Hi! I've done the PSE chech, and it worked fine. But now, when driving, the automatick doorlocks, locks the center console box and the drivers door but not the passengers door. So I think I have messed up the vacuume lines. Any tips on testing the vacuum lines?? So that I dont have to replace it and refit it to test the different combinations.
Great thread, it helped me out a lot. My PSE finally went crazy for the first time yesterday because of all the rain. Lights would flash but the doors wouldn't unlock, then the alarm went off after I was in it and was starting to drive off. But took it out and cleaned it up and put it in upside down and everythings good.
So my question is has anybody looked into it further to find out why water is getting down there and been able to fix it?
I found where the drain hole with the grate cover by the trunk drains out under the car near where the PSE is and it was clogged and I cleaned it out but water is still getting down in the trunk.
At the right rear trunk area there are 2 drain tubes that terminate in a block that drain beside the fender outside wall: the right rear forward upper trunk lid drain with the grate, and gas tank fill cap flap area drain. The lower outlets can be found by removing the rear right lower wheel well flap cover. That wheel well seal is a friction fit easily removed by hand. If you poor water into either drain, and it does not drain, clear the rubber drain tubes with air pressure and/or a coated wire. Upper water clogs can flow past upper seals. Also the great big trunk lid seal that goes all the way around the trunk lid can leak. There is a right rear farthest back drain bulb that is self cleaning. You can push it a few times to release water trapped between the outside fender wall and a flimsy partition in the trunk right beside the PSE. There is also a left side trunk drain.
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Thom
2003 SLK230 USA model
Automatic Transmission
No Alterations/Stock
Southeast, USA
Well, things worked only for a few days and my problems with PSE connections etc. are back. I suppose I'll try a few more cleanings and report if the issue is resolved or not. Might have to buy the PSE. Does anyone know if I can buy just the circuit board from somewhere or do I have to purchase the whole unit?
Thanks DecoThom. My drains look ok and seem like they're not clogged because they drain quickly, but some water is still getting down there. I wondered if water could be getting in around underneath the outside edge of the drain with the grate cover. It doesn't look like a very tight fit and it gets pretty dirty around there. I also wondered if putting some sealant around there would help?
Yep water could get in through the upper seals, or you could have a bad hose connection, or bad hose. You can pour a measured amount directly through the 2 drains,… trunk and gas cap, catch the fluid, measure it. If you get significantly less water than you poured in, there is a leak between top and bottom. How you fix that, I don’t know,… very close quarters in there. You may be able to see water tracks by loosening the right rear inside trunk plastic panel. IIRC you can’t see that much there. If you get the same amount out as you poured in, there may be leaks at the upper seal(s). Then you would be good to put some clear silicon sealant under the grate/trunk upper seal. The grate pries out easily. You can then pull the rubber grommet beneath the grate forward just a little, clean area and apply sealant. I doubt the little rubber grommet for gas flap drainage would leak above.
You can also seal that piece of sheet metal on the outside of the PSE where the fender cavity allows water to migrate from drain hoses at the fender side wall into the trunk. That’s what I did. I also padded and double bagged the PSE in large ziplock bags. I used clear silicon sealer at the top of each bag, then used wire ties to hold the bag tops shut with sealer still wet at the top of each bag.
Again, make sure to press the rubber bulb at the rearmost fender area a few times to let water flow out of that area.
Well, things worked only for a few days and my problems with PSE connections etc. are back. I suppose I'll try a few more cleanings and report if the issue is resolved or not. Might have to buy the PSE. Does anyone know if I can buy just the circuit board from somewhere or do I have to purchase the whole unit?
I tried cleaning the contacts again with the RadioShack cleaner but it did not help. Gave in and bought a new PSE from KOPerformance for $ 379.78. It arrived in two days, installed it and all is well. Interior light comes on when I open the doors, it goes off when I start the engine or lock the car etc..
Next step is to invert the PSE. I have to obtain the vaccuum tube splices to be able to that.
Thanks everyone for their help through this forum.
can the pse pump fail without having any water or condensation problems, mine just started having problems, drivers side door not locking with remote and car locks itself after unlocked...i think this is the pse. no rain or water car garage kept.
It doesn't need to be out in the rain to fill the foam coffin with water. The PSE is an air pump, so it is going to suffer water damage from the condensation of moisture in the air it pumps. The problem is the foam coffin traps the moisture inside and does not have a path for the moisture to run out. This is made worse by the fact that the control electronics that control the locks and windows is at the lowest point on the early cars.
The fix as mentioned before is to get the extension kit from MB to allow you to remount the PSE upside down putting the electronics at the top of the case and using a hot soldering iron to melt a few drain holes in the lowest part of the foam coffin so any water build up has a way to drain out.
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Potato Chip, custom canuter valve, low-friction muffler bearings, synthetic turn signal fluid, Hi-Definition Progressive Scan Wiper Blades.
Law-makers are supposed to regulate in the interest of the public as opposed to regulating in the interest of the regulated party.
If it says Pratt and Whitney on the outside it better say Martin Baker on the inside.
im not sure if its the PSE pump. drivers side door does not lock with remote, everything else seems ok(except for self locking), drivers side door will lock with key. I do hear a whizzing sound coming from the trunk when I lock the doors that lasts longer than normal. could this be a vacuum leak instead of pse failure or connection corrosion.?
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