[Saddlebags]

Hi i know this has probably be asked before but i carnt find anything... I'm looking to go down the coilover route with my suspension.(2005 s320cdi)

I know some might disagree because I will be getting rid of the airmatic but I was wondering if I converted to coilovers. What else would I need e.g sways bars ect. I've read some people have them some people don't. I'm guessing it will be better to have them. Any info would be appreciated

 

[cowboyt]

Going from AIRmatic to coil-overs is easy. You don't need to change out your anti-sway bars, and you certainly don't want to remove them. Whichever kit you get, be sure to get the one with the electronic module that cancels out the red "AIRMATIC SEE WORKSHOP" message.

I went with coilovers on the S600, and I haven't looked back. It's been great.

 

[Saddlebags]

Going from AIRmatic to coil-overs is easy. You don't need to change out your anti-sway bars, and you certainly don't want to remove them. Whichever kit you get, be sure to get the one with the electronic module that cancels out the red "AIRMATIC SEE WORKSHOP" message.

I went with coilovers on the S600, and I haven't looked back. It's been great.

Thank you cowboyt. That's good to know then. Yes been looking and my airmatic is not liking what ever gremlin lives inside. And I'm really considering the swap over to coils just so I don't have to deal with 100 warning messages 😅 .
I've heard people saying that I might need some e350 arms or something to sit the spring on.. but looking it looks like the coilover sits in the old place for the airmatic. Is this right? Or do I need other bits or is it and straight swap out

 

[tusabes]

If you get the right kit it’s a straight swap

But why don’t you describe your airmatic problem its A simple system that many here are experienced with repair and repairing it is always preferable

 

[Saddlebags]

If you get the right kit it’s a straight swap

But why don’t you describe your airmatic problem its A simple system that many here are experienced with repair and repairing it is always preferable

Yeah I've been looking around at some kits but at the same time thinking of getting airmatic sorted. I've been thinking of swapping because I've been trying to chase airmatic problems and getting to the point money spent and time. Probably worth me just coilover swapping... do arnnott do like a full replacement kit 🤔 also do w220 have sway bars already? (s320cdi) or would that have to be installed also. Appreciate your comments guys.

 

[Saddlebags]

If anyone knows a good company to get coilover kit please send a link and I will have a goose cheers guys

 

[markbenj]

Yeah I've been looking around at some kits but at the same time thinking of getting airmatic sorted. I've been thinking of swapping because I've been trying to chase airmatic problems and getting to the point money spent and time. Probably worth me just coilover swapping... do arnnott do like a full replacement kit 🤔 also do w220 have sway bars already? (s320cdi) or would that have to be installed also. Appreciate your comments guys.

If it helps...(but apologies if not!):

I've had a 'mystery' / almost constant airmatic ADS Hard Damping problem on my otherwise immaculate (now 140k mile) 2004 facelift S320L SE cdi ever since I bought it 6 years ago. As if either stuck in Sport 2 or level 4 Driving Safety (full hard) mode at all 4 corners even when in 'Comfort' setting. VERY occasionally and randomly the damping softens-up for a moment (Magic Carpet feeling) - then reverts to full-hard. The difference is night and day if & when it happens.

All this despite 4 new Mercedes OE reman struts, valve block, numerous false negative / 'no faults' (?!) SDS tests by Indies who usually say 'it rides ok' (oh really!), perfect OE spec Continental tyres at the correct pressures on original 17" alloys, full calibration with Romess gauge, various sensors checked / replaced, new suspension arms & bushes, never any mods to the suspension, the list goes on and on. The ride height is always perfect, never sags or lifts too high etc. But... the damping is far too harsh even at low speeds over normal road bumps & dips around town. Ouch!And I drive the car gently..

I've nearly 'driven' our kind friends here (dave2302, doni, wallyp, cowboyt, tusabes & others) CRAZY with updates on my HD saga & further queries about the possible cause(s), but sadly no 'fix' despite their patience & many helpful ideas - thanks to all.

