S210 E320T 2001 - Driveshaft

[Patchitos]

My 'free' car is the most expensive thing I've ever had! - I still love it. - Love is blind.
To avoid a long story - I need (probably) a driveshaft for my car.
It doesn't seem the easiest part to source - other than possibly Lithuania - nothing on Ebay seems compatible.
Has anyone had experience of Shaftec? (remanufactured) I think they want the old part in exchange. - Good/Avoid?
Any advice before I start making phone calls in the morning?
Any help/advice is much appreciated.

 

[star]

Hardly ever go wrong, have you tried a mb breaker.

 

[Patchitos]

Hardly ever go wrong, have you tried a mb breaker.

Hmm - I hope the diagnosis is correct.
It started a few months ago - Abs Bas Esp lights would come and go - sometimes with the engine management light.
It would sound like eminent disaster then it would clear and be ok for a while..
Garage diagnosed wheel bearing which was changed! - It did feel lumpy when the wheel was spun by hand above very slow.
This seemed to improve the problem but I still felt there was something wrong - pulling away from a standstill did not feel smooth.
Now a couple of months later - suddenly the lights Abs Bas Esp and Engine management lights are back with some odd noises from rear left side.
Next only the Engine management light was on - then no lights at all.!
Sometimes the Esp light would flicker fast and sounded like the brakes were binding...Sometimes it felt I was having to use the engine to get the car to move past a point where it didn't really want to go forward.
Yesterday the garage drained the Diff oil - no metal particles!
Garage says he can't guarantee it's the driveshaft - I don't know what else it can be!!
Any ideas? - Today using car locally - no lights - no strange sounds.
Oh - seems like a breakers is my only option for another driveshaft - Nothing on Ebay.
Car spare shops say they can't get.

 

[Patchitos]

The 1st guy I spoke to at the same garage - although busy with something else seemed to dismiss my suggestion it was a driveshaft problem - as member 'star' said - they don't really go wrong.!
The main man came with me on a drive around the block and luckily the car was playing up at the time. - hence he drained the Diff oil. - He's not sure it's the driveshaft.
These are good guys - I trust them - they know my car.
Seems a good gamble to change the driveshaft - no-one seems to have a better suggestion - even if they rarely fail!
Anyone?

 

[star]

Have you tried turning the esp off?

 

[Patchitos]

Have you tried turning the esp off?

When the Abs warning light is on - together with the bas/esp warning lights.
Pressing the esp button makes no difference - the triangular esp light remains unlit.
It seems certain it's some kind of mechanical issue causing all the warning lights rather than some kind of electronic malfuction.
When there's no warning lights and it seems to be running ok - the Esp button operates as normal.

 

[Patchitos]

The warning lights and symptoms/noises can differ - on a couple of occassions the revs have gone unusually high.
Then it can sort itself out and seems fine for a while with no warning lights.
No one has ever successfully connected a computer to this car - they connect but not communicate! - Neither my garage or the autoelectrician nearby.

 

[Patchitos]

Update.
Just done a 300 mile round trip - 2 things i've noticed.
At high speed I'm aware of a whining/drone noise.
At one stage around 40-50mph it lost the gear - even though it was in Drive (This has happened a few times in the last few months) - when I slowed down and pulled over it re-engaged.
I've now cancelled the order for a drive shaft - Listening to member 'star' , the guy at my garage and the car spares shop it seems like a long shot.
I went straight to the my garage on my return - He came on a high speed drive with me - then put it on the ramp and ran it at high speed.
2 things - the whining/drone noise is coming from the gearbox! - Possibly on the way out?
Possibly unconnected - the feeling of not smooth when I pull away - He thinks is Abs related - possibly the sensor! - He did say it was scratched/damaged a bit when he done the wheel bearing!.
Still intermittent Abs Bas Esp Engine management lights!
Make sense to anyone please?.
I get the feeling death is imminent.!