I bought a 2003 cl55 amg with 120,000 miles on it for 7500 dollars. Car was/is in very good condition. After about 2 years and 10,000 miles I got the dreaded red abc dash warning as the car dropped to the ground. Consequently did the yellow speed coil over swap complete with front and rear sway bars off an s500. Deleted all the now superfluous abc lines, accumulators, and valve blocks and installed an s500 non-abc power steering pump. As you stated, it does not ride as well as it once did. That being said, I think it handles just as well, if not better! Total cost was @ 1800 dollars. I can now drive the car anywhere and not worry about a catastrophic suspension failure ruining my trip. I did the whole job with the help of my son in the driveway. It's doable but not fun. I write this to encourage anyone else with an abc vintage car that if abc fails, it does not have to spell the end of your amg experience. As an aside, I wouldn't recommend a v12 version over the supercharged m113 derivative due to accessibility issues in the engine compartment. The M113k is basically bulletproof and provides performance comparable to the v12 and is much more diy friendly. Hope this overly long post helps prospective amg owners with their decision making.
bro thank you for trying to at least restore some of the car. sam he is just a flipper and does not have any loyalty to any brand and is hard to watch sometimes bc cheap fixes arent what the next owner wants..
when you are getting a car that had a extremely high sticker price when new at a cheap price, even after 20 or so years, it's like that for a reason, and if it is also a unicorn of a car (a very uncommon vehicle for the country you're in) that only makes matters worse, when you are buying a car that has been 100k + euros new at a price of like 2k euros, even after 20 years, do you think that's a coincidence? nope. it's because it has issues, usually issues which are a pain in the...wallet to fix personally I do prefer cars that were low cost or midrange when new, very common, and have as few options as possible - hence, less sources of defects, for me if it has AC electric windows in front and maybe power steering as well it's enough for what I need, bonus tips: when it does break, usually parts come cheap and widely available, both new and from scrapyards
Bruh looked for a mercedes for under 6000 for a whole summer and u bag a v12 for 4000 its insane how good you are with finding these i wish you the best of luck!!
I have an old E55 and the great thing about these cars for a single guy is that that break so often, you have all the drama and expense of a relationship without even leaving your home. Awesome thing about Sam is, he knows too so you won't here any surprise in his voice, just sad acceptance.
@@Nikola_W211 No, I never had. Mine has every bolton from Eurocharged. The torque is so unruly, I use Hoosier R7's to try to get traction. I think the power may be too much for the air suspension because I blow the rear shocks every few months but I take it off road (I'm weird, I thrash these so on my 3rd) so coilovers aren't an option and the newer E classes don't have adjustable ride height. I track it too, best at laguna with stock suspension and slicks is 1:43. These are cheap but don't run one if you don't have the cash to support maintenance.
I bought mine 4 years ago from the original owner who was a 86yr old man that had garage kept it from day one and always had it serviced by the dealer I got it from him with only 60,000 miles on it for 5k with 2 sets of factory spare rims , a Mercedes branded car cover, and 2 new spare turbos ( I still have it and I have not had one oil leak whatsoever
I fixed my hydraulic suspension on my SL600. After numerous efforts and parts I finally removed it and replaced with coil overs. Car instantly became drivable and no more finding my car slammed to the ground and broken.
To get the car jacked up when the suspension is slammed, you need to use the factory jack in the trunk. Pop off the square covers on the rocker panels and there are holes in the body behind behind them. The factory jack picks up the car by those holes, instead of from under the car.
I vote for coilovers. I Converted my 07 SL550 and now I drive it worry free. Handling in the corners is the same, but it's a little rougher over potholes and bumps. I did the conversion myself using Silvers Neomax which don't need sway bars. I used a ps pump from a 07 ML550 which cost about $200 new and works great. Another benefit of the coilovers is that I lowered the car slightly from factory setting and it looks better,
Instead of chasing the lines around or spending thousands on Mercedes lines... Take off all of the hydraulic lines at once. Bring them to a hydraulic shop. They can replace all the rubber and flush out all the lines...
@@semihyilmaz4699 Pink eye is an inflammation of the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball. This membrane is called the conjunctiva. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become swollen and irritated, they're more visible. This is what causes the whites of the eyes to appear reddish or pink. Pink eye also is called conjunctivitis.
Yeah, my brother-in-law who's a doctor had new one years ago and wanted me to drive it to the dealership for scheduled maintenance while he followed behind in the used Avalon. I said, "He lets switch that up." As I did not want to be responsible anything happening to his new V-12 that I would imagine cost 100,000 or so. The scheduled maintenance cost 400.00 for an oil change and something else. Crazy. Neat car and fast and durable but a gas hog. Much more comfortable than my buddies v-10 Viper that got about the same gas mileage but was super-hot in the cabin because of poor engine design and heat shields.
sam your videos made me want to do the same thing, i took the risk and bought a 2007 clk 550 for 3500, got super lucky and it had only a simple problem and some aesthetic problems. love your videos man
The SL55 AMG was the car that brought me as many others to Tavarish channel. You could do a build series he didn't end. Coil over swap, some mechanical updates, and possibly a manual swap. Could be a new YT trend, as manual swapping a Ferrari 360.