So: I too have considered Coilovers - as a last resort . But (by my logic at least) having spent £3600 on 4 new struts alone + a couple of thousand £ on other stuff over 6 years there really can't be much else to eliminate. Since the car is almost 'as new' in other respects, I will continue to invest in it as I intend to keep it long-term. Also, a bit more 'digging' into the HD problem time & cost-wise to hopefully restore the legendary Magic Carpet will still be far cheaper than spending, say, £30k+ on a much newer W222 (the only S Class I would consider changing my W220 for).

One (my main) theory & supported by a few others here is that some (I stress 'some') 'mystery' or more routine airmatic problems can be due simply to a poor electrical connection somewhere in the old & delicate electrical circuitry (e.g. corroded / shorted wiring / poor connection to / from a SAM etc) which causes the airmatic / ADS ECU to default to ' Driving Safety' hardest Mode or gives other symptoms but DOESN'T show on SDS or other diagnostic software. Yes it CAN happen according to my local specialist auto electrician who has experience of these things across Mercedes and other marques - and is still on the case with my mystery HD problem. I live in Hope... 🤞

My best conclusion? From experience it seems that many Mercedes Indies here in the UK (forget main dealers!) are either not interested in or don't have the patience / technical skills to do advanced 'digging' / mystery fault finding on a notoriously complex older W220. So they rely on 'no faults' SDS results - even when the real-time driving experience contradicts them. And of course, they are always busy with more routine work on newer cars which is more profitable.

I'm guessing your dilemma around fitting Coilovers or continuing to 'dig' for (existing?) airmatic faults will depend on how much time & cost you're prepared to gamble on either solution. And of course, whether the original airmatic 'Magic Carpet' ride quality (if healthy) suits your driving style compared with Coilovers. Opinions differ around this..

Either way, I'm following this thread with interest and will be happy to share / compare notes as appropriate.

 

[Saddlebags]

If it helps...(but apologies if not!):

I've had a 'mystery' / almost constant airmatic ADS Hard Damping problem on my otherwise immaculate (now 140k mile) 2004 facelift S320L SE cdi ever since I bought it 6 years ago. As if either stuck in Sport 2 or level 4 Driving Safety (full hard) mode at all 4 corners even when in 'Comfort' setting. VERY occasionally and randomly the damping softens-up for a moment (Magic Carpet feeling) - then reverts to full-hard. The difference is night and day if & when it happens.

All this despite 4 new Mercedes OE reman struts, valve block, numerous false negative / 'no faults' (?!) SDS tests by Indies who usually say 'it rides ok' (oh really!), perfect OE spec Continental tyres at the correct pressures on original 17" alloys, full calibration with Romess gauge, various sensors checked / replaced, new suspension arms & bushes, never any mods to the suspension, the list goes on and on. The ride height is always perfect, never sags or lifts too high etc. But... the damping is far too harsh even at low speeds over normal road bumps & dips around town. Ouch!And I drive the car gently..

I've nearly 'driven' our kind friends here (dave2302, doni, wallyp, cowboyt, tusabes & others) CRAZY with updates on my HD saga & further queries about the possible cause(s), but sadly no 'fix' despite their patience & many helpful ideas - thanks to all.

So: I too have considered Coilovers - as a last resort . But (by my logic at least) having spent £3600 on 4 new struts alone + a couple of thousand £ on other stuff over 6 years there really can't be much else to eliminate. Since the car is almost 'as new' in other respects, I will continue to invest in it as I intend to keep it long-term. Also, a bit more 'digging' into the HD problem time & cost-wise to hopefully restore the legendary Magic Carpet will still be far cheaper than spending, say, £30k+ on a much newer W222 (the only S Class I would consider changing my W220 for).

