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Hey Gents - I am new to the w210 platform but not new to Mercedes. I just picked up a black 1999 E-55 AMG with 170,000 miles on the clock today. Body is sound (no rust and very minimal paint bubbling), engine appears to be solid (with service records to prove regular maintenance), transmission appears to be solid (serviced once at 90,000 miles - due for another service), and the interior is in decent shape. The reason I felt comfortable purchasing it with such high miles was that it has a solid maintenance history at MB dealers all the way through 160,000 miles, and because it was actually driven actively by the prior owner (PO) so I knew it was in decent operating condition. Because I bought it for so cheap, I didn't do a PPI. This was Craigslist find and I felt comfortable walking away with it for below KBB/NADA values. The
The vehicle is sound mechanically but needs a lot of cosmetic fixes. I figured I would start a build thread for this vehicle since I have brought a number of my Jeeps back from the brink of death by replacing parts and improving aspects, but never documented the progress. Hopefully I can actually follow through on my good intentions and actually continue to post updates as I go.
I'll post pics later (nothing you haven't seen - black exterior on black interior (it kind of looks like it has two tone leather with a black leather with blue inserts? Was that even an option?).
I went straight to the inspection station in VA. The inspector was a new guy at the place I normally go and let me walk around under the vehicle with him. Unfortunately, he failed it for the following four (4) items:
-Front wheel bearings have play in them - need to be rebuilt. The play on the passenger side front is noticeable, while the driver side seems fine. Honestly I think inspectors get way too picky with wheel bearings, as I am sure the amount of play in the bearings on this vehicle is negligible and safe to drive on, but oh well it will be good to firm up the front end again. I am estimating my costs to be $100 for two re-build kits - my labor is $0 per hour ***QUESTION: I have replaced wheel bearings on my Jeeps before, but never re-built a wheel bearing. It doesn't look too bad - I found a good DIY on PelicanParts.com: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm. Is this a reasonable DIY for a shade tree mechanic with decent experience? Any tips on where to buy the replacement kits - I like RMEuropean and have good experiences with them in the past***
-Headlights are standard halogen with aftermarket HID - one of them is halogen one of them is HID actually - Why would the PO do this? The halogen side headlight is very hazy and not projecting enough light so it was failed for that. Anyways, I am planning to purchase a set of DEPO lights from Amazon:
and replace with HID for the low beams. ***QUESTION: Since I have a pre-facelift model, this looks pretty easy. How many hours do you think it takes to change both headlights?***
-Front passenger side AMG monoblock rim is bent and the tire has a big chunk out of the sidewall when the OP's girlfriend dinged it on a curb parking in the city (supposedly). Thankfully there is a full replacement tire and rim in the trunk that I am hoping I can swap in to get it pass inspection.
-The trunk passenger lights above the reverse light (the little ones in the red section of the two trunk lights - just above the clear reverse lights). Given the fact that the reverse lights lit up and the brake lights worked fine, I figured these additional little red lights had some other switch I haven't figured out yet. ***QUESTION: Should the red lights on the trunk light up with the brake pedal being depressed or are they wired to another switch?***
Once I get the vehicle to pass inspection, I am hoping to get to the following in the next few months. I will certainly try to do most of these myself, unless you guys recommend to go with a professional.
>Bend one of the exhaust tips back into place (slight skewed) with channel lock pliers
>Change transmission fluid and filter with MB fluid (I know this is a complex process but I already have a infrared thermo and just need the dipstick), flush coolant and replace with Zerex G-05 (still need to confirm that is correct), change oil with Mobil 1 Ow-40
>Replace chipping wood burl trim cover on shifter gate. The OP had a replacement piece but it is the wrong wood burl (chestnut instead of smoked)
>Have headliner re-done - sagging in the rear
>Unfortunately this vehicle does have the dreaded dash cracking in several places. It doesn't bother me terribly yet since I accept that this is an old car I got a good deal on. Will need to research this further and see what I want to do.
>Considering wrapping the wood trim in some type of vinyl as the trim is looking a bit dated and worse for the wear.
>Shuddering when braking. Assuming replacing the wheel bearings doesn't fix it I will look at the sway bars,*sway*bar*bushings,*ball joints, control arms, etc.
