SL55 AMG, SL63 AMG, SL65 AMG (R230) 2002 - 2011 (2003 US for SL55 and 2004 for the SL65)

SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: For those lowered on links....

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Old Sep 10, 2011 | 10:59 PM
  #1  
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For those lowered on links....

Anyone that's lowered using links, have any problems with the ABC pump constantly running?


I just popped in a set, and mine is doing exactly that. I haven't driven it around yet, so maybe it's just calibrating, but I let it idle for about a minute after installation and it's just humming away. Selected the raise/lower a few times within that minute, but it just keeps running.

I'll drive it around the block tomorrow and see what happens. But just wondering of anyone has also had this happen after installing their links.

Not that it should matter, but I set the links so the fender arches have about a 1 finger gap on all 4 corners.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 12:58 AM
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996tt
pics or it didnt happen

How do you tell if your pump is constantly running? I havnt had any issues as yet.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 01:52 AM
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ive had sausage links for bout 1.5 yrs now, ABC was a ok until the widebody wrapped then ABC blew its bags all over my driveway! get this warranty covered 21 hrs labor & new pump & new hoses $6900
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 06:02 AM
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I used the links for a short while....maybe 3 2-3 months and I never remember hearing my ABC pump running. And I also had a very small space between my tires and wheel wells.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 10:01 AM
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I would love to know what you think of them after a couple weeks. I have been looking at links myself and am still sitting on the fence about them.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 11:11 AM
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Re: Lowering Links

I'd just lower things via STAR, you should be able to get close to that height without issues, and get an alignment.

I'm going to have mine done soon at my Indie.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 11:33 AM
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I was already lowered via STAR and it didnt do much. Needed to get it a bit lower for the Vossen photo shoot and video trailer. Here she is today....

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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 02:19 PM
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So can you comment on what you mean by ABC running constantly?
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 02:52 PM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by iAMGod
So can you comment on what you mean by ABC running constantly?
Sorry, probably should've explained.

After I installed the links and fired the car up, I now hear a constant whine/hum of a pump inside the engine bay. If I hit the raise button, the noise goes away until it the car reaches max height, then comes back. If I lower it back down, the noise goes away while it's lowering then comes back when it levels out. Has to be the ABC pump not liking the new ride height.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 02:56 PM
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Another question for the lowering link masters. As I understand it, adjustment is essentially moving a nut up and down a threaded rod. Is it difficult to set all wheels at the same exact height?
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Thericker
ive had sausage links for bout 1.5 yrs now, ABC was a ok until the widebody wrapped then ABC blew its bags all over my driveway! get this warranty covered 21 hrs labor & new pump & new hoses $6900
Interesting. Do you think the added weight beyond the original fender lines might be to blame? Or maybe just a coincidence
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 03:01 PM
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Originally Posted by cal1
Another question for the lowering link masters. As I understand it, adjustment is essentially moving a nut up and down a threaded rod. Is it difficult to set all wheels at the same exact height?
Took me about 30 minutes of adjusting to get it right. 1mm change in link length, has a pretty good impact on ride height.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 03:42 PM
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CoinKidinky, It was actualy leaking before widebody.. New body work is Fiberglass, def lighter than OEM metal hood, frnt fenders weigh more than u'd think. The bumpers n side skirts are feather weight vs OEM Polyurethane too
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 07:22 PM
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The pump runs always. It aims at maintaing 185 bars Pressure in the abc system. If it whines it might be on it's way out or might mean nothing.
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by alx
The pump runs always. It aims at maintaing 185 bars Pressure in the abc system. If it whines it might be on it's way out or might mean nothing.
I hear ya. It's just that I never ever ever ever heard the pump until I put the links on. It's constantly whining/whistling now. I'll take a video tomorrow....
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Benz-O-Rama
Sorry, probably should've explained.

After I installed the links and fired the car up, I now hear a constant whine/hum of a pump inside the engine bay. If I hit the raise button, the noise goes away until it the car reaches max height, then comes back. If I lower it back down, the noise goes away while it's lowering then comes back when it levels out. Has to be the ABC pump not liking the new ride height.
Right I see, I have not experienced this - might want to get it checked out no?
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Old Sep 11, 2011 | 09:10 PM
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Originally Posted by cal1
Another question for the lowering link masters. As I understand it, adjustment is essentially moving a nut up and down a threaded rod. Is it difficult to set all wheels at the same exact height?
Not too difficult at all
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 12:17 AM
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sounds like the pump might be going, id bring it in
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 01:54 AM
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Dont the ABC pump run all of the time? I have had Links for 4 years with NO issues.

