ABC flush @ MB dealer?
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2014 ML350
ABC flush @ MB dealer?
Hello all. As some of you know I just picked up a 2008 S65 last week. The car has 50k on the clock and I don't see anywhere in the history that the ABC system has been flushed and filter replaced. I just got off of the phone with 2 of my local MB dealers and both told me that this is not a regular maintenance item. They only flush the system as a part of a repair is what I'm being told. I only wanted to get a quote from them to compare it to the price from my Indy MB shop that I've been using for years on my other Mercs. Has anyone here gotten the ABC system flushed at an MB dealer or is this normally done by Indy's or diy?
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maw
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2014 ML350
The first dealer that I called is one of the largest MB dealers on the east coast and the service tech I spoke to told me "I've been working for MB for 13 years and I've never seen a flush done on an ABC system. We only check the fluid, we never change it." So I won't be calling them again.
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The first dealer that I called is one of the largest MB dealers on the east coast and the service tech I spoke to told me "I've been working for MB for 13 years and I've never seen a flush done on an ABC system. We only check the fluid, we never change it." So I won't be calling them again.
maw
Last edited by maw1124; Jun 17, 2020 at 07:33 PM.
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From: Phoenix
222 S-65
ABC flush and filter are easy for the mechanically inclined. There are a number of bleeders for changing fluid.
I crack a bleeder loose... Allow the fluid to drain into the bleeder bottle. One corner of the car drops. Top it up with fresh... Replace the filter once fresh fluid is in the reservoir. Light it up... That corner comes back up. Rinse.... Repeat until all fluid is fresh.
What I describe is not to be confused with 'The Rodeo.' That is needed after replacing parts.
I crack a bleeder loose... Allow the fluid to drain into the bleeder bottle. One corner of the car drops. Top it up with fresh... Replace the filter once fresh fluid is in the reservoir. Light it up... That corner comes back up. Rinse.... Repeat until all fluid is fresh.
What I describe is not to be confused with 'The Rodeo.' That is needed after replacing parts.
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2014 ML350
The rodeo is the only reason I would have my indy shop do the work. I don't have the star system to get the car to do the rodeo. Also I don't have anyone that could help me during the process. I guess I could have my wife help me out but I feel like that would be more confusing than helpful.
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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E
Have your Indy do it and sleep easy. If you can skip the fluid markup, there’s no reason to think about DIY, IMO. We’re shaving pennies in eighths at this point... parts are parts (dampers and filter)... it’s an SClass after all... the only place I think they get crazy is the fluid times multiple quarts.
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W212 E350; W166 GLC300; W164 ML550; W164 ML63; W221 S65; W220 S430; Escalade ESV
I read somewhere about the need to manually open the strut valves to drain old fluid. Will ABC flush with rodeo take care of this task or this is a separate item?
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2014 ML350
From what I've seen you can complete a flush using the AGA tool attached to the return in the fluid reservoir where the filter normally attaches. You install the tool and run the car through a rodeo. As the return fluid drains, you continuously fill with new fluid so that the pump doesn't run dry, until all fluid{or at least most of it} is replaced. I put a link to a video I saw on youtube of someone doing it on their 2012.
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2014 ML350
From what I understand, doing it this way flushes the fluid from the entire system which I would imagine would include the struts. However, I'm no expert. Maybe someone with a little more experience could chime in.
From what I've seen you can complete a flush using the AGA tool attached to the return in the fluid reservoir where the filter normally attaches. You install the tool and run the car through a rodeo. As the return fluid drains, you continuously fill with new fluid so that the pump doesn't run dry, until all fluid{or at least most of it} is replaced. I put a link to a video I saw on youtube of someone doing it on their 2012.
https://youtu.be/PC1vDOcw54M
https://youtu.be/PC1vDOcw54M
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From: NJ
2009 SL63 AMG
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Originally Posted by HLG600
To cycle the fluid, you need to activate the system via a Pitch Actuation
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2009 SL63 AMG
1. Connect Xentry and initiate Rodeo Mode to warm the system up (make sure it is inactivated once up to temp).
2. Remove the cap and filter assembly.
3. Manually extract all the fluid you can from the reservoir.
4. Refill the reservoir with clean fluid.
5. Manually extract from the reservoir a second time.
6. Insert the AGA tool into the reservoir and route the hose into a clean container.
7. Refill the reservoir with clean fluid.
8. Make sure all of your fluid containers are open and close by.
9. Start the engine.
10. Initiate the Pitch Actuation (it is what causes the system to circulate the fluid for the flush).
11. Monitor the fluid level in the reservoir like a hawk and steadily add fluid to keep the level up.
12. Once the fluid pumping into the container is clean (typically after 8-10L cycled through), stop the Pitch Actuation and turn off the engine (quickly).
After that you replace the filter and top off the level in the reservoir. You can also replace the filter a second time after driving around for a few days as an extra safeguard.
Super important that you clean the area around the reservoir very well before getting started (I used compressed air, a shop vac & rubbing alcohol) and keep the entire process as clean as possible.
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Sorry about hijacking this thread but my follow question is about ABC flush. I was under the car and noticed some wetness in one of ABC hose. View from top of the engine, one end connected to the tandem pump 
View from bottom of the engine, it's the one in the center at 6 o'clock position 
It seems straight forward to replace but I know nothing about releasing the pressure and how to insert the hose replacement within the ABC flush process. Any advice? Thank you.
View from bottom of the engine, it's the one in the center at 6 o'clock position 
It seems straight forward to replace but I know nothing about releasing the pressure and how to insert the hose replacement within the ABC flush process. Any advice? Thank you.
Last edited by DrDoe; Jun 24, 2020 at 08:03 PM.
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From: Los Angeles , Ca
2011 S63 , 1997 SL500 La costa edition (sold) 1987 560SEC (sold)
I just did mine, I bought the AGA tool, it was a lot easier than anticipated, my friend helped me activating the vehicle height up and down while I was adding the hydraulic, it was so easy my friend ordered the parts (fluids and filter) (CL63) and we did his the following week, just make sure you keep checking your fluid level for a couple of days after the procedure, I actually talked to the AGA guy, very pleasant person, on the phone and he told me rodeo is not necessary , you can warm up the hydraulic by driving around for about 20 mins, so I did that and kept raising and lowering the while driving it also. with the AGA tool it cost me less then $300.00 , of course it was cheaper for my friend he didn't have to pay for the tool. oh and also buy a fluid pump from harbor freight to empty the reservoir initially it's better that way instead of mixing that with the new hydraulics, my hydraulics started to come out clear after about 6 quarts, so I stopped than.
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