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W204 DIY Videos for those willing to have a go.

99K views 94 replies 27 participants last post by  Parknest 
#1 · (Edited)
I've made a bunch of DIY videos for the C Class to try to de-mystify working on these cars. They're no big deal and you can improvise in most cases so you don't need all the MB special tools. I do a better job at looking after my C Class than a business where it's just Job # XYZ.

I'm a retired Civil Engineer so I'm not a complete idiot ... although my wife may have a different view.

Standard Oil+ Filter Change by removing sump plug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUFKtA1lDC4&list=TLMwyx5S99INDUdCK5JJxqXDQc982VlFxR

Change front brake pads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ButRvF9GSE&list=TLSmuy2DMYWXu7JZBwZd54eWe5FSB9rLiU

Change rear brake pads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktmYSXoKhQc&list=TL0FQ3IjOoc5xgoV_a_s_jz6Bwnqm1r7oG

7GTronic transmission service and oil cooler flush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-72EN_pqUU

Change brake fluid and bleed system
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061km5wQv8A

plus a bunch of others including:

How to remove and install the COMAND scrolling knob.
How to repair the COMAND scrolling knob as the internal shaft breaks at four years ... better than paying a small fortune for a new one.
Removing the COMAND head unit
Removing the flip out screen
Back up camera installation
Removing the overhead console
Oil+Filter change using an extractor pump

Also an epic video of recovery from ORIF ankle surgery on my shattered distal Tibia. Could be helpful if you ever badly break your ankle and need plates and screws to put it back together. The Surgeons tell you very little so you're left in the dark a lot of time not knowing what's ahead. I've laid out the various stages so you'll have some insight. Ankle fractures are very common if your an active person.
 
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#52 · (Edited)
Steve ... here you go:

 
#55 ·
Mercedes fault codes

Scott l enjoy your videos. I am a bit of a DIY person my self but when it comes to DIY on my Merc I am a little worried about fault codes that may occur as a result of disconnecting sensors on the car. A Mercedes specialist recently replaced the AC compressor on my car and he found fault codes that extended back to several years.
As most of us DIY genius' don't have access to fault code readers how does one know that one has created a fault code during the DIY
 
#56 ·
Scott l enjoy your videos. I am a bit of a DIY person my self but when it comes to DIY on my Merc I am a little worried about fault codes that may occur as a result of disconnecting sensors on the car. A Mercedes specialist recently replaced the AC compressor on my car and he found fault codes that extended back to several years.
As most of us DIY genius' don't have access to fault code readers how does one know that one has created a fault code during the DIY
Thanks for the kind words. There's no doubt fault codes will be created when sensors are disconnected. The system only stores that the event happened unless you have an ongoing fault.

If you have a Merc it's worth getting a multiplexer and Xentry/DAS from one of the Chinese suppliers. There pretty cheap. You can then clear out any fault codes you may have generated. I bought one of these kits choosing the external HDD option. About $AUD433 delivered.

V2014.09 MB STAR compact C4 for Mercedes Benz Fit all computer Promotion
 
#58 ·
My latest Spielberg production ... how to remove and install the differential.

 
#59 ·
Second part .How to disassemble the differential and install the Quaife LSD centre.

 
#60 ·
Thank you Scott

Thank you Scott for the obvious effort you've put into these videos. It is rare to find someone so generous. I have a 2004 C 204 and have been a 123 and 124 series owner for the last 25 years. I also live in Perth and appreciate your sentiments and comments regarding DIY.

KIND REGARDS
Chris
 
#61 ·
Thank you Scott for the obvious effort you've put into these videos. It is rare to find someone so generous. I have a 2004 C 204 and have been a 123 and 124 series owner for the last 25 years. I also live in Perth and appreciate your sentiments and comments regarding DIY.

KIND REGARDS
Chris
Thanks for your kind words Chris ... I don't mind trying to help out. I find it interesting trying to put these things together into some sort of coherent story about how to do something.

It's doing something creative for a change after 35 years as a Civil Engineer ... spreadsheets, number crunching, trig calculations, algebra, financial calculations ...

Birds Autos in the UK have embedded the Quaife differential conversion into their website. I'll be fronting up for the Oscars soon! :big laugh:
 
#62 ·
How to change your differential oil using a simple air lift.

 
#63 ·
Thanks Mr Scott,very professional video,great work as usual.
Could you please tell me,what size magnets would you recommend and do they stick to the plug by their own magnetism,or did you 'stick' them on some other way?
Would you be able to do the same for the engine drain plug do you think?
Thank you.
 
#64 ·
Thank you for your kind words!

These are the ones I use ... 3/8" diameter and 3/8" long.

1 Neodymium Disc ROD Magnet 3 8" DIA X 3 8" N35SH High Temp OIL Sump Craft DIY | eBay

They stick to anything ferrous like you've never seen. As long as the plug is steel the magnet will stick to it like glue and won't move. You have to be careful with neodymium magnets as they're so strong they can give you a nasty pinch.

