CL55 amg strange noise

[m2287]

So my CL55 amg has developed a strange noise.

It sounds kind of like a whirring or bearing noise but it is only audible when in the 1-2k rev range but when cruising there is a sort of a "hollow" noise no matter what speed I'm doing, to be honest I probably can't hear it under load because of the exhausts. When the car is in park or neutral you can't hear it at all, only when you are actually driving the car, it is especially noisy when I take my foot off the throttle and let the car coast to a halt. Anyone got any ideas?

I've recently changed:
the front disks and pads
The ABC accumulator/harmonic balancer
The water pump and the idler pulley
I have also refurbished the ABC pump and there was no noise when I did this so I doubt it was that (I must of done around 500miles in the car with the refurbished pump until the noise came).

 

[m2287]

Video, not sure how good the quality is though...

YouTube

 

[AMGeed]

Can't view the video. Marked as "Content Private"

 

[m2287]

Humm, not sure why, maybe it's because I only just uploaded it from my phone!

 

[m2287]

Should be able to see it now!

 

[AMGeed]

Couldn't make anything out until the last couple of seconds. But there was a something not right then. Wish I could help out as to what it could be??

 

[m2287]

Yea it's really hard to capture it, the car literally drives perfectly but the noise is doing my head in... My thoughts are moving towards the drivetrain/diff or something but to be honest I'm clueless! Even my mate who's a merc specialist can only come up with the tensioner pulley which does have a very small bit of play in it however he doubts it would make that much noise!

 

[E270 Owner]

Remove the aux belt and take it for a run.

Repeat on SC belt if noise remains.

If noise disappears check the pulleys and even the new stuff.

There's plenty of bearings to check especially the lower black ones on the right

 

[m2287]

Mine is NA, without the belt the ABC pump wouldn't turn, would this damage it?

 

[mercedescl500]

Mine is NA, without the belt the ABC pump wouldn't turn, would this damage it?

Aid,

Start the car and put into neutral. Rev the engine and see if the noise can be heard. If the noise can be heard whilst revving in neutral your problem is likely to be engine related.

If the noise can only be heard whilst car is in motion/drive then you should be looking at drivetrain.

Regards

Ricky.

 

[m2287]

Aid,

Start the car and put into neutral. Rev the engine and see if the noise can be heard. If the noise can be heard whilst revving in neutral your problem is likely to be engine related.

If the noise can only be heard whilst car is in motion/drive then you should be looking at drivetrain.

Regards

Ricky.

Hi Ricky, it's hard to tell in neutral as the exhaust is so noisy!

I took the belt off and drove it (what a MISSION with no power steering!) and the noise was still there so I don't think its pulley related. I did have a brake caliper which had seized up before, we loosened it with a big breaker bar, it wouldn't be that would it? It sounds rotational and the noise definately slows down as the car does, it is related to the speed of the car, not the revs.

Aidan

 

[mercedescl500]

Hi Ricky, it's hard to tell in neutral as the exhaust is so noisy!

I took the belt off and drove it (what a MISSION with no power steering!) and the noise was still there so I don't think its pulley related. I did have a brake caliper which had seized up before, we loosened it with a big breaker bar, it wouldn't be that would it? It sounds rotational and the noise definately slows down as the car does, it is related to the speed of the car, not the revs.

Aidan

Aidan,

Get 3 pals in your car and take it for a quick drive. A passenger in each seat will allow you to identify which corner the noise is coming from. Always remember "sound travels". This is the best way forward.

If you have access to an "unused" road then you could get the car up to speed and put into neutral (do NOT re-engage Drive until you stop the vehicle). If the noise is still rotational it will eliminate Gearbox. Then your left with Propshaft. Propshaft doughnut's. Differential and driveshafts. I had a similar problem about 9years ago with my CL. Let me know. Cheers.

Ricky.

 

[m2287]

Aidan,

Get 3 pals in your car and take it for a quick drive. A passenger in each seat will allow you to identify which corner the noise is coming from. Always remember "sound travels". This is the best way forward.

