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1999 S500 Service 101's

885 views 12 replies 4 participants last post by  Dave2302 
#1 ·
Any thoughts on basic service supplies for my 1999 S500.
Service is due in 9500 miles but i'm going to see what condition it's in now.
quick list
Spark plugs, air filters, oil filter, oil cabin filters.
Any thoughts just chime in.
 
#3 ·
So i've completed the first step in that i removed the engine cover to find several problems.
1. Air filters are in bad shape - no surprise.
2. Valve cover gaskets are leaking.
3. Something looks incomplete.
So here are the pictures to let you folks see what i'm talking about.
pic1 debris from filter housing...

pic2 debris from in the filter.

pic3 shows oil egress from upper valve covers.

pic4 shows passenger side upper valve cover oil egress.

So am i right in thinking that the upper valve covers use high temp silicone gasket in a tube to seal ie there is no dealer part for this gasket?
 

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#4 ·

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#9 ·
pic1 red circle around what i believe to be missing,
I got a look at mine over the weekend, whilst changing my Radiator as it developed a drippy leak, turned out that the stub for the Top Hose was cracked :frown

Your pic does indeed show that there are black plastic Auxiliary Air Blower parts that are not there, on either side of the big bit of cast ally.

So it is either not there cos someone has taken it off, or the 1999 MY didn't have this.
It is designed to lower emissions, and usually only runs on a cold engine, I have had cars in with a fault code for this not working, but they seem to drive fine.

HTH,

Cheers Dave
 
#5 ·
Hi Dave,

Looks like parts of the Auxiliary Air blower are missing to me, I'll see if I get time to take the covers off mine and have a look tomorrow night.

BTW, I gave up buying those cheap EBay bits long ago too much hassle and sub standard stuff on there these days.

If you go to a good factor, consumable service items like Fram Filters, NGK Plugs, Mintex Brakes etc are fine, and with Trade Discount are often cheaper than the EBay Chinese rubbish :laugh

Anything suspension related I just buy Genuine Merc, lasts milleniums longer than "Factor" suspension parts, same with Wheel Bearings just not worth having to do the job once a year at every MOT, getting recovered home, or worse, because these "Cheap" parts just don't last.
We notice things like this because all the Company vans, buses, wedding cars etc were bought new, serviced and maintained by us and they all do mega miles very quickly.

Examples........

Wheel Bearing for Vito.......

Factors " Premium Expensive One", £18.00, and it lasted less than 7000 miles
Mercedes Genuine £22.00, lasts over 200,000 miles.

Lower Swivel for Sprinter, Factors last 6 months, if we're lucky, Merc Ones 90,000 plus miles, and still not hellish expensive :wink

Trim Parts, Modules Switch gear etc for any vehicle are either OK or they aren't :laugh , and s/h items from EBay can save a fortune, as I did recently with my own S Class :wink

In fact, what I usually do with all my personal cars is to buy a scrapper or 2 for buttons, then break them up, box and shelve all the bits, saves a fortune :grin

When I find the right car I'll buy a Scrap S Class and break it for bits :grin

HTH

Cheers buddy,

Regards Dave
 
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#6 ·
Thanks guys
I couldn't agree more with you dave that oem for suspension etc is the way to go
The only cheap out i'm doing is with air filters - my reasoning being buy cheap replace often
As opposed to what i'm finding buy merc never replace....Argh!
here is what else i've found.....
Original filters...only 150k miles - 17 years old
ok so i called the dealer and the full set is £78 for all four excellent price
ebay came to £40 for all four, so being Scottish i went ebay just to see the quality difference.
I will try to report back as i will no doubt buy both eventually and compare the two sets.
Also i could not be bothered driving to the dealership.
 

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#7 ·
Hi Dave,

Yeah, thoroughly agree, we buy filters etc from Highland Motor Parts, who deliver and are good prices, mostly Fram stuff and replace them often.

Spark plugs / glow plugs NGK seem great, but watch EBay ones, as there are Chinese copies about that look good but are sh1te :frown

Cheers Dave
 
#8 · (Edited)
For older, 1990's era Honda Civics, I might use some made-in-Red-China parts. But not on my W220's. No way.

Since you're in the UK, and I'm in the States, availability and pricing of the below may vary.

I use Mann engine air filters (US $15) and fleece oil filters (US $12) in my cars. Apparently Mann is one of the OEM's for MB, and they're very reasonably priced, so I go that way.

For suspension components, I've gone with Lemfoerder, since I've been able to confirm that they are one of the OEM's for MB. TRW is apparently one of the other OEM's. For air springs, I use Arnott remans, due to their good reputation and affordable price. However, I've heard that shipping to the UK for Arnotts might be cost-prohibitive.

For your car, I might also suggest a transmission fluid and filter exchange. Yours being a 1999, is that the year that has the torque convertor drain plug? Seems like, if true, then draining out the old fluid would be even a bit easier. Anyway, a Genuine Mercedes transmission filter is only about US $15, and that's very affordable. Same for a new transmission pan rubber gasket, about US $16. New ATF, I've routinely gotten 236.10-spec transmission fluid on eBay for about US $8.00 and change per liter, including shipping.

If your engine air filters looked like that, then perhaps your cabin filters, both the paper and the charcoal ones, could stand to be replaced as well. I've seen some *nasty* stuff in the paper cabin filters; those are the ones you access through the glove box.

Also have a look at your driveshaft flex discs. Any cracks, good idea to replace 'em. Currently I'm using Febi-Bilstein flex discs. These are made in Germany, so I'm guessing they'll hold up pretty well.

Oh, and your transmission mount, too. :) Those are about US $30 for OEM (Corteco or Lemfoerder).

I did the valve cover gaskets on some S430's, S500's, and one S600 TT. For the valve cover gaskets themselves, I have learned the following: *DO NOT* use RTV or any other similar "sealant"! You might get lucky and not leak, but as I found out the hard way, you certainly increase the odds. It's not fun having to redo it and get that gunk off of an M113 engine, let alone my M275! Every car mechanic I've spoken with has--with a chuckle--confirmed this, unless the factory itself does so (e. g. a *small* dab of HondaBond in the corners *on Honda vehicles*). Save that RTV or similar for the evaporator covers.
 
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#10 ·
thanks for the replies guys. I expect the filters today
Your input is appreciated as i will do an oil change next with cotton filter
then check the engine/gearbox mounts + flexdiscs
I'm quite lucky that it's already had the gearbox service done.
after that i'll flush the brakes and radiator.
then i think those valve covers are next with oem gaskets but i'm not sure if merc can supply the gaskets for the upper part (is this the evaporator)
then i'll check the subframe bushes for fun.
After this i'll do any fuel filters etc that i've missed and then i'll be happy with it's service history.
 
#12 ·
then i think those valve covers are next with oem gaskets but i'm not sure if merc can supply the gaskets for the upper part (is this the evaporator)
Have you got WIS / ASRA on disc, If not you can have a copy of mine :wink

I'll bet the part number is on there, just sometimes takes a while to find certain parts.
I'm at home for 2 weeks as of next Wed, so if you fancy a long run you are welcome to come up one day, and I can show you all my Merc stuff.
If not I'll def have time to phone you for a blether and also I'll have time to look up the gasket part no.s for you.

Cheers Dave
 
#13 ·
The Aux Air Blower is an Emmision Control Device, blows air into the Exhaust to make the Emission readings leaner, but not sure if Early ones had it.

What you are thinking of is the Aux Heater Blower, I have one on my V220, and very useful for warming it up this time of year LOL :wink

Cheers Dave
 
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