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aquawaters, I strongly recommend you modify your default position from "that guy just insulted and disrespected me" to "maybe that guy really is trying to assist me and I should hear him out before I start yelling at him". It is in the realm of possibility that some of us here do know somewhat of that of which we speak. Your edited comment made me loath to respond with any assistance. Against my first impression, I will grant you the benefit of a doubt and will attempt anyway. FWIW, I like to think I'm pretty good with the W210 and W211 chassis but E55Greasemonkey makes me feel like an amateur. And if you think he's in the slightest way abrasive (which he is not) just wait until Plutoe weighs in on one of your posts.
-From the estimate, the prices are running 50% to 100% above dealer and quality aftermarket prices (comparing to my previous receipts). Valve cover job does not pass the "smell test" but that's my opinion. My back-of-the-envelope estimate is parts cost should be between $2K and $3K. Most of the labor hours seem reasonable; I could quibble with the motor mounts but the driver's side is a PITA (easiest to drop the steering rack).
-Why pay $9/quart for motor oil when one can purchase a large jug of Mobil1 0w-40 at Walmart for ~$5/quart? Order a case of the fleece filters for about $8 to $10 a filter.
-You messed up not doing the plug wires and now the work has to be performed twice. You'll need a Mercedes spark plug boot removal wrench and will have to unbolt the coil packs (to provide clearance to swing the wrench). Don't forget the dielectric grease and I recommend you have one or two spare new plugs on hand because it is possible to snap a spark plug in half during this process. Go the W210 AMG sub-forum to the post "spark plug wires" and you'll find my list of spark plug wire part numbers that correspond to location. If you look closely in the photo you'll see the spark plug I broke in half while removing the wires. https://mbworld.org/forums/w210-amg/...ml#post8316034
-If you do brakes, cost from ECS Tuning, FCP Euro, Pelican Parts, or Autohaus should be about half of that quoted. STAR is preferred to perform a brake job. No matter what, disable or disconnect the SBC pump! Otherwise you'll have the brake pads out, rotors off, and then someone opens a car door and the system activates and blows caliper pistons onto the floor or, worse, your fingers are caught underneath (System activates with ~1000 psi). Ensure the system re-enables properly *before* you put the car in gear! Have a parking brake kit on hand just in case it is needed. All caliper bolts are one-time use, you need to run a tap through the threads to clean out the old encapsulation before installing the new bolts. FWIW, I did mine at 140K miles and could have gone to 170K or even 180K based on pad and rotor wear.
-At 143,000 miles, I recommend you rebuild the entire front suspension with the exception of the inner tie rods.
-Do you have all service records? If not, if the car was serviced by a reputable independent or dealer, all services will be stored in the Central Gateway and can be retrieved with STAR.
-Were the fuel pumps and filter/regulator replaced at 120K miles? If not, replace now for the low, low price of $1000 in parts. Three generation of filter/regulators, two generations of fuel pumps; they are not all compatible with each other and the latest generations require adapter cables to the OEM harness (failure to do so risks blowing your engine). Also, your car has the single low-amperage relay that will melt (along with the harness).
-Install a supercharger clutch scattershield from LM21 here on the forum. If a "dog-bone" spring lets loose, it will buzz saw right through the adjacent oil lines.
-Do NOT have the key fob in the ignition switch (or within two meters of the car if Keyless-Go) when connecting jumper cables or installing a main battery. With key fob inserted or within range, the circuits are energized and the arcing of the cables can blow fuses and/or damage modules.
-Search (upper right, threads, advanced) for good information.
-Go to this post, download the attachments, then follow the links and *read* everything! https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post8314862
-W211 AMG does NOT have the same fuse/relay configuration as the W211 non-AMG. Info is on this forum, search for it.
-Good info here: http://www.hehlhans.de/motorg55-7.htm
-If the greased rear bearings in the supercharger go bad, replacements come out of Japan via an Australian E55 specialist and/or an Australian bearing warehouse.. Custom bearings (seriously). If not in stock, work up a group buy, submit the order to the Australian distributor, and the factory should make a custom run of bearings in six months or so. Don't laugh, this is what others and I did several years ago. And this is the reason I will not put a fixed pulley on my supercharger. Front bearings are in an oil bath, rear bearings are greased and designed for intermittent use and still go bad. IMO, a fixed pulley is running the rear bearings at a 100% duty cycle and will cause earlier failure.
