Sl500 R230 ABC Issue

LostKiwi

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On one corner?
Yes. Each corner has 2 valves. One lock valve to stop the car sinking when the pump turns off and one control valve to control the strut when driving. A leaking lock valve will allow one corner to drop engine off.
 

John Laidlaw

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Yes. Each corner has 2 valves. One lock valve to stop the car sinking when the pump turns off and one control valve to control the strut when driving. A leaking lock valve will allow one corner to drop engine off.
Cheers that makes perfect sense, see that on the diagram now y1 and y2 (and 3 and 4) then that is possible/probable for the op, still think he needs a specialist though
 

gramey

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H24k you state in your post that you bought the vehicle 8 months ago, it appears there was a problem at the last MOT regarding the front offside suspension which had apparently been fixed when it went for MOT again 4 months later. Was this a temporary fix that's failed or one thing that can be discounted from the equation? General MOT history on your car is a lengthy read to say the least, I can only assume the price was right and you're up for these sort of challenges?
 

John Laidlaw

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H24k you state in your post that you bought the vehicle 8 months ago, it appears there was a problem at the last MOT regarding the front offside suspension which had apparently been fixed when it went for MOT again 4 months later. Was this a temporary fix that's failed or one thing that can be discounted from the equation? General MOT history on your car is a lengthy read to say the least, I can only assume the price was right and you're up for these sort of challenges?
A hefty package as you say, indeed must be up for a challenge!!
 

Flyinspanner

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If it was originally a valve block issue, 8 months of driving around with possibly bits of o rings circulating won't have helped any other components in the system.

Hope fully the OP will take it to WG or someone else who knows the ABC system, and can repair it correctly. Deffo get an ABC flush, refill and new filter.
Might as well get the rad fan done too....Otter switch?
 
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H

H24k

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Indeed they are Craig- I was only commenting to what the OP had quoted as the fault code and part, think he’s run away now after reading some of the thread he’s created!

Nah John I havent ran anywhere just havent had a chance to log back on since i posted the Question!!

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated!

The truth is that I actually live in North London and bought the car from up Devon about 230 miles away and paid around £3300 for it all in with travel etc, The thing is im far too Honest and trusting and the guy seemed to be too however you cant trust anyone these days! The guy was very sneaky indeed and hid a host of issues with the car including the central locking fault etc etc!

Even when I wanted to quickly test drive the car he mentioned that it wasnt taxed so its better if he drove it due to police etc and I just agreed but he did mention that it had the problem with the abc but that he hadnt had it checked out and due to price etc and all the cost travelling there etc I just took a chance on it!

Regarding the fan its on full speed all the time and if i unplug it then the light on the dash is still the same doesnt change, the water temperature symbol is allways red and the low coolant visit workshop message allways there, i changed the sensor for the coolant tank but made no difference and another sensor that plugs into the front of the engine forgot the name of it, but was also told the wash wiper resevoir is linked up to this so if that had a faulty sensor it could cause the low coolant message issue but to be honest after changing all these sensors I might just wire in a switch to be able to switch it on and off when I want!

I will either take it to a specialist as recommended or just sell it as is as im planning to move abroad next year and did want to fix it and take it with me but I currently own a few cars and just recently got the car I was after an S8 V10 (Amazing car)
so not sure if its worth me spending money or just sell on!

I'll try checking the level sensor on that side first and hopefully its that but i guess thats Wishful thinking from what most people here are saying! lol

Its a nice car with the AMG factory kit looks lovely and actually drives very well apart from the slight pulling to the right! But i'll see how it goes.
 
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John Laidlaw

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Nah John I havent ran anywhere just havent had a chance to log back on since i posted the Question!!

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated!

The truth is that I actually live in North London and bought the car from up Devon about 230 miles away and paid around £3300 for it all in with travel etc, The thing is im far too Honest and trusting and the guy seemed to be too however you cant trust anyone these days! The guy was very sneaky indeed and hid a host of issues with the car including the central locking fault etc etc!

Even when I wanted to quickly test drive the car he mentioned that it wasnt taxed so its better if he drove it due to police etc and I just agreed but he did mention that it had the problem with the abc but that he hadnt had it checked out and due to price etc and all the cost travelling there etc I just took a chance on it!

Regarding the fan its on full speed all the time and if i unplug it then the light on the dash is still the same doesnt change, the water temperature symbol is allways red and the low coolant visit workshop message allways there, i changed the sensor for the coolant tank but made no difference and another sensor that plugs into the front of the engine forgot the name of it, but was also told the wash wiper resevoir is linked up to this so if that had a faulty sensor it could cause the low coolant message issue but to be honest after changing all these sensors I might just wire in a switch to be able to switch it on and off when I want!

I will either take it to a specialist as recommended or just sell it as is as im planning to move abroad next year and did want to fix it and take it with me but I currently own a few cars and just recently got the car I was after an S8 V10 (Amazing car)
so not sure if its worth me spending money or just sell on!

