SL/R230: Buyers remorse
#51
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Received my parts from Vic today, it was a interesting repair, first the banjo connection bolt was almost finger tight which explains the cause for the leak, the high pressure destroyed the o-ring when the fluid escaped. so I replaced with fresh o-rings, now its dry as a bone. I spent a good 2 hours pulling panels and washing off all the hydraulic fluid and flushing it from the under belly. Replaced a few screws that were missing, flushed the ABC system. I then cycled the suspension up and down about 30 to 40 times, drove around with the ABC system on for about a hour, raised and lowered the top 2 or 3 times. After doing all these actions the car runs and drives great.
If I missed anything shoot me some advice.
Thank you all very much for the help and resources. I could not have accomplished this fix as quickly without the help received.
Y
Kinda miss my 99 E320 Wagon.
our a group of great people!!!
Cheers Eric
If I missed anything shoot me some advice.
Thank you all very much for the help and resources. I could not have accomplished this fix as quickly without the help received.
Y
Kinda miss my 99 E320 Wagon.
our a group of great people!!!
Cheers Eric
#52
Super Member
To fully get all the old fluid out of the system you need to loosen up the bleeder port at each strut (looks like a brake bleed screw). Just taking the return line off the reservoir & pouring new fluid in won’t refresh the fluid between the valve blocks & struts, which is why you need after after doing the reservoir flush method get all the fluid out of each strut bleeder port. The system will then take the new fluid you’ve put in & replace what you drained out of each
#53
Junior Member
Thread Starter
To fully get all the old fluid out of the system you need to loosen up the bleeder port at each strut (looks like a brake bleed screw). Just taking the return line off the reservoir & pouring new fluid in won’t refresh the fluid between the valve blocks & struts, which is why you need after after doing the reservoir flush method get all the fluid out of each strut bleeder port. The system will then take the new fluid you’ve put in & replace what you drained out of each
Thanks again.
Eric
#54
Super Member
This means the wheels need to be on the ground, not a lift. What is the procedure for this?
And to the original poster...glad it worked out well and inexpensive (except many hours of your time). It's a hobby for me, so time doesn't count. Same with motorcycles or airplanes
#55
MBWorld Fanatic!
I have this on my 'to do' list. The question is...doesn't the strut have to be under pressure (weight on it) to force the fluid from the strut out the bleed port?
This means the wheels need to be on the ground, not a lift. What is the procedure for this?
And to the original poster...glad it worked out well and inexpensive (except many hours of your time). It's a hobby for me, so time doesn't count. Same with motorcycles or airplanes
This means the wheels need to be on the ground, not a lift. What is the procedure for this?
And to the original poster...glad it worked out well and inexpensive (except many hours of your time). It's a hobby for me, so time doesn't count. Same with motorcycles or airplanes
#56
Super Member
here's where the front ones are located. the rears are just as easy to find. just follow the hose that connects to the strut. i'd also suggest lubricating that quick disconnect (basically the same fitting as the end of an air compressor hose). those things are a massive battle to get off when they corrode up. took me 3 hours to get one off on mine once.
#58
Super Member
#59
Super Member
that's b/c the thread you read didn't have how to fully replace all the fluid in the system. bleed until all fluid comes out of each port. might need to compress the strut up by placing a jack under the tire as another has stated to get all the fluid out. this usually is the dirtiest fluid in the system since it isn't circulated.
#60
Banned
#61
Super Member
If you used Star Diagnosis and followed the factory procedure for flushing the ABC, then there is no need to open any bleed ports. In the course of a "Pitch" routine each strut hydraulic cylinder is exercised to its maximum travel, and basically all fluid is pumped out.of the strut.
#62
Banned
#63
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2005 SL55 amg, 2009 Lincoln MXZ, 2012 Dodge 2500 Limited
I experienced similar. abc reservoir puked all it oil out the fill cap. Car spent 3 weeks at the stealers and they couldn’t figure it out and pointed their fingers at a solinoid valve being stuck. It hasn’t done it since. Btw, this happened when I pulled the car out winter storage. The car sagged and i cycled suspension a couple times and it was after that task when it unloaded its fluid.
#64
Super Member
if you replace all the fluid as OP already has that's in the system then take the old fluid out of the bleed ports when the struts reflate they will be replaced with all new fluid
#65
Banned
I posted to this thread simply to point out how the factory procedure does not mention opening any bleed ports. I was not looking for a debate. Hopefully this will be brief.
The answer is so obvious, so I presume that we have different interpretations of "circulate". To me, if all old fluid moves around and mixes with new fluid, and that mixed fluid can make its way to the return line, then it can be described as circulating.
