Local Indie can't solve problem
Discussion
Before l start, this is not a criticism as l am very grateful they looked at my car so quickly.
Got a SL55 AMG 2004 with 51k miles.
Last Tuesday the dashboard warning "ABC" and "Visit Workshop" came up in red. Turns out there is a oil leak from the ABC and hence low ABC oil level. Bit of oil spray under the bonnet and high up near the filler/dipstick and oil dripping downwards. Suspension height was still fine with equal gaps under the arches and the suspension still moved up & down.
They have spent all week trying to find the leak. The pump seems fine so we deduced it was a hose but despite cleaning it, test driving it and checking where the leak is it isn't obvious.
Now it has stopped leaking in the past 2 days. lt is as if there is some kind of pressure build up, like a valve or something sticking?
Anyway, l'm collecting the car from them tomorrow but am fairly certain it is going to happen again. Cars, in my experience, don't fix themselves !
Any ideas Gentlemen?
Got a SL55 AMG 2004 with 51k miles.
Last Tuesday the dashboard warning "ABC" and "Visit Workshop" came up in red. Turns out there is a oil leak from the ABC and hence low ABC oil level. Bit of oil spray under the bonnet and high up near the filler/dipstick and oil dripping downwards. Suspension height was still fine with equal gaps under the arches and the suspension still moved up & down.
They have spent all week trying to find the leak. The pump seems fine so we deduced it was a hose but despite cleaning it, test driving it and checking where the leak is it isn't obvious.
Now it has stopped leaking in the past 2 days. lt is as if there is some kind of pressure build up, like a valve or something sticking?
Anyway, l'm collecting the car from them tomorrow but am fairly certain it is going to happen again. Cars, in my experience, don't fix themselves !
Any ideas Gentlemen?
Gouki said:
Take the car to mercedes, though I value independants sometimes they may not have the same knowledge as a mercedes network for all issues.
Hoi! watch it that man.You almost certainly don't have a leak; you have back pressure in the system probably brought to a head due to the hot weather. The fluid then overheats and expands through the only place it can.
There should be a small oil cooler fitted to this system; make sure it is clean and unobstructed. I would also change the fluid to the latest spec you can find, in fact I think you can use a synthetic for this which will almost certainly not give any problems.
Many moons ago Jaguar had horrendous problems with this on the early XJ12 autoboxes in very hot weather. Some of them even boiled over the dipstick tube and ignited the oil on the manifold! They cured it by changing the fluid type and fitting an auxiliary cooler.
The temperatures we have had over the past few days are the hottest since your car was made; that's why this is apparent now.
Pity you are down in the big smoke as I could have had a look at it for you. Best of luck anyway.
l think you're onto something here because it does seem like there is no leak, but a pressure build up.
The day the problem started was a week ago Monday - a nice warm day, but certainly not hot.
The Indie reckons the pump may be on its way out as initially the pressure drops and then builds up to around 195. lt is when the pressure is low the level rises and forces itself out hence the loss of oil but no apparent leak.
lf the pump is knackered, is it something that MB will replace under warranty?
Do you think we're on the right lines here?
What synthetic ABC oil 'upgrade' would you recommend/suggest?
Thank you.
The day the problem started was a week ago Monday - a nice warm day, but certainly not hot.
The Indie reckons the pump may be on its way out as initially the pressure drops and then builds up to around 195. lt is when the pressure is low the level rises and forces itself out hence the loss of oil but no apparent leak.
lf the pump is knackered, is it something that MB will replace under warranty?
Do you think we're on the right lines here?
What synthetic ABC oil 'upgrade' would you recommend/suggest?
Thank you.
Try here?
http://www.prestigecarservice.co.uk/
Ex-Mercedes employee goes renegade, dodging Imperial vessels, gun running arms for the Rebel Alliance. Or something like that.
http://www.prestigecarservice.co.uk/
Ex-Mercedes employee goes renegade, dodging Imperial vessels, gun running arms for the Rebel Alliance. Or something like that.
You almost certainly don't have a leak; you have back pressure in the system probably brought to a head due to the hot weather. The fluid then overheats and expands through the only place it can.
There should be a small oil cooler fitted to this system; make sure it is clean and unobstructed. I would also change the fluid to the latest spec you can find, in fact I think you can use a synthetic for this which will almost certainly not give any problems.
The temperatures we have had over the past few days are the hottest since your car was made; that's why this is apparent now.
A reply from another MB forum said this - what do you think:
"Yes a well known fault,, the alli washers on the return line valve sensors in the valve block fails,,just remove the wing under liner fronrt section and you can see the two valves in the valve block."
There should be a small oil cooler fitted to this system; make sure it is clean and unobstructed. I would also change the fluid to the latest spec you can find, in fact I think you can use a synthetic for this which will almost certainly not give any problems.
The temperatures we have had over the past few days are the hottest since your car was made; that's why this is apparent now.
A reply from another MB forum said this - what do you think:
"Yes a well known fault,, the alli washers on the return line valve sensors in the valve block fails,,just remove the wing under liner fronrt section and you can see the two valves in the valve block."
Hi Shy Torque,
Thanks for that.
Just so l'm clear, the symptoms you had were the same as mine:
Oil leak - but no apparent leak as such.
Pressure build up - so oil being forced out of the top/dipstick.
ABC warning on dashboard - 'Visit Workshop' in blue or 'Drive carefully - vehicle is losing ABC Oil' in red?
And replacing the return line washers cured it?
Many thanks,
CycleSi
Thanks for that.
Just so l'm clear, the symptoms you had were the same as mine:
Oil leak - but no apparent leak as such.
Pressure build up - so oil being forced out of the top/dipstick.
ABC warning on dashboard - 'Visit Workshop' in blue or 'Drive carefully - vehicle is losing ABC Oil' in red?
And replacing the return line washers cured it?
Many thanks,
CycleSi
Hi Si,
Similar symptoms - but not quite the same.
Had the ABC fault 'Visit Workshop' , but car seemed to operate normally, then the red warning with 'frozen' suspension. Oil leak wasn't obvious but was confirmed by workshop. (No low oil message)
Sorry i can't be more specific than that - it was two years ago and my memory's not what it was.
I was told the washers are a common problem, but like transmissions stuck in park, dodgy struts etc, Merc aren't prepared to do anything about it.
Good luck!
Similar symptoms - but not quite the same.
Had the ABC fault 'Visit Workshop' , but car seemed to operate normally, then the red warning with 'frozen' suspension. Oil leak wasn't obvious but was confirmed by workshop. (No low oil message)
Sorry i can't be more specific than that - it was two years ago and my memory's not what it was.
I was told the washers are a common problem, but like transmissions stuck in park, dodgy struts etc, Merc aren't prepared to do anything about it.
Good luck!
Did you actually have oil leaking from the faulty/knackered washers?
The reason I ask is the Indie garage have said there is definitely no leak from there and the oil is being forced out the top as they are now fairly certain the pump is on its way out and there is low pressure upon start up.
The reason I ask is the Indie garage have said there is definitely no leak from there and the oil is being forced out the top as they are now fairly certain the pump is on its way out and there is low pressure upon start up.
The main dealer said yes, there was leakage past the washers (they corrode), however I personally didn't view the leak.
Incidentally, if your Indy has a Mercedes 'Star' diagnostic machine they can perform a 'rodeo' test which works the pump hard and should identify if it's on the way out.
Kind regards, Shy Torque
Incidentally, if your Indy has a Mercedes 'Star' diagnostic machine they can perform a 'rodeo' test which works the pump hard and should identify if it's on the way out.
Kind regards, Shy Torque
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