[S500-03]

Yeah your right. Definetly a leak but I can't seem to point it out. I did the soap/water method on the top of the shock. Didn't see nothing.

I then went under the car and did the same thing on the pump but couldn't see anything either. BUTTT..you know the plastic pipe on it? I got the new one from the dealership to change it out as the old ones are known for leaks..but I could NOT get one end off from the pump..the side that has a "u" shape from one side..it seems to be glued!

What other places could I or should I look for leaks?? Could it leak from the shock .. From the rubber boot areas from inside the fenders..by pulling the tires off?

Help Benz forum!

 

[danielsand]

At this point I'll guess it's a bladder, but.......it would be unusual that BOTH front shocks will have the leaky bladders at the same time (due to wear). The leak itself is rather large, when it drops the front end all the way down overnight.

Did you pull the wheels, and inspect the shocks? Maybe someone jacked up the front and not knowing W220 specifics, overextended the shocks, and created the leak?

Search the forum and learn how to jack it up (and more importantly how to drop it down again!). I use TWO jacks. Stock MBZ for the body, and a floor jack under the swingarm. Pull the wheels, and examine the shocks, my bet.......shocks are leaking.

 

[S500-03]

I'll search that up.

I haven't had the time to pull off the wheels and inspect yet.

I have a question though.. If the shocks are bad..would it make a clunky noise? Even if I don't drive on a BAD road..when going over cracks on the road I hear a clunk like lose suspension but nothing in the suspension seems to be bad. Also, the ride seems bouncy from the front. Maybe this weekend I'll take a closer look if I'm off work.

I will be bringing it to a specialist locally but I don't trust anyone lol been years I havnt given any of my cars at a garage!

 

[danielsand]

I don't think clunking has anything to do with Airmatic problem. But there should be no clunking there at all. Something is not right (balljoints, suspension links?).

I will be taking the whole Airmatic system out in the Spring, and switching to Arnott coiled suspenssion. All I am waiting for is a little stiffer springs from Arnott, which they told me they are working on. The whole system is about 1600 and it includes the module to be plugged in, in order to fool the ECU in thinking that Airmatic is just fine and dandy.

I like the car,......I really do, but I don't like Airmatic. I think the system is substandard, and as such was forced onto MBZ drivers in order to maximize the profits on the "back end". The model has WAY TOO MANY issues to be considered "acciental",.....IMHO MBZ is capable of making a "fool proof" car (I owned few in the past), and this W220 system was deliberately put in production with so many substandard systems in order to increase the profits.

If that's not true,.....they failed miserably in producing a reliable car, and cut their costs up front (in the R&D phaze), and let the loyal buyers do their R&D Either way you slice it, they got us coming and going!

 

[S500-03]

Yep I love the car too but the airmatic def has put me off.

Another ridiculous thing that put me off today was the lower control arm that's for $850. I was thinking that if I needed to just change the ball joint or bushing I'd just change one piece but mercedes decided to make a part that you HAVE to change the whole thing, leaving you with no choice.

 

[danielsand]

Yup! This model was engineered with only one goal in mind,.......MAXIMIZE the profits on the back end!

 

[S500-03]

Ok so Im back! lol

Havnt solved the problem. Clunk noise was the lower control arms.."ouch".

Now what I would like to know is that I inspected the struts from the top in side the bay with soapy water..no leaks. pulled off both wheels..sprayed soapy water..still see no leak. got access to the "valve body" thats right above the airmatic pump..sprayed soapy water and I saw no leak/bubbles either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT at some points I did see (OR hallucinating) bubbles but I cant put my money on it.

So now my question is that could the valve body have a leak IN it that Im not able to point out properly?

I researched ALOT..and quite a few people had the same problem as me even after changing out the struts it ended up being the valve body itself.

The condition of mine is not so great either..the brass fittings are corroded etc

just to make sure..hopefully it isnt a stupid question..to check leaks on the struts I could just apply soap/water ON the strut directly after pulling off the wheels,right? reason I ask that is because of the rubber boot on the strut.

Thanks.

 

[danielsand]

You can pull the rubber boot up a little and spray at will. But if the bladders are leaking, the air will come out boot or no boot. I think your valve is screwed up. It might not even "leak"!! I mean not from the fittings, but leaking BACK into the compressor tank. Valve is VERY simple to change.

If you are planning to keep a car for a while, go get a new valve, and forget about the problem. Or,.....live with it until you get Arnott coils! :surrender:

 

[S500-03]

So a faulty valve could cause the front to go low? I sure hope it's just the valve! I ordered it today..$430! Tomorrow I'll change it and really hoping for the problem to go away.

Thanks a lot once again. I'll keep you posted

 

[S500-03]

As for arnott coil conversion..I'd do that but they don't have for the 4matic yet if I'm not mistaken.

 

[S500-03]

Update..

I just changed out the valve..now all 4 corners are slammed to the floor......am I screwed?

How I did it exactly..

Lifted the passenger front..undid the fittings one by one and installed in the new one one by one so I don't mix them up. Connected the connectors. Put the wheel back on..lowered the car..noticed all 4 were slammed. Start up the car..I hear the pump turn on but car didn't raise up.

Undid 2 fittings and while I was loosening I heard air leak so I tightened them back up.

Called it a night for now.

Any heads up?

Does the car need to be jacked up a little so air could go in them?

 

[danielsand]

I hope you followed the procedure on jacking up, and especially on lowering the wheels back down. You can find it in Encyclopedia.

 

[S500-03]

Heres the problem..

I put new airmatic pump & valve body..but didnt change the relay, does it make a difference?

The pump turns on but the car doesnt raise. The message appears on screen " Vehicle rising ". Once the pump stops it reads " Visit workshop ".

I pulled out the fittings from top of the struts where the vacuum line goes and noticed there was no air coming out of the lines while the pump was running.

What could cause that?? Is it possible because of the relay?? obviously the pump is working but the shocks arent getting supplied.

 

[Casmjj]

Did you ever sort this one out ?

 

[tritron]

Did you plugin the connector? Did you make sure the correct lines go into valve ?

 

[Casmjj]

Please confirm that upon me disconnecting the line to the top of a front air strut then that strut should completely fail and lower to the near ground position....I'm having trouble it would appear with a non Arnott front strut will not go down even via DAS or physical disconnection, I'm not sure if they have some type of manual discharge bleed type valve, I'm in no way mechanically gifted howrver I have run out if money and must attempt myself - so my next proposed procedure in this method of deduction repair campaign is to remove wheel liner review, repair wiring and/or valve block.

Before anyone says anything about questions/ forum procedures let me just 100% assure you I have been on this and other forums for over 4months every single day - By now I do believe I have a better grasp of the rules and forum best practices then some others and yes I have near exhausted myself in reading / learning about this terrible position me and my family find ourselves in.

Thanks

Chris

 

[EasyPhil]

What exactly is your problem?

 

[Casmjj]

front struts wont go down...in turn the back end sitting slammed (but rear can be actuate up and down via DAS)

 

[EasyPhil]

front struts wont go down...in turn the back end sitting slammed (but rear can be actuate up and down via DAS)

Did you replace the front shocks? If yes, what did you replace them with?

 

[Casmjj]

Yes how did you konw.....i (my mechanic) did replace two front shocks bought from you guessed it China......now im guessing you may know of similar symptoms with these shocks...and i hope you have a solution rather than burning them..