I watched Freddy channel to went out and bought an 06 cl500 replacing ABC seals is not so bad but the bellows can't be replaced love the car lots of little quarks. Still looks brand new inside and out.
There is a high pressure coupler available that prevents you from having to replace the entire line. I just had to replace one of the "car killer" lines yesterday. I purchased an OEM hose from the dealer ($104) and a coupler ($45). I cut the metal line right near the frame and used the coupler to mate the new portion to the old portion. The rubber part of the hose is just the first foot, the rest of it is metal piping. Took a couple hours, but working great now. For less than a couple hundred bucks, not including the accumulators. The coupler can be found with a quick google search. I am sure they can be had much cheaper than $45, but I did not want to do the trial and error and just bought the one I knew would work at it's marked up price.
I think the reason he wouldn't fix it is because he was basically saying the lines would all need to be cleaned out or more lines would continue to fail
I'm pretty sure Legit Street Cars did a series on fixing the ABC system on one of his cars. It was pretty hardcore, he had to go through every part of the system before it worked.
Take off all of the hydraulic lines at once. Bring them to a hydraulic shop. They can replace all the rubber and flush out all the lines... (quoted from another comment by @travisfabel8040 )
Sam, as an R230 owner myself I listened to a crazy Norwegian from the forums who recommended adding a stop leak to the ABC suspension from QMI (true brand in the states) and I will say, there was an immediate difference in the performance and feel of the system. It resolved a slight front left sagging strut (my guess a faulty solenoid seal in the valve block, ABC2) Now with busted lines, it’s best to cut the hard line, repair the rubber section, and use a compression coupler to reconnect the hard line. Since then, I’ve used it in the top as well resolve a leak seal. If anything, dump a bottle into the crankcase and see what happens. This stuff is magic!
This is an inexpensive repair and I happen to be in the middle of it on a 2005 SL600. The trick is order a new line for about $120, cut the bad rubber section from the old hose, cut the same section from the new hose, and join then together with a coupler from McMaster Carr.
The ONLY way to keep these cars on the road is to replace the ABC with coilovers. My mistake was not doing so because I can’t do the labor myself. Over 4 summers pf ownership 2 were wasted repairing the ABC (valve blocks, pump, lines). Expensive parts when you can find them. Other problems such as vacuum leaks (trunk closure, door locks) are impossible to find new parts. Sold my SL at a huge loss. Miss that money pit.
I bought a cheap Twin Turbo CL 600 that was just so beautiful to look at really. Put in 20K and sold it for 7 lol. Just don’t do it. If you want an SL of this vintage get the SL55. It will still torture you with suspension problems but it might hold some value
Sam, there's ALWAYS enough clearance to get an air/exhaust lift bag under a car, unless it is sitting with the chassis on the ground. Common for off road vehicles where any other jack would just dig into the ground.
11:23 After flushing out each hydraulic line. I would put an inline filter between the main hydraulic line that feeds the other four lines. This way the filter can catch the debris and allow only the clean fluid to flow to the suspension ( Hydac 110IC3BM1.0/12B6 Inline Filter Assembly 2071645 1500 Psi )
I feel like a thorough mechanical, drivetrain, and breaking system check would be the next step before the decision to fix suspension, either way you go on the repair. 🤔✌️😎
yes get the suspension fixed because when they are maintained well from your replaced parts it will be the sl you love and the aftermarket have got alot of parts for this vehicle to help solve this problem
BC Racing custom low coilovers, sway bars and 20x9 and 20x10.5s were the best thing I did to my 2004 SL55. I had the ABC for 5 years, and I enjoy the coilovers more because the suspension and grip is more progressive.
Best channel for this kind of content. I especially love how well your camera work shows things under the car and everywhere else. Thanks for the hours of fun and education.
These highly devalued AMGs would actually skyrocket in value, if there was specialized companies to uncomplicate them, with simpler electronics, a coil over swap, and a faster gearbox, or even a manual swap.
No they won’t skyrocket. Old dudes who wrench are dying off. Sam is right though the ride with a working ABC is unlike anything you’ve experienced. Magic. But the price is high. Going coil over is dumb.
I scooped a slk32 amg for $4k. Only needed a new battery and new rear tires. Got the battery replaced for free under warranty at walmart and this thing is a blast with the supercharged v6.
Don't start working on that car. Just get rid of it. I actually got frustrated with LSC's videos about his C63 because the damn thing just kept breaking over and over again. He was in an abusive relationship with a car.
One of their favorite things to do at Copart is if the bumpers off the car they will fold it in half and throw it inside your car and not think twice about it...