One (my main) theory & supported by a few others here is that some (I stress 'some') 'mystery' or more routine airmatic problems can be due simply to a poor electrical connection somewhere in the old & delicate electrical circuitry (e.g. corroded / shorted wiring / poor connection to / from a SAM etc) which causes the airmatic / ADS ECU to default to ' Driving Safety' hardest Mode or gives other symptoms but DOESN'T show on SDS or other diagnostic software. Yes it CAN happen according to my local specialist auto electrician who has experience of these things across Mercedes and other marques - and is still on the case with my mystery HD problem. I live in Hope... 🤞

My best conclusion? From experience it seems that many Mercedes Indies here in the UK (forget main dealers!) are either not interested in or don't have the patience / technical skills to do advanced 'digging' / mystery fault finding on a notoriously complex older W220. So they rely on 'no faults' SDS results - even when the real-time driving experience contradicts them. And of course, they are always busy with more routine work on newer cars which is more profitable.

I'm guessing your dilemma around fitting Coilovers or continuing to 'dig' for (existing?) airmatic faults will depend on how much time & cost you're prepared to gamble on either solution. And of course, whether the original airmatic 'Magic Carpet' ride quality (if healthy) suits your driving style compared with Coilovers. Opinions differ around this..

Either way, I'm following this thread with interest and will be happy to share / compare notes as appropriate.

Thank you for the comment mate really appreciate it. Yeah that sounds like a headache to deal with if I do say so myself.. hope you get to the bottom of it.
But I do understand what your saying you might aswell just fix it seem as tho you put all that money into her.. I'm stuck between fixing the airmatic (because I want the car to remain as it is suppose to be. But at the same time I don't want to spend months trying to figure out what the problem is. One of my friends had one and he was constantly repairing his airmatic. Nearly every other month he would come outside and the car be sat on the deck and couldn't drive it. I just don't to go down that route.. BUT I also don't want to install coilovers if its going to make the car handle worse and become more dangerous. I don't drive fast but still.. its a hard choice of keeping the car how it should be or changing it to coilovers for reliability factory... I would still keep all the airmatic while the coilovers are one. And I would just get everything and check it all for rips, wear and tear ect and then I have a choice of coils or anirmatic..
Tbh mate I'm just confused. as you said there's not much actually yes or no information about it because garage's don't want to know which is a shame but that's why people like you and a few others are here to give wisdom out to us newbies haha.

So what I'm basically asking is the following:
Can coilovers be fitted?
Is it safe?
Do I need a sway bar? ( I would rather get one still)
Do s320cdi come with a sway bar already?
What else do I need to make it safe? e.g , anti-roll bars, swing arms ect ect or is it just bolt on fit?

I do want coilivers I won't lie. So I will keep everyone updated on what happens and what's needed ect when I get started with it and hopefully it helps others.. appreciate all your comments and help 🙏

 

[Saddlebags]

I know there's people going to be like shouldn't have got the car if you carnt afford to fix it 🤣 its not about carnt afford to fix it. The car cost 2 and half bags. I carnt justify spending 3k on just suspension for a car that cost 2k haha because I'll spend that much and soon after my engine will go or gearbox knowing my luck haha. If I could go out and buy the full kit and just swap everything I'd would deffo do that. But I carnt find anyone who does it.

 

[markbenj]

Thank you for the comment mate really appreciate it. Yeah that sounds like a headache to deal with if I do say so myself.. hope you get to the bottom of it.
But I do understand what your saying you might aswell just fix it seem as tho you put all that money into her.. I'm stuck between fixing the airmatic (because I want the car to remain as it is suppose to be. But at the same time I don't want to spend months trying to figure out what the problem is. One of my friends had one and he was constantly repairing his airmatic. Nearly every other month he would come outside and the car be sat on the deck and couldn't drive it. I just don't to go down that route.. BUT I also don't want to install coilovers if its going to make the car handle worse and become more dangerous. I don't drive fast but still.. its a hard choice of keeping the car how it should be or changing it to coilovers for reliability factory... I would still keep all the airmatic while the coilovers are one. And I would just get everything and check it all for rips, wear and tear ect and then I have a choice of coils or anirmatic..
Tbh mate I'm just confused. as you said there's not much actually yes or no information about it because garage's don't want to know which is a shame but that's why people like you and a few others are here to give wisdom out to us newbies haha.

