Repair-It

Updates and coding was done. Well, in addition to the ILS+ he gave me a couple weeks ago.

For software updates, I have attached the before and after software list. I have not reviewed but from what I understand the following modules were updated:
- Gateway
- Parktronic
- Engine
- Both headlamps (yes each one is a module)

He said he needs to look up a vehicle build code thing to make sure he does the transmission right so that was not done today. I have no clue what any of the updates will do, good or bad. The only thing I really know is that I think the headlamp update fixes the fans running too long issue that I noticed pretty much right away, because it's a noticeable whirring sound.

I have not driven the car yet but his system allows him to back up the software before he flashed it so if I notice any undesirable behavior I can basically have him flash back to original and we can go from there. I am not sure this is something I would be able to do myself. The dealer does not allow this as far as I know.

To get the software he had to somehow contact someone in Germany. So it seems like I would not be able to update software on this car without his assistance. I guess that's OK. He said the S550 is old enough so he doesn't have to phone home to get updates. Look forward to that I guess.

In addition to the software updates, he coded the following additional features:
- Transmission mode and eco mode stay how I left them last time I drove the car. Factory settings are it defaults to comfort and eco mode on (which is also stop/start). Of course it is little bother to click the wheel from C to S but now I won't have to.
- Removed COMAND system interactivity lockouts when moving. Certain features are locked out over 5 kph and now I can do those things when moving. The text message one is something I'd actually use because it should be safer to read it through the COMAND system than from my phone.
- Max A/C mod. The car has a Max Cool button and I guess I never used it stock. What he modified it to do is basically go full blast for unlimited time. Factory operation was something less than this.

I do not have the hardware for reading street signs (meh). Only other thing I might want is to disable that annoying take your key bing/bong on the cluster when I shut the car off and open the door. I will probably just leave it though.

Aside from the oil pump thing (see thread in Powertrain), the other big news on this car is I got the bright idea to decrease tire pressure by 3 psi front and rear. And now it rides a hell of a lot better.

This seems obvious until you realize what the range of recommended pressures are on these cars AND that some say that the tires don't wear properly unless you run toward the top of that range. Well, I'm here to say I really don't give a shit about tire wear if it turns the ride into a Conestoga wagon.
I think my 3 psi decrease ends up around 44 front and 41 rear. By any conventional standard still very high. But I assure you, 47/44 rides way worse. I may continue to play but I am already so much happier with the car overall between this and the oil pump thing that I am just enjoying my very delayed honeymoon phase.

This car has finally entered E55 status. It just took a while.

FSM stuff intended for MB forum.

I moved from the S550 over to this to both see how the battery charger handles ignition on stuff (seems good, about the same as the S550), and check some more parameters in Xentry. I did not start the engine and it hasn't run since late Dec.

Injector trims. Unfortunately this is a hex value but I'd like to see if I can decode these to show if any injectors are out of bounds. Either that or these are just the original trims (BMW does something similar on their direct injection). If these are new injector trims then I could not find the learned trims, which I was looking for, to determine the health of them (carbon build-up, et al).

Cam adjuster correction factor. Three of these look decent and the left intake is slightly concerning. It has been like this since I bought the car but I hadn't documented it then (I do remember seeing this, though). I want to say when it gets up toward 5 or 6 things start to get sketchy in terms of a CEL and necessity of replacing....parts. For now it's just noted.

All ECU coding. Lots of stuff in here.

- Item 28, extended throttle change damping. Well, what does this do? Sounds interesting.
- Item 37. I seem to recall this from the other discussion and I guess I will need to look into it.
- Items 45 and 46, limitation of engine torque. This also sounds interesting.
- Item 50, low fuel grade. My attempt at German suggests this is NOT active, unlike in the S550. Also unlike the S550, this is not tuned (as far as I know).
- Item 72, throttle characteristic. KLD 1 I think is the same as the S550.

kevm14 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 11, 2024 9:35 am Injector trims. Unfortunately this is a hex value but I'd like to see if I can decode these to show if any injectors are out of bounds. Either that or these are just the original trims (BMW does something similar on their direct injection). If these are new injector trims then I could not find the learned trims, which I was looking for, to determine the health of them (carbon build-up, et al).

It's just initial coding for them, as new. I still don't know if I can find the adaptations for indvidual injectors.

Regarding timing chain stuff.

The summary is, I MAY need the updated tensioners if they have not already been done. My engine VIN is in the range of needing just the tensioners. It already has the updated check valves.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/858 ... -help.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/ml63-amg-w16 ... l-cap.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x16 ... -cost.html

Been over 3 months. Time to drive again.

Going to be due for an oil change soon. I will do Blackstone but I haven't decided if I am just going to run the MolyGen 5W-40 again or if I might make a bold move and switch to Motul 8100 5W-50 which seems to be formulated to meet Ford's spec for their GT and stuff like the Voodoo.

Surprisingly the A/C charge is not totally dead. It feels about what it was doing last season so I guess the leak slowed down significantly? It probably could use a can though. I'll do that at some point. Some vents are colder than others.