For now, I just got the plates on it so I will focus on passing safety inspection and then clean it top to bottom so that it can spend time in my garage this winter and be driven on nice days.
Anyways - thanks for any input you can be provide. It's nice to be back in the AMG club and look forward to seeing you around the forum.
The front wheel bearings should have a very small amount of "play" in them.
The "lights" on the trunk are just reflectors, the one on the right side however DOES light up, pull the headlight switch out two clicks.. it is a rear fog light.
On the trim, I do believe it is actually birds eye maple, at least it is in my 01.
I would clean up the stock headlights and remove the hid setup, the 3M headlight restoration kit works very well. The depo projectors, from what I have researched have horrible light patterns.
With that all said, enjoy the car! They are a lot of fun, and practical to keep the wife happy! They are also very reliable, I am just about to "spin" my odometer over to 254k miles, still runs and drives amazingly.
Thanks for the responses. The inspector determined wheel bearing failure the way I have seen most people do it, lift the vehicle and push and pull on the front wheel with hands at 12 and 6, and again at 9 and 3 (referring an analog clock). I felt like he was being particularly forceful with this test, but admittedly the front passenger wheel bearing had a good amount of play (wheel could be pushed about 1/4" in either direction) whereas the drive side had nearly no play. I noticed some minor vibrations at highway speeds which I hope the new wheel bearings I will be installing should fix.
I know this is lazy of me but I went for full replacement wheel bearings instead of the rebuild kits as it will just be faster for me to get the job done. With Mercedes I typically I only use OEM parts but rather than the Mercedes part (# 2103300325) I went with Febi Bilstein replacement wheel bearings (# 28384).
I already purchased the depo headlights. I had aftermarket HIDs in both of my Crossfires and while the light pattern wasn't perfect, it was a much cleaner look than my halogen bulbs and brighter. I have restored many headlights without issue but I want projector lights. Will post pics of my repairs as they happen.
In anticipation of getting started on the vehicle I have purchased the following:
>DEPO projector headlights with 5000k low beam HIDs
>New General Max As-03 245/40-18 tire for the front passenger wheel that failed inspection - planned to have it mounted onto the perfect AMG monoblock spare rim in my trunk (BTW if anyone is looking for a brand new Michelin Pilot Sport in the same size for the front wheel let me know - will be selling it on Craigslist soon)
>Mobil 1 0w-40 and Mann Hummel oil filter for fresh oil change
>The following motherload from RMEuropean for transmission fluid service, spark plug replacement (didn't buy a new wire set but if they are in bad shape I will replace the wires as well), and for differential fluid service:
16 004159190326_BER_D4A8868E Spark Plug - Bosch FR-8-DPP-33+ (7422) Beru 14 F-8 DPURX02 (went with the non-resistor type after reading up on the factory plugs)
Now I just have to find time to install this stuff
I am about to adjust my wheel bearings using the dial method in WIS as I did the same methods to check for play and had some inconsistent movement between the 2 sides. In your case I would probably replace the whole hub too given the age and mileage of the car if you had 1/4" play.
Wires, I think that given the age and mileage, replacement would have been a good option unless you knew they have been replaced before recently. The 17mm tool is an absolute necessity IMO. I opted for the swivel head socket but since my valve gasket covers were off, I did not need it as much as I had more room. I think break the spark loose and spin by hand (same for install) otherwise you will ratchet to death. In my case my back gave me that suggestion.
Yes I am replacing the entire hub on both sides of the front axle.
I spent nearly two hours reading about spark plugs yesterday and I still can't figure out if my pre-facelift '99 E55 should be running "non-resistor" or "resistor" spark plugs. I searched this forum and benzworld without a definitive answer. It seems like post-facelift models use the "resistor" model while the "non resistor" version was applicable for pre-2000 MY models.
The Bi-Xenon puts a hurt on the pocketbook($1350 to $1900 per pair and then you need to purchase the igniters at $400 each); halogen are about 1/3rd the cost. I lucked out and purchased a replacement Bi-Xenon lens-cover-only off Ebay for $125. I'm awaiting delivery of the other full headlight assembly from Lativa of all places. Still, <$200. I'll let you know if it doesn't arrive....
