SLK/R170: Supercharger Adventures - Long Story
02-15-2006, 05:33 PM
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SLK 230
Supercharger Adventures - Long Story
Here is a long contribution to everybody out there that has started their car and wondered at some point if all those whirring sounds under the hood are normal.
What is it about noises and the way our brains can justify, dismiss and explain them? It must be the logical mind that concludes that if the noise was there yesterday and the car worked all day... then it must be ok today. One of those trial-and-error experiments until we grow complacent and stop noticing that one particular noise is actually getting just a little bit louder - maybe a fraction of a decibel - each day, over two years.
Then it happened, (you may have gotten one of these at some point in your life) the call from my wife, "Hey, the car is making a horrible noise and it feels like it wants to die. Should I keep on driving it?" Well, she was just a couple of blocks from the house so I told her to limp home at a slow speed.
As you may have guessed, the terrible noise came from the supercharger which I proceeded to extract. When I removed the front cover, little shavings of steel flowed along with some oil and the teeth from both gears were seriously mangled. Off to find a replacement...
Mercedes wanted close to $2k for a new one and the labor cost for the repair was laughable, some shop that specializes in them wanted $1200 for a rebuilt one but I was able to find a used and clean one for $500 from a reputable used parts dealer in Dallas. I had to reuse the electromagnetic clutch from the old one, check the gears, put new MB supercharger fluid and work hard to put the puzzle back together. The SLK was alive again.
But there was that whirring sound. This time I had the noises checked and I was told that it was normal... all SLKs and CLKs sound like that.
A year went by and then I got a call again, "Hey, remember that horrible noise a year ago?” Feeling defeated I dove under the hood to discover that this time, it was the electromagnetic clutch that had worn out and virtually disintegrated inside the supercharger pulley. Well, at least I wouldn't have to take the supercharger out again. Got a new supercharger clutch for around $260 but once I tried to install it I noticed that it was wobbly and not matching up to the pulley.
The shaft was bent. The heat from the slipping clutch had caused the plastic housing of the electromagnet to melt and the copper rubbed against the shaft generating enough heat to bend it. So, beaten down by life I proceeded to buy a new supercharger with clutch, fluid and everything but to my surprise, the price had now dropped to $869. The new unit went in like a dream and after replacing a fuse it all worked like new.
That was about 14 months ago and we've had no problems with the supercharger since then.
Hopefully, people can learn from my experiences and my mistakes. I will say that I've learned a LOT from this adventure like listening closely to all the whirring noises.
If anybody is interested, I can take some pictures of the two dead superchargers.
What is it about noises and the way our brains can justify, dismiss and explain them? It must be the logical mind that concludes that if the noise was there yesterday and the car worked all day... then it must be ok today. One of those trial-and-error experiments until we grow complacent and stop noticing that one particular noise is actually getting just a little bit louder - maybe a fraction of a decibel - each day, over two years.
Then it happened, (you may have gotten one of these at some point in your life) the call from my wife, "Hey, the car is making a horrible noise and it feels like it wants to die. Should I keep on driving it?" Well, she was just a couple of blocks from the house so I told her to limp home at a slow speed.
As you may have guessed, the terrible noise came from the supercharger which I proceeded to extract. When I removed the front cover, little shavings of steel flowed along with some oil and the teeth from both gears were seriously mangled. Off to find a replacement...
Mercedes wanted close to $2k for a new one and the labor cost for the repair was laughable, some shop that specializes in them wanted $1200 for a rebuilt one but I was able to find a used and clean one for $500 from a reputable used parts dealer in Dallas. I had to reuse the electromagnetic clutch from the old one, check the gears, put new MB supercharger fluid and work hard to put the puzzle back together. The SLK was alive again.
But there was that whirring sound. This time I had the noises checked and I was told that it was normal... all SLKs and CLKs sound like that.
A year went by and then I got a call again, "Hey, remember that horrible noise a year ago?” Feeling defeated I dove under the hood to discover that this time, it was the electromagnetic clutch that had worn out and virtually disintegrated inside the supercharger pulley. Well, at least I wouldn't have to take the supercharger out again. Got a new supercharger clutch for around $260 but once I tried to install it I noticed that it was wobbly and not matching up to the pulley.
The shaft was bent. The heat from the slipping clutch had caused the plastic housing of the electromagnet to melt and the copper rubbed against the shaft generating enough heat to bend it. So, beaten down by life I proceeded to buy a new supercharger with clutch, fluid and everything but to my surprise, the price had now dropped to $869. The new unit went in like a dream and after replacing a fuse it all worked like new.
That was about 14 months ago and we've had no problems with the supercharger since then.
Hopefully, people can learn from my experiences and my mistakes. I will say that I've learned a LOT from this adventure like listening closely to all the whirring noises.
If anybody is interested, I can take some pictures of the two dead superchargers.
Last edited by Gabe; 02-16-2006 at 09:39 AM.
03-30-2006, 09:04 AM
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SLK230, MX6 LS
Well, it looks like I'm in the same position. I was just wondering where you got the the supercharger for $869? Was it just through a regular dealer? I'm getting quoted $2400cdn up here in Canada... $869 is a slightly better price 
Thanks
Thanks
03-30-2006, 10:21 AM
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SLK 230
Call Phil from MercedesShop.com - 1-888-333-4642
http://www.mercedesshop.com/parts_lobby.htm
I think the part number was 111 097 0190 and it already came with oil and the proper clutch gap.
http://www.mercedesshop.com/parts_lobby.htm
I think the part number was 111 097 0190 and it already came with oil and the proper clutch gap.
