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98 SLK.....92 SL500...04 ML500
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185 Posts
Discussion Starter · #1 ·
My wife's 98 230 has developed a bad leak in the hydraulic cylinders in the trunk.
Some time ago I read here about being able to rebuild them with a seal kit from someone I believe named "Klaus"?
First how do I remove them , and how do I contact "Klaus' for the seal kit?
(I used the search function here but didn't find anything.)

Thanks in advance for any help.
 

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2004 SLK Special Edition - Black
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15 Posts
My car also developed a leak in the left trunk cylinder & I'm about 2 drop my car off at the stealership to have them removed. TOP HYDRAULICS is the place where I'm sending mine to get resealed.
I ma curious about this. I have the repair kit for the top cylinder on mine. Are you going to have them removed and then do the fix yourself and have the dealership re-install them ? If so would you mind sharing your cost from the dealer for doing so? PM me if you would rather.

Thanks
 

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98 SLK.....92 SL500...04 ML500
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185 Posts
Discussion Starter · #4 · (Edited)
To each his own........ I won't go to the "stealership". About 4 years ago I took her car there for the taillight recall, and they presented me with an estimate of work for $5700.00! :eek:
Things like : Leaking water pump--I still have the same one on the car...not leaking.
Oil change because the drain plug was seeping...$143.00!!!... I replaced the drainplug gasket when I changed her oil for $2.97. There were other things like worn motor mounts, and brake replacement. I did the motor mounts myself, bought the parts through Autohaus. The remaining services I never did need. Even years later her brakes are still at about 40%. What a ripoff/ scam. No Thanks Mercedes of Tampa!
I do all the work on my cars myself. I haven't found anything I couldn't do with some help from this forum and a few others........But good luck to you guys.
 

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1999 230
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571 Posts
I ma curious about this. I have the repair kit for the top cylinder on mine. Are you going to have them removed and then do the fix yourself and have the dealership re-install them ? If so would you mind sharing your cost from the dealer for doing so? PM me if you would rather.

Thanks
Ice, I am paying $700 at the dealer, that includes getting the cylinders out & putting them back in when they come back from Top Hydraulics in the US. I'm not doing them myself that's 4 sure.
I told them not 2 disconnect them until I got there, went & picked them up today & saw what was going on & I would not like 2 be doing that job. The rear left was leaking but the rear right was also showing signs of leakage2. I sent all 5 off today, & marked them with paint, cause I want the same ones back. My car has only done 15,100 km they haven't been used much, which goes 2 show it's the seals, due 2 hot weather/age.
When I was there today 2 other R170 were also there with the same issue, leaking cylinders! & I scored a roof liner out of their dumpster from a different R170 that was a bit oily, thinking of getting it done in carbon fiber.
I was waiting 4 them 2 leak after reading all the posts, spose just lucky it wasn't the roof that got the leak, that would be a nightmare!
I'm in Japan, the dealer is super careful with taking panels off & neatly putting everything in large plastic bags so no dust or dirt get on em. They also had most of my car done with sticker sheets of plastic on the outside & the inside was lined with sheets of plastic not 2 trash it. It won't move from there until the cylinders go back in, so yeah bit pricey but I'm happy they know what their doing & my car is well looked after.
 

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2003 SLK32 AMG
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105 Posts
The quote the local dealership gave me made my eyes water, so I did the roof latch cylinder myself using a kit you can buy on EBay. We don't use EBay here because of the shipping charges so I ordered it directly from the supplier, Marty Ewer. He's actually a gunsmith and runs a company called Shockwave Technologies (in Utah I think). He worked out how to do the fix for his own car and it was so successful he put it on the market, more or less as a service to SLK owners I suspect. The kit consists of 5 O-rings (one for each cylinder) and a highly detailed set of instructions. It cost me US$35. The repair took me about 3 hours taking it easy, it's not difficult but does require some familiarity with ordinary home tools.
 

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2013 E350,2008 E320 Bluetec (until 11/14), 2004 Volvo V70, 2001 SLK320, 1972 MGB
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182 Posts
Most dealers in the USA will only install parts that they supply, so you pay a fortune for the cylinders and a fortune for labor.
 

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98 SLK.....92 SL500...04 ML500
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185 Posts
Discussion Starter · #8 ·
The quote the local dealership gave me made my eyes water, so I did the roof latch cylinder myself using a kit you can buy on EBay. We don't use EBay here because of the shipping charges so I ordered it directly from the supplier, Marty Ewer. He's actually a gunsmith and runs a company called Shockwave Technologies (in Utah I think). He worked out how to do the fix for his own car and it was so successful he put it on the market, more or less as a service to SLK owners I suspect. The kit consists of 5 O-rings (one for each cylinder) and a highly detailed set of instructions. It cost me US$35. The repair took me about 3 hours taking it easy, it's not difficult but does require some familiarity with ordinary home tools.
Thanks Oberon,
Good info. and Thanks too to Jiminfl, who is getting me seals. (If I ever get the time to meet him)
Thanks to all who have posted here. I will let you know how the repair progresses.
 

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2017 S550
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6 Posts
I'm reviving an old thread, I think I have this issue. My headliner on my R170 started ballooning, like the adhesive holding the fabric on was dissipating. I'm a tall guy, so my head was touching the headliner no matter what.

I took the roof off and low and behold I see an oil leak. I slow-ish drip, about once every 15 seconds. I suspect it's the oil leak that caused my headliner to not stick, as well as sitting in the sun all day at work.

Here's a pic of it (attached), is this the issue you guys experienced? Where do I find these sealing kits you guys found? Especially the one with the incredible instructions. I like doing the work myself, mainly because $700 at a dealership is not what I call easy to do :)






THANK YOU!!
 

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2001 SLK230
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6 Posts
16mm O.D. x 9mm I.D. x 4.5mm thick PU cup

One of the posts I read call for a 16mm O.D. x 9mm I.D. x 4.5mm thick PU cup seal for the R170 SLK230 top overhead latch cylinder . I found 16mm O.D. x 9mm I.D. x 4.0mm PU cup seal on eBay located here sold by oringsandmore. Anybody try this option as it appears to be closer to initial design. I am not sure about the material type with the CHF11S fluid. Anyone find the correct internal piston seal? I wish someone would post all of the seal sizes. I could help source them. Maybe my local hydraulic shop can help find some. Also I have found many PU cup seal sizes available reasonably priced on Alibaba just not for latch cylinder.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydraulic-...D-x-16mm-OD-x-4mm-Price-for-1-pc/163108107906

https://www.alibaba.com/
 
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