Headliner:
Use a staple gun and 1/8" staples. I owned my '99 for three months before I realized staples were keeping the rear of the headliner from sagging. There is a link to replacing the headliner and I've referenced it several times. Plan on a weekend to replace the headliner and have a garage and placing your dining room off-limits to your family.
Monoblock rims:
Bite the bullet and have them all repaired and refinished. I paid $150 each for repair, refinish, and tire mount/balance. Best $600 I spent. The car looks great! Search under my early posts and you'll see the difference between before and after repair.
Shuddering when braking:
Start with new brake pads and rotors but be prepared to completely rebuild the front end if you plan on keeping your car for 10 years or 100K miles. Decide if you want to purchase the tools and do it yourself or purchase the parts and pay a shop to do the rebuild.
Check the stickies for the W210 here and at the other MB site. The stickies were invaluable for me. I dropped about $3100 in paint (clear-coat separation within months of my buying the car), bodywork, and wheel restoration on my W210 E55. The rear and front suspension I did myself and I purchased a Xentry DAS to troubleshoot the car. Well worth it for a car of which only 1300 or so were ever produced.
Thanks for the information! Thankfully the front brakes (both rotors and pads) look relatively new, so do the rears. I was actually starting to experience the shuddering while braking in my SRT6 and it was worn out components in my front suspension. I likely will plan to overhaul the front suspension myself if I feel comfortable with it next year.
For tonight k just realized the Febi Bilstein wheel hubs I purchased do not include the outer wheel bearing so I am trying to sort that out now.
The monoblocks are actually in decent shape except for the front passenger side!
On the headliner I will definitely do the staple (or I opted for matching color thumb tacks in my Crossfire) method to fix it.
Hey Fellas - Changed out both front wheel hubs and bearings last night.
So I was wrong about the bearings I ordered in my prior post, Febi Bilstein Part # 28384 was an exact replacement wheel hub for my 1999 E-55 that came pre-packed and pre-greased (generously) with both the outer and inner bearings. Again, I posted this below but the Mercedes part # for the wheel hub and bearings is 2103300325.
I know some might say it is a time-honored tradition to re-build your existing bearings, but I would very much recommend saving yourself the time and effort and simply going for new hubs with pre-packed bearings.
Having changed wheel hubs before on my Jeeps, this was not a hard project, even for a DIY first-timer (which I am not), but you need a few tools your average DIYourselfer may not have on-hand. Those are:
>5mm allen head socket (used for both hub nut and rotor bolt), though I got away with a comparably sized Torx bit
>2-3' metal tube to break loose the bolts holding the caliper bracket to the back of the hub assembly
>7 or 8? mm allen head socket for caliper bolts (the ones behind the plastic dust caps)
>For removing the wheel hub dust cap (which is the metal "dome" covering the hub nut), I tried a number of solutions before settling on a multi-purpose chisel I had in my inventory (looks like the image directly below). A few well-placed wacks on the lip of the seal (after removing the rotors) and a little penetrating oil the caps popped right off.
Chisel I used for removing the wheel hub dust caps:
The first hub replacement took me about 3 hours but I was taking my time, figuring out how to break free the rotor from the hub and the dust cap from the hub, as well as breaking loose the caliper bracket bolts. The second replacement took me about 45 minutes knowing exactly what needed to be done. Additionally, the bulk of the time in doing this is removing the existing brakes so you can access the hub. Replacing the hub itself is like a 5 minute ordeal.
I am glad I replaced my hubs as well as they were heavily oxidized and ready for replacement. See new versus old hub:
Additionally, I was pleased to see the Febi Bilstein part seemed to be an exact replacement for the Mercedes hub, and was stamped as manufactured in Germany:
If you have any questions about the process, let me know. The DIY instructions I used to complete this are found in my prior posts.
I also received my DEPO headlights yesterday and they appear to be quality (not Mercedes quality, but as good as I expected for two replica headlights with bulbs costing $180).
I was very relieved to see the plastic lens of the DEPO housing are stamped "DOT", and the DEPO packaging touts the fact that they are DOT compliant.
