Help needed with rotten SLS lines?
 

I noticed some hydraulic fluid on the garage floor under the car and found these lines (in pics) are rotted.:( The reservoir is still full and the spot on the floor is about 5" in diameter since lastnight. How tough is it to replace these and what else should I do while I'm at it (I was going to replace the accumulators). Does anyone know how much these lines cost? The rot in the photos is all I can find.

Which part numbers will I need? I'm not sure. Russian Part Number Site

I've read that it won't destroy anything if I drive with a leak in the sytem. Is this true? Any help would be greatly appreciated.:)

Are your rubber lines bad or the hard? I can't really tell from the pictures nor the description.

The hard lines at the top of the pic are rotted right after the bracket. I circled the rot in red.

JB Weld to the rescue!!!!

I am pretty sure those are fuel lines not hydraulic lines.... They both look like and are in the right place to be fuel lines....

If they were hydraulic lines they would have blown open and leaked out all the fluid in no time being that corroded....that is a very high pressure system.

The leaking fluid is hydraulic fluid (definitely not diesel). Here is another pic from the other side of the rear. The top circle is the rotted lines, the bottom circle is where they are entering the SLS valve.

Those lines are a dealer item. I have a vague recollection of a forum member cutting and splicing those lines but the union fittings were hard to find since they are metric. If you search the forum deeply enough, you should find that thread. It shouldn't harm the system to keep driving it with a leak.

I still vote for jbweld. It might hold up as a temporary fix till the correct part cat be found. Perhaps he can get away with using a fuel hardline?

Thanks, I guess I'll call the dealer parts desk tomorrow and see how much$$.:)

Do you think a hydraulic shop could make new lines?

I've used epoxy in lots of applications and been very happy with it including on the hot water radiators in my house. The pressures in that system are very high and I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell of JB Weld holding up to those pressures unless it were backed up with hose clamps etc. I don't think the effort is worth it.

Take a look at this thread - maybe send a message to cscmc1. Sounds like he was recently down this road.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/194120-fs-1980-euro-300d-il.html

Posted over in CARS for sale:

I went though this not that long ago on the silver and blue wagon Dee8go has now- I had ordered the lines with the full intention of replacing the entire pieces (both feed and return were leaking in the exact same spot as yours). the part numbers supercede from 123 to 124 #'s and the 124 lines come with plastic fittings on the ends- basically its not just plug and play, other parts will need to be upgraded too to match up to the new lines, plus the lines come curled up, you have to straighten them out as best as you can then put the bends in place yourself without kinking the lines, its not as easy or fun as it sounds ;)

after messing around for a few hours with the new lines and realizing what else was going to need to be done to make them work, the owner and I decided just to remove the SLS from the car.

I have to agree not a good idea for use on this particular job. As much as I like JB weld no matter what you use it on the surface needs to be clean and degreased for it to adhere. This would be tough to do on a leaking hydraulic line. Even if you drained the reservoir left over fluid in the tubing would still leak.

Thanks for the response with your experience. I had a feeling things wouldn't be that easy. Between having to replace the extra items and dropping the subframe to get the new lines in, I guess I'm going to take the advice of another member here and splice in new sections using a bubble flare tool and 9000 PSI splice fittings.

I'm going to order the stuff for the lines and some accumulators and try to get this done ASAP.:)

If you have the time and ability, taking some pictures of the process and fittings might be useful to other members in the future. Do you have a source for the fittings yet?

Yes, I will be using www.fedhillusa.com since the member that helped me with the tip also recommended this place. I have to call and see how much the tool rental is. If it's too much, "Old Pokey" said he got one off Ebay for about $40. I would be happy to take pics along the way and post them. Give me a week or two.:)

Update
 

I just ordered the stuff I need to fix the lines from Ebay(autopartsmart).

2 - 6mm x 30" straight lines
2 - unions
1 - metric bubble flare tool kit with bender and cutter

Total=$85.17 and will be here sometime this week. Not as nice as FedHill but functional and more reasonably priced and I get to keep the tool for future needs.:cool:

I just addressed a fuel line leak in a similar location, but I was not about to drop the rear suspension to get to the same locations. I just cut the line out and replaced it with rubber hose, inside another rubber hose for abrasion protection and routed it along the fixes suspension supports with tie wraps, then double clamped it at each end. Are you going to re-route the lines or actually try to get them back into the same locations? Jim

I am planning to cut the rotted sections out and slip the new pieces into the same spots. I don't think it will be tough to do since I won't be dealing with very long pieces. I'm going to put the unions to the clean side of the bracket in the pics and reuse the SLS valve fittings.

I ran into some minor setbacks this weekend.:rolleyes:

I removed the SLS valve from the bracket to replace the 5 o-rings inside and the height adjustment linkage piece was rotted and crumbled away from the SLS lever arm (replacment part will be at the dealer parts window for pickup Wednesday - $45).

I was removing the accumulators to gain more room under the car since I am replacing them anyway and saw another section of rotted line under one going further toward the front of the car. I will have a 25' coil of 6mm line here by Wednesday ($36) and I can use the fittings from the straight lines I bought before and make the splice further toward the front of the car which will give me more room to use the flare tool.