The ABC Pump is in tandem with the Power Steering pump and both are turning and pumping whenever the engine is running... Correct? So when you say you hear the pump running all of the time that is normal when the engine is running. Also I think there are 2008+2009 DTBs about PS whining sounds. I remember it says low fluid or move the PS hoses away from the chassis...

Benz-O I know this ain't your first BBQ... What noises/sounds are you hearing that are different then before the links? Are sure that you are not hearing the SBC pump motors running or the smog pump motor or even the Low temp water pump?

I have had Lowering Links for over 4 years on two different cars with absolutely no issues... My Links were made by H&R (the spring company) but they no longer make them and they are not adjustable. They look identical to the factory links (easy to fool the MB dealer) except they are just a slightly different length. They lower the car by about 1.5 inches...
Attached Thumbnails For those lowered on links....-dtb-ps-noises.jpg  

Last edited by EXECMALIBU; Sep 12, 2011 at 11:24 AM.
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by EXECMALIBU
The ABC Pump is in tandem with the Power Steering pump and both are turning and pumping whenever the motor is running... Correct? So when you say you hear the pump running all of the time that is normal when the engine is running. Also I think there are 2008+2009 DTBs about PS whining sounds. I remember it says low fluid or move the PS hoses away from the chassis...

Benz-O I know this ain't your first BBQ... What noises/sounds are you hearing that are different then before the links? Are sure that you are not hearing the SBC pump motors running or the smog pump motor or even the Low temp water pump?

I have had Lowering Links for over 4 years on two different cars with absolutely no issues... My Links were made by H&R (the spring company) but they no longer make them and they are not adjustable. They look identical to the factory links (easy to fool the MB dealer) except they are just a slightly different length. They lower the car by about 1.5 inches...
Right, it's pumping all the time. I wasn't very clear. I was typing everything in this thread from an iPhone, so you know how that goes..

Here's the deal. From the moment the links were installed and the car fired up, I could hear a pump whining very loudly inside the engine bay. This noise wasn't there before, and has never been present since I've owned the vehicle. It wasn't until these links were installed, that the noise became apparent.

However, I didn't know that the ABC pump and steering pump were tandem. The sound is 100% coming from the front/driver side of the engine bay, right where those pumps live. I took a video of it, and they're uploading now, so I'll post those when the become available.

Oddly enough, when I first started the car (cold) this morning, I didn't hear it. After the car warmed up for a few minutes, the sound appeared and never disappeared on my 45 minute commute to the office. It doesn't sound like the normal power steering pump whine that we all have heard before in every vehicle we've ever owned. This is a rather high pitched sound.

I'll post 2 videos. One will be the cold start video, when the sound is not present. The second will be when the whine is quite apparent. I'll check fluid levels when I get a chance. Maybe it's just that. Odd that it manifested the moment the links were installed though.

Vids to come...
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 10:35 AM
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the only thing that has changed is the level of your abc fluid (it is higher now in the recovery tank).

check level and see if within limits.

if it is and everything else is the same- i think your pump getting whiny when you lowered the car is a coincidence.
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 10:44 AM
  #22  
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Video #1 - Cold start, no noise

Video #2 - Less than 5 minutes warm up. Noise present.

Photobucket really compresses the crap out of these videos. Bleck.



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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 11:07 AM
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interesting whistle. never heard a tandem pump sound like a mini jet engine. most tandem pumps clatter, but that is about it.

it almost sounds like your cold star air injection pump keeps running or a warmed-up belt chirp

i would get a piece of hose and use it as a stethoscope and locate precisely where the noise comes from. you might be surprised.

Last edited by alx; Sep 12, 2011 at 11:34 AM.
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by alx
interesting whistle. never heard a tandem pump sound like a mini jet engine. most tandem pumps clatter, but that is about it.

it almost sounds like your cold star air injection pump keeps running or a warmed-up belt chirp

i would get a piece of hose and use it as a stethoscope and locate precisely where the noise comes from. you might be surprised.

A bad cold start air injection pump would make that whistle at cold start, no? My first video shows that it didn't make any noise until after it ran for 2-3 minutes.

So very weird that it didn't start happening until the moment I installed those links. My gut tells me it's something with the ABC pump.
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Old Sep 12, 2011 | 03:17 PM
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yes, but if the pump does not shut down after a few minutes it will heat up and make a similar noise...

anyway...

http://www.harborfreight.com/mechani...ope-41966.html

you will thank me later

Last edited by alx; Sep 12, 2011 at 03:29 PM.
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