Tom Wheeler

So I bought a 2005 S55 and I knew it had a leaking Right Front Strut and weeping hose to that strut. Today, in preparation for the R/R of said parts, I flushed out the system after turkey basting out the old fluid and refilling with fresh. I started a rodeo with my autoenginuity and it wouldn't work at first. Finally, I clicked enough times is started hopping around. The right side looked much more like YouTubes I have seen, the left, not so much. The left rear was the worst. It stayed really low and barely bounced.

I got clear fluid to come out the return hose into my bucket, so I stopped. I tried the Rodeo some more, and it was the same. When I set it to auto level, all went to a normal ride height and looked good. The system said ~175 Bar for pressure.

I am getting ready to drive ~2500 miles in the next couple of days, so I am slightly concerned. It gave a pump failure code also, seems strange with the pressure stated, and no significant leaks.

I plan to replace the hose and strut tonight, but if just one side is weak, could that be the rear valve block or accumulator? It has a significant hum to it back there too.

Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks

Tom Wheeler

Just finished the install on the front right. Took a few tries, but it filled up and popped up just fine. The pressure was showing up to 190 bar now.

Still have the low lift on the rodeo on the left side compared to the right. But sets just right when reset, and driving around. Fluid is full, and clean. I am getting yet another filter tomorrow, and I will probably change it out again.

Any ideas would still be great. I think the hang up on the rodeo is the left side causing problems.

Thanks

knowbenz

Monitor the pressure, when it barely moves does the pressure drop below 100bar? If the accumulators are weak and pressure drops too low the rodeo will pause until pressure builds back up.

Tom Wheeler

So I took off the rear accumulator on the passenger side and a screwdriver falls deep into it. I ordered that one and the one on the rear valve block since I had it apart. I am hoping this will resolve it. Now I know why the passenger side exhaust has an extra joint in it.

Thanks for the thoughts, I think you are right.

Tom Wheeler

I had some components that needed to be replaces, but I thought a flush would be best first. I have an Autoenginuity MB setup so I "turkey bastered" out the reservoir, refilled with clean, and hooked up a clear hose the the return line. Then I had my wife start the car and performed a rodeo while i refilled until it ran clear green in the discharge hose. After that I topped off. Later in the day I replaced the Left front strut and the hose to it. All the fluid coming out looked clean and clear. I have since taken off the accumulator on the right rear and the rear valve block. The valve block was clear. The end of the line on the right rear had dirty fluid still. My guess is that since it was bad, mostly filled with fluid, no nitrogen was left, that it was never going to clear out. I have to think it would have been cleaner if it only had a smaller portion of fluid being held there.

Sooooo, if you can rodeo, I think you will be able to avoid the bleeder screw technique.