Did you forget to pay the electric bill for the hoist? You could have driven it up on Jack's Between the hoist which would have enabled you to slide the arms for the hoist under it
Consider the cost of the fluid flush, hoses and new accumulator spheres compared to deleting the hydraulics on a $4,100 used car. There will still many future issues to solve!
I’ve owned 6 CL600’s from 03-06 and 11-14 and only had an 04 give me trouble. Granted, I bought them all brand new and I loved them all plus have two, still in my collection. Mine don’t have any miles and I always put in the new 3 micron filters and make sure my accumulates are always stiff. Once the car has a slight bounce to the suspension, that means the accumulator is going. I learned that from the head mechanic at Mercedes of Palm Springs. You just bounce up and down at each corner and if it doesn’t move, you’re good. Now, I personally feel the car is too rough to fix the suspension. You need the dash recovered, all the wood trim needs to be stripped and refinished , (to remove all the cracks) plus the hydraulics of the top are going to need attention. I’d send it straight back to the auction after you fix that hose and accumulator. If you do the jounce test at each corner and if feels mushy, you’ll need to replace those accumulators before they take a crap. Don’t waste your money on the coil over’s because the suspension is one of this car’s best feature.
A suggestion, when you have an issue with low clearance for jacking a vehicle, especially on low stability surfaces, you could use a 4wd air bag jack. Typically it uses exhaust gas to inflate.
The V12 coilovers are much more than the SL500/55 models and very few options for swaybars, and adding swaybars requires some welding..... I would love to see the conversion done. I have a 60K mile Sl600 sitting idle due to an ABC issue, the car is tuned and lowered, owned in for 10 years and have put 3 ABC pumps in it
I got a cheap Mercedes and believe it or not its been a great car 😅. Its a 02 S500 Lorinser i paid 1300 at auction sight unseen, owned it for about 1 and a half years now as my daily driver and only had to do a tensioner and belt, battery and a set of tires on it. It is a more bulletproof Mercedes (as flagship 2000s mercs go) being a Airmatic car and the M113 V8. I been pretty neglectful on the airmatic warning ever since i got it has a very slow air leak that will make the front go down a bit, lasted alot longer than i thought. Well deserved of putting money into. As for the SLs i been around some and there nightmares with the hardtops and ABC suspension, but would be worth dealing with if it was the right 55 or 65 AMG. Would think fixing this one up would bring good content though!
I would fit coil springs to the SL if it was cheaper than fixing the troublesome ABC system. The W204 is one of the better generations of C-Class and it would be worth persevering with.
@@RollinTwentySix The reverse is true! Unfortunately for you, you said it like it absolutely was the case that he is paying for it every month! Congratulations on being wrong on this one pardner!
@@ThexCondor You're just a silly contrarian. The internet is not exact, you're just a wannabe pedant. I'll bet you that dude has a car payment, get over it! Also lol @ you for even starting this!
I love my SL500 top works great, switched to coilovers 3 years ago and have not looked back. Would have kept the abc but my mechanic despised it!! Your dash looks rugged. I recommend to fix the abc for the 600. Unless you actually plan on using this car which I doubt you will put significant miles on. Replace the accumulators and customized braided lines and enjoy it!
@Nick210 I have. This car Sam bought is 20 years old. Maybe you're to rich to have any kind of reasonable opinion. The ride isn't worth the thousands of dollars to keep fixing a 20 yesterday old system that's dry rotting and old . Replace with coilovers. Simple as that . People replace the audi r8 suspension for the same type of issue and move to coilovers
i think if you keep the original suspension and power steering pump it wont loose value. it looks like a drivers car not a show car so any new buyers will appreciate new suspension and less problems if their intention is to drive and enjoy the car
Fix it. Strip all of the lines out and have them repaired by a heavy machinery shop. Bonus, they can give you some extra joints which makes the flexible hoses easier to remove in the future should they fail again. Replace accumulators Do valve block o rings. Send it. The pump may be toast but I’d find that out first. Put a filter on the output so if it does shit the bed it doesn’t contaminate the whole system.
So what it amounts to is these cars become junk after a few years. They run beautifully when they're new, and unless you have plenty of money to meticulously maintain them, they become an expensive headache to an unsuspecting buyer who thinks he's got a great deal.
I’d like to see you replace the lines and accumulators, as one of the things I like most about your channel is making the fixes that the average person will likely encounter.
Great video on why Mercedes are priced that cheap, and what you can get yourself into to learn your german ABCs. As well as the recall on the brake booster/abs, among many many other Mercedes gotchas. Bett you than me Sam, you will get a good one from auction soon, i can feel it in my accumulators 😂
Fix the line, change the accumulator and pulsating dampers, fluid flush and see how it does then. Thinking the biggest problems with ABC are due to lack of maintenance and not keeping good accumulators and pulsating dampers in the car.
