2004 HELP PLease!!! Sl55 engine stutter / Vibration rpm specific

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Sep 15, 2015 | 01:17 PM
  #1  
Hello All, I have searched hi and low and read through a few threads but not sure anyone has solved this phenomenon, I get a vibration / shutter sensation between 1100 and 2000 rpms seems to hit around 1500 mainly. I have inspected and changed my transmission mount, the engine mounts are good from what i can tell as i dont getany vibration any other time like I did in my e500 when the mounts went bad, the drive shaft flex discs look great with the exception of the rear one that has a tiny, and i mean super tiny superficialline that looks like a crack but its nothing that would compromise the integrity of that disc (i will change it soon anyway). I notice under a hard acceleration the vibration is not very noticeable, and seems to, lessen in confort mode or with ABC off (this could be in my head ), its done it since ive owned it (a couple years) and im about sick of it. I did recently get a P0160 (if i recall, manifold pressure error), happenned twice in the last 3 months, i cleared it and it goes away, seemed to happen after i hit a dip and got the red ABC drive with caution error (goes away after a couple seconds). I imagine they are all seperate issues. could it be a bad MAP sensor ? hence the manifold pressure code? I did look at my tensioner pulley and it spins freely but some of the paint has worn off and has only the slightest play near no play, SC belt looks in tact. I recently installed a EC S/C pulley gapped it within specs car has tons of more power but still has the annoying vibration for that second or 2 in that rpm band. I am at a loss. Is it maybe s/c clutch slip? What does S/c clutch slip feel like? is the fix a new belt if it is? when I took off my OEM S/c pulley i niticed the contact face of it seemed a little "burned up" I assumed normal due to friction and it seemed to have some type of a ring of clutch/brake type of mateial in a perfect circle on it , is this normal or perhaps a possible clue to this thorn in my side? thanks everyone any help is appreciated. I want to avoid just shot gunning this thing with random parts hoping for a fix.
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Nov 12, 2015 | 01:08 PM
  #2  
So no love??? anyone have suggestions? this problem is making me crazy. As I mentioned before I did change the Transmission mount but this did not fix the problem. I have been driving it since then (about 2 months) well a month after I took a better look at my engine mounts and low and behold the drivers side was completely destroyed. I got a new set from autozone for about 175.00 with a lifetime warranty (likely my second mistake as the tranny mount was from oreiley) so is it possible my bad engine mounts destroyed my new tranny mount so when i changed my engine mounts i was back to square 1? shoul i just go get a new tranny mount from the dealer? the one i got from oreileys was some ancor brand with a lifetime warranty as well. would the if the ranny mount went bad would it destroy my new engine mounts??
please help. lessoon learned thus far....buy OEM mounts and replace them all at once. I just dont know if since the enging mounts are faily new the new tranny mount would fix the issue.
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Nov 12, 2015 | 01:19 PM
  #3  
Cost for inspection of mount is minimal. Have it looked at by someone that has experience. When it was time to change motor mounts I made sure to change the trans mount as well.
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Nov 12, 2015 | 01:28 PM
  #4  
Quote: Cost for inspection of mount is minimal. Have it looked at by someone that has experience. When it was time to change motor mounts I made sure to change the trans mount as well.
I agree, I thought they were fine as upon my first inspection there was no engine movement, or leaking fluid. but upon my second inspection (after i had replaced the tranny mount) the engine was jumping. the sad part is that literally the day after replacing them I was at the dealer and they told me I needed new engine mounts, when i told them we had just replaced them the day before threir response was "oh"....silence. I think that maybe they just went off possiible engine vibration felt in the cockpit which could be the recently replaced tranny mount that my bad engine mounts may have destroyed before they were replaced??? at any rate I wonder if i should just throw all new OEM tranny and engine mounts at it at once and start over again?? I just dont see why I get this 1500 rpm shudder/shake/vibration rumble strip feel.....
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Nov 12, 2015 | 06:18 PM
  #5  
Check your exhaust system and make sure its not touching the bottom of the car when you hit the throttle. Car needs to be on a lift, mechanic uses a long bar to move the exhaust while checking clearance.
Reply 0
Dec 2, 2015 | 06:28 AM
  #6  
Looks like I fixed it!!
So out of desperation I decided to change my atf filter and fluid thus evening, not a complete flush , just the filter and aprx 4 quarts. I drove it around for the last 2 hours and she drives like she should smooth as Glas like all my other Benzes. Fingers crossed it's a cold night so I'm hoping this isn't why she is behaving. But none the less she is still driving better than she ever has!! Will update later this week!
Reply 1
Dec 12, 2015 | 07:06 PM
  #7  
Today the E500 developed a similar issue. The engine is smooth at idle, as well as when revved in park and neutral. A sort of sputtering vibration like it's not firing on all cylinders develops under load (accelerating in drive) after about 1200rpm with a bit of loss of power.