Will post up more pics of before and after - once I get around to installing.
the light output from the depos with halogen bulbs is not that great. I ran them for a year before I swapped in e55 projectors and an HID kit. The out put with retrofitted projectors makes the stock xenons seem dim.
the light output from the depos with halogen bulbs is not that great. I ran them for a year before I swapped in e55 projectors and an HID kit. The out put with retrofitted projectors makes the stock xenons seem dim.
the light output from the depos with halogen bulbs is not that great. I ran them for a year before I swapped in e55 projectors and an HID kit. The out put with retrofitted projectors makes the stock xenons seem dim.
Thanks I touched on my thoughts on this in a prior post but I want the clean look of projector housings and I am going run HIDs in them in lieu of halogens. I have run this set up before and was content with it. It certainly will help give the front end a more modern look.
Last night I got my matching tire mounted on my spare AMG Monoblock rim and swapped that out for the “chunked” tire and rim.
Separately, I tackled the headlights.
So it turns out that contrary to what I thought, my vehicle DOES HAVE THE FACTORY XENON kit. After tearing into my headlights and coming to this realization, I had to decide the right course of action, whether to simply polish up the old headlights and return the DEPOs, install the DEPOs with aftermarket projector HIDs and sell the xenon lights, or retrofit the xenon lights to my DEPOs.
Here is a shot of the back of my headlight (sorry it is upside down) showing the factory ballasts and xenon set up for a 1999 E-55 AMG). For some reason I thought the w210 E55 had the “shutter” xenon set up where the shutter raises for the high beams. It does not appear that is the case – it’s just a simple D2R HID setup for the low beam.
FACTORY SETUP
I went with the refrofit and it was not too hard (albeit time consuming figuring out the best way to do it). I basically extracted the wiring harness, xenon bulb, and ballast from the factory lights, and swapped it in place of the DEPO wiring harness for the halogen bulb. To get the factory xenon bulb to seat correctly in the DEPO housing, which has a different shaped concave on the rear of the headlight where the low beam enters the housing, I was able to secure the factory xenon light by (Mercedes purists, please forgive me), using three strategically placed zip ties on the clearish orange mounting bracket screw holes that sit around the factory bulb, and zip tying those to pre-drilled holes in the base of the concave on the rear side of the headlight where the low beam enters the housing. It’s hard to explain this in writing and I forgot to take a picture of how I did it – but it worked – the xenon bulbs were safe and very secure in their new housings. The rest of the OEM harness plugged right in to the existing DEPO bulb locations.
Here are a few BEFORE shots:
Pretty heavy oxidation – easy to restore – but I was looking for projector housings
Light pattern before new headlights (note there is an issue with either the driver's side factory bulb or ballast - the colors of both bulbs don't match right now - was like this when I bought it):
And some AFTER shots:
I apologize I forgot to post an AFTER shot of the light pattern - will do so later. I'll make a separate post about why my driver's side light is discolored.
One yellow, one white - Issue with OEM Xenon Ballast or Bulb?
I posted a picture below before installing new headlight housings. When I bought the car the driver's side low beam output was yellow (like a 4300K HID), whereas the passenger side was more of a white (like a 5000K HID). I didn't know what was going on - but after dismantling the assemblies - the wiring and bulbs looked all factory.
Do you guys know how easy it is to swap the bulbs off of the factory ballasts? Separately, is there a good source for D2R bulbs that will be a direct replacement for the OEM xenon ballast?
I am going to assume I will need to replace both sides to make sure the color is matched.
Picture of what I am talking about (pre-headlight housing swap - light pattern is much crisper now):
I posted a picture below before installing new headlight housings. When I bought the car the driver's side low beam output was yellow (like a 4300K HID), whereas the passenger side was more of a white (like a 5000K HID). I didn't know what was going on - but after dismantling the assemblies - the wiring and bulbs looked all factory. Do you guys know how easy it is to swap the bulbs off of the factory ballasts? Separately, is there a good source for D2R bulbs that will be a direct replacement for the OEM xenon ballast? I am going to assume I will need to replace both sides to make sure the color is matched. Picture of what I am talking about (pre-headlight housing swap - light pattern is much crisper now):
I figured out how to do this - for some reason I thought the red plug on the back of the bulb was permanently affixed to to the OEM bulbs. You just twist a quarter turn on the red plug and it comes off the bulb.