FWIW, I have close to 80MB of technical documentation on the W211. If interested in it, PM me your email address and I'll get around to sending you about a dozen emails with that info.
And please play nice with others. This is a great place to hang out.
Thank you for thisbin depth response, I really appreciate. yes I can be snarky but i dont intend to argue with people on here, I came to learn. Im sure Grease monkey knows what he is talking about, i just didnt appreciate the way he came at me or making assumptions about me. No hard feelings there and at the end of the day i dont let strangers opinions of me on the internet affect me.
I dont have all service records just carfax but it shows alot of maintenance done at a mercedes dealership over the years. invluding the gas tank.
Yes I will be more polite, I try to be respectful, and again I appreciate everyones input in educating me on the things I dont know about. I would love to be an active member in the community, I just dont appreciate when others assume that I’m like some kid that bought a car he cant afford and isnt willing to work on it. I have kept up 6 beamers before off my own budget which was next to nothing. Its insulting to me when someone assumes that I bought the car because it was cheap and I am not informed of what i was getting into or cant afford or willing to put in the work to keep it running. I do alot of research and will spend all day in the outside florida heat changing a pump no matter how long it takes me. so for anyone to talk to me like im just some kid whos in over his head is insulting to me because I am not that. When You assume that, it disregards my love for these cars. I love these german cars it is therapy for me, and for anyone to just dismiss me and say “oh yea ur must anither kid ruining an e55, ur in over ur head” no thats not true, ur assuming that and its insulting to me. I will DIY whatever i gotta do even if its a pain and takes me all day and i am sweating bleeding whatever idc cuz whn i drive it love it that much. so thats where that defense reaction comes from. hopefully you guys can understand that
It has been said already but looking at the list these are common issues but the prices are crazy hi. also there is no need to replace the valve covers, just the gaskets. Also the rear main seal is going to leak. if your not loosing a qt + of oil between changes it is fine. These cars like to self lubricate. lol
aquawaters, multiple times we have seen new members come in shocked by the costs. You, coming from the BMW world, seem to be aware of the pitfalls. Others, however, were shocked by the costs to restore the car. See the following post for an example that would curl the hair of some 19-year old with no mechanical skills who just bought a "cheap Mercedes AMG". https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post8321651
After you've been here awhile, you'll recognize those new owners and be asking them, "Are you sure you can afford this?" Not meant in a bad way, just trying to make sure they are aware of what they are getting into.
Keep us informed of what you are doing to your car. If you can't find a DIY, make one yourself and post it here for others to use.
LOL thats a good point, like e55greasemonkey said earlier, there have been many of young guys probably just run them to the dirt bc they did no research. If I had just on whim purchased an e63 because it was cheap then read that post thread you shares, yeah, I might actually crack my pants especially where i was financially at 19 lololol.
With that said you are right, I understand the trade off that comes with these kind of cars, I remember my 2nd bmw the cooling system blew up on me on the way home from buying it (which I did end up fixing myself after hours of research on youtube waiting for parts to arrive from FCP Euro). I am not new to german car issues, so im glad you recognize that. I have lurked these kinds of forums since I was 17 and was having isssus with my $500 honda 11 cars ago. So I appreciate the concern but yes I do know what I am getting into, so maybe thats why the repair bill is comical to me, because paying that much to repair a car just doesnt seem like a smart financial decision unless your time is literally so valuable that it would cost you to spend time working on the car, but I am not there....yet.
