Meet Silvia the s211 e55 7 seater

[Will]

I think it’s fair to say that as many of these cars are approaching 15 years old/100k+ miles it’s inevitable that stuff can and will go wrong from time to time.

As we all know Gav you’ve got very high standards with your cars and have spent a good chunk of money out on your old ‘55 as well as this one - obviously some essential and other personal preference etc. But standards vary massively, as much by the owner and also who maintains it.

Would a main dealer history have stopped the tank leaking and would they even have spotted it etc? Any advisories on the MOTs or service reports etc? Did Waterhouse notice any fuel leakage etc when they had it in recently?

Two ATF changes in 100 miles sounds a bit strange but regards the fuel issue I wonder if the previous owner even noticed it, maybe the recent hot spell has made it worse, maybe they didn’t fill it right up each time etc - just playing devils advocate but it’s possible they might not have known about it.

I wish your boy all the best with his op and you all the best with the car but try and keep calm about it, old Mercs can test your patience from time to time, I’m sure once you’re on top of stuff you’ll have a good spell of trouble free motoring, and in what should be your perfect car

It’s worth remembering that although newer cars might not go wrong as much or cost as much to maintain they’ll be losing a good chunk more in depreciation as well as costing more in stuff like road tax - if it helps to think more positively on what you’be spent out on so far

Good luck for the 20th mate

 

[merc85]

All the tanks leak, Part of the design lol, Thankyou Will for the kind thoughts.

Quote:
The fuel tank is engineered in a way that any small leak would be contained on top of the tank and then evaporate. It is also impossible, they say, for fuel to come in contact with anything hot enough to start a fire. The car also has sensors that monitor fuel tank leaks. Mercedes does acknowledge that if a small leak were to occur, the sensor would not react as quickly as the human nose.

https://jalopnik.com/5928347/5-mill...cedes-concealed-fuel-leak-risk-from-customers

Id certainly suggest owners do check, could save a accident. Vapour is more flamable than fuel itself is it not?

Also Mercedes do know about the issue see the Whole PDF Grober kindly found. Along with a revised tank and USA warranty upto 15years regardless of owner & miles.

 

[merc85]

Ok i've just heard back form Mercedes, Cost of the Tank is £1,500

Part number for reference incase someone is as lucky as me :/ is 2114701102
These Tanks are the new number, old number 2114702502

They have been superceeded a few times, "I wonder why" also they are on back order for 5 days aprox Again begs the question why? hum...

Still deciding how and if im proceeding i may have to take the car off the road for a while.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Interesting, if you check the tank costs online at Teile the new ones shows as €1351 where the other two were around €900 (excl. VAT & shipping on all).

Did you get any discount from Mercedes from list price?

 

[merc85]

Its a ball park figure bud, including hoses etc Retail was £1,700 just wanted to give people a idea.

 

[grober]

Ok i've just heard back form Mercedes, Cost of the Tank is £1,500

Part number for reference incase someone is as lucky as me :/ is 2114701102
These Tanks are the new number, old number 2114702502

They have been superceeded a few times, "I wonder why" also they are on back order for 5 days aprox Again begs the question why? hum...

Still deciding how and if im proceeding i may have to take the car off the road for a while.

You did quote your chassis number to them when you enquired didn't you? The reason I ask is because that part no is listed for diesel cars when I checked on the EPC. It's maybe nothing and they are the only tanks now available and are completely interchangeable but thought I would flag it?

 

[grober]

They did search for the part using your chassis number right ? The only reason I ask is because that A211 470 1102 number is listed against a series of diesel engined cars on my copy of the EPC. Its possible that these are the only 80 litre tanks now available and are fully interchangeable but just thought I would flag it.

 

[merc85]

Yes Grober, i noticed that too, They looked everything up Sir.

 

[Alex]

You’re overthinking it - remove, locate the leak and reseal. Got 2 spare tanks as per my PM. Just come and collect. Hardly stuff for sleepless nights.

 

[merc85]

Tank in it self may not cause sleepless nights but other going on's coupled with it will, There's NO finding the leak, We know exactly where its coming from thanks to the Bore scope, But i appreciate your offer so thankyou.

Anyway The car is now booked into Mercedes Benz Waterhouse for a New tank on the 28th as I've had some help from a close family member So that will give me time to run it about locally to get the full level down ready, and also enable me to get it back into the garage without stinking the House out.

Watch this space......

Oh i also forgot my Wedding anniversary is on the 21st, so its looking like a slap up meal for my wife and i in London.

Mrs Smith on the Left , Rotfl

How she puts up with me and the car's i'll never know, But she is such a Loving Wife and Mother, I'm a very lucky man in that respect

 

[merc85]

And no more Blackmail AMGeed!!! pmsl

 

[Alex]

Bruised thread - new caliper, suspected leak - new tank. You’re worse than me ;-)

 

[clk320x]

^^Alex at least you can tell your other half yours is just a ‘silver mercedes’

 

[merc85]

Well drip feeding updates here, Progress has somewhat slowed, Tbh i've lost my Mojo in general, and struggling to find the interest in carrying on with the car, Think the Fuel tank issue has got tome abit and it's just come along at the wrong time.

