W124 300TD Estate Suspension Question

[Druk]

Donald.

This oil is to Merc spec 343.0

From the dealer A 000 989 91 03

The only alternative given on the EPC extranet is Aral Vitamol ZH-M,,,, and if you can find that locally :bannana: .

Ordinarily there are lots of alternative fluids permitted but not in this case.

Sorry.

If there is a leak it is likely from one or both of the steel pipes at the rear. They run from the spheres to the wheel units. both a bummer to do cos the subframe has to be lowered to get them in and as like or not the banjo bolt to the spheres will be corroded so the Allen key turns out.

hope not.

 

[Donald]

Thanks guys,Oil is only £6 odd delivered from GSF.I will jack the car up tomor and have a really good look.If there is no signs of a leak can i presume the fluid has entered the spheres?

 

[andy_k]

see above - if you let a bit of fluid out from the struts and it's milky then yep, the fluid has entered the spheres

how to change them........

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=3256

No need to drop the rear sub frame and it should take you two or three hours if everything goes smoothly

 

[talbir]

Fluid can leak from the hydraulic pump into the block when the seals go bad.

If there is no fluid in system and rear spheres are bad/shot, then car will lower height at the rear - even whilst not raising height, the SLS setup does retain the min height set. The spheres are what provide the damping effect.

I'd fit new spheres first, then refill system, bleed and get fluid to correct level, then watch to see if fluid level remains constant after approx 50-100 miles of driving. Fluid level should not drop even a millimetre, only time fluid level should show low in the reservoir is when system is activated to lift vehicle rear up due to load. At that point the bulk of the fluid is in the struts.


talbir

 

[Donald]

Well today I finally got round to having a look at the old bus.I topped up the reservour which was empty.When i started the engine the car rose to its correct height.I then took out for a drive but when i returned and switched off the engine only to hear a hissing.I looked underneath and all the hyd fluid was leaking out.So it looks like a burst or corroded pipe.Will jack it up tomor and find out where the leak is.Can the pipe be repaired by cutting out the damaged part and flaring in a new section or does the whole pipe need to be replaced? Does the pipe carry a high pressure?
Thanks

 

[andy_k]

replace the pipe, they are a special design which inhibits flow (basically there is a coiled object within the outer pipe.

Yes, they do carry high pressure, no they are not expensive

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>they are a special design which inhibits flow

Are they special pipes for all the length Andy?

I had understood that the main pipes between the pump / reservoir and the levelling valve were fairly ordinary, as are the larger section pipes which connect the spheres to the struts.

I thought that the only restrictors were between the valve and the spheres.

 

[Druk]

I replaced one of mine with a flexible rubber made up by the local hydraulic guys. Saved dropping the subframe. Worked fine.
iirc the hardest bit was releasing the domed head banjo bolts on the sphere end. Internal Allen key hole rusted out.