Now that I am home, I wanted to share the CarFax that is full of a lot of service history especially from the first owner (no suprise, warranty.) the good part is he owned it for quite a while and a few significant thing got replaced including the fuel tank and crankshaft positioning sensor. Its not clear to clear t if anything the second owner did snd the 3rd who is the guy I bought it off claimed to have it serviced at this garage but I could tell He had started to neglect it. and barely drove it for the last year or so. The damage on it actually turned out to be pretty minor but I guess he got their insurance to re do the whole front bumper and and some other stuff.
aquawaters, I strongly recommend you modify your default position from "that guy just insulted and disrespected me" to "maybe that guy really is trying to assist me and I should hear him out before I start yelling at him". It is in the realm of possibility that some of us here do know somewhat of that of which we speak. Your edited comment made me loath to respond with any assistance. Against my first impression, I will grant you the benefit of a doubt and will attempt anyway. FWIW, I like to think I'm pretty good with the W210 and W211 chassis but E55Greasemonkey makes me feel like an amateur. And if you think he's in the slightest way abrasive (which he is not) just wait until Plutoe weighs in on one of your posts.
-From the estimate, the prices are running 50% to 100% above dealer and quality aftermarket prices (comparing to my previous receipts). Valve cover job does not pass the "smell test" but that's my opinion. My back-of-the-envelope estimate is parts cost should be between $2K and $3K. Most of the labor hours seem reasonable; I could quibble with the motor mounts but the driver's side is a PITA (easiest to drop the steering rack).
-Why pay $9/quart for motor oil when one can purchase a large jug of Mobil1 0w-40 at Walmart for ~$5/quart? Order a case of the fleece filters for about $8 to $10 a filter.
-You messed up not doing the plug wires and now the work has to be performed twice. You'll need a Mercedes spark plug boot removal wrench and will have to unbolt the coil packs (to provide clearance to swing the wrench). Don't forget the dielectric grease and I recommend you have one or two spare new plugs on hand because it is possible to snap a spark plug in half during this process. Go the W210 AMG sub-forum to the post "spark plug wires" and you'll find my list of spark plug wire part numbers that correspond to location. If you look closely in the photo you'll see the spark plug I broke in half while removing the wires. https://mbworld.org/forums/w210-amg/...ml#post8316034
-If you do brakes, cost from ECS Tuning, FCP Euro, Pelican Parts, or Autohaus should be about half of that quoted. STAR is preferred to perform a brake job. No matter what, disable or disconnect the SBC pump! Otherwise you'll have the brake pads out, rotors off, and then someone opens a car door and the system activates and blows caliper pistons onto the floor or, worse, your fingers are caught underneath (System activates with ~1000 psi). Ensure the system re-enables properly *before* you put the car in gear! Have a parking brake kit on hand just in case it is needed. All caliper bolts are one-time use, you need to run a tap through the threads to clean out the old encapsulation before installing the new bolts. FWIW, I did mine at 140K miles and could have gone to 170K or even 180K based on pad and rotor wear.
-At 143,000 miles, I recommend you rebuild the entire front suspension with the exception of the inner tie rods.
-Do you have all service records? If not, if the car was serviced by a reputable independent or dealer, all services will be stored in the Central Gateway and can be retrieved with STAR.
-Were the fuel pumps and filter/regulator replaced at 120K miles? If not, replace now for the low, low price of $1000 in parts. Three generation of filter/regulators, two generations of fuel pumps; they are not all compatible with each other and the latest generations require adapter cables to the OEM harness (failure to do so risks blowing your engine). Also, your car has the single low-amperage relay that will melt (along with the harness).
-Install a supercharger clutch scattershield from LM21 here on the forum. If a "dog-bone" spring lets loose, it will buzz saw right through the adjacent oil lines.
-Do NOT have the key fob in the ignition switch (or within two meters of the car if Keyless-Go) when connecting jumper cables or installing a main battery. With key fob inserted or within range, the circuits are energized and the arcing of the cables can blow fuses and/or damage modules.
-Search (upper right, threads, advanced) for good information.
-Go to this post, download the attachments, then follow the links and *read* everything! https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post8314862
-W211 AMG does NOT have the same fuse/relay configuration as the W211 non-AMG. Info is on this forum, search for it.
-Good info here: http://www.hehlhans.de/motorg55-7.htm
-If the greased rear bearings in the supercharger go bad, replacements come out of Japan via an Australian E55 specialist and/or an Australian bearing warehouse.. Custom bearings (seriously). If not in stock, work up a group buy, submit the order to the Australian distributor, and the factory should make a custom run of bearings in six months or so. Don't laugh, this is what others and I did several years ago. And this is the reason I will not put a fixed pulley on my supercharger. Front bearings are in an oil bath, rear bearings are greased and designed for intermittent use and still go bad. IMO, a fixed pulley is running the rear bearings at a 100% duty cycle and will cause earlier failure.