Keep the ABC! I have a 2006 CL500 and would never get rid of the ABC. Once you fix it, all you have to do is preventive maintenance, and it should work as it should for a very long time.
First clean out each of the lines and pressure test each one. Then a new accumulator. New fluid and pump if need be. If that fails, go to standard power steering. I think I remember going over the railroad tracks at about 45-50mph with the hydraulics and didn't feel much. Pretty neat system if you can get it to work.
I would like to see the factory suspension rebuilt. But for a quarter of the cost an aftermarket coil over replacement would be cool to watch also. I'd go coilover, but, that's cause I'm broke.
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
I bought a 2003 cl55 amg with 120,000 miles on it for 7500 dollars. Car was/is in very good condition. After about 2 years and 10,000 miles I got the dreaded red abc dash warning as the car dropped to the ground. Consequently did the yellow speed coil over swap complete with front and rear sway bars off an s500. Deleted all the now superfluous abc lines, accumulators, and valve blocks and installed an s500 non-abc power steering pump. As you stated, it does not ride as well as it once did. That being said, I think it handles just as well, if not better! Total cost was @ 1800 dollars. I can now drive the car anywhere and not worry about a catastrophic suspension failure ruining my trip. I did the whole job with the help of my son in the driveway. It's doable but not fun. I write this to encourage anyone else with an abc vintage car that if abc fails, it does not have to spell the end of your amg experience. As an aside, I wouldn't recommend a v12 version over the supercharged m113 derivative due to accessibility issues in the engine compartment. The M113k is basically bulletproof and provides performance comparable to the v12 and is much more diy friendly. Hope this overly long post helps prospective amg owners with their decision making.
Did you also scream at him to properly hold the flashlight?
@@TheColonel_if he didn’t then they didn’t do it right lol
I wonder if it would be possible to retrofit magnetic suspension. I know that would be not original but way cool
bro thank you for trying to at least restore some of the car. sam he is just a flipper and does not have any loyalty to any brand and is hard to watch sometimes bc cheap fixes arent what the next owner wants..
Handles better? LOL
Sam's been uploading a lot more recently. Very happy to see
A lot more garbage
He needs money since his suggar momma left him. All he had to do is get rig of the cars.
kids still bag chasing
Needs to fill that field up somehow with more cars ( he never finishes) 😅
Gotta keep the cash flow coming in 😊
"There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes" - No truer words. They're still a hoot to drive when they're running😁
for my money, an old Bentley is a better "investment"...
yeah, needs some repairs, but has not been abused (usually) and can drive forever after.
Been driving a 2006 v6 Mercedes for 50k miles as my daily and I paid $1500 for it. Just did a basic tune up.
when you are getting a car that had a extremely high sticker price when new at a cheap price, even after 20 or so years, it's like that for a reason, and if it is also a unicorn of a car (a very uncommon vehicle for the country you're in) that only makes matters worse, when you are buying a car that has been 100k + euros new at a price of like 2k euros, even after 20 years, do you think that's a coincidence? nope. it's because it has issues, usually issues which are a pain in the...wallet to fix
personally I do prefer cars that were low cost or midrange when new, very common, and have as few options as possible - hence, less sources of defects, for me if it has AC electric windows in front and maybe power steering as well it's enough for what I need, bonus tips: when it does break, usually parts come cheap and widely available, both new and from scrapyards
I think bmw takes the cake
Bruh looked for a mercedes for under 6000 for a whole summer and u bag a v12 for 4000 its insane how good you are with finding these i wish you the best of luck!!
He fixes them that’s why he gets them cheap, a good running one it’s not gonna cost less than $6k
Jebo te mercedes kupi bmw
@@RexerYTRexer hagahhahaahha imam 2 bmwa rekoh treca sreca v8 mercedes jebi ga :D
I don’t know where these RUclipsr find these cars but they be finding get deals. I can’t find one!
What is this word "Bruh"?
I have an old E55 and the great thing about these cars for a single guy is that that break so often, you have all the drama and expense of a relationship without even leaving your home. Awesome thing about Sam is, he knows too so you won't here any surprise in his voice, just sad acceptance.
Did you have any issues with the engine i heard the m113 v8s are bulletproof in the e55.
🤣🤣🤣
@@Nikola_W211 No, I never had. Mine has every bolton from Eurocharged. The torque is so unruly, I use Hoosier R7's to try to get traction. I think the power may be too much for the air suspension because I blow the rear shocks every few months but I take it off road (I'm weird, I thrash these so on my 3rd) so coilovers aren't an option and the newer E classes don't have adjustable ride height. I track it too, best at laguna with stock suspension and slicks is 1:43. These are cheap but don't run one if you don't have the cash to support maintenance.
@@Nikola_W211 One thing I was told was the internals can handle about 700 hp. I don't think it would be usable honestly.