As far as the car overall, there are still some things that would improve it, though at pretty high cost (generally):

- I would love to upgrade to the forged factory wheels (also a 19"). This is going to run me around $3000 not including what I might get if I sell mine. I am pretty serious about this. The forged wheels are stronger and lighter. Plus they are that classic AMG twin 5-spoke that I'm a sucker for. But aside from aesthetics, the car should actually drive better with them. If I combine with getting rid of these Continental runflats, I will save 11 lbs per front and 13 lbs per rear. The tires alone are 5 lbs of that per corner (compared to Michelin PSS anyway). That is insane in the car performance world because it isn't just unsprung weight, it's also rotating inertia. I am happy to spend money on this upgrade. Just need to figure out how to acquire these (they will be used or refinished - through the dealer pricing is totally out of the question). I am also hoping this solves a pesky vibration issue I feel starting at like 50 mph and getting pretty bad at 80 and up. EDIT: Did two refinished rear wheels @ about $800/ea.

- Specifically on the tires, the fronts are pretty new and the rears are pretty spanked. It oversteers pretty significantly which has lead to a couple of interesting situations. I think my choices are all Michelin unless someone convinces me otherwise. Could do the AS4 like I had on the E55 and have on the S550. But I feel more compelled to do summer tires, so PSS or PS4S. I think I was actually leaning more toward the PSS even though it is an old design. Should continue to research this I suppose. Either way, no runflats.
All options: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSear ... rmance=ALL

Most likely will pull from Max Performance Summer list.

Set of 4 Michelin PSS runs $1,453.56 right at this moment. Plus mounting and balancing. EDIT: Did two rear Michelin PSS @ $400/ea.

- Still considering the 390mm front rotor upgrade when it's time for front brakes. I would need to buy the rotors and the Porsche caliper bolts. I have the spacers. The 390mm rotors are only 1 lb heavier than my 360mm ones and that weight is also in a much smaller radius than wheels/tires. The rotors are in the 5-8" radius range while the wheels/tires are in the 9.5-13" radius range.
About $370/ea on Rockauto at the moment: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... abPSfh32M9
Porsche caliper bolts, $5/ea, a bargain: https://www.sunsetporscheparts.com/oem- ... a700758500

$750 for front rotors, and still would need pads.

EDIT: Actually, the 390 mm rotors don't seem more expensive than the 360 mm rotors that I have. I already bought the spacers so it would just be the $10 for the Porsche caliper bolts. Pads are still compatible. Wow this seems like a no-brainer now.

- Timing chain tensioners. There was a bulletin and while I have an updated check valve from the factory by engine serial, I do not have the updated tensioners (EDIT: I seem to have some version of updated tensioner!). They are behind a cam/adjuster access cover which requires disassembly of some stuff on the front of the engine (mainly the boost pipes but probably also the oil filter housing and cooler). This is going to be a lot of labor I think. For engine longevity though, this is recommended. Believe it or not but a weak tensioner can actually cause all manner of havoc on these. EDIT: Well, the TSB says the tensioner thing is only a rattle and an annoyance. I guess it's a question of, do I believe that?
Some threads: https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/736 ... are-2.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/858 ... -help.html Two tensioners, bolts and sealant at FCP is $442.21.
They sell a kit that includes the check valves (which I should already have installed): https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/merced ... des-278050

- Front struts and mounts. The front seems under damped to me. It just feels lame, which checks out since I am dealing with 103k on original shocks (made by Monroe for some totally inexplicable reason). This is going to be another tremendous expense though I think buying new is worth it unlike at the rear. New mounts would also solve a crunching sound when turning the wheel in colder temps (I believe).

Left front @ $707: https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... OC1nYXM%3D

Right front @ $992: https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... OC1nYXM%3D

So that's $1700...

Strut mount bearings x2 @ $26.45/ea: https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... wtdjgtZ2Fz

And another $53. So call it $1750 for front struts (does not include new springs).

- I probably should throw a transmission mount at it like I did on my S550 (EDIT: done). They might actually be the identical part number which is a little surprising. Should be easy on this one as it was on the S550.
$93.60 and in fact has a 221 P/N: https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... OC1nYXM%3D

- I have new plugs and coils in a box so it would be nice to install those at some point. EDIT: Done.

- I may splurge on a engine cover since my Mercedes logo fell off. How embarrassing. A1570103700. Damn, $319??? https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... 1570103700

- I haven't figured out a way to monitor injector health/balance but based on what I've read, injectors can also contribute to the cylinder scoring issue (mainly by running a cylinder lean which makes it hot). The injectors are expensive and a little involved to replace so I'm not sure exactly what would push me over the edge to replace them. But in theory, replacing them would be a good idea to achieve the best running and eliminate one more cause of issues down the road.

$311/ea with a $36 core: https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... wtdjgtZ2Fz

Might need this O-ring kit? https://www.mercedesbenzpartsshop.com/o ... wtdjgtZ2Fz

$2500 for injector stuff from dealer. This is reman so maybe there is a more cost effective source.