FWIW, I have close to 80MB of technical documentation on the W211. If interested in it, PM me your email address and I'll get around to sending you about a dozen emails with that info.
And please play nice with others. This is a great place to hang out.
So now that I am home and not on my phone I want to again so thanks for in depth tips and I also have a couple questions, some may sound silly but like I said, I don't know jack so please forgive me
- First what exactly is this STAR that everyone refers too? I am assuming it is a special kind if scan tool, does only one company mkae it? and how expensive are they?
- I would ask how to disconnect the SBC but I'm quite positive there is a DIY on that somewhere here
- I Don't know if the fuel pump/regulator has been replaced although on the Carfax it show's there were definitely a couple fuel related repairs under warranty.
- In your point about harnesses and and pumps and adapter cables, Where can I find clear information about this so i can understand exactly what you are talking about?
- Superchargers bearings, I have heard alot about this, what is the big deal about it, i will say you are talking to someone who doesnt know what a "fixed pulley" is if I am being honest. I have limited knwoledge on superchargers although I research them before i purchased the car.
- Another silly question, what exactly is a parking break kit and what does "All caliper bolts are one-time use, you need to run a tap through the threads to clean out the old encapsulation before installing the new bolts" mean
Sorry for the absolute noob quesions but if you answer any its greatly appreciated and thanks again for taking the time to respond despite your initial reaction to me.
EDIT: That checklist PDF is a GODSEND thank you for sharing that
Last edited by aguawaters; Apr 23, 2021 at 11:52 PM.
Reason: add appreciation
LOL thats a good point, like e55greasemonkey said earlier, there have been many of young guys probably just run them to the dirt bc they did no research. If I had just on whim purchased an e63 because it was cheap then read that post thread you shares, yeah, I might actually crack my pants especially where i was financially at 19 lololol.
With that said you are right, I understand the trade off that comes with these kind of cars, I remember my 2nd bmw the cooling system blew up on me on the way home from buying it (which I did end up fixing myself after hours of research on youtube waiting for parts to arrive from FCP Euro). I am not new to german car issues, so im glad you recognize that. I have lurked these kinds of forums since I was 17 and was having isssus with my $500 honda 11 cars ago. So I appreciate the concern but yes I do know what I am getting into, so maybe thats why the repair bill is comical to me, because paying that much to repair a car just doesnt seem like a smart financial decision unless your time is literally so valuable that it would cost you to spend time working on the car, but I am not there....yet.
One of the the reasons the cost of the aquiring one of these cars is attractive to the so called foolish 19 y.o. is that the cost of repairs is now mostly prohibitve if provided by a shop. Current resale prices and those costs on a car of this age are directly linked. While the estimate you received is debatable as to its validity, it does show why a non-technical owner may decide to just dump the car. And that sounds like exactly what happended in your situation.
The Star system you have heard about is the MB scan/diagnostic tool. It is miles ahead of the typical scan tool that only reports fault codes of the engine and maybe a couple other modules. This is a fully interactive tool that queries every module and report a fault code or other information, detail what faults are listed, provide diagnostic steps to confirm the fault, and even show you pictures of where the offending issue is located (such as a short at connector ##/Y. It will allow reprograming of modules and replacement modules. No other tool is able to do what Star does with these cars. Most here thinks that if you are really going to repair and maintain your own car you need to have Star. Brake work is only the tip of that iceberg.
To disconnect SBC - leave the hood, door and trunk open. Put the key in your pocket (if the car does not have keyless starting) and when the car has fully shut down (asleep) disconnect the large SBC connector on the ABS module under the hood. If the car is brought out of sleep mode with the SBC disconnected fault codes are set. By having the hood, doors and trunck open you have minimized the chance of accidently waking the car before you are done doing the work.
To check on the fuel pumps remove the rear seat cushion and remove the two round covers over the fuel pumps in the tank. From there you should be able to confirms some of the part numbers.