But the system is generally self-bleeding, and in cases where bleeding is necessitated Rodeo is not used!
Rodeo is used to heat the fluid to a temperature of about 80 degrees C. It is also used to move large volumes of fluid through the system for purposes of filtering the fluid and cleaning the valve blocks.
This seems like a good point to me. A higher volume of fluid in the line between valve block and suspension strut reduces the efficiency of exchanging new fluid for old. In the case where the console button is used in lieu of a Pitch routine, I suspect little or insignificantly little fluid is exchanged with each up/down cycle. (Only about 35ml of fluid is added or subtracted with each up/down cycle. If the line holds more fluid than that, then alternately the line is charged with new fluid, and much or nearly all of that just-added fluid is then ejected into the return line for removal.)
The answer is so obvious, so I presume that we have different interpretations of "circulate". To me, if all old fluid moves around and mixes with new fluid, and that mixed fluid can make its way to the return line, then it can be described as circulating.
Rodeo is used to heat the fluid to a temperature of about 80 degrees C. It is also used to move large volumes of fluid through the system for purposes of filtering the fluid and cleaning the valve blocks.
This seems like a good point to me. A higher volume of fluid in the line between valve block and suspension strut reduces the efficiency of exchanging new fluid for old. In the case where the console button is used in lieu of a Pitch routine, I suspect little or insignificantly little fluid is exchanged with each up/down cycle. (Only about 35ml of fluid is added or subtracted with each up/down cycle. If the line holds more fluid than that, then alternately the line is charged with new fluid, and much or nearly all of that just-added fluid is then ejected into the return line for removal.)
Last edited by bobterry99; 09-24-2018 at 06:30 PM.
#66
MBWorld Fanatic!
The point of all this shouldn't be that you need to do some crazy bleeding or flushing every time. Unless you have metal contamination, you don't need to remove every trace of old fluid. You don't get every drop of oil out of your engine during an oil change either and yet they are just fine. It's about renewing the additive package and ensuring the fluid isn't breaking down completely to where it doesn't lubricate/protect anymore. A rodeo moves, lets say 75% of the fluid in the system around (it fully compresses the struts in series, so most fluid comes back the return side). If you do this while the return is in a bucket and you are adding new fluid constantly, you will introduce a ton of new fluid. Normal functions of the system will mix the remainder, and if you did the same thing again in, let's say, 5k miles, you would have gotten over 90% of the old fluid out (assuming my 75% number is right, it may be higher than that, strictly a guess).
Any of this is FAR better than not flushing the system. Draining the struts is cool too, but don't let the fact that you aren't doing that, keep you from flushing the rest of the system. Clean fresh fluid just does so much good for the system, even a couple liters of it.
Any of this is FAR better than not flushing the system. Draining the struts is cool too, but don't let the fact that you aren't doing that, keep you from flushing the rest of the system. Clean fresh fluid just does so much good for the system, even a couple liters of it.
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Eric79 (09-24-2018)
#67
Super Member
The point of all this shouldn't be that you need to do some crazy bleeding or flushing every time. Unless you have metal contamination, you don't need to remove every trace of old fluid. You don't get every drop of oil out of your engine during an oil change either and yet they are just fine. It's about renewing the additive package and ensuring the fluid isn't breaking down completely to where it doesn't lubricate/protect anymore. A rodeo moves, lets say 75% of the fluid in the system around (it fully compresses the struts in series, so most fluid comes back the return side). If you do this while the return is in a bucket and you are adding new fluid constantly, you will introduce a ton of new fluid. Normal functions of the system will mix the remainder, and if you did the same thing again in, let's say, 5k miles, you would have gotten over 90% of the old fluid out (assuming my 75% number is right, it may be higher than that, strictly a guess).
Any of this is FAR better than not flushing the system. Draining the struts is cool too, but don't let the fact that you aren't doing that, keep you from flushing the rest of the system. Clean fresh fluid just does so much good for the system, even a couple liters of it.
Any of this is FAR better than not flushing the system. Draining the struts is cool too, but don't let the fact that you aren't doing that, keep you from flushing the rest of the system. Clean fresh fluid just does so much good for the system, even a couple liters of it.
Engine oil & hydraulic oil serve very different functions & thus need treated differently. If u just keep circulating through the system new fluid without at least compressing the struts with a pitch or rodeo you’re not going to get any new fluid between the valve block and strut nor will you get anything in the strut. At rest the valve blocks are locked on ABC 1 (ABC 2 slightly opens/closes them to put less stress on hoses) and no fluid is allowed in or out from the valve block to strut.
using pitch will be better than not as at least you are getting some new fluid between the valve block & strut but you will always have all the fluid that is stuck in the lines & not ejected when the strut is full compressed that won’t be replaced unless you open the bleeder port. This fluid isn’t something that is circulated & gets replaced. It just moves back & forth between the strut & strut line. It never makes it out of the valve block where it can actually be circulated.