Here's a Bosch for $173 which is definitely more reasonable: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/merced ... 2560700187

That would "only" be $1384.

Made in China option for $142/ea: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/merced ... 30-11-1006

Down to $1136 but I wouldn't do this one...

Rockauto has the Bosch for $142 (new, no core): https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... 24&jsn=470

This is what I'd do. $1384.

Interestingly, these do NOT appear to be an AMG-specific injector. I guess there is a lot of dynamic range with the high pressure fuel system. Actually, looking at the Rockauto application guide, it seems like the first use was the 2011 model year M157 (CL and S-class got it first). Then everything else just used them. So through some clever planning, maybe they just originally designed the injector with the full AMG line in mind, and then used it on all applications. Kinda neat.

So that's a lot but over half of this is just wheels and tires. It does make me wonder if I was able to spend $8k more on one with forged wheels and fewer miles, would that have been money well spent? Could I have gotten a 2016 for an extra $8k? Things to ponder.

Ok I looked. Try $20k. I feel better now.

On a related note, I did some services yesterday @ 103,974 miles. I will recap here and then decide if I need to make dedicated threads:

- Oil change viewtopic.php?p=23605#p23605
- Coolant change viewtopic.php?t=3735
- Trans mount viewtopic.php?t=3736
- Adjusted front bumper to hood gap - Cleaned out perhaps life-of-car debris from the bottom of the radiator/condenser/intercooler stack - Rotated tires (side to side)
- Bought two (expensive) underbody panel bolts at the dealer but I need a third bolt. I also probably need to buy a small stock of the speed nuts so I will place an order to have some on hand. If you install the bolts aggressively, it stretches the speed nut (it's just a slide on sheet type clip nut) and the bolt can't really be tightened. So it's good practice to keep up on this so nothing inadvertently falls off.
- inspection

Here is a summary of the inspection (I guess I will focus on noteworthy things, not the things that are fine):
- Rear tires TOTALLY shot. The tire is down to 2/32" or worse. And the inside tread is down past the belts. I drove to Tire Pros and inquired about my options. They could not get the Continental run-flats that I had on it which I am not too mad about because I don't like them. That made the decision easier so I went with two rear Michelin Pilot Super Sports which they have ordered. It didn't take much for him to give me a $40/tire discount which puts them cheaper than Tire Rack. They are still like $400/ea. The fronts are much safer. The car had one fairly new wheel and fairly new tire on the front when I bought it. I then had to buy a second new tire to match because it was worn kind of like these rears are. But upon closer inspection of the newer front that came with the car, it is also wearing kinda bad and while most of the tread is reasonable the inner tread is wearing really fast. So the fronts may not be as long for the world as I thought. The plan, I think, is to hunt down some forged wheels and whenever that happens, I might just get the front Michelin PSS at that time. I have to decide if I want to do TPMS, as well. For now, I can't really drive the car (now that I've seen it), and we are at least a week out from getting the tires. But it will be interesting to see what new rears does for it.

- There is a thread about W212 rear brake line premature failure (corrosion) so I decided to inspect mine. Whelp, they don't look very good at all. And the official replacement procedure is incredibly invasive (like drop the rear subframe). So I really have two options: wait until they rupture and try to route some copper nickel in there or hope that Mercedes does an extended warranty coverage. It's kind of infuriating that this is even a thing. I know this car saw salt but it is the most expensive car I've purchased by almost a factor of two.

- Front shocks seem like they are starting to leak. This isn't surprising because I believe they are original and frankly beyond their service life. Here is a shot of the right front and left front. - Brakes are still getting down there as I noted last time. Front and rear are probably at 25% or less. But they may have another 5,000 in them which buys me some time. When the time comes I will upgrade to the 390mm rotors as planned. I wonder if I should buy them now or just wait. And I have to pick pads. Plus deal with the rears (probably also rotors and pads).

- I did notice that I have a timing chain tensioner visible through the oil cap. I believe this means the car got ONE of the newer design tensioners (fixes a start-up rattle mainly which Mercedes claims is only a noise). There have been several designs so I don't know which one I might have. But I noted I might need a tensioner to go with my factory installed check valve. Maybe I can cross this one off the list? I will have to investigate further to confirm this but I think I am right. This is good news.
TO-DO:
- Plugs and coils (I was going to tackle this but some other stuff distracted me and I was working on the car basically all day)
- Clean and lubricate panoramic roof. I have the stuff so I will make a thread when I get to it.
- Get new rear tires so I can safely drive the car

Alignment. He installed my camber bolt in the forward thrust arm, which is incorrect. I don't know why he did this. He should have installed it in the main spring control arm and adjusted it to pull inboard. He said he pulled the adjustment inboard on the thrust arm for what that's worth. WIS has a table somewhere showing all the permutations of adjustments and how the measurements are impacted. I should find this and show him next time.

So the right front camber went from -2.6 last time to -2.7. Great. Though I don't understand why it got worse. Installing the bolt where he did should have had a more major impact on caster, and a smaller impact on camber. But I guess I would have still expected an inboard adjustment to result in a little LESS negative camber (not more).