So what I'm basically asking is the following:
Can coilovers be fitted?
Is it safe?
Do I need a sway bar? ( I would rather get one still)
Do s320cdi come with a sway bar already?
What else do I need to make it safe? e.g , anti-roll bars, swing arms ect ect or is it just bolt on fit?

I do want coilivers I won't lie. So I will keep everyone updated on what happens and what's needed ect when I get started with it and hopefully it helps others.. appreciate all your comments and help 🙏

No worry, happy to help if I can! Back to your questions [my best answers]:

Can coilovers be fitted? [yes, Moderator cowboyt is an expert and has experience of these things. And few other members too].

Is it safe? [yes.. IF (and big IF) sourced from a known, reputable aftermarket supplier e.g. Arnott and fitted correctly to include the vital software which by-passes the airmatic ECU warnings. Don't trust Chinesuem manufactured & supplied aftermarket struts on fleabay, however cheap. It will cost you far more in the long run ].

Do I need a sway bar? ( I would rather get one still). [cowboyt & others here know more about this than me. But Don't necessarily rely on potentially unreliable advice on other W220 forums - there are a few armchair W220 'specialists' out there who can give dangerous advice based on what someone told them in the pub after a few drinks].

Do s320cdi come with a sway bar already? [My reply as above]

What else do I need to make it safe? e.g , anti-roll bars, swing arms ect ect or is it just bolt on fit? [ My reply as above]

But my main (& possibly most relevant!) Q. is: Exactly WHAT faults / symptoms do you have with your Airmatic that make you want to consider changing to Coilovers? Or.. if no faults / symptoms, is it for some other reason?

That will give us a few more Clues about how to best advise you 🔎. Good luck in the meantime

MB


'The Best or Nothing'

 

[Saddlebags]

No worry, happy to help if I can! Back to your questions [my best answers]:

Can coilovers be fitted? [yes, Moderator cowboyt is an expert and has experience of these things. And few other members too].

Is it safe? [yes.. IF (and big IF) sourced from a known, reputable aftermarket supplier e.g. Arnott and fitted correctly to include the vital software which by-passes the airmatic ECU warnings. Don't trust Chinesuem manufactured & supplied aftermarket struts on fleabay, however cheap. It will cost you far more in the long run ].

Do I need a sway bar? ( I would rather get one still). [cowboyt & others here know more about this than me. But Don't necessarily rely on potentially unreliable advice on other W220 forums - there are a few armchair W220 'specialists' out there who can give dangerous advice based on what someone told them in the pub after a few drinks].

Do s320cdi come with a sway bar already? [My reply as above]

What else do I need to make it safe? e.g , anti-roll bars, swing arms ect ect or is it just bolt on fit? [ My reply as above]

But my main (& possibly most relevant!) Q. is: Exactly WHAT faults / symptoms do you have with your Airmatic that make you want to consider changing to Coilovers? Or.. if no faults / symptoms, is it for some other reason?

That will give us a few more Clues about how to best advise you 🔎. Good luck in the meantime

MB


'The Best or Nothing'

That's brilliant thank you. 😊
So basically. My rear air struts are way to high. Like they have blown up to the max. I've tried plugging into sds. Nothing shows up. I've played with the rear high adjustable link (Above the rear diff) and that works because it's showing live date movement on the scanner. I've had some (let's say heavy lads in the back) and been for a drive to see if it just needs a load putting on.. My next guess Is.. I believe coyboyt said might not be but it could be my valve block. (That's what I'm going to Try next, but if that doesn't work then I might bite the bullet for coilovers)

But I've replaced sensors and stuff in the past. Like fuses. Sensors. Rubber rings. Broken mounts for sensors, come outside and its sagging too low to drive so on and so on

I'm enquiring about coilovers just for the simple fact is I want to make the car usable and not have to deal with the airmatic problems all the time and to save future time and money..

Does the s320cdi have sway bar fixtures or do you have to fab one to the car?