I managed to Straighten the ///AMG Badge out, pealed it off clean the paintwork with a Megs paint cleanse, I measured the Badge on the otherside to get it the same height and placement.
I Used Tiger seal on the back of the badge selotaped it into position using a peace of card masked to the car to give me a nice straight edge.

Looks Spot on imo much much better,

The car is going in on the 28th to have the new tank fitted, so i thought now would be a good idea to strip the rear arch liners out, clean the brake pipes up as these are partially corroded along with the Spot welds which everyone i've come acrros has corrosion starting, I cant stress enough if you want to keep your 211 in good shape take the arch liners out and have a good clean up.

I will be painting the arch probably with Hammerite, then apply a good dose of Waxyol like i did with Brutus. Anyway thats how she is sitting atm.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Well drip feeding updates here, Progress has somewhat slowed, Tbh i've lost my Mojo in general, and struggling to find the interest in carrying on with the car, Think the Fuel tank issue has got tome abit and it's just come along at the wrong time.

I managed to Straighten the ///AMG Badge out, pealed it off clean the paintwork with a Megs paint cleanse, I measured the Badge on the otherside to get it the same height and placement.
I Used Tiger seal on the back of the badge selotaped it into position using a peace of card masked to the car to give me a nice straight edge.

Looks Spot on imo much much better,

The car is going in on the 28th to have the new tank fitted, so i thought now would be a good idea to strip the rear arch liners out, clean the brake pipes up as these are partially corroded along with the Spot welds which everyone i've come acrros has corrosion starting, I cant stress enough if you want to keep your 211 in good shape take the arch liners out and have a good clean up.

I will be painting the arch probably with Hammerite, then apply a good dose of Waxyol like i did with Brutus. Anyway thats how she is sitting atm.

How is it behind arch lip, any sign of corrosion?

 

[merc85]

Really good Sir, Nothing at all, I used and smal 1 row fine wire brush which sat into the lip as if it was made, and brushed all the rubbish and debris out.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Looking good Gav, nice work, keep it up, it will be worth it in the end.

I can keep on with mine and if you do the same we can end up with a saloon and an estate in bits.

Your right about the spot welds, well worth a little bit of attention, with some TLC on these cars they will last a good while longer.
I'm looking forward to them being tax/mot exempt, only another 26 years to go.

 

[chrisk2010]

Looks great in there fella you can see it's loved and looked after car.

I can totally understand how you feel when when you loose a bit of momentum, i have been working striaght for months now with no time for the car and had many family problems to deal with plus had builders working on the house since May and I still haven't got around to doing the ball joints, droplinks and passenger suspension arm and front arches. My steering wheel has been sitting of centre since i brought the car but money is so tight i couldn't even pay Formula 1 to do the work if i gave them the parts

I had planned to do the rear arches and give the calipers a bit of TLC on my car the weekend with hammerite and waxoyl but ran out of time in the end so it's being put off till the bank holiday weekend for now. Which means it will probably end up being put of till October and i'll be doing it in the snow like when i changed the brakes all around .

I remember reading this thread when you found Silvia, sitting up in bed and saying out loud "the b****rd found one" and showing my better half the phone saying that's the perfect car as she rolled her eyes and called me a nerd she caught a look at the rear seats and said "you could take all the kids in that". I smiled and said with a V8 i'd be happy to as well as it would drown out the noise the little rascals make plus i have always wanted to put the twins in the boot!

Stay strong and keep it up fella and if you loose interest you can always do my arches and i'll do yours

 

[merc85]

Really Appreciate the words of encouragement bud, I'll get this side painted tonight hopefully then make a start on the other.
Yes the exhaust note on this one is Just right quiet 90% of the time until you hit the loud pedal then it makes a Lovely noise and the kids shut up and enjoy the ride lol.

I caught a glimpse of your detail thread the other day, your 203 is looking very well indeed cracking job! Good to see your kids mucking in too

 

[chrisk2010]

Thanks bud, I've always liked a clean car so i've been trying to refine the detailing skills a bit plus it doesn't hurt the boys to do a bit of graft and makes me giggle encouraging them to lift my 27ltr rinse bucket around the car with there finely tuned Xbox playing noodle arms

I just try to hold onto the feeling i had when i first saw the car although the light dims at times especially when i drove it a week later and it went into limp mode due to the conductor plate which lead to a 4 month claim.

It gives me little comfort but there's a guy called Rainbird on the Mkiv forum i've been following for over a year that has had it far worse he spent a year repairing and upgrading a Cupra and had the engine in and out the thing come rain or shine more times than i've had hot dinners only to face the fact he was flogging a dead horse chalked it off to experience, stripped it for parts, brought another and scrapped it.

In terms of builds that's as bad as it gets IMO but those Mkiv threads are the reason i'm back in a Merc as they where spending thousands trying to bring MkIV's to a spec of a merc with comfort lighting, reduced under steer and 200bhp all the way to the little orange ambient light in the rear view mirror and one day i done the math........... and went a brought a V6 C Class and enjoy sticking to the curb on a round about every morning