03 S55 pulsation
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: MA
S55 AMG 03; '68 280SL, 2018 AMG E63s
03 S55 pulsation
I note a throbbing vibration at low speed and RPM (22mph, 1400 RPM). Have been told this is a pulsation damper failure. Both ABC front struts and rear valve block have been replaced w/in 10,000miles. What's next?
Also, picking up vibration at high highway speeds (80mph), but this might be a wheel balance or tire issue. Or, does the damper problem manifest at high speeds?
Also, picking up vibration at high highway speeds (80mph), but this might be a wheel balance or tire issue. Or, does the damper problem manifest at high speeds?
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
Is it when shifting gears 1-2 and especially when the car is cold? If so, it is probably the damper. This is a separate system from the ABC, so it is not related. I have read thet the damper is a DIY job, if you dont mind getting some ATF fluid on you... might save you some $$$.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
Oh yeah, I forgot to add, try 'Comfort' mode and the 1-2 shift pulse should go away...only because you start from a stop in 2nd gear. Mine does this when cold, and I basically ignore it..it does not happen when warmed up after 10 mins or so of driving.
Mike
Mike
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: MA
S55 AMG 03; '68 280SL, 2018 AMG E63s
To those who replied:
No keeps happening when the car is well warmed up. I now hear that I need new motor mounts..Chambers in Somerville MA quotes 12 hours per front and rear!!!! Opinions? Car has 113,000 mile but pretty sedate driving.
No keeps happening when the car is well warmed up. I now hear that I need new motor mounts..Chambers in Somerville MA quotes 12 hours per front and rear!!!! Opinions? Car has 113,000 mile but pretty sedate driving.
Last edited by DML756; Aug 22, 2011 at 10:05 PM. Reason: wrong mileage entered
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
I'll check the maintenance manuals and let you know what it will take...are you a DIY kind of person?
I did mine in my E420 last weekend and it took me three hours, but that was an extreme case...the mounts were too big to get out and in..I finally succeeded.
Mike
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
12 hours each is insanity, you could pull the engine and tranny out and put it back in in 12 hours!
I'll check the maintenance manuals and let you know what it will take...are you a DIY kind of person?
I did mine in my E420 last weekend and it took me three hours, but that was an extreme case...the mounts were too big to get out and in..I finally succeeded.
Mike
I'll check the maintenance manuals and let you know what it will take...are you a DIY kind of person?
I did mine in my E420 last weekend and it took me three hours, but that was an extreme case...the mounts were too big to get out and in..I finally succeeded.
Mike
There is another thread along side this one that also is describing a throbbing and they think it may be the Supercharger clutch..that may also be something tho consider.
Mike
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: MA
S55 AMG 03; '68 280SL, 2018 AMG E63s
Thanks again Mike. Will try to find supercharger thread. My independent mech. emailed me to say that S55 mounts were hard to change out than regular S class, see below:
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
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Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
Thanks again Mike. Will try to find supercharger thread. My independent mech. emailed me to say that S55 mounts were hard to change out than regular S class, see below:
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
Mike
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Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
I went to ESRA and it turns out that the pulsation damper that I have been blaming is simply and ABC pulsation damper...I dont know why it thought it was a transmission damper...but it is strictly ABC.
I have attached the ESRA data.
Mike
I have attached the ESRA data.
Mike
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 347
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From: Tennessee
2005 S55, 2002 E430, 2007 CLK350, 2006 SL55, 2003 SL55
I went back to ESRA and checked on replacing the engine mounts...it looks like the alternator and ABC pump are supposed to come out..ouch. sometimes MB calls for these extreme steps and they aren't always necessary..but you can bet the S55K engine will be in there tightly...send me a message offline and I will forward the PDF docs to you.
mike.thomas at aosepc.com
Mike
mike.thomas at aosepc.com
Mike
Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 212
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2003 S55 (SOLD) , 2012 S550
I would do the transmission mount first and see how the vibrations are after that...then i would do the abc pulsation damper...last is the engine mounts....i have done all of those and each one fixed a certain vibration....btw the engine mounts are not so bad.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 15
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From: MA
S55 AMG 03; '68 280SL, 2018 AMG E63s
Pulsation ABC damper was replaced last week and this did not clear up the problem, despite costing over $900...
Dealership tech says motor mounts, but over 12 hours job (@ $125/hr...)
Dealership tech says motor mounts, but over 12 hours job (@ $125/hr...)
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Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 62
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2015 S550 4MATIC
Thanks again Mike. Will try to find supercharger thread. My independent mech. emailed me to say that S55 mounts were hard to change out than regular S class, see below:
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
"I’ve looked at them (mounts) before, no visible defects.
It’s a large job on your car to do the left mount. The ABC pump needs to come out, then the a/c compressor partially. It’s around $1100 for both. Have you done the ABC pump yet?
Probably not worth doing in this case. If it gets worse it may eventually be obvious what the source is."
I know this is an old post, but having just done engine mounts I wanted to correct some information here.
If you are careful, you can remove both mounts by removing the steering rack retaining plate, which lets the steering rack hang down a bit, and jacking up the engine a few inches. BE CAREFUL when jacking up the engine, just be smart about it. If you jack it up and there's still not a enough room to pull the mounts, give it a couple more pumps and try again. They won't just drop out, you'll need to wrestle them a bit but they should come out fine. When putting the new ones back in you need to screw the top bolt in a few threads, otherwise if you drop the engine on the mount the top hole won't line up. You'll need an 18mm socket and crowfoot wrench to unbolt/bolt the steering rack retaining plate back in, and the bolts require 85Nm. Be cognizant of the orientation of the old mounts as you're pulling them out, if yours are leaking they will dump oil all over you and it smells absolutely foul.
You'll also need the 16mm offset wrench for cracking/torqueing the top mount bolts:
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