Fixed vs clutched pulley - the car came with a clutched pulley. It engages the SC when the load on the engine has been reached. So, it engages and disengages as needed. A fixed pulley has no clutch and the SC is always providing boost. This can put more wear and tear on the SC.
Parking brake kit - the suggestion is to have that kit on hand (shoes, springs, ect) so while you are replacing rotors and find the PB is ready for replacement you will not have to put the car back together while you wait for parts to arrive. If the PB can wait until the next time you are replacing rotors then just hold on to the PB parts until then. Caliper bolts are 'one time' use and have lock tight on them. The thread tap is to clean out the lock tight residue so the new bolts can do the job correctly. Some people find new words in their vocabulary trying to get those caliper bolts broken loose and removed.
There is a wealth of discussion on this forum dealing with all of these and every other issue. Time for lots of reading and searching and more reading. Good luck.
- First what exactly is this STAR that everyone refers too? I am assuming it is a special kind if scan tool, does only one company mkae it? and how expensive are they? http://www.mercedesmedic.com/mercede...-need-to-know/ Be advised if you obtain a system with the "Developer's Kit" you can perform many, many things to your car to customize it but in ignorance can "brick" it so it is dead, dead, dead. If that happens, you need to contact an expert.
- I would ask how to disconnect the SBC but I'm quite positive there is a DIY on that somewhere here Use STAR to disable the SBC. Or you can unplug it; this will give you the red message of death on the instrument cluster until the system power cycles. It will store a failure code that must be erased.
Download the pdf file that is linked in the following post. Everything you need to know in one technical document. It is a complicated computer controlled "brake-by-wire" system. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post8168267
- I Don't know if the fuel pump/regulator has been replaced although on the Carfax it show's there were definitely a couple fuel related repairs under warranty. If the fuel tank was replaced that assembly includes the driver's side filter/regulator and the passenger side dual fuel pumps. Still, filter/regulator assembly (and I also recommend fuel pumps) should be replaced every 60,000 miles.
- In your point about harnesses and and pumps and adapter cables, Where can I find clear information about this so i can understand exactly what you are talking about? That information, to include a parts diagram, is in one of the threads to which I referred you. "W211 E55 fuel tank replacement. Verify parts!" is the thread title. The thread about fuel pump relay and fuse maintenance will provide info on how to upgrade your fuel pump relay to a 70-amp relay. When the original relay fails it does not throw a code; failure mode can be car just quits, then restarts 15-20 minutes later, then quits again, repeat as many times as you want in rush hour traffic on the expressway. Or the car will just quit and maybe idle for a few seconds on start up then dies. Regulator on the filter is stamped 5.1 Bar, usually measures at 5.2 to 5.3 Bar pressure at idle. If, at full throttle pressure drops into the 3 Bar range, odds are that someone failed to add the adapter cable and one fuel pump is running backwards. Low fuel pressure, poor air/fuel ratio, possible detonation/melting/etc., "Boom!".
- Superchargers bearings, I have heard alot about this, what is the big deal about it, i will say you are talking to someone who doesnt know what a "fixed pulley" is if I am being honest. I have limited knwoledge on superchargers although I research them before i purchased the car. a1a) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ercharger.html
a1b) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post7827567
a2) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ere-items.html b)Stock supercharger pulley is clutched so it only engages the supercharger when the additional power is desired needed; supercharger does not engage at idle or low throttle situations. Weakness is the "dogbone" springs can fracture, break, and buzz saw through the oil lines next to the pulley, thus the recommendation to install LM21's scatter shield. Fixed pulley means the supercharger is always spinning be it at idle, part throttle, or full throttle; it never stops turning. VRP (Victory Road Performance) sells scatter shield, clutched pulleys, and fixed pulleys. Personally? I'll go with only the scatter shield and a clutched pulley. YMMV. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post6300956
- Another silly question, what exactly is a parking break kit and what does "All caliper bolts are one-time use, you need to run a tap through the threads to clean out the old encapsulation before installing the new bolts" mean a)Your car has 4-wheel disc brakes. The rear brakes, however, are literally a disc brake rotor (primary brakes) surrounding a drum brake (parking brake). When I pulled my rear rotors, I discovered the parking brake shoes on one side were missing the friction material; only the metal shoes remained. I lost three days use of my car as I had to order and await delivery of a replacement parking brake assembly. When replacing rear rotors/pads order the kit/assembly and have it on hand just in case . If not needed, return it.
