Project CLK55 AMG

[Sasha94]

I've heard of the stuff, will have to have a closer look!

So, first things first it was time to do the oil, break out the filter removal tool and a 3/8ths ratchet


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Just in time too, although the oil was clean and fresh this filter was doing it no favours and is one of the reasons I wanted a genuine filter as this shouldn't happen with one of those


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Next job was to change all the seals (don't worry, I made sure none of the wood chippings my Dad left got on what I was working with)


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The genuine filter is ribbed so it shouldn't crush like the last one


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

After that it was time to tighten the sump plug up again and fill up with 7.3 litres of oil before resetting the service counter


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

And check all is well


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

After cleaning up I went over the small jobs that needed doing, starting with removing the damaged seat trim


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

And refiting the new one


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

After that it was time to bin the cheap wiper blades for these


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

I can see now!!

And then the really sad bit; for the history file


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Amazing how much road tax for such a car has gone up in the last 14 years and also amazing how much the car cost compared to what I paid! Adding up the options (rear blind and keyless go) it comes to just under £60,000. I only paid £6495! There should be more over the next few weeks now the more urgent mechanical jobs have been done. Waiting for the detailing goodies to get here now!! Shame I have to go back to work Monday. Boo!!

 

[Sasha94]

Thanks, have a small problem today, was using the car and all of a sudden the reduce oil warning came on the dash. I have checked it on a level surface and it says OK now?? I can't seem to enable this secret menu I hear people talking about, I've tried everything I've read and I still can't get it to work, I just get the standard oil OK message. I got about 7 litres out from measuring and I put 7 litres back in and checked the dash said all was well. The warning came on about 65 miles after the oil change and after being shut down about half a mile later, left about an hour and restarted it went away although then it did tell me the level was high but the car wasn't level. When checked on a level surface it reads fine!! What was wrong with a dipstick?

Before my oil level woes I was quite surprised at achieving this


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Happy with that! Had it as high as 25.5 on the move but by the time I'd stopped it had gone down to this. Get really annoyed if the Volvo doesn't get 55 MPG haha

 

[Sasha94]

I have seen the dipsticks you can get for them, might have to look into getting one.

So another development. They're happening very quickly haha. My brother contacted someone on another forum about a Viseeo and the conversation ended up going down the road of the guy giving me his Viseeo taken from his old S Class! The initial agreement was to cover the postage but when it only came to £1.30 the guy wouldn't take any money and has donated the Viseeo to me for which I am very very grateful!!

It arrived today and I've just finished setting it up and to my amazement the phone cradle still works and Viseeo works amazingly so I now have a phone system that works with Bluetooth and connects to my iPhone 7 Plus.

I gave it a quick clean and got it in the car


Viseeo by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Viseeo by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Viseeo by SashaGrace, on Flickr

I am still looking at a way to get the phone off the dash as I just don't like it where it is. I have found on eBay a console with the phone inside and as I need a new latch for mine (at a cost of £38 from Mercedes) I don't mind spending the £30 the seller wants for the other console which is the sideways hinging console from a slightly newer car and repair the damaged lid, making one good console out of the 2. It's on the list of things I'm thinking about

Also, just to spruce up my keys, I couldn't resist haha


Mercedes Key by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Also the Auto Finesse haul has arrived so I'm looking forward to getting the car detailed very shortly Particularly want to try the new Lather which is the Chocolate shake scent and really does smell of chocolate haha


Auto Finesse by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Adding to my already vast Auto Finesse collection!!!

More soon

 

[Sasha94]

Thanks and 24 plugs!! That's what put me off the V12, nothing to do with the fact I can't afford one haha

So the last 2 days have been spent bringing the car up to standard.

We start with this, 300 miles of dirt showing and otherwise untouched since purchase


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

My first port of call is always to remove the wheels


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

What I would do for a 4 post ramp haha


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The barrels of the rear wheels didn't look too bad


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The faces weren't too bad either


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The wheel nuts really needed sorting as they were letting the side down badly.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

In the fullness of time I'd like to get nice new chrome ones but that wasn't an immediate option. I have made them better for now however...


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

After deep cleaning the wheel with AF Imperial and AF Iron Out to remove all the fallout I sealed it up with Mint Rims and dressed the tyre with Gloss. All ready to put back on the car.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

I forgot to take a picture of this calliper but I painted it silver to match the front ones and waited for it to dry before bolting the wheel back on


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Yes, it started to rain!!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Is it all worth it?? Have a look


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Here endeth one part, there's a few more so please bare with me

 

[Sasha94]

Drivers front wheel next, again the face was ok


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

But the barrel was looking very worse for wear!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Iron Out doing its thing


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

And all done with the same combo as the back


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

It rained, I started late and the drivers front wheel was properly stuck on to the point I had to drive it around with the wheel nuts loosened to get it in stuck!! So I decided to go home and get the rest done today. Here's what I achieved yesterday


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

So today I stared on the passenger side and best get those big calipers clean


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Need to sort out the rusty rears too!!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The passenger front wheel was in the same state as the drivers side


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The passenger rear barrel was a task; 3 old wheel weight stickies to remove and lots of tar and staining!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

And now all done and back on the car


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Once all that was done it was time to get on with the wash. AF Avalanche in the snow foam lance and let's get going!

Mercedes CLK by sashagracehottie, on Flickr

Start them young and all, my little boy getting his hands dirty and helping his Mammy


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Getting moving with the tight work


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

More next...