I bought mine 4 years ago from the original owner who was a 86yr old man that had garage kept it from day one and always had it serviced by the dealer I got it from him with only 60,000 miles on it for 5k with 2 sets of factory spare rims , a Mercedes branded car cover, and 2 new spare turbos ( I still have it and I have not had one oil leak whatsoever
Lucky fuck comes to mind
I fixed my hydraulic suspension on my SL600. After numerous efforts and parts I finally removed it and replaced with coil overs. Car instantly became drivable and no more finding my car slammed to the ground and broken.
After watching Alex working on a Mercedes V12 CL 600 I am convinced that this car is no bargain! 604hp is the only reason I'd want one!
To get the car jacked up when the suspension is slammed, you need to use the factory jack in the trunk. Pop off the square covers on the rocker panels and there are holes in the body behind behind them. The factory jack picks up the car by those holes, instead of from under the car.
Good to know! I was wondering what those covers were for
Sounds like my 1973 vw jack.
Sam’s cow pasture is where cars go to die.
ya bro😂
I vote for coilovers. I Converted my 07 SL550 and now I drive it worry free. Handling in the corners is the same, but it's a little rougher over potholes and bumps. I did the conversion myself using Silvers Neomax which don't need sway bars. I used a ps pump from a 07 ML550 which cost about $200 new and works great. Another benefit of the coilovers is that I lowered the car slightly from factory setting and it looks better,
Instead of chasing the lines around or spending thousands on Mercedes lines... Take off all of the hydraulic lines at once. Bring them to a hydraulic shop. They can replace all the rubber and flush out all the lines...
one of the best channels out there! keep up the good work Sam! greetings from sweden...
Thanks! 😃
that is so rust free underneath, the paint looks like it will definitely polish out very nicely
I got a pink eye looking at the steering wheel...
Why?
@@semihyilmaz4699 Pink eye is an inflammation of the transparent membrane that lines the eyelid and eyeball. This membrane is called the conjunctiva. When small blood vessels in the conjunctiva become swollen and irritated, they're more visible. This is what causes the whites of the eyes to appear reddish or pink. Pink eye also is called conjunctivitis.
@@johnkaimins9998 What i didn't understand was why he got a pink eye by looking at the steering wheel.
@@semihyilmaz4699 cuz it looks like it has aids
@@semihyilmaz4699 because it's ugly and nasty
AMG used the same convertible tops made in Japan that were on the Lexus 2nd gen SC430. Super easy to fix. Very reliable.👍
Awesome! Thanks very much for sharing with us Sam.
The best to you and your dear family! Lord be praised!
Thank you so much!
Yeah, my brother-in-law who's a doctor had new one years ago and wanted me to drive it to the dealership for scheduled maintenance while he followed behind in the used Avalon. I said, "He lets switch that up." As I did not want to be responsible anything happening to his new V-12 that I would imagine cost 100,000 or so. The scheduled maintenance cost 400.00 for an oil change and something else. Crazy. Neat car and fast and durable but a gas hog. Much more comfortable than my buddies v-10 Viper that got about the same gas mileage but was super-hot in the cabin because of poor engine design and heat shields.
You are surrounded by fancy cars do you own one
sam your videos made me want to do the same thing, i took the risk and bought a 2007 clk 550 for 3500, got super lucky and it had only a simple problem and some aesthetic problems. love your videos man
I love how the grass grows high around the cars that have not been touched in a while 👊🏼
The SL55 AMG was the car that brought me as many others to Tavarish channel. You could do a build series he didn't end. Coil over swap, some mechanical updates, and possibly a manual swap. Could be a new YT trend, as manual swapping a Ferrari 360.
I watched Freddy channel to went out and bought an 06 cl500 replacing ABC seals is not so bad but the bellows can't be replaced love the car lots of little quarks. Still looks brand new inside and out.
The day sam finishes a build before Tavarish is the day hell freezes over
I stopped watching tavarish bc he never finishes his builds except the ones I'm absolutely not interested in like McLarens
There is a high pressure coupler available that prevents you from having to replace the entire line. I just had to replace one of the "car killer" lines yesterday. I purchased an OEM hose from the dealer ($104) and a coupler ($45). I cut the metal line right near the frame and used the coupler to mate the new portion to the old portion. The rubber part of the hose is just the first foot, the rest of it is metal piping. Took a couple hours, but working great now. For less than a couple hundred bucks, not including the accumulators. The coupler can be found with a quick google search. I am sure they can be had much cheaper than $45, but I did not want to do the trial and error and just bought the one I knew would work at it's marked up price.
Please keep SL65 ABC suspension, there aren't many videos on how to fix it. If you end up fixing the ABC suspension it would be a good tutorial.
I think the reason he wouldn't fix it is because he was basically saying the lines would all need to be cleaned out or more lines would continue to fail
Yes! I have a 2006 CL500, and I would never get rid of the ABC. It is AMAZING when working properly and taken care of.