I appreciate all your help tho even if I sound stupid haha. I'm learning alot.. I didn't actually know these cars came with airmatic when I got it 🤣 I noticed when I went to see it. The guy said its all working good to go. But low and behold a few days later I started getting problems haha.. I love the car tho..

So from what I've seen there yellowstone (carnt remember the name but the yellow ones haha) and AB racing there a few others but like you say they look like China or ebay type ones. So they are a no go. Just co fusing because some say its fine with coils and then some say don't do it 😑

 

[tusabes]

OK first of all yes your car has sway bars, you do not need to do anything with the sway bars you already have.

Second of all, if the only current problem your car has is that the rear is high up, but the car still drives OK, then you can keep using the car until you figure out what it is. As long as it’s not slam down on the ground, the car is OK to drive. I would not change out for coil overs just because your rear is stuck up high .

third, the rear being stuck up often a very simple solution, just search this forum or the Internet for w220 air Matic rear stuck up high, you’ll find a solution.

 

[Saddlebags]

OK first of all yes your car has sway bars, you do not need to do anything with the sway bars you already have.

Second of all, if the only current problem your car has is that the rear is high up, but the car still drives OK, then you can keep using the car until you figure out what it is. As long as it’s not slam down on the ground, the car is OK to drive. I would not change out for coil overs just because your rear is stuck up high .

third, the rear being stuck up often a very simple solution, just search this forum or the Internet for w220 air Matic rear stuck up high, you’ll find a solution.

Appreciate your reply. Its good to know that it has a sway bar.. (I haven't yet checked. I work away with wagons but I'm home tmz so I'll get to looking)

I have a list of things to check that I've done some reading on.. someone mentioned there's a wire that goes Into the compressor. That is known for popping out or splaying... then valve block like cowboyt mentioned. Check wires on each shock ect ect.

I tried to have look but all I got was rear in the lowest position (might be not looking in the right places lol)

Yeah car drives fine I just have to lift the front up to match. Just looks weird.. I checked all the fuses the other day and they were fine.

Cool after talking to you all I feel I should stick with the airmatic and find the problem as you lot have mentioned. But if turns out to be a headache I will swap to coilovers...

So if I wanted to release the air out of the rear shock could that be done through the valve block or is that dangerous or would that even work?
My theory is if I can let the air out and then see if they go back up. That must mean it's not releasing air but letting air in..

I'm guessing the shocks will have a valve inside them aswell 🤔

Yeah it's a tricky one. Suppose its like 6 and two 3's. Pros and cons on both sides..

If its a easy fix the airmatic will stay 🙌

I've been reading that the rear can get stuck in the high position if ignition was turned off half way through airmatic raising and the height can be stored at that heigh.. driving above 70 lowers the car but I have done this and nothing happens. Is there a key to doing this like the button turned on while doing this speed or button off? Does anyone know about this 🤔 if I have done something wrong

 

[wallyp]

Airmatic - W220 S-Class Encyclopedia

w220.wiki

If you are willing to spend somewhere between one and four hours STUDYING this information, you will understand the
airmatic system enough to start diagnosing and repairing it. Study is free.

 

[cowboyt]

I actually must agree with tusabes and wallyp here. It might be as easy as replacing the valve block, just as it was with one of my cars. AIRmatic is (normally) not too difficult, or expensive, to troubleshoot and fix.

If at the end you decide to go with coilovers, then I used Strutmasters's kit. For your S320 CDI, I would recommend the kit for the S430/S500.

 

[Saddlebags]

Appreciate your comments guys and I am taking it all in so thank you.. ok I'm going to have a look about today and see if I can see any wires that are broken ect check the valve block and get some part numbers together. I fully get where everyone is coming from about fixing the airmatic 💯..

Cowboyt, why would you recommend the kit for the s430/s500? (Genuine question)

Is that because it will take the weight better or something?

