Hello guys, just picked up this 03 last week... I am in in love She is in excellent condition inside and out, all services up to date. However there are few minor issues I'm trying to solve, maybe you guys can help with. I've used the search function but haven't seen anything similar.

I'm getting really bad engine heat into the cabin, sadly I didn't notice when test driving but until now. It's coming from the center console area forward it almost feels like the heat shield is missing (if there is one), luckily its not summer right now but I can imagine this is going to be very annoying if I don't solve this. The engine is running at normal temp but it just feels like I'm riding literally right next to it.

I also bought some Sylvania led 194's for my DRL but they flicker, I figured they woudnt do that bc they were name brand, can anyone recommend a set that doesn't cause any issues?

yes smoked side markers are already on order!

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Welcome to MBWorld and grats on the pickup. She looks to be in excellent condition. Should be easy to add thermal shield behind the felt to help shield some of that heat.

As for the LEDs, you need canbus LEDs... standard LEDs won't work for MBs. If interested, we have plug and play canbus units that will work for your parking lights:
http://www.aznoptics.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=114

And if you want to complete the exterior, the rear plates use a set of 36mm festoons
http://www.aznoptics.com/index.php?m...products_id=16

 

make sure all leds say error free or canbus

 

Thanks guys, as for the therm shield, are you referring to underneath the car?

 

shouldnt be any heat on floor, no telling what is missing. you sure the heat isnt on? hope you have looked all over and under car before you bought it. You better start now

 

I did look under the car as much as I could but we weren't at a shop or had a lift so I was extremely limited to what I could see. Honestly I wouldn't probably have noticed anything was missing as I haven't seen the under carriage to this car before. Anywho I got it up high as I could today and noticed this plug right underneath my transmission, what it is for? Also I do not see a heatshield above my transmission, is there one supposed to be there? I just see some felt material, I do see heat shield near the engine and towards the rear. The felt on back of the intake is sticking forward a little bit too, I couldn't exactly push it back, the washers that hold it are missing.
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I think it is fairly common for the engine compartment liner at the firewall (felt as you called it) to hang forward as in your picture (I have seen it that way on others, and my 2003 sl55 has looked like that as long as I have owned it). That would not be a source of measurable interior heat in any case. I would look carefully at the climate control (being the source of the heat you mentioned). DId you say that you have had the car checked on a dealer level diag tool (Star Das)? If you have not, that would be far more useful than LED lights IMHO.

The plug you are asking about that you show pictured is NOT OE (added by some previous owner for unknown duty ... not at the factory .

Hope that helps,

Chris
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there is also a rear lower piece that is worth looking for (if insulation actaully has been removed from your car ..., that would be odd) #30 in attachments.


hope that helps,

Chris
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Here is the heat shielding that you should find under your SL55 ...

Chris

 

Awesome, thanks for the resources! ! Does number 180 go directly above where the tranny connets to the driveshaft? If anyone just happenes to pic of thier undercarriage that would be perfect.. I cant find one on Google

Yes #30 in the engone compartment is there.
My climate controls are off (0 has the red light)
And yes first thing I did after purchase was take to a reputable shop and have them go over it.

 

Did your shop run a full diagnostic using a STAR DAS tester? You would be amazed at the codes that come up for any little switch, valve, CAN Bus connection, etc .... which can relate to problems that are not significant enough to illuminate a dash light, generate a CEL, or even a code that a generic OBD2 scanner can read. Even if your heat problem is some shield issue (which I doubt), it is useful to know the sort of codes the various ECUs in your car have stored ... then make a copy (print out test results) clear them, and see which ones come back. Serious enthusiasts who DIY, often own a StAR DAS themselves (I use mine quite often).

If you want to see more views of the underside of an SL55, do a google image search. I just did one for "SL55 exhaust" and found a few that might shed more light on this for you. I will attach one, but I invite you to use google image search (one of my favorite resources) to find a view that illustrates it more completely.

The picture I copied shows the heat shields fairly clearly. The car has had the exhaust upgraded/modified making the shielding even easier to inspect. notice shield #180 comes from the rear and ends near the tail of the transmission .. then shield #150 (and its mirror image brother on the other side of the tranny) only shields the exhaust from the underbody . It appears there is no shield directly above the tranny. Next time I have my SL up on my lift, I will look closer, but that is all I got for you at the moment (use google image search, you will love it).


If decide you want to upgrade your SL from shift buttons to real AMG paddles, drop me a note. I manufacture the "Mercedes Paddle Converter" module and do MANY paddle conversions (I do all of DCT motorsports and MA Carbons mercedes and porsche paddle conversions and I do this service directly for enthusiasts as well).


Cheers,
Chris
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Thanks again Chris, I did happen to do a Google search using everything but Sl55 exhaust lol.thx! Im pretty sure the shop ran the diag it says it on my invoice, with a note of "no major issues found" I will call back to verify though. The paddle shifters would be an awesome upgrade, I will have to hit you up once I get this solved!

 

if youre missing some of those aluminium shields like in the picture you would get alot of heat. even if a shield is gone there wouldnt be heat going thru the floor and insulation and carpet.But my first impression was that some of the interior material would be missing. Mercedes is notorious for thick, underlayment and heat / sound deadening material Id look under the carpets and make sure theres layers of materials, or god forbid, its all stripped out from some reason like flooding or wrecks