SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Annoyed by the chirp...where is supercharger clutch located?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Texas
M6 Gran Coupe
Annoyed by the chirp...where is supercharger clutch located?
I did a search of the archives and some people said spraying a graphite lubricant will take care of the chirp for a few months at a time. Where is the SC clutch located, though?
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From: Central WI (BFE)
SL55, ML500 & Acura TL
Here is a decent photo of the SC clutch pack. Don't mind the SC clutch bearing missing a few *****. If you take the cover off you should see something similar. Hopefully not a bad bearing though
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,141
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From: Texas
M6 Gran Coupe
Hey Cal, this is the thread where they mentioned it. What do you think? I don't want to go lubricating something I shouldn't.....
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...ger-chirp.html
I hate the damn chirp. Definitely not something I want to live with for long. Could it indeed just be the bearing (which I assume I could use the Nachi one)?
Or would it need shimming?
I guess I can live with the chirp if it really isn't part of a bigger problem. There seems to be no real consensus among the threads I've seen in the archives....seems everyone had this issue and it was looked at as normal (or at the very least....annoying....but not detrimental to the car).
https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...ger-chirp.html
I hate the damn chirp. Definitely not something I want to live with for long. Could it indeed just be the bearing (which I assume I could use the Nachi one)?
Or would it need shimming?
I guess I can live with the chirp if it really isn't part of a bigger problem. There seems to be no real consensus among the threads I've seen in the archives....seems everyone had this issue and it was looked at as normal (or at the very least....annoying....but not detrimental to the car).
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 388
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From: Austria
Mercedes
Well, the chirp definitely isn't indicating any malfunction. It's just a mechanically caused sound. It occurs when the belt "slips" for a micro-second. Some like it, some don't...
Some people from the rice-racer faction would cut their left hand off, just to have that "noise".
Some people from the rice-racer faction would cut their left hand off, just to have that "noise".
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,897
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From: Central WI (BFE)
SL55, ML500 & Acura TL
^ I remember that thread and throwing my two cents in. It sounds like two schools of thought in the thread if I am reading it right. Some think the old clutch pack engaged too violently causing the belt to slip on the pulley and chirp. The other group thinks the chirp is from the worn out clutch surface itself. I always thought it was worn clutch material that was slipping a bit under engagement and chirping maybe the belt contributed to the noise.
The dealer told me it was not abnormal and the clutch chirp will not hurt anything. Apparently, an early fix was a set of shims. I think there are a few members who have had success with them. I tried them and they stopped the chirp for about a month. I then lived with the chirp until the bearing you see in the photo failed. At that point, I replaced the whole clutch pack and have not had issues since (two years ago). The old clutch pack showed heavy wear on the mating surfaces. That is still what makes me think it was the source of the chirp.
I think they are spraying graphite right on the clutch surface from the sound of it. You might PM Aluthman and make sure. If the chirp comes from violent engagement, then I guess it makes sense.
It seems to me that the chirp puts more stress on the already vulnerable clutch bearing. You don't want to see your bearing looking like the one in my picture. I recommend to anyone living with the SC chirp to inspect the bearing periodically.
The dealer told me it was not abnormal and the clutch chirp will not hurt anything. Apparently, an early fix was a set of shims. I think there are a few members who have had success with them. I tried them and they stopped the chirp for about a month. I then lived with the chirp until the bearing you see in the photo failed. At that point, I replaced the whole clutch pack and have not had issues since (two years ago). The old clutch pack showed heavy wear on the mating surfaces. That is still what makes me think it was the source of the chirp.
I think they are spraying graphite right on the clutch surface from the sound of it. You might PM Aluthman and make sure. If the chirp comes from violent engagement, then I guess it makes sense.
It seems to me that the chirp puts more stress on the already vulnerable clutch bearing. You don't want to see your bearing looking like the one in my picture. I recommend to anyone living with the SC chirp to inspect the bearing periodically.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 388
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From: Austria
Mercedes
I had it on my first SL55 and since I bought that one (used) from MB, it was still under warranty. Back then I had no idea where it was coming from... so I had it replaced with the new clutch under warranty. I simply claimed that the "noise" wasn't there, when I bought that thing (two weeks earlier).
I'm a customer for around 20 yrs at the same dealership, always have my cars inspected on the recommended schedule, so I guess MB calls me a good customer. I guess that also comes in, as they decided to replace my clutch with that 2006 updated one at no costs for me. For a non-known customer they might just have said: "It's normal. Live with it!".
My current SL55 (a 2004 model) does not have that chirp. So either the previous owner took some measures or it simply didn't turn up on that specific car (as not all 55er have it... no matter how old they are).