I put two on the engine drain plug of my C320CDI last week when I did it's yearly oil + filter change.

The transmission has some magnets inside the oil pan from the factory. When I did the transmission service I put a large neodymium magnet in as well as the OEM magnets weren't that strong.

Regards, Scott

P.S. I like magnets.
 
#66 ·
How to convert your old lead acid battery into a Lithium battery arrangement. The standard battery weighs about 26kg the small lithium replacement is about 2.4kg.

 
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#67 ·
This has annoyed the hell out of me so I finally came up with a solution. It's a design fault as the fitting is just not strong enough. I've been putting up with it for about two years.

 
#68 ·
Awesome Scott. All the videos are great. I did change transmission fluid (Fuchs Blue) and rear differential oil (using redline 75W85) last month.

Do you know any easier way to change front diff oil in W204? There is no fill port for the front diff. and MB manual calls for removing the front axle.

I was thinking about filling front diff oil using pump from drain plug. Any ideas. Is anyone has success in changing front differential fluid on W204?
 
#69 ·
Yep that's what I would do. It makes you wonder what's going on. To me it has a smell of creating extra work for the revenue. Why would you remove the axle to fill with oil when a simple air lift will do the work quickly and cheaply. I mean they do it for the transmission so why not the diff?

Diffs and gearboxes always have a vent so after draining the oil it should be a simple process of putting the specified quantity in your air lift container. Screw your fitting into the drain plug hole and push the oil in with the air compressor. The only thing to solve is how do you get the fitting off and replace with the plug because the oil will run out again. If it was me I'd use the plug as the fitting. I'd drill it with an 11/32" drill and tap with a 1/8"NPT thread and insert a valve with a barbed fitting for a 3/8" hose. Once filled close the valve. I'd have pre-drilled the handle on the valve with a small hole and use SS lock wire to wire the handle so it can't be knocked open accidentally.

Have a look at the vid I made on how to remove the differential. The WIS says to remove the LHS rear wheel carrier from the axle which is a bastard of a job. You need special HD pullers and it's time consuming. It's just not necessary.

I unbolted the remaining lower suspension arm from the wheel carrier and pulled the axle. It was simple and far quicker than the recommended method. The car drives beautifully with it's new Quaife LSD centre so my method worked without issues.

When you see the ethics ... or should I say the lack of ethics evident within the VW group you must have a healthy degree of skepticism when any dealer or manufacturer opens their mouth. Senior industry leaders are often Corporate Psychopaths. Basically it's all about them and the next bonus. I've witnessed CEO's ignoring civil laws and doing things because they want to. If they get caught they'll worry about it then. I find it difficult to believe the VW CEO didn't know what was going on. At the very least he presided over a culture that encouraged staff to engage in unethical and illegal behaviour.

So the crux of it is ... read the recommended process then have a good lateral think about alternatives. The manufacture and dealer network has an incentive to create extra work and therefore revenue.

I think VW is the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
 
#70 ·
Thanks Scott. Also the front diff drain plug is little different from transmission drain plug. Germans can't use some common sense or common parts.

I will make a fitting to fill oil from front diff drain plug and find a way to quickly close it out with plug. I believe the front diff requires 0.6 liter of oil.

I will post the update in few weeks with some pictures.
 
#71 · (Edited)
Yes some photos would be handy for others.

One idea that maybe possible is to use a vacuum cleaner over the vent.

I've done it several times on the engine when I've needed to remove the sump plug but didn't want to drain the oil. I've done it on my wife's VW Polo and my W639 Vito van. On both occasions the sump plug was weeping slightly after an oil change. It was because I was lazy and didn't anneal the copper washers before using them again.

All I did was stick the vacuum cleaner pipe in the oil filler and turn it on. The suction held in it place. I was able to remove the sump plug without one atom of oil dripping out ... quite amazing really. I put some non hardening sealant on the copper washer and put the plug back in. It sorted out the weep and I didn't have to drain the oil. I was praying the power wouldn't go off while the vacuum cleaner was keeping the oil inside the engine.

If it's possible to get your vacuum cleaner hose over the vent that maybe an option.
 
#73 ·
Thanks for the compliment about the videos.

I checked out your video ... that's a terrible failure on a car of supposedly high quality and expense. I also have the ILS.

Honestly I can't recall how the projector is held in place. It maybe four screws into the plastic or some spring clips. Do some googling as I have heard of this issue before. It's very compact inside there so to repair properly will probably require removal of the headlight and the lens. If you take the headlight out you may even be able to repair it on the bench as you'll have the room to work on it.

It's not too difficult to pull them apart and is a satisfying project if you take the opportunity to install some crisp white angel eyes. I still get plenty of looks with mine as they are unique. You can get COB type now which are possibly better.
 
