To the new nambie panbies that don't know MB's
03-24-2017, 09:51 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
To the new nambie panbies that don't know MB's
I have something to share and you really need to perk your eyes and ears up !!
It was two days ago I made my way to a government site some 45miles away from home, ya I know big deal. Hang in there....
As I arrived in the parking lot, I did the normal shutdown of my S600 V-12 Twin turbo. Expecting the normal exhale of the beast, it was interrupted by a faint sound of a click, click, click...as the systems downed from raging animal to calm object.
This caught my attention rather quickly needless to say.
As I quickly ran thought ten thousand diagnostics processes, my first thought was something in the A/C squirrel cage fan. Not what I was hoping for but just the easiest to fix on the fly.
Test one.. Repeat scenario to verify first guess.. Restart dragon and repeat normal shutdown. Got the same sound.
Restart monster and turn off A/C before power plant, sound was not heard. ...?
Power off the Dragon's heart.... sound reoccurred. O-know, it has to do with the power plant!!!
Pulse started to quicken, ten millions scenarios racing through my mind, what could it be???
I know it was out of the ordinary, DAAAA !
Odd sound, starting fast 4-5 clicks a second and then slowing downto 1-2 per second to slowly coming to a stop.
First thought, dead squirrel in the A/C squirrel cage, test proved negative. Squirrel in the radiator cooling fan? Test pointed in that direction.
Quick pop of the bonnet found a small round object resting in the bottom of the electric fan shroud in front of the motor, what the heck could it be??
Closer inspection determined it to be what was left of the left front pulley assembly remains.
Now I say remains because the bolt and the inner race was still mounted to the bracket was still had the serpentine belt running over it.
The outer bearing race and pulley with the belt groves was in the bottom of the fan shroud causing the noise on power down.
OK, so I found the pulley to be trashed 45 miles from home.
What would you do???
Due to the fact I had very little options of getting rescue from a government base, I had to come up with other options.
Fact one, the monster/beast was still running despite all logic.
The belt was holding alignment on what was left of the pulley bearing race.
Who wouldguess..????
Second, I was away from normal rescue zone, AKA get my trailer and load the monster up and get it back to the shop for a real repair zone.
So despite all common sense, I found myself trying to limp home back some 45 miles with a detached pulley with a serpentine belt running across an inner bearing race completely missing the pulley. Don’t believe me, look at the images…
In desperation, I set out on my journey. Plan one, see how far I can get… period.
Off the base was the first hurdle.
Then step two, how far can I get to a clear area to load upon the trailer.. Once I can get to it?
With dreams and hopes, I started to devise a plan to extend my few remaining options of making best distance.
Start the Dragon, pamper it up to a low speed with little to no RPM’s from the engine and then power off, coast in neutral to the next power up spot and repeat.
Unbelievably, I was able to do it !!!!
No pulley to speak of, and the belt running on a stationary inner bearing race only, I was able to find calm waters to rest in.
I was able to repeat this sequence 40 plus times to get over 35 miles of the needed 45 miles closer to safe ground.
Once I found a good spot to park for the recovery, I allowed the beast a well-deserved rest.
In my eyes, the beast had made a valid attempt to get me home, or at least to a calm pastures till I could make the final miles with less of a risk of damage potential.
Pushing all luck to the limit, I was able to start the car, drive onto the trailer and then drive off of it once I was on safe ground again.
In hind sight, WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!!
In reality, I can’t believe it that the pulley was completely off race and still keep going, and then allowed me to limp home as far as I did.
In a pinch, I may have tried to get all the way back, and looking at it now during the repair, it may had made it all the way home.
My point, there are some cars /trucks the run well and do their job under very normal conditions, and then there is a special breed of vehicles that shine in the most extreme conditions to get you to safe ground.
This car, in my eyes, and all Mercedes have that “SOUL” to do just that.
Any other car would have simple come to a deadstop and not given the option to gingerly “Limp” home.
I have had those too, that is why I will always place my trust in MB’s.
My thought is, if a Benz ever has failed you,you forgot to “listen to it” while it was trying to give you that extra last helping miles.
It was two days ago I made my way to a government site some 45miles away from home, ya I know big deal. Hang in there....
As I arrived in the parking lot, I did the normal shutdown of my S600 V-12 Twin turbo. Expecting the normal exhale of the beast, it was interrupted by a faint sound of a click, click, click...as the systems downed from raging animal to calm object.
This caught my attention rather quickly needless to say.
