[paul300te1991]

Hi
This is my first post here! I got a 1991 300te for my fiancee last year, and the first 6 months were a joy, but now an unbearable squealing noise has developed.

Here are some notes on this:

I flushed out the power steering system and put in the wrong kind of fluid at first ( for a few hundred miles), but then thoroughly flushed the system again and changed the filter and put in febi fluid, and the performance of the steering is great now.

I looked at the strut and noticed that the rubber bellows is shot, and the rubber top mount also is cracked. BTW, car has 170k on it. You can reproduce the squealing noise by pushing down on the front of the car ... although when driving the car, it appears that you can ALSO cause the steering noise by turning the wheel with out any up/down movement.

I was about to buy struts, but talking with phil, he suggested its probably control arm bushings. This is kind of bad news to me cause the control arm bushing job is dangerous for a diy, no?


Oh, one other thing related to diy, etc... this squealing noise developed about 30 miles after I had the car in a shop for safety inspection. Perhaps the pro jacked the car wrong causing damage? sabotage has also run through my mind.

 

[Yal]

Hmmmmm I would check the sway bar bushings. See if the sway bar mounts are cracked or broken off.

The strut mounts may also be bad or broken. You can see them in the engine bay by the strut bolts.

 

[paul300te1991]

thanks for the words Yal. I noticed you are from LI. my car is in bridgehamtpon -- can you recommend a mechanic around there?


I will check the sway bars. I think the strut mounts are at the end of their useful life... but are they alone capable of loud noise? It sounds like a high pressure metal on metal noise

 

[Yal]

The strut mounts are actually metallic so if they break I could see them causing that kind of noise definately.

I just moved here a few months ago from Queens so I haven't had a chance to find anyone, but a shop called "Motorwerks" in Sea Cliff (63 Sea Cliff Ave # A Glen Cove, NY 11542) was recommended to me by Alan who is a member here. I haven't had an opportunity to go yet, touch wood[] Can't think of anything in Suffolk though sorry.

 

[paul300te1991]

hi

are the sway bars the same things as the torsion bars? I can't locate any info about sway bars in the mercedes service cd

 

[Yal]

Yes.

 

[paul300te1991]

hi

i heard the best shop in the hamptons is also called "motor works" ... ultimate motor works, that is



Paul

 

[mike690003]

Also check the lower ball joints. Those are also s squeak culprit.

 

[macdrone]

Squealing Struts

I know this is an old post, but did you ever figure out the problem. My 400E started doing the same thing in the cold. Sounds like a bushing, but would love to know your outcome. Thanks.