SL/R230: Any ABC experts wanna help a newb out? First Mercedes and i picked a hell of a car!
Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 187
Likes: 34
From: Henderson, NV
2008 CL550
Not me - I've got a SL55 that has been pretty painless in it's first month of my ownership. If your ABC is that bad off it may be worth looking at a coilover conversion. Also I've read on the hoses that any hydraulic shop can fab up new ones for you at a fraction of stealership prices.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 411
Likes: 23
2011 E550 Coupe, 1992 Corvette ZR-1, 1991 368ci ZR-1, 1990 ZR-1, 1987 Callaway TT, 05 SL600, CLA45
Were you the one that started a thread "nightmare SL600 purchase" i think i read that, sorry to hear about your troubles, mine are much worse compare to yours. My ABC system will need to be overhauled at one point, i have to replace the main pressure line and the front strut lines coming out of the valveblock. Also some mother effing ******* used flex seal to spray on the plastic end tank of the radiator lol wtf. It ruptured and sprung a leak so i have to replace that. My expansion tank also split at the seams, and i think, im not sure but i think my thermostat needs to be replaced. Does it throw a code if it doesnt work properly? I wonder if the thermostat being stuck closed cause the rad to rupture.
How is the access to the hose that threads to the power steering system?
My radiator ruptured also....its the heat under the hood
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
Not me - I've got a SL55 that has been pretty painless in it's first month of my ownership. If your ABC is that bad off it may be worth looking at a coilover conversion. Also I've read on the hoses that any hydraulic shop can fab up new ones for you at a fraction of stealership prices.
I'm a fan of ABC, so i'll keep it running for as long as i can, plus the coilovers for the R230 V12 is still in its infancy, prices are ridiculous, 4 grand for it? Coilovers shouldn't cost more than 1500. Besides sway bars for the V12 have yet to be finalized, so i'll wait it out until prices get to be reasonable, i spent 13K for this 2005 SL600 putting 1/3 of the price for suspension just doesn't make sense right now.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
Access to the steering bolt isn't as bad as the banjo, radiator job is easy, just gotta take a lot of stuff out to get to it. Unbolt all the bolts for the top rad brace, remove fan shroud, and remove 2 bolts from the condenser and rad should pull straight out after u disconnect the hoses and trans line. 30 minute removal tops.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 411
Likes: 23
2011 E550 Coupe, 1992 Corvette ZR-1, 1991 368ci ZR-1, 1990 ZR-1, 1987 Callaway TT, 05 SL600, CLA45
I have the ABC and Banjo down...I did the pump 4X in 2 months You do need to have the hoses perfectly aligned to thread it......pain in the ***
You do need to have the hoses perfectly aligned to thread it......pain in the ***
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
Wait why did you have to do the pump so many times? Yeah the banjo is a pain, what i found that made it easier for me was to remove the pump's pulley obviously, and the stupid bracket at the bottom that wedge the two hoses in, without that bracket, you can position the hoses a lot easier. Still a pain in the *** job though because you have no access, i mean they could put that bolt anywhere else but they chose that location. We need to start an active DIY thread on here, there's not much information, and 90% of the pictures don't work or the people who done the DIY have left the forum for years. You ask a question and just get crickets.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 411
Likes: 23
2011 E550 Coupe, 1992 Corvette ZR-1, 1991 368ci ZR-1, 1990 ZR-1, 1987 Callaway TT, 05 SL600, CLA45
All defective rebuilds, easy to access bolt removing lower control arm too...
Last edited by LGAFF; Mar 29, 2018 at 03:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
After you replaced the pump, how did you get it to prime and start circulating fluid? I heard you have to force compressed air into the reservoir, does that work? I do not want to take this car to the dealership, ever, unless it's a recall and they're doing it for free.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 411
Likes: 23
2011 E550 Coupe, 1992 Corvette ZR-1, 1991 368ci ZR-1, 1990 ZR-1, 1987 Callaway TT, 05 SL600, CLA45
use a rag to cover the filler on the reservoir.....don't seal it, then just lightly bump it with 10-20 PSI ...just short burst so you don't blow up the reservoir. Did you Loctite the pump pulley bolts?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
Gotcha, one more question for you, i haven't cranked the car yet. I just changed the damper hose, didn't change the pump, nor did i remove the reservoir, i just pinched it with pliers so it doesn't leak into the pump. Will changing the banjo bolt and the damper hose require me to kick start the pump, or is there residual fluid in there already. When i removed the Banjo, maybe like a tablespoon worth of fluid leaked out, then that's it.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 411
Likes: 23
2011 E550 Coupe, 1992 Corvette ZR-1, 1991 368ci ZR-1, 1990 ZR-1, 1987 Callaway TT, 05 SL600, CLA45
It wouldn't hurt to use some air to prime it...again make sure bolts have Loctite on the pulley....not much thread there
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 168
Likes: 3
2005 SL65
Did the same hoses on my 65, looks same as yours.
some info here
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...se-repair.html
some info here
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...se-repair.html
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 541
Likes: 93
From: Northern VA
SL 600
Did the same hoses on my 65, looks same as yours.
some info here
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...se-repair.html
some info here
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...se-repair.html
i read your thread and I can feel your pain of putting the banjo bolt back in. What I did was use a cordless ratchet with a very thin 19mm and put it on the bolt, wiggled the bolt around while giving it very little spin and it caught the thread and spun right in. You cannot do this by hand easily, the thread are really coarse so the chance of cross threading is slim to none esp the low speed of the cordless ratchet. Doing the hoses for the struts are very easy compare to the main pressure line.