I'm pretty sure Legit Street Cars did a series on fixing the ABC system on one of his cars. It was pretty hardcore, he had to go through every part of the system before it worked.
@@nicholasvinen I saw the whole series, its nothing but problems and more money than people are willing to spend
Take off all of the hydraulic lines at once. Bring them to a hydraulic shop. They can replace all the rubber and flush out all the lines... (quoted from another comment by @travisfabel8040 )
Sam, as an R230 owner myself I listened to a crazy Norwegian from the forums who recommended adding a stop leak to the ABC suspension from QMI (true brand in the states) and I will say, there was an immediate difference in the performance and feel of the system. It resolved a slight front left sagging strut (my guess a faulty solenoid seal in the valve block, ABC2)
Now with busted lines, it’s best to cut the hard line, repair the rubber section, and use a compression coupler to reconnect the hard line.
Since then, I’ve used it in the top as well resolve a leak seal.
If anything, dump a bottle into the crankcase and see what happens. This stuff is magic!
Great video! V12 wow. Just cracked a beer to watch this video! I have not had a money pit yet!
I can not lie. I love how Sam does the in video ads and doesn’t have ads added to his video for money.
Fix the V12 hydraulic system and enjoy the car!
Sam is right! Headache after headache! It looks like a beautiful car, it switch it over. I learned my lesson with my Mercedes.
This is an inexpensive repair and I happen to be in the middle of it on a 2005 SL600. The trick is order a new line for about $120, cut the bad rubber section from the old hose, cut the same section from the new hose, and join then together with a coupler from McMaster Carr.
The ONLY way to keep these cars on the road is to replace the ABC with coilovers. My mistake was not doing so because I can’t do the labor myself. Over 4 summers pf ownership 2 were wasted repairing the ABC (valve blocks, pump, lines). Expensive parts when you can find them. Other problems such as vacuum leaks (trunk closure, door locks) are impossible to find new parts. Sold my SL at a huge loss. Miss that money pit.
I bought a cheap Twin Turbo CL 600 that was just so beautiful to look at really. Put in 20K and sold it for 7 lol. Just don’t do it. If you want an SL of this vintage get the SL55. It will still torture you with suspension problems but it might hold some value
Sam, there's ALWAYS enough clearance to get an air/exhaust lift bag under a car, unless it is sitting with the chassis on the ground.
Common for off road vehicles where any other jack would just dig into the ground.
video starts at 3:15
By the time I saw this comment I was 13 minutes in ...
@@canyouhearmatt5529 rip
😂🤣🤣 👌
@@canyouhearmatt5529yo me too😂
Sam i have one of these and daily drive it. If I had the cash I'd do coil overs in a heartbeat these cars are 100% worth it
11:23 After flushing out each hydraulic line. I would put an inline filter between the main hydraulic line that feeds the other four lines. This way the filter can catch the debris and allow only the clean fluid to flow to the suspension ( Hydac 110IC3BM1.0/12B6 Inline Filter Assembly 2071645 1500 Psi )
THE BEST AUTOMOTIVE CHANNEL BY FAR after rich rebuild
11:07 As the Mighty Car Mods would say "IN THE BIN!"
I converted mine (500SL). I sold all the ABC parts and thus my coilovers were free.
I feel like a thorough mechanical, drivetrain, and breaking system check would be the next step before the decision to fix suspension, either way you go on the repair. 🤔✌️😎
yes get the suspension fixed because when they are maintained well from your replaced parts it will be the sl you love and the aftermarket have got alot of parts for this vehicle to help solve this problem
Pizza car spotted at 1:05
BC Racing custom low coilovers, sway bars and 20x9 and 20x10.5s were the best thing I did to my 2004 SL55. I had the ABC for 5 years, and I enjoy the coilovers more because the suspension and grip is more progressive.
Be safe in this hurricane! Coming right for us...
I like the merc Sam I think it looks awesome man and waw it sounds good aswel good luck with it Sam!.🤞👌👌👍👍👍
Best channel for this kind of content. I especially love how well your camera work shows things under the car and everywhere else. Thanks for the hours of fun and education.
YES!! Fix it! Think of the content if not anything else!
Your video helped me persist in getting an absolute bastard of a broken bulb out. Keep up the good work Sam!
These highly devalued AMGs would actually skyrocket in value, if there was specialized companies to uncomplicate them, with simpler electronics, a coil over swap, and a faster gearbox, or even a manual swap.
Add to that, swapping the vacuum operated central locking, to an electric operated system.
Coil overs are readily available. Electronic, well, that's another story!
@@stevenreid-g2y It's not just swapping for coil overs. it's also needed to add sway bars too.
Honestly coilovers swaps suck on these.
No they won’t skyrocket. Old dudes who wrench are dying off. Sam is right though the ride with a working ABC is unlike anything you’ve experienced. Magic. But the price is high. Going coil over is dumb.