Separately, the bulb on the driver's side was the culprit. I swapped in the passenger side bulb and it remained a nice crisp white. I purchased two new D2C (fits both D2R and D2S applications) from Amazon (Maxlux brand) and will be installing them this week.
I figured out how to do this - for some reason I thought the red plug on the back of the bulb was permanently affixed to to the OEM bulbs. You just twist a quarter turn on the red plug and it comes off the bulb.
Separately, the bulb on the driver's side was the culprit. I swapped in the passenger side bulb and it remained a nice crisp white. I purchased two new D2C (fits both D2R and D2S applications) from Amazon (Maxlux brand) and will be installing them this week.
Mine appeared orange but during my installation of bulbs I snapped one of the grip prongs. It still secured but its one of those things that irks me.
I also bought the Maxlux (5k) back in Jan and have not experienced any issues. The light is whiter with a hint of blue. I am interested to see how it turns out with your projectors. They do have a tiny bit of a break in period till they become diamond white.
Last edited by Tall Giraffe; 12-16-2014 at 11:55 AM.
Mine appeared orange but during my installation of bulbs I snapped one of the grip prongs. It still secured but its one of those things that irks me.
I also bought the Maxlux (5k) back in Jan and have not experienced any issues. The light is whiter with a hint of blue. I am interested to see how it turns out with your projectors. They do have a tiny bit of a break in period till they become diamond white.
Thanks for the feedback - good to hear you have had good experience with the Maxlux bulbs. I went with the 5,000K as well.
Even with the gripped prong broken I would think the metal bracket would hold the bulb in place firmly (unless I am thinking of an incorrect part)?
After installing my DEPO projectors with the OEM xenon retrofit my driver's side fog light was out. I could not see an issue with the connections. After doing some reading, even though the connector between the wiring harness in the engine bay and the connector that runs to the fog light seemed fine, lightly corroded, it ended up being the connector that was too corroded. I said to hell with this and just cut out the connector and spliced the two wires. Fog light looks great!
Changed the differential fluid. Questionable the last time it had been serviced, if at all since the factory - the fill plug was thoroughly oxidized and rusted/sealed shut. I had to use a three foot length of hollow pipe on my 1/2" wrench to break it loose. Drain plug was easier. I have Jeeps so this job was too easy - definitely an easy DiY job for any shade tree. I took out about 1.3 liters and replaced with 1.6 liters or so.
My Maxlux bulbs went in last night (see pic) - look great. Let's see how long they last.
Also, for anyone who is still actually following this build thread, I'll share my secret license plate mounting technique - 3M velcro adhesive (same stuff used for EZPass on your windshield). I have used this stuff to adhere several license plates to my various vehicles and in each case, the adhesive has outlasted my ownership of the vehicle without issue. Plus - it peels right off when you are done with it (when you sell the vehicle) - typically without leaving any residue and it won't damage the paint at all. Great stuff!
For the E55, because of the curvature of the front bumper, I stuck four pieces of the stuff side by side about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the license plate. It's firmly on there (see pic above and below of the 3M adhesive I am talking about). I used the black version of the stuff but it also comes in a clear color if you're vehicle is silver or white.
Available on Amazon as well as your local Staples and Office Depot.
12-05-2014, 12:31 PM
***QUESTION: I have replaced wheel bearings on my Jeeps before, but never re-built a wheel bearing. It doesn't look too bad - I found a good DIY on PelicanParts.com: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...eplacement.htm. Is this a reasonable DIY for a shade tree mechanic with decent experience? Any tips on where to buy the replacement kits - I like RMEuropean and have good experiences with them in the past***
- Why would the PO do this? The halogen side headlight is very hazy and not projecting enough light so it was failed for that. Anyways, I am planning to purchase a set of DEPO lights from Amazon:
and replace with HID for the low beams. ***QUESTION: Since I have a pre-facelift model, this looks pretty easy. How many hours do you think it takes to change both headlights?***
