V12mrinc

Yup! It was so simple with the chain wrench. The most difficult thing is the mental stress of not wanting to inadvertently break something!

Didn’t “depressurize” per se—just made sure to let the car sit for about an hour after getting back to the house before the job.

My biggest concern was the fact that the 2 rear tires were still on the ground (used two 3-ton jack stands to lift the front end only).

In my head, having weight on the tires in any capacity would create pressure in the system via the shock/strut workload and potentially make any release of pressure in the circuit (i.e. removing the accumulator) a point of massive rush of fluid… this is not the case.

There was no pressure and a few drips from the old accumulator—the block itself was not dripping at all.

nath_h

Okay, thanks. I appreciate your reply. I ordered 2 new accumulators. I've done so much to my car to make it reliable/as close to new as possible, but my suspension has been left out so far. I'll tackle the accumulators soon.

kn51

My post on doing the *** end one.
S600 rear ABC accumulator replacement - MBWorld.org Forums

kn51

And just to add...DO NOT TRUST how it is supported unless on a lift.

nath_h

Much appreciated, thanks. One accumulator has arrived at my house and the other arriving next week. I've been researching how to tackle this, but you are right that there's not a lot of info out there.

nath_h

Just following up here for future people needing to change the accumulators on a W216 or W221...it is super simple to do. The front one just screws off with the help of a flexible or chain oil filter wrench. Ignore the WIS instructions about removing the valve block. You may be able to get a 23mm spanner wrench on the bolt as well. Be careful lining up the front accumulator when screwing in the new one...it is easy to be off slightly with the heavy part and damage the soft aluminum threads. For the rear, ignore the WIS instructions about taking off mufflers and heat shields. You can just remove one bolt from the heat shield, bend it back a little, and fit a socket with extension on the bolts holding the accumulator in place. Don't be afraid to do this project, and certainly don't pay the dealer $1000 or so per end to do this.