I parked it and will take a nap.
Reply 0
Dec 12, 2015 | 07:20 PM
  #8  
Problem fixed!!!!
Hey everyone, hope this helps anyone with the same issue. After much research, dread and experimentation. I FINALLY FIXED IT! the solution.......a simple ATF change and she is driving great, the ATF was really bad, smelled bad looked bad and felt bad. The difference in how she drives is like night and day. I still faintly feel a very very small vibration like before, but I'm chalking this upto the fact that she is still 50/50 good / bad ATF fluid from the filter and ATF change so I will do another filter and fluid change this weekend to get most of the bad ATF out. None the less very pleased and much less worried.
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Dec 13, 2015 | 02:29 AM
  #9  
So, after my nap, drove again and found that the vibration appeared once the car reached 35mph and over, under power, but not apparent when in neutral and rolling at speed. The vibration is not rpm or gear selection dependent. It therefore appears to be outside the trans and engine. Since the driveshaft and rear wheels turn at the same rate at a given speed (am I correct?) regardless the gear the car is in, I deduce the vibration is coming from rear of the trans, i.e. the driveshaft assembly (shaft, flex joint, thrust bushing) or the trans mount.

I suppose I'll have to wait until Monday to put it on a lift to check these items out.

How apparent are faulty trans mount, flex joints, etc...? Anyone?
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Dec 13, 2015 | 12:54 PM
  #10  
vibration
It still sounds like the problem I had and your going through the same motions. I threw all kinds of stuff at the problem (flex disk, Trans mount, engine mounts, map sensors, idler pulleys) before I found it. I'm guessing your at or over 100k miles ?
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Dec 13, 2015 | 01:55 PM
  #11  
Quote: It still sounds like the problem I had and your going through the same motions. I threw all kinds of stuff at the problem (flex disk, Trans mount, engine mounts, map sensors, idler pulleys) before I found it. I'm guessing your at or over 100k miles ?
Hi Sarc...yes, 148K. Had the trans serviced with a filter and 4 qts at 115K. It makes quite a difference. However, there's no leak of any other fluid visible, even though it's on my list of maintenance to perform.
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Dec 14, 2015 | 12:10 PM
  #12  
I had a very similar problem, mine turned out to be the pressure plate in the
gear box. The stupid Mercedes garage changed the gearbox, but forgot to change the pressure plate, so gearbox out again. I had to pay 50%
but I suppose I got a new gearbox for half price. Mind you I could have paid
just for a pressure plate, but bits from it might have shortened the life of the
gearbox.
S8
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Dec 18, 2015 | 01:02 PM
  #13  
So, I bought engine and trans mounts, trans fluid, filter, etc...my mech put it up on the lift and first off discovered that the rear drive shaft flex joint was rattling with one bolt broken and two more loose. Took it to Rusnak where they scrambled to expedite repair as they had in Oct dropped the differential and drive shaft in order to replace the gas tank, etc...Runs like a dream again.

They discovered a modest oil leak from some electrical connector 'O' ring going into the bottom side of the trans, if anyone knows about this please lemme know, they want $325 to repair.
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Apr 23, 2019 | 06:35 PM
  #14  
722.6 transmission contact plate connector seal
722.6 tranny connector seal is a common problem it can cause your transmission to stop shifting or intermittently shift, It's caused by the wires wicking oil down past the connector and fouling the solenoid contact plate in the transmission.The good news is It's pretty easy to fix and the the repair kit is not expensive. Check the Mercedes Source on YouTube for instructions.
Quote: So, I bought engine and trans mounts, trans fluid, filter, etc...my mech put it up on the lift and first off discovered that the rear drive shaft flex joint was rattling with one bolt broken and two more loose. Took it to Rusnak where they scrambled to expedite repair as they had in Oct dropped the differential and drive shaft in order to replace the gas tank, etc...Runs like a dream again.

They discovered a modest oil leak from some electrical connector 'O' ring going into the bottom side of the trans, if anyone knows about this please lemme know, they want $325 to repair.
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