b)By Mercedes WIS (Workshop Information System) you literally you can use the caliper bolts one time. When removed, throw them away and install new ones. The bolts have "micro-encapsulation compound" on the threads that act as thread locker. To ensure the new bolts torque to the proper value and stretch, you need to remove any of the micro-encapsulation compound from the previous bolt. Thus the need to run taps through the caliper bracket threads. For the rear use a "plug tap" because the brake shields are close to the exit of the caliper threaded hole; a regular tap will run into the brake shields before you can get the tap all the way through the hole. Front calipers you can use either a plug tap or a standard tap. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post8266690
- First what exactly is this STAR that everyone refers too? I am assuming it is a special kind if scan tool, does only one company mkae it? and how expensive are they? http://www.mercedesmedic.com/mercede...-need-to-know/ Be advised if you obtain a system with the "Developer's Kit" you can perform many, many things to your car to customize it but in ignorance can "brick" it so it is dead, dead, dead. If that happens, you need to contact an expert.
- I would ask how to disconnect the SBC but I'm quite positive there is a DIY on that somewhere here Use STAR to disable the SBC. Or you can unplug it; this will give you the red message of death on the instrument cluster until the system power cycles. It will store a failure code that must be erased.
Download the pdf file that is linked in the following post. Everything you need to know in one technical document. It is a complicated computer controlled "brake-by-wire" system. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post8168267
- I Don't know if the fuel pump/regulator has been replaced although on the Carfax it show's there were definitely a couple fuel related repairs under warranty. If the fuel tank was replaced that assembly includes the driver's side filter/regulator and the passenger side dual fuel pumps. Still, filter/regulator assembly (and I also recommend fuel pumps) should be replaced every 60,000 miles.
- In your point about harnesses and and pumps and adapter cables, Where can I find clear information about this so i can understand exactly what you are talking about? That information, to include a parts diagram, is in one of the threads to which I referred you. "W211 E55 fuel tank replacement. Verify parts!" is the thread title. The thread about fuel pump relay and fuse maintenance will provide info on how to upgrade your fuel pump relay to a 70-amp relay. When the original relay fails it does not throw a code; failure mode can be car just quits, then restarts 15-20 minutes later, then quits again, repeat as many times as you want in rush hour traffic on the expressway. Or the car will just quit and maybe idle for a few seconds on start up then dies. Regulator on the filter is stamped 5.1 Bar, usually measures at 5.2 to 5.3 Bar pressure at idle. If, at full throttle pressure drops into the 3 Bar range, odds are that someone failed to add the adapter cable and one fuel pump is running backwards. Low fuel pressure, poor air/fuel ratio, possible detonation/melting/etc., "Boom!".
- Superchargers bearings, I have heard alot about this, what is the big deal about it, i will say you are talking to someone who doesnt know what a "fixed pulley" is if I am being honest. I have limited knwoledge on superchargers although I research them before i purchased the car. a1a) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ercharger.html
a1b) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post7827567
a2) https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ere-items.html b)Stock supercharger pulley is clutched so it only engages the supercharger when the additional power is desired needed; supercharger does not engage at idle or low throttle situations. Weakness is the "dogbone" springs can fracture, break, and buzz saw through the oil lines next to the pulley, thus the recommendation to install LM21's scatter shield. Fixed pulley means the supercharger is always spinning be it at idle, part throttle, or full throttle; it never stops turning. VRP (Victory Road Performance) sells scatter shield, clutched pulleys, and fixed pulleys. Personally? I'll go with only the scatter shield and a clutched pulley. YMMV. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post6300956
- Another silly question, what exactly is a parking break kit and what does "All caliper bolts are one-time use, you need to run a tap through the threads to clean out the old encapsulation before installing the new bolts" mean a)Your car has 4-wheel disc brakes. The rear brakes, however, are literally a disc brake rotor (primary brakes) surrounding a drum brake (parking brake). When I pulled my rear rotors, I discovered the parking brake shoes on one side were missing the friction material; only the metal shoes remained. I lost three days use of my car as I had to order and await delivery of a replacement parking brake assembly. When replacing rear rotors/pads order the kit/assembly and have it on hand just in case . If not needed, return it.