 

[markbenj]

That's brilliant thank you. 😊
So basically. My rear air struts are way to high. Like they have blown up to the max. I've tried plugging into sds. Nothing shows up. I've played with the rear high adjustable link (Above the rear diff) and that works because it's showing live date movement on the scanner. I've had some (let's say heavy lads in the back) and been for a drive to see if it just needs a load putting on.. My next guess Is.. I believe coyboyt said might not be but it could be my valve block. (That's what I'm going to Try next, but if that doesn't work then I might bite the bullet for coilovers)

But I've replaced sensors and stuff in the past. Like fuses. Sensors. Rubber rings. Broken mounts for sensors, come outside and its sagging too low to drive so on and so on

I'm enquiring about coilovers just for the simple fact is I want to make the car usable and not have to deal with the airmatic problems all the time and to save future time and money..

Does the s320cdi have sway bar fixtures or do you have to fab one to the car?

I appreciate all your help tho even if I sound stupid haha. I'm learning alot.. I didn't actually know these cars came with airmatic when I got it 🤣 I noticed when I went to see it. The guy said its all working good to go. But low and behold a few days later I started getting problems haha.. I love the car tho..

So from what I've seen there yellowstone (carnt remember the name but the yellow ones haha) and AB racing there a few others but like you say they look like China or ebay type ones. So they are a no go. Just co fusing because some say its fine with coils and then some say don't do it 😑

Appreciate your comments guys and I am taking it all in so thank you.. ok I'm going to have a look about today and see if I can see any wires that are broken ect check the valve block and get some part numbers together. I fully get where everyone is coming from about fixing the airmatic 💯..

Cowboyt, why would you recommend the kit for the s430/s500? (Genuine question)

Is that because it will take the weight better or something?

One easy thing to physically check in case it's relevant:

There is a 'pressure relief valve' on the side of the compressor. I've read reports that the delicate wiring to / from it can break and / or short-out causing problems elsewhere in the airmatic system. Some of these types of wiring faults on an 'old' W220 don't necessarily show on SDS (as I well know!). So as wallyp said, it's worth doing some more 'digging' - here and physically to get to the root of the problem. It could well be quite a simple fix ... once you find it

 

[cowboyt]

Cowboyt, why would you recommend the kit for the s430/s500? (Genuine question)

Is that because it will take the weight better or something?

Indeed, it is. Since we didn't get the S320 CDI in North America, Strutmasters (a USA-based company) doesn't make a kit specifically for that car. Same with Arnott, at least over here. Turns out that the 3.2L OM648 engine is pretty close to the same weight as the M113 V8's. So, that spring kit should handle your engine's weight without any problem and give you a standard-feeling ride.

If you wanted, perhaps, a bit of a stiffer ride, the Strutmasters S600 kit likely would work. The M275 engine is somewhere around 750 lbs and therefore needs slightly stiffer springs in the front. On an actual S600 (namely, ours), the ride feels rather like AIRmatic Sport 1 mode, which is perfect for us.

 

[tusabes]

Since you said, your car is still drivable, just high is fine, I would be very careful about messing with anything until you have a full understanding of the system. Because if you bleed air out, and it settles into a whole dropped position, then the car will be undrivable.

 

[Saddlebags]

Hi guys. So just had a look, well let's just say, was a nice surprise to see the compressor hanging off and resting on the plastic cover 🤣 so I bought some thick cable ties and held it back up in place (nice and solid)..

There was a rubber pipe, I can only presume it was the compressor filter pipe. It had split and fallen off so I cut it and fitted back on 👍

I couldn't see any wires that had split or come loose.
I took the front headlight out aswell to get a good look from above.

So everything seems ok externally..

So next questions guys
When I press the vehicle raise button everything works car goes up (well front does because rears are stuck up haha) But the button next to it with the sign of a spring and arrows..

When that button is pressed should the car go down or does it just stiffen the suspension?

My next step it replacing valve block like cowboyt has said previously..
My thought is it's holding air but not letting it out so possible valve block..

Appreciate all your comments gents 🙌 I'm learning alot thank you.. I'm hoping we can figure it out.
It might help people in the future...

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