I scooped a slk32 amg for $4k. Only needed a new battery and new rear tires. Got the battery replaced for free under warranty at walmart and this thing is a blast with the supercharged v6.
Don't start working on that car. Just get rid of it. I actually got frustrated with LSC's videos about his C63 because the damn thing just kept breaking over and over again. He was in an abusive relationship with a car.
One of their favorite things to do at Copart is if the bumpers off the car they will fold it in half and throw it inside your car and not think twice about it...
Did you forget to pay the electric bill for the hoist? You could have driven it up on Jack's Between the hoist which would have enabled you to slide the arms for the hoist under it
Crazy I’ve been watching every SL video and review I could find lately and then my favorite car RUclipsr uploads one.
Consider the cost of the fluid flush, hoses and new accumulator spheres compared to deleting the hydraulics on a $4,100 used car. There will still many future issues to solve!
I’ve owned 6 CL600’s from 03-06 and 11-14 and only had an 04 give me trouble. Granted, I bought them all brand new and I loved them all plus have two, still in my collection. Mine don’t have any miles and I always put in the new 3 micron filters and make sure my accumulates are always stiff. Once the car has a slight bounce to the suspension, that means the accumulator is going. I learned that from the head mechanic at Mercedes of Palm Springs. You just bounce up and down at each corner and if it doesn’t move, you’re good. Now, I personally feel the car is too rough to fix the suspension. You need the dash recovered, all the wood trim needs to be stripped and refinished , (to remove all the cracks) plus the hydraulics of the top are going to need attention. I’d send it straight back to the auction after you fix that hose and accumulator. If you do the jounce test at each corner and if feels mushy, you’ll need to replace those accumulators before they take a crap. Don’t waste your money on the coil over’s because the suspension is one of this car’s best feature.
Good sponsor choice! Many of us who care about our babies (mechanical or human lol) love to have some security.
A suggestion, when you have an issue with low clearance for jacking a vehicle, especially on low stability surfaces, you could use a 4wd air bag jack. Typically it uses exhaust gas to inflate.
The V12 coilovers are much more than the SL500/55 models and very few options for swaybars, and adding swaybars requires some welding..... I would love to see the conversion done. I have a 60K mile Sl600 sitting idle due to an ABC issue, the car is tuned and lowered, owned in for 10 years and have put 3 ABC pumps in it
Yeah, there's no real solid "cost effective" sway bar solution for the V12, except for just running it without a sway bar!
I got a cheap Mercedes and believe it or not its been a great car 😅. Its a 02 S500 Lorinser i paid 1300 at auction sight unseen, owned it for about 1 and a half years now as my daily driver and only had to do a tensioner and belt, battery and a set of tires on it. It is a more bulletproof Mercedes (as flagship 2000s mercs go) being a Airmatic car and the M113 V8. I been pretty neglectful on the airmatic warning ever since i got it has a very slow air leak that will make the front go down a bit, lasted alot longer than i thought. Well deserved of putting money into.
As for the SLs i been around some and there nightmares with the hardtops and ABC suspension, but would be worth dealing with if it was the right 55 or 65 AMG. Would think fixing this one up would bring good content though!
Coil overs are life…get rid of the hydraulics
I would fit coil springs to the SL if it was cheaper than fixing the troublesome ABC system. The W204 is one of the better generations of C-Class and it would be worth persevering with.
You just get how to make good content!
One good thing with this car you will never run out of things to film fixing
My mundane little 2024 Corolla hatchback is looking more and more a good decision, especially for my sanity ;-)
you're paying for your sanity every month
@@RollinTwentySixIt is bold to assume you know whether someone does or does not have a loan for something with 0 clues about it whatsoever 🤣
@@ThexCondor the reverse is also true, congrats on your hypocrisy!
@@RollinTwentySix The reverse is true! Unfortunately for you, you said it like it absolutely was the case that he is paying for it every month! Congratulations on being wrong on this one pardner!
@@ThexCondor You're just a silly contrarian. The internet is not exact, you're just a wannabe pedant. I'll bet you that dude has a car payment, get over it! Also lol @ you for even starting this!
I love my SL500 top works great, switched to coilovers 3 years ago and have not looked back. Would have kept the abc but my mechanic despised it!! Your dash looks rugged. I recommend to fix the abc for the 600. Unless you actually plan on using this car which I doubt you will put significant miles on. Replace the accumulators and customized braided lines and enjoy it!
You deserve so many more subs!
You bots deserve banishment to P-hub!
Still the undisputed king of ad transitions
coil overs now a days are really nice, a hydraulic suspension is silly get rid of that garbage
Lol. You’ve never ridden in a car with the ABC system
@Nick210 I have. This car Sam bought is 20 years old. Maybe you're to rich to have any kind of reasonable opinion. The ride isn't worth the thousands of dollars to keep fixing a 20 yesterday old system that's dry rotting and old . Replace with coilovers. Simple as that . People replace the audi r8 suspension for the same type of issue and move to coilovers
Hey I see the pizza car! That series was the one that got me hooked on this channel.
