SL55: Mystery whining noise (from transmission?) when cold

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neeklaus

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ABC would be cheaper than transmission replacement though Nic??
I guess so, but hoping nothing needs to be replaced !
 
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something's leaking :oops:

bit of a damp patch under the car when I parked it this evening... the stuff on the ground didn't smell like anything :alien:

BUT this evening I tried switching into neutral and indeed the noise was present. hmmm...

it's due at the local merc specialist for an MOT Monday, and some further investigations...
 

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alexanderfoti

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Water from the ac?
 
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could the AC compressor also be the noise culprit?
 
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having said that there has been the odd squealing noise coming from the vents, on occasion.
but that noise is different to the whine, and most definitely sounds like its coming from inside the cabin (i.e. the vents) as opposed to the whine which sounds more mechanical (i.e. from drivetrain/belt-driven stuff). it has also not been performing as optimally as it was when I first got the car.
It's still cold and warm, but usually I have to ramp it up to either extreme of the temp range I want any noticeable change in temperature.
 
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Local garage suspected ABC system was to blame, but unfortunately I didn't have time to leave it with them long enough to delve any deeper. However engine mounts need replacing, which may be some source of the vibration. They suggested worn engine mounts may even be the mysterious culprit. I am planning a move to Europe, so drove back here on the weekend. I am are going to do the mounts here and with any luck learn a bit more.
 

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Local garage suspected ABC system was to blame, but unfortunately I didn't have time to leave it with them long enough to delve any deeper. However engine mounts need replacing, which may be some source of the vibration. They suggested worn engine mounts may even be the mysterious culprit. I am planning a move to Europe, so drove back here on the weekend. I am are going to do the mounts here and with any luck learn a bit more.

Hopefully it will turn out to be a relatively cheap fix Nick, fingers crossed :)
 

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Local garage suspected ABC system was to blame, but unfortunately I didn't have time to leave it with them long enough to delve any deeper. However engine mounts need replacing, which may be some source of the vibration. They suggested worn engine mounts may even be the mysterious culprit. I am planning a move to Europe, so drove back here on the weekend. I am are going to do the mounts here and with any luck learn a bit more.
Hey Nick, I've got exactly the same symptoms with my SL. When engine is cold whining noise is very noticable, after warm-up noises disappear. I bought my SL 2 months ago and as far as I know previous owner replaced ABC pump 3k km ago and system is running very smooth (and car itself has only 40k km). However last friday I visited workshop which specializes in Benz to check condition of the whole car and they said engine and transmission mounts are almost gone and need to be replaced.

I'm very curiouse if changing engine mounts will fix this problem in your case :) please keep us updated!
 

alexanderfoti

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M113'K's are common for having noisy oil pumps. If yours is making this noise, it will make it without the belt on the car, which is the first thing to do.

Alternatively, they could keep guessing :p
 
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Hey Nick, I've got exactly the same symptoms with my SL. When engine is cold whining noise is very noticable, after warm-up noises disappear. I bought my SL 2 months ago and as far as I know previous owner replaced ABC pump 3k km ago and system is running very smooth (and car itself has only 40k km). However last friday I visited workshop which specializes in Benz to check condition of the whole car and they said engine and transmission mounts are almost gone and need to be replaced.

I'm very curiouse if changing engine mounts will fix this problem in your case :) please keep us updated!
interesting, looks you've got no reason to suspect ABC – I shall keep you posted!
 
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M113'K's are common for having noisy oil pumps. If yours is making this noise, it will make it without the belt on the car, which is the first thing to do.

Alternatively, they could keep guessing :p
I shall suggest this to them – the whining noise I am suffering is not dissimilar to the oil pump whine you always hear on ignition...
 

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I shall suggest this to them – the whining noise I am suffering is not dissimilar to the oil pump whine you always hear on ignition...

Oil pump?? I get a slight whine from the fuel pump on ignition before start up.
 
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ENGINE MOUNTS!

After a few delays I finally got the engine mounts changed. They must've been really shot!

But thankfully the noise has now gone and the SL is very happy again, which means I'm happy :)
 
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Wow, and your local garage suggested ABC system ? How come ?
A couple of garages suggested this – the local Mercedes in Italy and the local Merc specialist at home in the UK.

I can see why – the whining noise sounded distinctly mechanical, but as we now know this was misleading... the noise must've been some sort of vibration.

However my local specialist in the UK also saw the engine was moving around a lot and suggested the mounts needed replacing, which led him to also suggest it could be the source of the noise. I didn't have time to replace the mounts while the car was with them but I wish I did as it turns out he was right!
 


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