Looking for a garage to rebuild my ABC valve block

RyanSL500

Senior Member
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
102
Reaction score
93
Location
Portsmouth
Your Mercedes
2002 Mercedes SL500 and 2014 Mercedes C220
Hi all,

so might rear drives side has started to sag when standing on my R230. While at PCS it was discovered that the rear ABC valve block appears to be weeping. Having replaced the front valve block last year, I’d rather avoid paying C£1.5k again and discovered that there is a rebuild kit.

I’ve seen plenty of threads where people have rebuilt these blocks for very little. However, all these individuals have far greater mechanical skills than me so I’d rather give the car to someone who has the ability to do this.

Does any know of a garage who would do something like this in the Hampshire/southern area?

I’m aware that most garages probably wouldn’t want to do it as they wouldn’t be able to put a warranty on the work or guarantee that the problem will be fixed. So I’ll have to emphasise the point that it’s worth the gamble to save what will be over £1k!
 

star

Forum Supporter
Authorised Forum Supporter
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
6,209
Reaction score
1,874
Location
Reading
Your Mercedes
Smart + others :)
It will only be a saving IF it’s fixed with repair kit?
 
OP
RyanSL500

RyanSL500

Senior Member
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
102
Reaction score
93
Location
Portsmouth
Your Mercedes
2002 Mercedes SL500 and 2014 Mercedes C220
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
It will only be a saving IF it’s fixed with repair kit?
True. I’m not claiming to be an expert, but reading through the forums it does seem to be that 8/10 times, the failure on these valves tends to be because of perished O rings which I these repairs kits replace? The rear of the car sags after sitting for roughly 24 hours.

If it’s easy to identify what part of the Valve block is failing before doing the rebuild, then I would obviously take the advice of the professional rather than just what I’ve read! But I’m hoping these rebuild kits would solve the problem.
 

mioba

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
7,898
Reaction score
4,656
Location
Nottingham and Köln
Your Mercedes
W124/E200, W220/S320CDI, W205/C200, W251/R350CDI 4Matic
I would rather pay an experienced indy who has experience in repairing these with the repair kit to take on the job rather than a DIY.
 
Last edited:
OP
RyanSL500

RyanSL500

Senior Member
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
102
Reaction score
93
Location
Portsmouth
Your Mercedes
2002 Mercedes SL500 and 2014 Mercedes C220
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
I would rather pay an experienced indy who has experience in repairing these with the repair kit take on the job rather than a DIY.
That would be ideal. Do you have any experience or suggestions with an Indy who could do this?
 

Frontstep

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
9,201
Reaction score
3,436
Your Mercedes
T210 320cdi
Yes it requires someone who will examine as they disassemble rather than someone who will just "fit the kit"
 

Philedge

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
1,088
Reaction score
74
Location
Chester UK
Your Mercedes
R230 SL500 2005(long gone but not forgotten)
If it’s easy to identify what part of the Valve block is failing before doing the rebuild, then I would obviously take the advice of the professional rather than just what I’ve read! But I’m hoping these rebuild kits would solve the problem.

Its the lock solenoid that holds the fluid in the strut to stop the car dropping when its parked up. The lock solenoid uses a metal to metal seal to hold the fluid in, so changing seals wont do anything to help. The sealing faces probably just need a clean but a garage will spend much more time getting the solenoid block out and back in than they will cleaning the solenoid sealing faces.

If you can get the block out then a local hydraulic shop will likely be able to clean up the sealing faces for you if you cant get to a specialist
 

LostKiwi

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
31,328
Reaction score
21,574
Location
Midlands / Charente-Maritime
Your Mercedes
'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Its the lock solenoid that holds the fluid in the strut to stop the car dropping when its parked up. The lock solenoid uses a metal to metal seal to hold the fluid in, so changing seals wont do anything to help. The sealing faces probably just need a clean but a garage will spend much more time getting the solenoid block out and back in than they will cleaning the solenoid sealing faces.

If you can get the block out then a local hydraulic shop will likely be able to clean up the sealing faces for you if you cant get to a specialist
Good idea to use an hydraulic specialist.
 
OP
RyanSL500

RyanSL500

Senior Member
Joined
May 5, 2019
Messages
102
Reaction score
93
Location
Portsmouth
Your Mercedes
2002 Mercedes SL500 and 2014 Mercedes C220
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
UPDATE: So due COVID-19, I decided to put the SL back into storage...As I know these cars don’t like sitting around unused, I got myself a C-Tek trickle charger to keep everything happy. As I approached the car in storage, I could see that the rear of the car has sagged again (no surprise there) but what I didn’t expect to find was a stain on the floor in front of the front passenger wheel. While doing some reading, it now seems that I have an ABC leak!! Anyway, there wasn’t much I could as all the garages were closed and there was no way I was going to start playing around with the system. So I bought some ABC fluid and just kept topping it up.