, part #1110900380. I guess I'll just get it up here
03-20-2007, 01:12 AM
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Dead supercharger pulley
Here is a long contribution to everybody out there that has started their car and wondered at some point if all those whirring sounds under the hood are normal.
What is it about noises and the way our brains can justify, dismiss and explain them? It must be the logical mind that concludes that if the noise was there yesterday and the car worked all day... then it must be ok today. One of those trial-and-error experiments until we grow complacent and stop noticing that one particular noise is actually getting just a little bit louder - maybe a fraction of a decibel - each day, over two years.
Then it happened, (you may have gotten one of these at some point in your life) the call from my wife, "Hey, the car is making a horrible noise and it feels like it wants to die. Should I keep on driving it?" Well, she was just a couple of blocks from the house so I told her to limp home at a slow speed.
As you may have guessed, the terrible noise came from the supercharger which I proceeded to extract. When I removed the front cover, little shavings of steel flowed along with some oil and the teeth from both gears were seriously mangled. Off to find a replacement...
Mercedes wanted close to $2k for a new one and the labor cost for the repair was laughable, some shop that specializes in them wanted $1200 for a rebuilt one but I was able to find a used and clean one for $500 from a reputable used parts dealer in Dallas. I had to reuse the electromagnetic clutch from the old one, check the gears, put new MB supercharger fluid and work hard to put the puzzle back together. The SLK was alive again.
But there was that whirring sound. This time I had the noises checked and I was told that it was normal... all SLKs and CLKs sound like that.
A year went by and then I got a call again, "Hey, remember that horrible noise a year ago?” Feeling defeated I dove under the hood to discover that this time, it was the electromagnetic clutch that had worn out and virtually disintegrated inside the supercharger pulley. Well, at least I wouldn't have to take the supercharger out again. Got a new supercharger clutch for around $260 but once I tried to install it I noticed that it was wobbly and not matching up to the pulley.
The shaft was bent. The heat from the slipping clutch had caused the plastic housing of the electromagnet to melt and the copper rubbed against the shaft generating enough heat to bend it. So, beaten down by life I proceeded to buy a new supercharger with clutch, fluid and everything but to my surprise, the price had now dropped to $869. The new unit went in like a dream and after replacing a fuse it all worked like new.
That was about 14 months ago and we've had no problems with the supercharger since then.
Hopefully, people can learn from my experiences and my mistakes. I will say that I've learned a LOT from this adventure like listening closely to all the whirring noises.
If anybody is interested, I can take some pictures of the two dead superchargers.
What is it about noises and the way our brains can justify, dismiss and explain them? It must be the logical mind that concludes that if the noise was there yesterday and the car worked all day... then it must be ok today. One of those trial-and-error experiments until we grow complacent and stop noticing that one particular noise is actually getting just a little bit louder - maybe a fraction of a decibel - each day, over two years.
Then it happened, (you may have gotten one of these at some point in your life) the call from my wife, "Hey, the car is making a horrible noise and it feels like it wants to die. Should I keep on driving it?" Well, she was just a couple of blocks from the house so I told her to limp home at a slow speed.
As you may have guessed, the terrible noise came from the supercharger which I proceeded to extract. When I removed the front cover, little shavings of steel flowed along with some oil and the teeth from both gears were seriously mangled. Off to find a replacement...
Mercedes wanted close to $2k for a new one and the labor cost for the repair was laughable, some shop that specializes in them wanted $1200 for a rebuilt one but I was able to find a used and clean one for $500 from a reputable used parts dealer in Dallas. I had to reuse the electromagnetic clutch from the old one, check the gears, put new MB supercharger fluid and work hard to put the puzzle back together. The SLK was alive again.
But there was that whirring sound. This time I had the noises checked and I was told that it was normal... all SLKs and CLKs sound like that.
A year went by and then I got a call again, "Hey, remember that horrible noise a year ago?” Feeling defeated I dove under the hood to discover that this time, it was the electromagnetic clutch that had worn out and virtually disintegrated inside the supercharger pulley. Well, at least I wouldn't have to take the supercharger out again. Got a new supercharger clutch for around $260 but once I tried to install it I noticed that it was wobbly and not matching up to the pulley.
The shaft was bent. The heat from the slipping clutch had caused the plastic housing of the electromagnet to melt and the copper rubbed against the shaft generating enough heat to bend it. So, beaten down by life I proceeded to buy a new supercharger with clutch, fluid and everything but to my surprise, the price had now dropped to $869. The new unit went in like a dream and after replacing a fuse it all worked like new.
That was about 14 months ago and we've had no problems with the supercharger since then.
Hopefully, people can learn from my experiences and my mistakes. I will say that I've learned a LOT from this adventure like listening closely to all the whirring noises.
If anybody is interested, I can take some pictures of the two dead superchargers.
Hey Gabe,
Do yu still have these dead superchargers plus pulleys? If so I was wondering if you might like to sell one of the old pulley and clutch assemblies (minus the electromagnet ofcourse!)
Cheers.
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03-17-2015, 08:42 AM
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