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2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
Originally Posted by wallyp
What would happen if you pulled a vacuum on the ABC return line?
I was thinking that too or one of the bleed valves near the shock. But then thought the pressure accumulators may absorb that negative pressure in the system.
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
Success! ABC fully operational now:
There seems to be a loud ticking sound from the engine. Not sure where it's coming from. I can feel/hear the ticking from this part too, but it's not the source:
There was a really bad oil leak of some kind at one point. I thought it was motor oil at first since it was brownish. However, after draining the transmission, it was the same color so maybe its transmission oil? Note the dried / burnt oil on the cats. When I'm filling the intercooler and spill water, the water that runs down and drips is drenched in whatever this kind of oil is as well.
Any thoughts on where it may have come from? My best guess were leaky valve covers since the old ones were pretty bad and leaked everywhere else. Doesn't appear to be the turbos since they seem clean.
Finally, I can't seem to find the torque converter drain plug. Rotated the thing several times and couldn't see anything through the bell housing openings. Any experience finding this on the S600?
There seems to be a loud ticking sound from the engine. Not sure where it's coming from. I can feel/hear the ticking from this part too, but it's not the source:
There was a really bad oil leak of some kind at one point. I thought it was motor oil at first since it was brownish. However, after draining the transmission, it was the same color so maybe its transmission oil? Note the dried / burnt oil on the cats. When I'm filling the intercooler and spill water, the water that runs down and drips is drenched in whatever this kind of oil is as well.
Any thoughts on where it may have come from? My best guess were leaky valve covers since the old ones were pretty bad and leaked everywhere else. Doesn't appear to be the turbos since they seem clean.
Finally, I can't seem to find the torque converter drain plug. Rotated the thing several times and couldn't see anything through the bell housing openings. Any experience finding this on the S600?
I would say its engine oil from your covers, as you say, your exhaust shows that there has been a leak for some time and it has been blown back.
Where is the ticking coming from? Run the car with no belt for a while and see if the noise is still there. If not, its from the accessories.
The loud ticking isn't unusual. It clears after a few minutes. I think it's the ABS pump or valve.
Mercedes did used to fit a TC drain valve on early versions of the 722.6 transmission, but it got deleted after a few years, and our cars don't have them.
Another absolutely unfathomable design decision by MB. Such a frustrating car, I hope I can button it today and do something constructive instead.
You can use the purge method of changing the fluid. Break into the cooler return line, start the engine until fluid stops being pumped out. Drop the pan, change the filter, clean the pan and replace it. Put about that much fluid into the transmission. Repeat the pump and fill part until the fluid coming out is new and fresh. Fill and check level. That gets the converter, cooler and lines, as well as the entire transmission.
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
Drove the car around the neighborhood to do validation testing. ABC suspension works flawlessly!
Crazy how comfortable that system his. Car feels like a boat, but that was to be suspected.
During the drive, I got a coolant leak and got worried, but it was actually the intercooler system. Massive leak with one of the hoses or connections near the firewall. Ordered all 6 hoses for replacing. I'm hoping I can get to all of them without taking the entire intake system out (though it should only add an hour to the job).
The AC system also kept showing a fault and shutting AC off. Based on the code form the AC diagnostic mode, it's the rear evaporator sensor. New sensor ordered.
Also had a metal piece loose inside the headlight and have no idea what it is. Any thoughts?
I'm thinking about getting aftermarket headlights when I do all of the cosmetic restoration work.
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
I seem to have an oil leak on the driver side cylinder somewhere. I was dripping oil and thought it might have been the oil cooler inside the V, but after a long drive today, there was smoke coming off the driver side cat / exhaust area.
I'll have to dig into it and find the source, but I'm thinking I either put the valve cover on wrong or the oil line for the turbo is leaking.
I really hope you're right. The EPC seems to show an oil cooler inside the V:
Do you mean the o-ring on the thermostat or the lines? Did it require removing the engine carrier?
So there is a sealing plate in the V, and its part of the system that feeds the turbos, but there isnt a cooler there. There is an O ring for 350 as you post, and they do leak, and i think they require the heads to be removed to get to them unfortunately.
The O ring that leaks is not listed on EPC and its not available separately (oddly). Its a pretty standard size and I got it from my box of O-rings. I accessed mine by supporting the engine, dropping the engine mount out, taking out the mount that blocks to the engine, and removing the wastegate + Bracket. It was very difficult.
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
So it's not the valve cover and I'm pretty sure it's not the oil thermostat since the side of the engine behind the motor mount is clean.
The oil is leaking from either the back of the block or near the back. Having a hard time tracking this leak down but it's soaking the cat and filling the splash shields with oil when I drive. Had the car on a lift while running and only saw minor drips down the heat sheilds and bell housing. Could have been from residual oil coming down from a vibrating engine.
Does anyone have pictures of where the turbo oil lines route? Wonder if it's the turbo lines on the engine side.
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
Originally Posted by Welwynnick
It's very difficult to get good clear pictures of the rear end of the engine. This is the best one that I've seen, but it's still not clear.
The best way is probably to remove the engine compartment bulkhead and get some lights and mirrors.
Nick
Base on how the oil is running down the bell housing, I think it's the turbo oil line connections in the back of the V. Hoping all I have to do to get to them is remove intercooler plumbing.
While back there, should I also replace the heater core hose and gaskets?
Quite the adventure! Please keep posting, don't know how I missed seeing this thread earlier - so I've not commented, but I've done some work on my 2005 S600, so your experiences are quite familiar. Once it's up and running, you'll realize that there is no other car quite like this one. Incredibly smooth in ride and operation, with amazing power on tap at any speed. You'll find with ABC that it's capable of very aggressive cornering, at the cost of some serious tire wear...
How did the valve cover gasket get pinched? I recently did mine and so far no leaks from that area at all. I slightly over torqued the gaskets to make sure they won't leak again...
2004 S600, 1998 M3, 1974 2002 Touring, 2006 Cayman S
Originally Posted by AlexMercedes
How did the valve cover gasket get pinched? I recently did mine and so far no leaks from that area at all. I slightly over torqued the gaskets to make sure they won't leak again...
When I installed them, it was not in a well lit place so when I positioned it, the rear edge must have caught on something and folded inward a bit and not line up with the groove on the cover.
09-06-2018, 09:34 AM