b)By Mercedes WIS (Workshop Information System) you literally you can use the caliper bolts one time. When removed, throw them away and install new ones. The bolts have "micro-encapsulation compound" on the threads that act as thread locker. To ensure the new bolts torque to the proper value and stretch, you need to remove any of the micro-encapsulation compound from the previous bolt. Thus the need to run taps through the caliper bracket threads. For the rear use a "plug tap" because the brake shields are close to the exit of the caliper threaded hole; a regular tap will run into the brake shields before you can get the tap all the way through the hole. Front calipers you can use either a plug tap or a standard tap. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post8266690
thank you thank you thank you Cant thank you and everyone else enough for spending the time out of your day to explain these thing to me and providing resources. seriously, goes for everyone in this thread. I will he referring back to this thread alot for the coming months.
I rescind any comment I previously made about forum guys... maybe i was thinking of the porsche forums.. lol jk, but for real thank you all.
to clarify, I provided the parts, rather than purchase the coils and plugs from the mechanic, may i have wasted money on coils? possibly but I wanted peace of mind knowing the cars has fresh spark plugs and coils. Me not doing ENOUGH research, I didnt purchase wires ahead of times, so rather than be taxed by the mechanic for wires, I will buy them myself off fcp euro and then have them installed or do it myself if its not too daunting for me.
As far as i can tell for the moment, the wires work fine. will be changing soon though.
I bought ground beef and hamburger buns to my local McDonald’s so they can make me a hamburger.
One of the the reasons the cost of the aquiring one of these cars is attractive to the so called foolish 19 y.o. is that the cost of repairs is now mostly prohibitve if provided by a shop. Current resale prices and those costs on a car of this age are directly linked. While the estimate you received is debatable as to its validity, it does show why a non-technical owner may decide to just dump the car. And that sounds like exactly what happended in your situation.
The Star system you have heard about is the MB scan/diagnostic tool. It is miles ahead of the typical scan tool that only reports fault codes of the engine and maybe a couple other modules. This is a fully interactive tool that queries every module and report a fault code or other information, detail what faults are listed, provide diagnostic steps to confirm the fault, and even show you pictures of where the offending issue is located (such as a short at connector ##/Y. It will allow reprograming of modules and replacement modules. No other tool is able to do what Star does with these cars. Most here thinks that if you are really going to repair and maintain your own car you need to have Star. Brake work is only the tip of that iceberg.
To disconnect SBC - leave the hood, door and trunk open. Put the key in your pocket (if the car does not have keyless starting) and when the car has fully shut down (asleep) disconnect the large SBC connector on the ABS module under the hood. If the car is brought out of sleep mode with the SBC disconnected fault codes are set. By having the hood, doors and trunck open you have minimized the chance of accidently waking the car before you are done doing the work.
To check on the fuel pumps remove the rear seat cushion and remove the two round covers over the fuel pumps in the tank. From there you should be able to confirms some of the part numbers.
Fixed vs clutched pulley - the car came with a clutched pulley. It engages the SC when the load on the engine has been reached. So, it engages and disengages as needed. A fixed pulley has no clutch and the SC is always providing boost. This can put more wear and tear on the SC.
Parking brake kit - the suggestion is to have that kit on hand (shoes, springs, ect) so while you are replacing rotors and find the PB is ready for replacement you will not have to put the car back together while you wait for parts to arrive. If the PB can wait until the next time you are replacing rotors then just hold on to the PB parts until then. Caliper bolts are 'one time' use and have lock tight on them. The thread tap is to clean out the lock tight residue so the new bolts can do the job correctly. Some people find new words in their vocabulary trying to get those caliper bolts broken loose and removed.
There is a wealth of discussion on this forum dealing with all of these and every other issue. Time for lots of reading and searching and more reading. Good luck.