If you have access to an "unused" road then you could get the car up to speed and put into neutral (do NOT re-engage Drive until you stop the vehicle). If the noise is still rotational it will eliminate Gearbox. Then your left with Propshaft. Propshaft doughnut's. Differential and driveshafts. I had a similar problem about 9years ago with my CL. Let me know. Cheers.

Ricky.

Well I tried driving it down a road and put it in neutral, the noise is still there. I did have an advisory on an MOT years ago for a driveshaft boot which was split, wonder if it could be related to that. I would hope it's not the gearbox as I only did an ATF change a couple of thousand miles ago!

the sound is like a hollow echo, it's really hard to describe and because of its nature its hard to work out where exactly it's coming from!

What is the problem you had Ricky?

 

[mercedescl500]

Well I tried driving it down a road and put it in neutral, the noise is still there. I did have an advisory on an MOT years ago for a driveshaft boot which was split, wonder if it could be related to that. I would hope it's not the gearbox as I only did an ATF change a couple of thousand miles ago!

the sound is like a hollow echo, it's really hard to describe and because of its nature its hard to work out where exactly it's coming from!

What is the problem you had Ricky?

Aiden,

As you already know I've experienced almost every problem conceivable over the 10years I had my car. I would say definitely rear driveshaft. Nobody and I mean nobody was able to diagnose this problem. In the end I had a friend who was selling a complete rear subframe with diff and driveshafts (and this was 9years ago when nobody was breaking these cars and second hand bits were nearly impossible to source). As soon as I changed the driveshaft the problem was gone. Put 2 pals in the back and one will "feel" the rumbling. Wurr wurr wurr wurr sound )))

It drove me crazy. And guess what you can hear it outside the car too not only inside the cabin.

 

[m2287]

Aiden,

As you already know I've experienced almost every problem conceivable over the 10years I had my car. I would say definitely rear driveshaft. Nobody and I mean nobody was able to diagnose this problem. In the end I had a friend who was selling a complete rear subframe with diff and driveshafts (and this was 9years ago when nobody was breaking these cars and second hand bits were nearly impossible to source). As soon as I changed the driveshaft the problem was gone. Put 2 pals in the back and one will "feel" the rumbling. Wurr wurr wurr wurr sound )))

It drove me crazy. And guess what you can hear it outside the car too not only inside the cabin.

YESSSSSS that is the noise, wurr wurr wurr, gets slower as you slow down, not so easy to hear as you accelerate but still kind of there!

I better get searching for one, if it's the one the MOT man said about, it's the passenger side.

Thanks as always!

Aidan

 

[mercedescl500]

YESSSSSS that is the noise, wurr wurr wurr, gets slower as you slow down, not so easy to hear as you accelerate but still kind of there!

I better get searching for one, if it's the one the MOT man said about, it's the passenger side.

Thanks as always!

Aidan

Aidan,

No worries budd, you know where I am if you have anymore of these impossible to find issues. There's nothing my car hasn't had failed over the years. I had Indy and MB garages going "oooooof sounds expensive" when this problem happened to me. I remedied and located the fault as per details above.

Oh and it's a driveway job, I know your more than capable of handling it.

Regards

Ricky.

 

[m2287]

One more question, will a driveshaft from a cl500, or even a w220 s500 fit? Or even one of the 600 variants, they can't be too different can they?!

 

[mercedescl500]

One more question, will a driveshaft from a cl500, or even a w220 s500 fit? Or even one of the 600 variants, they can't be too different can they?!

Aiden,

I'm quite sure they are the same. I used a driveshaft from a CL55 on my 500 and had no issues. To be 100% sure it might be worth PMing one of our resident sponsors to see if a part number cross reference can be done. (But in all honesty I think they are the same on non-komp variants)

Regards

Ricky.

 

[brucemillar]

I may have a pair of CL55 shafts. Bought for myC55 they were not correct.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[m2287]

I may have a pair of CL55 shafts. Bought for myC55 they were not correct.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

How much do you want for them?

I am going to get it on a ramp asap just to double check.