SL55_Forever

Posted this on the CL65/SL65 sub-forum but thought more technical answers would be found here so cross-posting here:

So coilpacks are considered a maintenance item on the M275s but how many of you are still running your original coilpacks?

What are you driving habits, oil change intervals, and anything else you can think of that contributes to the longevity of your coilpacks.

UNderdog

I am right at 90K miles in my '08 S65 and replaced the passenger side coil pack at 62K but the driver's side is still original. I did the plugs when I changed the coilpack. I change my oil and filter at 5K intervals with a topsider. With turbos I like the 5K interval. I think I've replaced my air filters a couple times and changed the engine coolant at 62K miles. I suck out the ABC reservoir and refill when I do oil changes (been doing this for probably the last 4 changes). Replaced the ABC damper on the pump maybe 10K ago (easy job on the V12). No other engine maintenance. I drive a lot of stop and go in Dallas rush hour but crank it up occasionally. Not a lot of high RPM driving as a general rule but with these engines there's really no reason.

UNderdog

Forgot - Also did motor mounts at 65K including transmission mount and unlike all the horror stories from everyone who doesn't really know what they're talking about, only paid $1,300 for the job at the local dealer all in.

EXECMALIBU

MERCEDES S65 mounts are very easy compared to.... Pay attention.... "SL"65 mounts.


The SL65 engine compartment has much less room and requires removing the engine or dropping the subframe to get to the mounts.

Welwynnick

Hard to imagine having less space around the engine than in the S65.

One of the differences with the SL65 is that the engine is mounted further back.

In the S & CL, the engine mounts are just in front of the steering rack, but in the SL they're just behind.

Don't know if that makes much difference - its probably down to which type of mounts are fitted: up-facing or down-facing bolts.

Nick

EXECMALIBU

Do your homework on the SL600/65. Read what everyone has posted including MBZ technical notes. I believe a few people have tried other methods without success???

MB Experts have repeatedly stated that in the R230 SL600/65 there is absolutely NO way to access and remove the top bolts on the Engine Mounts without making room.

The Turbos are blocking the access. There are apparently ONLY two ways to replace the engine mounts in the SL600/SL65.

1. Lift the engine up enough (8-10 inches) to have access to the bolts on the engine mounts. This requires removing and disconnecting virtually everything attached to the engine (electrical,cooling,vacuum etc) 12-15 hours for experienced MB techs with tools. Plus plan on breaking some of the dried out plastic fittings, hoses etc. that will need to be replaced.

2. Remove the the complete lower Sub-Frame while supporting the weight of the engine from above. Then remove the mounts from the bottom. They say this takes a little bit less time but because of the size and extreme weight of the Sub-Frame with suspension parts it is more difficult. Two people are required to support and lower/lift the parts.

If I have bad info and someone has figured out a better solution let me know??

Welwynnick

That's exactly what I did with my car. On my own, in my garage.

The subframe is actually very light - lighter than a single front brake rotor.

Removing the subframe makes access very much better, but its still a difficult job. The upper forward motor mount arm bolts are difficult to access.





Nick

Mik30

My 06' S65 original packs died at 80k. No warning just check engine light on and then limp mode. Replaced with new 680/780 packs.

UNderdog

I'm at 109K miles now and driver side coil pack still original. As mentioned above I replaced the passenger side at 62K.

Dr Matt

My car had the right coil pack replaced before I bought it at 41,000 miles. I replaced the left 6 months after adding a tune. It was working fine, but I was taking it to the drag strip for the first time and didn't want to wait and see if it would fail there so I replaced it and put in new plugs with around 45,000 miles on it. Don't know how the previous owner drove the car. Most of the miles I put on the one original coil pack were over winter, daily driver, snow, sub zero temps, Alaska.

Turboaction

I recently picked up an 03' S600 that appears to have had both original coil packs and plugs. The coil packs were the old part numbers and the spark plugs were all original. The service records also didn't have coil packs listed.

At 96K miles I lost cylinder #11 on the driver's coil pack. I replaced both individual coils on that cylinder, along with the plugs, then drove the car another 1,000 miles and lost ignition on all left bank cylinders. I then installed a brand new left side coil pack.

From what I can tell, I'm at 97K miles on the original right side coil pack. I've thought about changing it, but I might as well see how much longer it will hold together. Maybe the failure rate isn't actually 100%?

ItalianJoe1

They will all fail eventually, it seems that new stress is the killer, a car that was always babied and now gets used properly, or a car that was stock for many years and now gets tuned, they go out in short order. The extra heat they have to carry, longer dwell times, higher voltages, etc seems to be the finishing blow.

Turboaction

That seems to be what happened in my case. I bought the car from a person who inherited it from her parents. I'm guessing the car had a pretty easy life before me. I've taken it to the 1/4 mile (that's how I realized my intercooler pump was non-functional), but my failure occurred during regular city driving.

akmatic63

My 06 s65 has 71k miles, bought it with 59k in December 2014. Mostly florida highway driving / "country" road driving, very little "stop and go" driving. Every now an then ill drive in a "spirited manner." Car was originally from Barrington Illinois a $$$ town. Always MB serviced. Records did not show any coil pack replacement. I only had misfires 3 times since I had the car, but they went away. This usually happened in really hot weather while I was stuck in traffic.