I'll try checking the level sensor on that side first and hopefully its that but i guess thats Wishful thinking from what most people here are saying! lol

Its a nice car with the AMG factory kit looks lovely and actually drives very well apart from the slight pulling to the right! But i'll see how it goes.
Good stuff, welcome back!
If you’ve got the (other) car you want then maybe selling on to an enthusiast or Merc specialist would be the way forward.
At least you didn’t pay big money for it and looking at it it seems nice with distronic at least and maybe more?
Craig on here likes a challenge / garage queen maybe he’ll make you an offer :)
If I had a decent workspace and the will I might have done so myself, I soooooo love ABC ;)
 

gramey

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Less miles on it and it may have been a suitable donor for a coil over transplant but if the engine has been looked after as poorly as the rest of the car by the previous owner possibly not the best donor car. :)
 

John Laidlaw

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Less miles on it and it may have been a suitable donor for a coil over transplant but if the engine has been looked after as poorly as the rest of the car by the previous owner possibly not the best donor car. :)
I hear you...big miles unfortunately although that engine is bomb proof
 

Noelmc

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Might want to try Welwyn Merx if you are north London, they know ABC backwards
 

gramey

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I hear you...big miles unfortunately although that engine is bomb proof
Even bomb proof engines explode if they haven't been looked after properly and no offence to the OP as he got it cheap but that just doesn't come across as being well looked after. :)
 
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H24k

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Hi Guys,

Actually the engine and gearbox are brilliant on the car! The first thing I done when i got it was an engine flush and new oil filter and oil, and the gearbox works superb changes up very smoothly and the car seems to have pretty much every extra apart from the panoramic sunroof thing! Its got keyless go, massage seats and heated and cooled seats aswell as the distronic etc, mileage is about 160k but nothing for a German V8!

I just sold one of my other cars a mitsu 3000gt twin turbo a couple of days ago and am also selling my mitsu VR4 estate and with the Audi S8 D3 I got I actually done a deal with 3 cars I had as a sort of swap, merc cl500 (great car!) audi s8 D2 and a bmw 528i m sport!

Im planning to move abroad next year as my father recently passed away here so just spent a fortune on the funeral etc and have got to give up all the toys and move on! So currently selling most of my belongings!

I love the Sl500 and allways wanted one but cant keep everything and currently funds are tight so might advertise it and see what sort of offers i get.
 

Craiglxviii

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Good stuff, welcome back!
If you’ve got the (other) car you want then maybe selling on to an enthusiast or Merc specialist would be the way forward.
At least you didn’t pay big money for it and looking at it it seems nice with distronic at least and maybe more?
Craig on here likes a challenge / garage queen maybe he’ll make you an offer :)
If I had a decent workspace and the will I might have done so myself, I soooooo love ABC ;)

No no no Craig is tight on driveway space now and needs his garage cleared out not filled up ;)
 

00slk

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I'm fairly sure this was the car I contacted the seller about, about a year ago, it was at a dealers selling as a trade in, no warranties and sold as is. They said it had a host of issues but had a good engine and auto, had high miles on it 160k??? It was in Devon or Cornwall at the time, mileage is not an issue, my Volvo had over 500k on it. Think it was about £3500 they were asking.
 
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H24k

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I'm fairly sure this was the car I contacted the seller about, about a year ago, it was at a dealers selling as a trade in, no warranties and sold as is. They said it had a host of issues but had a good engine and auto, had high miles on it 160k??? It was in Devon or Cornwall at the time, mileage is not an issue, my Volvo had over 500k on it. Think it was about £3500 they were asking.

Sorry for the late reply!! yes this must of been the same car!
 

ajlsl600

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And there in lies the reason why I'm so reluctant to jump into an R230 as much as I love the look of them, my OCD with having things working properly wouldn't allow me to go 8 days with that warning flashing at me let alone 8 months! :)

aint that the truth, actually gets one to the point of thinking on the wisdom of a nice long relaxing european tour,, EXACTLY what the cars for . roadside ABC repairs are not easily catered for.
 

flowrider

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aint that the truth, actually gets one to the point of thinking on the wisdom of a nice long relaxing european tour,, EXACTLY what the cars for . roadside ABC repairs are not easily catered for.
Can you imagine the upheaval of having an ABC strut, pump, leak issue when touring around Europe? Makes me shudder just thinking about it. What would it cost to get the car recovered back to UK, plus the cost of having to hire a car, and the general pain in the ass it would be.
 

00slk

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Can you imagine the upheaval of having an ABC strut, pump, leak issue when touring around Europe? Makes me shudder just thinking about it. What would it cost to get the car recovered back to UK, plus the cost of having to hire a car, and the general pain in the ass it would be.

Come on Guys, there are plenty of garages in Europe that can put your ABC's woo's to rest, and plenty cheaper charge out rate too, depending where you want your ABC failures to take place that is :D
 

00slk

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Sorry for the late reply!! yes this must of been the same car!

Yes it is, recognise the plate number, good to see it's still around, usually when these cars are cheap it is for a reason and then you never heard of them again. I think they end up being spares for the dearer other ones.
 


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