w126 560SEL hydrualic suspension problem.

[v8dan]

Firstly id like to say hello to you all. Im Dan, i registered on here ages ago but have only ever veiwed the forum hopeing to find answers to my problems. Hopefully someone can help me with this one.

My father inlaw has a 560 sel with the hydraulic suspension. The suspensions been a problem for a while taking ages to lift as when u park it wont hold its height. Now when it was last driven a while ago it took ages to decide to lift from the floor and dropped gradually on the journey home. Since then it wont lift at all. Are there any obvious things that could be causing this? Theres no leaks that we can see. I fitted another pump on it yesterday to eliminate that. Theres a valve block on the reservoir could it be the balls in this stuck/blocked? Theres fluid there and going through it, if you loosen the pipes fluid comes out. We'r trying to avoid taking it to a merc specialist as these usually cost the earth, Its on 17's and the arches are sitting on the tyres and the front bumpers about 10mm from the floor so it cant go anywhere til its raised.

Anyone any ideas?

Many thanks and sorry for a nice question on my first post.

 

[The Gunslinger]

Hey dan!,

Im the owner of a 1990 560SEL, with the same problem but only on the rear suspension. Mine is a bit of a strange setup in that it has normal coil springs on the front and hydraulics on the rear. My cars rear end is sagging in the same way.

I live in canada, and im told this problem is usually caused by the hydraulic accumulators, though im not sure of what happens to them to cause this. Im planning on converting the rear suspension to coil springs as well to circumvent this problem in the future, as im told this can be done without affecting the cars handling or ride height.

If anybody else has any insight, plz post! 2 ppl need to know, lol

 

[v8dan]

I was thinking there must be accumulaters somewhere. Where is the front one as i think this is the main thing causing our trouble.
Converting the whole car suspension must be the best answer.

 

[The Gunslinger]

Unfortunately that im not sure on, as my car had front spring suspension when i bought it. Ill check my repair manual cd's tonight to see if i can locate the design diagram and post it here. Maybe that will help?

 

[v8dan]

A diagram of the setup would help greatly if you could. Thanks

 

[sigman]

Not sure if I'm on the right track here but there must be a linkage to be able to adjust ride height which should control a valve ,probably far off the mark though as I'm used to different setups than MB . Well I tried :>). Paul.

 

[Bigtee]

Do these have the sphers on the rear (think thats how you spell it!)?

Seen a few other cars with hydraulic suspension and replaced the sphers problem solved, the diaphram split and no lift.

 

[v8dan]

Its got spheres on the front and i think hydraulic struts on the rear. The front spheres are newish.

Has anyone got a diagram pretty please.??

 

[meanie]

Unlikely to be the spheres,as the car should still rise but the ride would be rock hard [think of the spheres as surge tanks;when the car hits a bump & the suspension compresses,the gas in the sphere compresses quicker than the oil,which cannot compress,can return,thus smoothing out the ride]
When you replaced the pump did you renew the hydraulic oil & bleed it properly?
If so,did you also remove the inline filter from in the reservoir & clean it out?
If so,now is the time to start looking at the various valve bodies in the system.It may be worth adjusting the ride height controller in the car;work it through the range,giving it time to work in all positions several times.