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Multiple Leaky ABC Hoses

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#1 ·
Hi, I'm brand new to the forum and am looking for some advice on my 2006 CL 600. I looked under the car the other day and seem to have a big problem with the ABC hoses leaking at the fittings. I can see that the main line going from each front strut needs replacing as well as the high pressure expansion hose that's tucked between the cross member and the front of the oil pan. There is also at least one leaky hose going towards the rear, but I haven't taken shrouds off to fully inspect the rear yet and identify anything else. Since this will be my first major repair with this car I have several questions before I tear into it:

1. What would cause the hoses to all be failing at once? The car only has 33,000 miles on it, so I find it hard to believe that they're worn out from normal use. I'm also skeptical that the hoses are all becoming weak simply due to age. I tested the pump and got a solid 190 bars at idle and about 175 bars during the rodeo. I've heard that the pulsation dampener could cause extra stress in the lines if that needs replacing; is there any truth to that? I will say that I've had a strange problem with the car lightly "bouncing" (more when its cold) and I've always thought about the pulsation dampener, but the dealer keeps claiming its a wheel balance issue that they blame on a "slightly bent rim" which I also don't buy. They wanted to sell me a new rim and all new tires. I've had bent rims and out of balance wheels on a car and I now what that feels like. This is not that.

2. Can anyone help me with a procedure to replace the lines or at least some pitfalls to avoid? I cant seem to find any steps on this site or on my copy of WIS, which I'm admittedly not very proficient at using yet. The left and right strut lines seem straightforward enough, but I'm concerned about getting to the high pressure line. I've heard you need to jack the engine up, but again would love to see any kind of procedure that directs exactly how far, and what to remove without screwing anything else up.

3. I've read a couple threads about repairing the lines at a hydraulic shop to avoid the insane prices that MB charges for them. Can anyone attest to long term success with this?

4. Is there anything else I should consider repairing or replacing while I'm in there as a preemptive measure with this age and mileage?

Any help from your experience would be greatly appreciated!!
 

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#2 ·
Can't help much with the hoses, but I can tell you that the bounce is usually a pulsation dampener. There are two of them. One behind the drivers front wheel and one under the passenger side near the muffler. I had the bounce issue and my car was also flashing a quick ABC error in the dash when hitting a bump.

They aren't hard to replace and are usually under $100.
 
#3 ·
I think the one in the front is one of the accumulators, but I could be wrong. If there's more than one pulsation dampener I definitely want to change them both. I'm going to start looking at everything in depth next week. Thanks for jumping in; I've been very disappointed at the lack of response to my post. Was hoping at least a couple of the experts on this site would chime in!
 
#7 ·
I have a 2003 CL600TT and have had all but one hose replaced with ones copied by a hydraulics firm, to a higher pressure and temperature rating than MB hoses. Some of these hoses were literally a tenth of the price to the inferior MB hoses. Why they should leak at such a low mileage is a puzzle. I have done 10,000k's on these new hoses with no problems (touch wood!).
 
#8 ·
thanks for the reply. member like yourself have said that they have upgraded the pipe work.
1) did you replace the hoses yourself? if so, what was the procedure? did you use the 'quick release’ pliers to release the ends? etc
2) how did you communicate with the pipe fabrication company your requirements? send them the pipes etc
thanks for your input.
raj
 
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