 

[Sasha94]

Next time to wash


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

AF Lather Chocolate and rinse

More child labour haha


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

After the car was washed it was time to rinse it and clay it but that's probably enough progress photos, you've all seen that before. The car was dried and clayed which pulled quite a lot of contamination off the paint and then taken home for the final steps

I ran over the paint with Tripple on the DA, then went over with some Power Seal also on the DA then waxed with Soul just because I like using it. Glass was cleaned with Crystal and sealed with GTechniq C2V3 and the trim dressed with Revive.

Being silver I didn't see the need to polish every swirl out, more ramp up the gloss which is what I hopefully have achieved.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

That's all for today, interior is next on the list when I get chance but for now I can simply look outside and stare at it

One of the more immediate issues that came to the forefront from today is the front brakes which need changing as a matter of course as the pads are thin and the discs not long for this world either. More to add to the shopping list haha

As for the wheels, they were a surprise as I always seem to buy cars with tatty wheels however I dismissed these as I thought I'd have them done grey anyway but they have clearly been refurbished in the not too distant past and the only damage is the rim on all 4 so I'll have a word with a painter I know, see if we can blend the rim into the wheel and make them look spot on again on a tighter budget

 

[Sasha94]

So after waiting in for all day yesterday and a phone call to FedEx they told me the delivery was a pallet, weighed 45kg and didn't fit on the van yesterday. I questioned this as it's only a pair of brake discs and pads but sure enough today at 9:30am this arrived. My hand is there for reference.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

It was a bit of an excessive box!!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

But it was all there, 2 new discs, 2 T30 Torx grub screws, 4 pads and a wear sensor.

First thing was to paint up the brakes around the sweep of the pads, the hub in black and the edges and in the fins of the vents in silver to keep them looking good for longer.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Time to get cracking on the drivers side, remove the road wheel, undo the grub screw slightly and undo the 2 18mm bolts that hold the calliper in place and swing it out of the way onto to a second axle stand.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Once the calliper is out of the way remove the grub screw fully and slide off the disc.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

My biggest pet hate is putting new things on the car and putting them in with dirty old parts so I broke out the brake cleaner, chassis black paint and high temp silver to touch up the calliper where it was chipped and got to work improving the surrounding area. I really don't have the 'that'll do gene!!'


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Once all that had dried it was time to slide on the new disc and tighten the new grub screw.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Once that was done it was time to remove the masking tape I had used to protect the new disc face.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Next job is to bolt the calliper back on.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Then find the new pads, much healthier than the old ones!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Then after fitting the pads, cleaning the anti rattle pins and shield it was all done!


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

Time to repeat the procedure on the other side! The only difference here is the wear sensor but otherwise it's the same so I won't worry about images because it's nothing different but just to show I did it here's the finished article


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

And now I've driven it home all the grey paint has come off the face.


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr


Mercedes CLK by SashaGrace, on Flickr

The car stops better already even though they are new and I feel much better knowing they have been done now. Next job is to do the front tyres which with luck may be done next week but I've run out of holiday time now so I'm back in work Thursday and I'm taking Laura to the Walton clinic tomorrow as she gets Botox treatments to combat chronic migraines and she's there for a top up so I was lucky to squeeze this in today before I get busy again.

More soon!

 

[Sasha94]

So now we're up to date! The only thing I think I haven't mentioned so far is that I bought another key cover


Mercedes Keys by SashaGrace, on Flickr

I've ordered new batteries for these keys which should be here soon so I can get around to changing them as one of them is flat and doesn't open the car any more.

I've done about 650 miles in it now and it's been really awesome!! Love the car still and very glad I bought it

 

[JBell]

I bought the same plates and really struggled to get any sticky pads to hold them on my slk so i went to mercs to buy the plate holders and believe it or not they gave me them as they said we dont charge for them, i was shocked but happy, ha ha, they look smart to be fair

Because they have the garage name on them so free advertising

 

[Wighty]

That run of cleaning pics and brake painting pics was very impressive , I need to put the iPad down and get out cleaning

 

[John Laidlaw]

That run of cleaning pics and brake painting pics was very impressive , I need to put the iPad down and get out cleaning

There's always tomorrow.....

 

[Wighty]

There's always tomorrow.....

Stop giving me ideas I'm already wavering

 

[LostKiwi]

Stop giving me ideas I'm already wavering

Why procrastinate today when you can do it tomorrow eh?

 

[John Laidlaw]

Why procrastinate today when you can do it tomorrow eh?

Never put off today what you can put off tomorrow

 

[Sasha94]

That run of cleaning pics and brake painting pics was very impressive , I need to put the iPad down and get out cleaning

Thanks Sadly the photos are staying the way they are and can't be put back in the original posts according to Admin but at least they are all here

It needs another clean and the interior needs doing however the Volvo is next in line as it is far, far worse!

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
That's made me feel quite inadequate, reminds me I need to get out and give my AMG a good going over
Looks really nice Sasha

 

[Sasha94]

Haha it's ok, it's in a less than clean state right about now so I hope that makes you all feel better

 

[Sasha94]

Plates fitted and I have to say they look awesome and I'm really stoked, for £250 plus £16.50 for the actual plates and £6.50 for the rear surround which is exactly what I was after (Thanks JBell for finding me that!). Those items have transformed the car from looking like a 14 year old Merc to leaving people guess it's age and place it a lot newer than that





I almost prefer it to my initials plate on the Volvo actually

 

[Sasha94]

Oh and nearly forgot, got the Road Sharks fitted at last!!! Now to tidy up the mess made by the fitters I have having new tyres fitted!





Better than the mess made by another fitter on the Volvo!

Comment of the day from the tyre monkey "Is that a real AMG?"... honestly

 

[Wighty]

That's funny , I call them tyre monkeys as well . Nice new tyres and plate as well !