Your first point about the repair cost being directly liked to the depreciation is an excellent one and one I understand but learned very early that it omes at a cost wether it be getting your hands dirty or cash, but nothings free. I just fell in love with overall performance of german cars that I didnt care what I had to do to keep it on the road because driving it was sooo much better to me than cars like hondas and toyotas of what I was used too, and we all here know this, but I guess there are some that think that it comes at no cost and thats very foolish, obviously they did no research. I only became mecahnically inclined :"somewhat" because I wanted to keep my manual 325i on the road because it was just the first car that really showed me how much better German engineering was.
also my car has keyless entry so how do I disable the key to not waking the car? wrap it in tinfoil maybe? might work but seems sketch
should I be worried about my supercharger clutch going back? I believe it is stock but I sometimes hear w squeak when it engages if i have the windows down. If so is there an better replacement you would suggest?
Thanks for clearing up parking brake kit, now I get it, to do they have a tendency to go bad? if so how soon?
Ohh yea fuel pump stuff truuuust me I had the same exact problem with the beamer, I think I can already visualize what im looking for, luckily no gas smells *knock on wood?
One last question for all? do your guys breaks squeal like crazy at low speeds andt and what is the cause? just dirty rotors or bad pads?
Thanks again everyone
EDIT: just thought, maybe taking battery out of key right should work for keyless? forogt u can take the batterys out of benz keys
I bought ground beef and hamburger buns to my local McDonald’s so they can make me a hamburger.
the only difference is mcdonalds meat and buns are much cheaper than the **** i buy... so id be an idiot to do that. the mechanic marks me up 200-300% on parts so yea idc.
Coilovers ruin the ride quality of the E55, although I understand why people make the swap. I would never do it myself, I just bought new front and rear Arnott's, and a new oem compressor and valve block and now it's good for a very long time. Plus, I can raise the car so my long tube headers don't scrape over speed bumps.
I love the Arnott's coil overs I have now installed on my E55, ride is certainly a bit harder but is defiantly not ruined.
. . . my car has keyless entry so how do I disable the key to not waking the car?
I sometimes hear w squeak when it engages if i have the windows down.
breaks squeal like crazy at low speeds?
Keep the key far eneough away from the car while you are working on it that the key won't wake the car. I think you can permanently turn off the Keyless feature through Star.
Remove the SC belt and see if the squeal is still there. If is gone then the SC belt should be replaced and maybe the tensioner too. If you don't know the age of the belts and pulleys/tensions they should all be replaced. I think one of @bbirdwell posts had a thread on pulley/tensioner replacements. There are good details in there on options on quality pulleys/tensioners without spending a fortune.
Throw the key fob in a "Faraday pouch" and the car cannot "see" the key fob. I keep my key fobs in a faraday pouch at home to ensure someone cannot use a spoofing device and steal the car.
But when working on the car, just do as machild suggests and keep the key away from the car.
Sounds like you need to start working on the car yourself.
Beleove me I’ve laready started. The day I got I was too eager so I went and bought a jack and started changing fluids and amazoned a bosch IC pump and installed that too.
Working in it myself is something i am totally fone with especially the more I drove the car and fall in love with it.
Beleove me I’ve laready started. The day I got I was too eager so I went and bought a jack and started changing fluids and amazoned a bosch IC pump and installed that too.
Working in it myself is something i am totally fone with especially the more I drove the car and fall in love with it.
I must say also, As I am getting used to this car, You all know this, but just wow... The more i drive it, this car is effing amazing for what it is. The E55 is the ****. impresses me more and more as i drive it.
to clarify, I provided the parts, rather than purchase the coils and plugs from the mechanic, may i have wasted money on coils? possibly but I wanted peace of mind knowing the cars has fresh spark plugs and coils. Me not doing ENOUGH research, I didnt purchase wires ahead of times, so rather than be taxed by the mechanic for wires, I will buy them myself off fcp euro and then have them installed or do it myself if its not too daunting for me.
As far as i can tell for the moment, the wires work fine. will be changing soon though.
I had to replace a coil on my 63 s. Under warranty though.
Sounds as though this tech did you a favor, hes pretty much just given you a laundry list of things to work sort, all of which are reasonable IMO and things that degrade on 55s.
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