SL/R231: R231 Intermittent sound from ABC pump or Damper
04-08-2023, 08:14 AM
#76
Member
Hi guys,
Last week when i started the car after work I had the known grinding / howling noise from 1000-2000 rpm. Nowing directly the issue comes from pulsation damper and searched the part in internet. Taking a 14 wrench it was a 5 minutes job to replace the damper and....noise disappeared. Strike!
So if you have this problem then please invest five minutes instead bothering a mechanic and paying a hell of a money
Now I have a second problem. Car has only 35k of miles but I have a green smear all around the pump. So tomorrow I will remove the serpentine belt and the ABC pulley and inspect the pulley inside. If green smear is inside I will directly empty the reservoir and remove the pump. We have a special company here in Germany that repairs all pumps and you get really a quality item back. That costs me about 400 bugs. (much better than paying 3000 at Mercedes). When reinstalling the pump I use a pressure pump to put some pressure to the system before starting the engine. This is absolutely obligatory as the pump is not able to suction the oil itself initially and it would run dry. There is a video on youtube how to do it from the mentioned company.
But regarding the broken pulsation damper I expect the other accumulators will follow soon. And regarding the big number of sl500 with ABC driving around in US, has someone additional experience in sliding out the front and back valve block for replacing the accumulators?
I can do everything myself I guess but I would like to avoid to dismount the pressure line to the the dampers as this means to recalibrate the system afterwards with Star Diagnosis that I do not own. Did anybody manage to replace the accumulators without removing the pressure hoses?
Thanks a lot and regards,
Metsche
Last week when i started the car after work I had the known grinding / howling noise from 1000-2000 rpm. Nowing directly the issue comes from pulsation damper and searched the part in internet. Taking a 14 wrench it was a 5 minutes job to replace the damper and....noise disappeared. Strike!
So if you have this problem then please invest five minutes instead bothering a mechanic and paying a hell of a money
Now I have a second problem. Car has only 35k of miles but I have a green smear all around the pump. So tomorrow I will remove the serpentine belt and the ABC pulley and inspect the pulley inside. If green smear is inside I will directly empty the reservoir and remove the pump. We have a special company here in Germany that repairs all pumps and you get really a quality item back. That costs me about 400 bugs. (much better than paying 3000 at Mercedes). When reinstalling the pump I use a pressure pump to put some pressure to the system before starting the engine. This is absolutely obligatory as the pump is not able to suction the oil itself initially and it would run dry. There is a video on youtube how to do it from the mentioned company.
But regarding the broken pulsation damper I expect the other accumulators will follow soon. And regarding the big number of sl500 with ABC driving around in US, has someone additional experience in sliding out the front and back valve block for replacing the accumulators?
I can do everything myself I guess but I would like to avoid to dismount the pressure line to the the dampers as this means to recalibrate the system afterwards with Star Diagnosis that I do not own. Did anybody manage to replace the accumulators without removing the pressure hoses?
Thanks a lot and regards,
Metsche
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crconsulting (04-08-2023)
04-17-2024, 02:41 PM
#77
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2013 SL550
Pulastion Damper noise
Hi Steve sl550
Well I am back from the dealership and the problem is fixed.
It was the pulsation Damper. For a 2013 R231 SL 550 part # 0004 6604 0087. Cost $ 396 cdn and about 1 hour labor because
they had a hard time getting it off the pump. The built in nut on the end of the damper broke off as it took a lot of torque to get it loose.
Having this problem of screeching and vibrations felt in the steering wheel for the last 3 months did not seem
to have damaged the the ABC pump.......for now.
Most of the people around me persisted that it was the pump and I am happy that I did not listen to them.
Thanks to all who suggested it was the damper.
Best Regards
SL Doug
Well I am back from the dealership and the problem is fixed.
It was the pulsation Damper. For a 2013 R231 SL 550 part # 0004 6604 0087. Cost $ 396 cdn and about 1 hour labor because
they had a hard time getting it off the pump. The built in nut on the end of the damper broke off as it took a lot of torque to get it loose.
Having this problem of screeching and vibrations felt in the steering wheel for the last 3 months did not seem
to have damaged the the ABC pump.......for now.
Most of the people around me persisted that it was the pump and I am happy that I did not listen to them.
Thanks to all who suggested it was the damper.
Best Regards
SL Doug