As I quickly ran thought ten thousand diagnostics processes, my first thought was something in the A/C squirrel cage fan. Not what I was hoping for but just the easiest to fix on the fly.
Test one.. Repeat scenario to verify first guess.. Restart dragon and repeat normal shutdown. Got the same sound.
Restart monster and turn off A/C before power plant, sound was not heard. ...?
Power off the Dragon's heart.... sound reoccurred. O-know, it has to do with the power plant!!!
Pulse started to quicken, ten millions scenarios racing through my mind, what could it be???
I know it was out of the ordinary, DAAAA !
Odd sound, starting fast 4-5 clicks a second and then slowing downto 1-2 per second to slowly coming to a stop.
First thought, dead squirrel in the A/C squirrel cage, test proved negative. Squirrel in the radiator cooling fan? Test pointed in that direction.
Quick pop of the bonnet found a small round object resting in the bottom of the electric fan shroud in front of the motor, what the heck could it be??
Closer inspection determined it to be what was left of the left front pulley assembly remains.
Now I say remains because the bolt and the inner race was still mounted to the bracket was still had the serpentine belt running over it.
The outer bearing race and pulley with the belt groves was in the bottom of the fan shroud causing the noise on power down.
OK, so I found the pulley to be trashed 45 miles from home.
What would you do???
Due to the fact I had very little options of getting rescue from a government base, I had to come up with other options.
Fact one, the monster/beast was still running despite all logic.
The belt was holding alignment on what was left of the pulley bearing race.
Who wouldguess..????
Second, I was away from normal rescue zone, AKA get my trailer and load the monster up and get it back to the shop for a real repair zone.
So despite all common sense, I found myself trying to limp home back some 45 miles with a detached pulley with a serpentine belt running across an inner bearing race completely missing the pulley. Don’t believe me, look at the images…
In desperation, I set out on my journey. Plan one, see how far I can get… period.
Off the base was the first hurdle.
Then step two, how far can I get to a clear area to load upon the trailer.. Once I can get to it?
With dreams and hopes, I started to devise a plan to extend my few remaining options of making best distance.
Start the Dragon, pamper it up to a low speed with little to no RPM’s from the engine and then power off, coast in neutral to the next power up spot and repeat.
Unbelievably, I was able to do it !!!!
No pulley to speak of, and the belt running on a stationary inner bearing race only, I was able to find calm waters to rest in.
I was able to repeat this sequence 40 plus times to get over 35 miles of the needed 45 miles closer to safe ground.
Once I found a good spot to park for the recovery, I allowed the beast a well-deserved rest.
In my eyes, the beast had made a valid attempt to get me home, or at least to a calm pastures till I could make the final miles with less of a risk of damage potential.
Pushing all luck to the limit, I was able to start the car, drive onto the trailer and then drive off of it once I was on safe ground again.
In hind sight, WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!!
In reality, I can’t believe it that the pulley was completely off race and still keep going, and then allowed me to limp home as far as I did.
In a pinch, I may have tried to get all the way back, and looking at it now during the repair, it may had made it all the way home.
My point, there are some cars /trucks the run well and do their job under very normal conditions, and then there is a special breed of vehicles that shine in the most extreme conditions to get you to safe ground.
This car, in my eyes, and all Mercedes have that “SOUL” to do just that.
Any other car would have simple come to a deadstop and not given the option to gingerly “Limp” home.
I have had those too, that is why I will always place my trust in MB’s.
My thought is, if a Benz ever has failed you,you forgot to “listen to it” while it was trying to give you that extra last helping miles.
Last edited by KendoBoo; 03-24-2017 at 09:58 PM.
03-24-2017, 10:56 PM
#2
So glad you made it home !
But , Mercedes never should have made such poor pulleys. Millions of cars never have a pulley problem during their lifetime , but these cars tend to have lots of pulley problems .
This failure never should have happened in the first place
But , Mercedes never should have made such poor pulleys. Millions of cars never have a pulley problem during their lifetime , but these cars tend to have lots of pulley problems .
This failure never should have happened in the first place
03-25-2017, 06:29 PM
#3
Senior Member
I always listen to my cars. Most of the time, all I can hear is "WTF dude... why did you make me do that?"
Glad to hear you made it back from the secret squirrel compound in one piece.
Glad to hear you made it back from the secret squirrel compound in one piece.
03-26-2017, 05:47 PM
#4
Super Member
Good story. Thanks for sharing. My 05 S600 was offline for over 6 weeks and I wasn't enjoying the 15 E350 or the 10 Escalade at all. Took the 05 S600 out today and it's completely different feeling.