V12 Mercedes ? Alex Legit Street cars Enters the chat :))
Keep buying mercs I learn so much from your work
Women use tons of hand cream and emollients that dissolve interior "touch" surfaces.
I lusted after one of these SLs since they came out when I was still in highschool. Coilovers are a relatively inexpensive and reliable replacement.
I'm staying away from any early to mid 2000s Mercedes lol
Please do. Means cheaper cls55s and e55s for the rest of us. ❤
@@sergeantspeed5941 I am not a glutton for punishment that bad 😂😂 my LS600H is bad enough.
@@sergeantspeed5941CLK as well. I have a clk430 and it’s awesome and easy to work on
@@sergeantspeed5941 esp the 55's 🙂
@@revinot are you agreeing? Or telling me they're especially unreliable?
i think if you keep the original suspension and power steering pump it wont loose value. it looks like a drivers car not a show car so any new buyers will appreciate new suspension and less problems if their intention is to drive and enjoy the car
Sam "Would you believe me that I found half a Viagara in the seat?" Fans "Yes, we would be shocked if it were otherwise."
Fix it. Strip all of the lines out and have them repaired by a heavy machinery shop. Bonus, they can give you some extra joints which makes the flexible hoses easier to remove in the future should they fail again.
Replace accumulators
Do valve block o rings.
Send it. The pump may be toast but I’d find that out first. Put a filter on the output so if it does shit the bed it doesn’t contaminate the whole system.
So what it amounts to is these cars become junk after a few years. They run beautifully when they're new, and unless you have plenty of money to meticulously maintain them, they become an expensive headache to an unsuspecting buyer who thinks he's got a great deal.
Sounds like a wife.
I’d like to see you replace the lines and accumulators, as one of the things I like most about your channel is making the fixes that the average person will likely encounter.
Alex of LegitStreetCars: "tell me about it!"
Cheap high end Mercedes or BMW or Audi: RUN!
Great video on why Mercedes are priced that cheap, and what you can get yourself into to learn your german ABCs. As well as the recall on the brake booster/abs, among many many other Mercedes gotchas. Bett you than me Sam, you will get a good one from auction soon, i can feel it in my accumulators 😂
Keep the ABC. Clean out or replace EVERY hydraulic hose and replace all accumulators and dampers
Fix the line, change the accumulator and pulsating dampers, fluid flush and see how it does then. Thinking the biggest problems with ABC are due to lack of maintenance and not keeping good accumulators and pulsating dampers in the car.
Where is stepmom? I miss her.
Shes busy working some bbc
Wrong video. This one has a blown out hose, not blown out hoes.
I own an 06 SL65 with 50 000kms, it's pristine! Looking at this SL600, I just want to cry. FIX THE ABC!!! You're Samcrac, whats the problem? LOL
Keep the ABC! I have a 2006 CL500 and would never get rid of the ABC. Once you fix it, all you have to do is preventive maintenance, and it should work as it should for a very long time.
2 videos in a week! Thank you Sam!
Bet that C63 smells like grape drink and newports
some sorta hair tonic too ?
Facts!!!!
......and cheap, fake, 'high end' perfume/cologne
I think maybe something a little greener.
I just used your discount code for Priority Tires. Thank you. Every little bit helped.
Man that era of Mercedes interior design really didn’t hold up looks so lame to me now
It’s not that bad looking style wise but the plastics are just total junk ruining the whole car
Seeing all them cars sitting on that grass makes me feel much better about how I treat my cars.
Save the suspension!!! Replace the failed line, the green fluid, the filter and the accumulators.
Cost is the real dealbreaker.. that's too expensive.
Really like your videos. Wish you would put 2-3 videos out each week...
I have to ask Sam, all these cars you buy. Is your fetish that you are a a (not so) secret masochist😂
First clean out each of the lines and pressure test each one. Then a new accumulator. New fluid and pump if need be. If that fails, go to standard power steering. I think I remember going over the railroad tracks at about 45-50mph with the hydraulics and didn't feel much. Pretty neat system if you can get it to work.
0:24 The view from the left rear, makes the vehicle look like a Ford Mustang!
maybe a half mile down the road
not even close
Pride Month ahhhh comment🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Looks way better than any mustang ever could IMO
When the car is slammed to the ground, use the factory jack to get her up high enough to clear your jack!!!
Long nails screams “high class”. 😂😂😂😂
I would like to see the factory suspension rebuilt. But for a quarter of the cost an aftermarket coil over replacement would be cool to watch also. I'd go coilover, but, that's cause I'm broke.
No problem, deliver it to my house, and I’ll return your 4100 in cash. Thanks
What's your address?
@@Samcrac that would be so good 😂
@@Samcrac Crap,. i I had the cash i would too....