#68
MBWorld Fanatic!
if you don’t have STAR or higher end scanner you can’t do a rodeo or Pitch procedure & the only way to get fluid out of the struts is the bleeders.
Engine oil & hydraulic oil serve very different functions & thus need treated differently. If u just keep circulating through the system new fluid without at least compressing the struts with a pitch or rodeo you’re not going to get any new fluid between the valve block and strut nor will you get anything in the strut. At rest the valve blocks are locked on ABC 1 (ABC 2 slightly opens/closes them to put less stress on hoses) and no fluid is allowed in or out from the valve block to strut.
using pitch will be better than not as at least you are getting some new fluid between the valve block & strut but you will always have all the fluid that is stuck in the lines & not ejected when the strut is full compressed that won’t be replaced unless you open the bleeder port. This fluid isn’t something that is circulated & gets replaced. It just moves back & forth between the strut & strut line. It never makes it out of the valve block where it can actually be circulated.
If you are planning on doing repairs on ABC yourself, you should invest in a scanner capable of running the rodeo/pitch process. Cheap investment.
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Eric79 (09-24-2018)
#69
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Nice drive today in the mountains looking at the colors of the trees. I noticed the supercharger worked and then when it was a little hot it did not work, cooled down, power was on, heats up power is down. Soooooo..... I will be doing a water pump swap for the supercharger. Looks to be a fairly simple task with rewards of better consistency for POWER!!!!
#70
MBWorld Fanatic!
Nice drive today in the mountains looking at the colors of the trees. I noticed the supercharger worked and then when it was a little hot it did not work, cooled down, power was on, heats up power is down. Soooooo..... I will be doing a water pump swap for the supercharger. Looks to be a fairly simple task with rewards of better consistency for POWER!!!!
#71
Super Member
Plug and play, but better flow than original.
#72
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Easter egg #3
Woke up this morning to a new Easter egg. Came out the front driver side suspension was dropped. Turn the car on red ABC said vehicle too low. Pushed the button to raise the vehicle to put fluid in the suspension. Raised it up, red light went away and the warning went away. I'm assuming I have a valve block that needs rebuilt in the front. I think I've determined after reading that my valve block is leaking.
Would anybody recommend a good rebuild kit of O-rings and where to purchase them at.
This will be another great opportunity to learn the hydraulic system of this wonderful car. I say that to maintain my positive attitude.
Later today I have the opportunity to change the water pump that cools the supercharger should be an easy job but I look so forward to doing it.
Would anybody recommend a good rebuild kit of O-rings and where to purchase them at.
This will be another great opportunity to learn the hydraulic system of this wonderful car. I say that to maintain my positive attitude.
Later today I have the opportunity to change the water pump that cools the supercharger should be an easy job but I look so forward to doing it.
#73
Woke up this morning to a new Easter egg. Came out the front driver side suspension was dropped. Turn the car on red ABC said vehicle too low. Pushed the button to raise the vehicle to put fluid in the suspension. Raised it up, red light went away and the warning went away. I'm assuming I have a valve block that needs rebuilt in the front. I think I've determined after reading that my valve block is leaking.
Would anybody recommend a good rebuild kit of O-rings and where to purchase them at.
This will be another great opportunity to learn the hydraulic system of this wonderful car. I say that to maintain my positive attitude.
Later today I have the opportunity to change the water pump that cools the supercharger should be an easy job but I look so forward to doing it.
Would anybody recommend a good rebuild kit of O-rings and where to purchase them at.
This will be another great opportunity to learn the hydraulic system of this wonderful car. I say that to maintain my positive attitude.
Later today I have the opportunity to change the water pump that cools the supercharger should be an easy job but I look so forward to doing it.
They have a website also
Last edited by knowbenz; 09-29-2018 at 07:39 PM.
#74
Junior Member
Thread Starter
As I understand it there is no need to bleed the cooling pump system, it looks as if it’s self bleeding. Does that sound accurate?
#75
Senior Member
I'd suggest you hold onto your old pump. When they fail, it's usually just the brushes that have worn out and they are easy to replace. When you open the pump to have a look at the condition of the brushes,it'll be obvious if it was a wear problem as the offending brush will be worn away. You can then replace the brushes for pennies and put the pump on the shelf for the future.