from there 2010 E 550
Thanks for any help DAG104
Thanks for any help DAG104
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Man, that’s so illegible... what’s the question?
How to fill the struts and air springs without the onboard air compressor?
Not easily... first, you’d need to plumb into the valve body, bypassing the compressor. Second, you’d need to activate the valve body solenoids to each of the air struts and air bags. Finally you’d need to deactivate the solenoids to keep the air in the struts and air springs.
May be easier to buy a replacement air compressor, jack up the rear-end, remove a cover, air line, two electrical connectors, three nuts and swap out the compressor.
How to fill the struts and air springs without the onboard air compressor?
Not easily... first, you’d need to plumb into the valve body, bypassing the compressor. Second, you’d need to activate the valve body solenoids to each of the air struts and air bags. Finally you’d need to deactivate the solenoids to keep the air in the struts and air springs.
May be easier to buy a replacement air compressor, jack up the rear-end, remove a cover, air line, two electrical connectors, three nuts and swap out the compressor.
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From: 122W, 37N
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
before messing with ANY of it, have a shop with the XEntry system run a full diagnostic on the airmatic system, that should identify what the actual problem is before you randomly start replacing parts. its as likely to be a control system issue as it is to be the compressor or air springs or solenoid control block or plumbing.
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From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
before messing with ANY of it, have a shop with the XEntry system run a full diagnostic on the airmatic system, that should identify what the actual problem is before you randomly start replacing parts. its as likely to be a control system issue as it is to be the compressor or air springs or solenoid control block or plumbing.
After troubleshooting and fixing my Airmatic system I can say that thye scanner of any kind is basically useless for this job. All it can tell you is if the compressor has gone bad, or if wiring to it is bad or if wiring is bad to different valves. And it probably can tell if the brains for it have gone bad.
It cannot tell anything about air leaks or if valves are stuck or leaking. As long as the circuits are closed the scanner does not know if the component works or not.
In most cases there is a leak in a spring and car drops. A scanner tells car is down beyond control limits. Well, I could see this very clearly without a scanner.
The only usable function the scanner can do is to tell why the compressor has been stopped. But this also is because there is a leak and the system protects the compressor by shutting it off.
Airmatic troubleshooting takes good old skills to do the work, like checking for air leaks at fitting connections. In almost all cases it is the air spring leaking and we all know what the fix for that is. If the car is near 10 years old the springs will go and leak so throwing money in it is really not wasted even if the problem is later found to be leak at a fitting or in the valve group.
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From: Pepper Pike Ohio
24 GLS580 '23 E450 4matic 12 E350 4Matic
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GL 550
Not OP. I just bought a 2011 GL550. From the Carfax:
Services Performed
Thanks,
Jay
Services Performed
- Vehicle serviced
- Front strut(s) replaced
Thanks,
Jay
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From: 122W, 37N
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
edit, ooof, looked up the GL500 in the mercedes parts catalog for laughs.... I believe that W164.886, and whoa, looks like it has a single air strut for shock AND spring in the front, and nothing else. rear looks to have the airspring and a separate shock.
Last edited by Left Coast Geek; Feb 26, 2021 at 03:24 AM.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
A GL (W164 in 2011) is a whole different chassis than a E class W212. Airmatic air springs are separate from the shock absorber struts on the 212, and probably on the 164.
edit, ooof, looked up the GL500 in the mercedes parts catalog for laughs.... I believe that W164.886, and whoa, looks like it has a single air strut for shock AND spring in the front, and nothing else. rear looks to have the airspring and a separate shock.
edit, ooof, looked up the GL500 in the mercedes parts catalog for laughs.... I believe that W164.886, and whoa, looks like it has a single air strut for shock AND spring in the front, and nothing else. rear looks to have the airspring and a separate shock.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2021
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GL 550
Nice. So the life expectancy clock has been restarted on my front struts/Airmatic. And the rear I understand is quite a bit easier (hopefully read cheaper) to replace. Next major concern is the compressor itself which seems a bit noisy. Time will tell.
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Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 26
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From: Hobart, WA
1999 E320, 2001 S430
before messing with ANY of it, have a shop with the XEntry system run a full diagnostic on the airmatic system, that should identify what the actual problem is before you randomly start replacing parts. its as likely to be a control system issue as it is to be the compressor or air springs or solenoid control block or plumbing.