#77 ·
I've made a bunch of DIY videos for the C Class to try to de-mystify working on these cars. They're no big deal and you can improvise in most cases so you don't need all the MB special tools. I do a better job at looking after my C Class than a business where it's just Job # XYZ.

7GTronic transmission service and oil cooler flush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-72EN_pqUU
Scott,

A big thanks for your videos, I've watched several on your channel to get smarter before tacking some fluid baselining and other light maintenance on our C350. Of particular value was your 7G video where you talk about flushing the trans cooler fluid. While I didn't have enough spare bits laying around to run fluid through the cooler I was able to purge it with the same low PSI air used for the lift pump.

I had considered having the local dealer service the trans and brake fluid flush due to lack of available time during the holidays but after having a conversation with their most experienced service writer telling me they no longer drain the TC I was committed to doing it myself and doing it right.

Thanks mate, keep up the great work.
 
#78 ·
Thanks for the compliment. I find it outrageous they're advising they no longer drain the TC. The TC holds about 50% of the ATF ... so they only drain about 4.2 litres from a total of about 8.5!

To any other members reading this if the above quote from a senior Mercedes dealer isn't enough to convince you to take control and DIY then I don't know what is.

You might ask this dealer if they intend replacing half the engine oil from now on when they do an oil + filter service ... and replace only half the brake fluid every two years.

The ATF is a hydraulic fluid under pressure. It degrades over time and must be replaced on a regular basis.

Coming from a heavy civil engineering and open pit mining background the companies I worked for had large fleets of earthmoving equipment. Very regular fluid changes for engines, transmissions, final drives etc were the lifeblood of the operations for high machine availability and longevity before major component replacements. If I showed the Plant Engineers the above policy for Mercedes car transmissions they'd be rolling on the floor laughing hysterically!

Some of the companies I worked for had Mercedes trucks. The plant management staff didn't change half the ATF in the automatic truck transmissions. The transmissions in the large Caterpillar/Komatsu dump trucks are essentially the same just bigger. They're usually 7 speed automatics of similar design and the ATF was changed every few hundred hours of use.
 
#80 ·
Power steering fluid change

 
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#82 ·
Thanks for the video, excellent as always. I have a couple litres of Febi fluid waiting for a warmish day to do the fluid swap on ours. Similar process as my Mazda MPS.

I always wondered why auto manufacturers don't recommend a replacement schedule for PS fluid, even the German companies miss the boat.
 
#85 ·
2010 - 2012 C300 4matic front differential oil change

According to WIS, 2011 C300 4matic front differential oil change would require to take off the passenger axle because there is no fill port. I have changed the oil without following the the WIS complicated procedure. I used redline diff oil which supports MB 235.7 specification.

I did some research and Good News is that there is drain bolt similar to the 722.96 transmission (even part number are same for 6mm hex bolt) and there is also breather hole on the top of diff.

You can use the similar tools such as MityVac extractor/fill, accessory and the 722.9 adaptor (search on amazon) to fill the diff oil from drain port after draining the old fluid.

You need to fill in 600 ml plus 50-60 ml oil extra to account for any drip-off while putting back the 6mm hex drain bolt back after taking off the special adaptor. You can use your finger to stop the fluid while screwing the 6mm hex bolt in the diff.

Note:
The oil was greyish after 30K miles.
If you used the mityvac pump for some other purpose oil change or tranny fluid then clean it throughly a day before.

Special Thanks to Scott. I owe Scott for all 722.9 trany fluid expertise. I may include a video in future for front diff.:nerd
 
#86 ·
Have a look at this idea. I installed a secondary drain plug to the oil pan on my transmission. In this short video I explain why I did it.

 
#87 ·
How I replaced the LHS engine mount on my C320CDI with the OM642 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel. These high torque motors always break the LHS engine mount.

I came up with a way of reinforcing both the LHS and RHS mounts with high strength polyurethane flexible construction sealant.

 
#88 ·
The "Auto Lights Inoperative" message came up. It was the light/rain sensor behind the rear view mirror.

It's a very simple job to replace yourself and it doesn't need coding with DAS/Xentry so don't pay big dollars. It was a bit difficult to find a new sensor at a reasonable price. I bought a used one on eBay from Lithuania :eek ... for $AUD35 delivered. It's a newer part number so I hope it lasts a while. Even then compared to the what the dealer wants I can by about 7 used items.

 
#89 ·
Just a thank you for your video on the rear light earth wiring.

I got the error on my 2009 C200k on the dash for the Left side rear lights. I found the socket contacts had oxidation which I sanded off with some emery paper after seeing your video. I didn't have any melting harness or burnt wiring but thought now that the plate is out why not not do the earth wire?

AS per your instructions I discovered it is necessary to rub the the plate with emery paper where you intend to solder the earth wire to otherwise the solder won't stick, and I did need a 40 W solder iron as well.
 
#91 ·
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