Now fast forward to May/June. I got in touch with MBS in southampton and explained my problem to them (the leak and sagging at the rear) and booked it in to get looked at. I took it down and it appeared that there was fluid all over the under carriage of the car. So it was almost impossible to see clearly where the leak was coming from. So the guys down at MBS steam cleaned the bottom of the car and I took it away to bring it back to them a week later (I’m still topping the ABC fluid up when needed every other day or before I drive it). When I took it back, two fairly bad leaks were identified. One at the rear of the car and one at the front by the valve blocks. The suspects being the O rings near the banjo bolts. After a couple of visits to get the O rings changed (Mercedes sent the wrong parts the first time round) and just over £100, the car is happy and level, with no more leaks!!! I can’t recommend MBS in Southampton enough!! Very friendly, honest people there who are clearly passionate about these cars!!!
 

LostKiwi

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Messages
31,328
Reaction score
21,574
Location
Midlands / Charente-Maritime
Your Mercedes
'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
UPDATE: So due COVID-19, I decided to put the SL back into storage...As I know these cars don’t like sitting around unused, I got myself a C-Tek trickle charger to keep everything happy. As I approached the car in storage, I could see that the rear of the car has sagged again (no surprise there) but what I didn’t expect to find was a stain on the floor in front of the front passenger wheel. While doing some reading, it now seems that I have an ABC leak!! Anyway, there wasn’t much I could as all the garages were closed and there was no way I was going to start playing around with the system. So I bought some ABC fluid and just kept topping it up.

Now fast forward to May/June. I got in touch with MBS in southampton and explained my problem to them (the leak and sagging at the rear) and booked it in to get looked at. I took it down and it appeared that there was fluid all over the under carriage of the car. So it was almost impossible to see clearly where the leak was coming from. So the guys down at MBS steam cleaned the bottom of the car and I took it away to bring it back to them a week later (I’m still topping the ABC fluid up when needed every other day or before I drive it). When I took it back, two fairly bad leaks were identified. One at the rear of the car and one at the front by the valve blocks. The suspects being the O rings near the banjo bolts. After a couple of visits to get the O rings changed (Mercedes sent the wrong parts the first time round) and just over £100, the car is happy and level, with no more leaks!!! I can’t recommend MBS in Southampton enough!! Very friendly, honest people there who are clearly passionate about these cars!!!

@Cole@MBS is a member here. I'm sure he'll be delighted to read that!
 

Conor

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
2,521
Reaction score
1,604
Location
London, UK
Your Mercedes
2010 S212 350 CGI // 2004 R230 500
UPDATE: So due COVID-19, I decided to put the SL back into storage...As I know these cars don’t like sitting around unused, I got myself a C-Tek trickle charger to keep everything happy. As I approached the car in storage, I could see that the rear of the car has sagged again (no surprise there) but what I didn’t expect to find was a stain on the floor in front of the front passenger wheel. While doing some reading, it now seems that I have an ABC leak!! Anyway, there wasn’t much I could as all the garages were closed and there was no way I was going to start playing around with the system. So I bought some ABC fluid and just kept topping it up.

Now fast forward to May/June. I got in touch with MBS in southampton and explained my problem to them (the leak and sagging at the rear) and booked it in to get looked at. I took it down and it appeared that there was fluid all over the under carriage of the car. So it was almost impossible to see clearly where the leak was coming from. So the guys down at MBS steam cleaned the bottom of the car and I took it away to bring it back to them a week later (I’m still topping the ABC fluid up when needed every other day or before I drive it). When I took it back, two fairly bad leaks were identified. One at the rear of the car and one at the front by the valve blocks. The suspects being the O rings near the banjo bolts. After a couple of visits to get the O rings changed (Mercedes sent the wrong parts the first time round) and just over £100, the car is happy and level, with no more leaks!!! I can’t recommend MBS in Southampton enough!! Very friendly, honest people there who are clearly passionate about these cars!!!

What a great result... as I started reading this, I thought it was going to be a sorry story, but glad it's all been sorted now.
 

Wighty

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
13,435
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Sunny Essex
Your Mercedes
W211/E320cdi/2009 and CLK200k 2009
I’m very happy to read that, even more as it was one of my jobs

Pleased it’s cured it Ryan, don’t forget we have your trays here still!!
Good job buddy , do you keep parts of customers cars (trays in this case) so they have to come back :rolleyes: :D:D:D
 

AIB understand your special Mercedes deserves a special insurance policy. We have a refreshing attitude to insuring high performance, modified, imported or classic and vintage cars and deal with the UK’s leading insurers. We offer discounts for length of ownership, where the vehicle is kept overnight and limiting the mileage and can also cater for those clients who need higher mileage and business use. To obtain a quotation please call the team on 02380 268351 or visit us atAIB Insurance
Top Bottom