Alfaguy
New Member
OK I know it means an oil and filter change but what other items need attention. Mine is going in for one on Wednesday - a specialist in Dublin. 
What does a full major service on a E220 Coupe enatil?
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
all fluids (brake, gearbox and back axle, plugs, air filter. check and replace pads/disks if neccesary, Charcoal filter, cabin filters. Check wheel bearings, suspension bushes etc etc
Get a fixed price and agreement on what work they will carry out before letting them loose on the car or you could end up with a rather large bill
Get a fixed price and agreement on what work they will carry out before letting them loose on the car or you could end up with a rather large bill
grober
MB Master
Andy K has given you most of them to which I would add fuel filter and coolant change. That covers most things but there is no point in changing them if they have been done recently- it really depends on what's been done at previous services. The ones that get overlooked most often are coolant ( 50% MB antifreeze50%water) and brake fluid since the effects of not changing them tend not to be immediate or obvious. Both are best changed by time interval rather than mileage--- every 2 years is recommended.
rf065
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2007
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- Grossbritannien
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- SLC300 - C250d Estate 4 Matic & Z900rs
15 years!! leave it that long and you are asking for trouble.. i would do it every 2 years at least.
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
there are a few long life anti freezes out there (Dex Cool springs to mind) but they are only any good if they are the only coolant that's ever been in the system. As soon as they mix with standard anti freeze (even the residue keft after draining the system is enough then they are reduced to the same 'life' as normal anti freeze. Two or three years is a reasonable time between changes
i dont believe in anything long life.. there is always a sacrifice..
Long life bread, milk, cakes, oil, tyres... just about anything..
Long life bread, milk, cakes, oil, tyres... just about anything..
rf065
MB Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2007
- Messages
- 5,500
- Location
- Grossbritannien
- Car
- SLC300 - C250d Estate 4 Matic & Z900rs
Coolant / anti freeze is another product that has changed in the last few years, the old advice of every 2 years no longer applies.
Most manufacturers now say every 10 years, Mercedes say 15 years.
The coolant now being used is not the same as was used in the past.
If you have an older car then 2 years is still right.
Russ
Im not convinced on that one... I believe most of this advice is to please lease companies.
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
grober
MB Master
Better to be safe then sorry
The guys car was a E220 coupe which started life long before the advent of these long life antifreezes and that is why I advised taking a look at the antifreeze situation. Its true that modern Mercedes claim their antifreeze life is 15 years-presumably with a 50% de-ionised/purified water top up at the factory when the car is manufactured but I would put it to you that its highly unlikely that the coolant system of a car is going to remain "untouched" for that period of time. Many minor mechanical engine /heater/aircon repairs require partial or full drainage of the coolant system and unless great care is taken to duplicate "factory fill" quality of coolant composition [which simply may not be possible for practical reasons] then the theoretical 15 year life becomes questionable. This is particularly true for older multi owner vehicles with a lack of a comprehensive service history where often engine/transmission oil, brake fluid and coolant changes are neglected or poorly documented. Neglected coolant can lead to expensive problems such as premature cylinder head gasket failure or corrosion of the automatic transmission heat radiator heat exchangers. Better to be safe then sorry is what I am saying.
The guys car was a E220 coupe which started life long before the advent of these long life antifreezes and that is why I advised taking a look at the antifreeze situation. Its true that modern Mercedes claim their antifreeze life is 15 years-presumably with a 50% de-ionised/purified water top up at the factory when the car is manufactured but I would put it to you that its highly unlikely that the coolant system of a car is going to remain "untouched" for that period of time. Many minor mechanical engine /heater/aircon repairs require partial or full drainage of the coolant system and unless great care is taken to duplicate "factory fill" quality of coolant composition [which simply may not be possible for practical reasons] then the theoretical 15 year life becomes questionable. This is particularly true for older multi owner vehicles with a lack of a comprehensive service history where often engine/transmission oil, brake fluid and coolant changes are neglected or poorly documented. Neglected coolant can lead to expensive problems such as premature cylinder head gasket failure or corrosion of the automatic transmission heat radiator heat exchangers. Better to be safe then sorry is what I am saying.
Generally I would agree with you Jay but apparently the 2 or 3 yr replacement cycle for coolant and brake fluid is now OTT if you use modern fluids. Not sure what the right cycle is - but I have also heard 15 yrs for MB coolant - an extension to that long can not just be to appease the leasing companies - anything over 4 years and they are no longer interested in the car.
Brake fluid can also be tested apparently - not sure what the test is - is it water content?
grober
MB Master
The only reliable method is to measure the boiling point of a sample of the fluid with a dedicated test rig . The standard is SAE J1703. New glycol based brake fluid has a boiling point of 500C anything less than 200C should be changed.
Excerpt from a 2006 4car article.on a survey done by Comma.
Motoring: Dodgy brakes blight a third of UK cars
Testing the brake fluid
One in three cars on Britain's roads has lethal brakes, according to a new report carried out by independent service garages.
The study showed that half of all the cars tested had defective braking systems, while 29% were so bad that it put the lives of its occupants at risk.
The report was commissioned by Comma and asked the independent garages to check the quality of each car's brake fluid. The fluid was then tested by experts at Alba Diagnostics to find out at what temperature the fluid boiled. Brake fluid should not boil below 180 degrees Celsius, but a third of the cars in the survey had brake fluid that boiled below this point. This shows that water had been absorbed into the fluid and was reducing the effectiveness of the brakes. This problem is labelled a silent killer by experts and the police. Mike Bewsey, of Comma, said: 'One minute your brakes are working, the next they aren't. This can happen under stop-start conditions, heavy braking or towing. There is no warning.'
The report calls for mandatory regular testing of brake fluid and says that such a move could save thousands of accidents each year.
edit:- this doesn't apply to silicone based fluid.
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