Hi

Can I have your thoughts on preventive maintenance on replacing the 2 accumulator vessels

Well having recently changed the failed on top of the engine pulsation damper at 36,000 miles because the diaphragm has failed and most likely just a pin hole should I consider changing the very similar front and rear accumulator over the Winter?

If the diaphragm failed on the pulsation damper its likely the accumulators are no better. I guess the actual diaphragms are made from polypropylene and all such material can degrade from getting stiffened with lack of use.

The cars 2015 and in 2021 it had only done 20,400 miles when I bought it its now done 37,000 miles

Interestingly the pulsation damper was exchange with a £28 refund but the Mercedes garage moaned it was still full of oil and what seemed more important the oil had leaked onto the box despite the fact I tightened the transport ;
The main dealership, rather franchise as all are so, parts department would send it off to Mercedes for approval that would take 2 weeks maybe 3. A month later I am chasing them for the second time after a failure to call me back!.

Its not a lot of money but its promised money so its irritating to be left on a pay when paid basis and no feedback.

So why am I thinking about change them now well the pulsation damper failed driving back from Spain on a Saturday afternoon when all garages were shut and anyway a prat would have bee 3-7 days away hence thinking about changing the Accumulators before do a similar drive next year.

I have to say this is the most unreliable car I have ever owned......... 2 other cars I have owned covered 90,000 miles by me and bought both with just over 10,000 miles on the clock, One was a Jaguar XJ Sovereign and that did 46,000 in 6 months; in that time it only needing services, a center prop mount rubber at 60,000 miles and an engine temperature sensor. This 2015 SL63 AMG started falling apart under warranty at just 20,400 miles SIGH

Why to I keep it for long holidays it has the biggest boot with the roof down plus its comfortable

Anyway does the dealer want to send the part back to Mercedes before that main dealer issues a refund, common sense is all the oil will never come out until it has a tiny hole drilled into it, where it will be refilled with nitrogen later to allow flow and most oil had come out anyway. Then cut in half to fit a new diaphragm and refilled with nitrogen via that new small hole !!!

 

The design of this system is genius. I wonder how many people in the world could conceive of this from scratch. From scratch—not from being taught.

 

Well that genius was Paul Mages who invented the first self-leveling automobile suspension for Citroen for the absolutely well ahead of its time Citroen DS and then they fitted it to most if not all theirs cars. Other manufactures this oil or air based suspension British Leyland the Austin 1100 and 1800 come to mind and I think Rolls Royce used it under license . Some BMW 5series have a variation of it also Lincoln in the USA and there is also Toyota's variation on the Celica, nearly bought one years ago, that is much as the Mercedes ABC plus maybe Maserati's?

So the Mercedes ABC system and others are just variants with some using air others oil but all are based on Paul Mages invention but with more computerised control as computers became the norm in cars. I still question if car with computers are better than earlier cars without that need more driver input.

 

Great observation, if we don’t have the proper processes in place to repair and improve assets, additional sensors will only add frustration to the failed systems we have.






Tutuapp 9Apps

 

so...., Bilbo7, did you replace the accumlators as well???

 

Hi Andy

Sorry no I had 2 small operations on my back that’s stopped me doing many things plus that £4000 for having the water filled headlamps replaced. I was going to do the headlamps myself but did not for the same reason and the labour cost was reasonable

 

Wish you a speedy recovery OP.

 

anybody know how many accumulators and where they are??

 

The one up front and two on the body. I changed one of mine and I changed a crossover tube because it was leaking.