I also had the opportunity to learn the proper technique for loosening a flare nut by doing one improperly and stripping the nut for the 4.75mm line from the SLS valve to the accumulator on the right side:o A new line will be ordered from the dealer tomorrow ($19):mad:. Proper placement of the flare nut wrench and impact is the only way to keep those small tube nuts from stripping while loosening.

So far this has been a very enlightening experience. Seeing the inside of the SLS valve and all the components of the suspension and hydraulic line connections has really helped me have a better understanding of how it all works. I also was able to verify that BOTH my accumulators were collapsed inside and the SLS valve WAS leaking. I can see now that a base pressure in the system helps maintain resting ride height along with the springs. A leaking valve and holes in the lines won't allow that.:D

I don't forsee any other setbacks but will continue to post any problems I encounter or mistakes I make so others can know what to look for and avoid.:thumbsup:

Cost so far:

Previous line and flare tool purchase: $85.17
O-rings for SLS Valve rebuild: $5
Height Adjustment linkage: $45
25' coil of 6mm line: $36
2 accumulators (101.95 each): $203.90
Fresh OE fluid: $28.90
New filter: $9.93
New line with fittings for accumulator since I stripped a fitting: $18
Metric Flare nut wrench set: $30

TOTAL: $461.90 (I don't think this is too bad)

For future reference, Maryland Metrics in Baltimore is another source for line and compression fittings. They did not have the pipe nuts, however!

Update
 

My wagon is still on the ramps:( There is a reason the shops charge so much to repair the SLS. Replacing accumulators is easy, repairing the SLS valve is is a little harder due to the small o-rings, repairing the lines has been frustrating. My original thinking was, no problem, cut out the rot, splice in the new sections, and done.

To that thinking I must now add, make the cuts in the lines perfectly square, file off all the hardening, make repeated attempts at functional bubble flares, and try to make accurate, kink-free bends with awkward, giant bending pliers. Finally, deal with feelings of wishing I had saved up for someone else to do this job.;)

When working on anything older I expect to find the unexpected. Adding to the list of unexpected is my leaking fuel expansion tank ($120 from the dealer - will be here tomorrow). I hope to have everything wrapped up on Wednesday so I can start doing the oil cooler lines.:( I miss driving my car.

Mine was replaced with gas shocks when it rotted out. That was before I got it, so I don't know what the ride felt like before. It's a little on the stiff side now.

One of the reasons I love these wagons is the way they handle due to the SLS. Other wagons I've had felt bouncy and had more roll. I know John took yours out when they found the same rot in your wagon. My mission is to get the SLS working again no matter how long it takes me.:o Luckily, I'm able to deal with not having a car to drive.

Would it be easier to buy cheap aluminum tubing, get it bent to the right angles and then try to copy it with the steel?

Why not epoxy and fiberglass cloth on the expansion tank? $120 seems pricey.

I'm sorry that I have no experience with which to compare. If Mercedes thought it was the way to go, I'm sure there was a good reason. Maybe I'll find out what it's like on my next MB. Hopefully, that will be a 560SEC, which DOES have the SLS.

I used the old lines to match the bends near the SLS valve. Since I'm not dropping the subframe, the other bends have to be done under the car after the lines are threaded through.

I thought about trying to fix the expansion tank, but even the nipples at the bottom are broken and in my weakened emotional state I ordered it.:o

I've thought of your wagon and John's words frequently during this repair.:)

keep at it, the SLS is a wonderful thing to have. I think when i have to mine, I will prolly drop thhe subframe.

I thought about dropping the subframe, but was already too far into doing it this way to stop. If I were to drop the subframe, I would replace the full length of the lines without splices. I just need to tighten the connections, put the right accumulator back in place, put the height adjustment linkage on, fill, bleed and adjust.

... And put in the new expansion tank.:)

My intent was really to fix the SLS on the wagon but after getting the lines and starting into everything it was just too much to take on and not enough time to do it in. A lot more parts would have to have been ordered and updated to make the new parts from MB fit correctly.

It would have been nice, the lines only cost me $40. I thought I was getting off easy :rolleyes:

My wagon now has SLS and isn't really too noticible to me- except when I fill it up with 15 or so batteries to take to scrap, it levels right out nicely. My 560SEL I had, also had the SLS removed but I assume also had the springs swapped out as well. It felt like every other 126 to me.

I have plenty of time to spend since I can live without my car until it's done. Having never done this type of job before, I thought it would be much easier than it has been. I certainly understand why there are vehicles with the SLS removed.

Under load is when I appreciate the SLS the most. I think the rotten lines must have started to let loose after my most recent load. I picked up about 300 sheets of glass from a green house that was being torn down near me. It handled the weight very well.:cool:

I finished putting everything back together today. When I filled it up and tried to bleed the system, I realized that when I put the lever to "F" it didn't raise the car and "L" didn't lower it.:mad: I get a stream of fluid coming out of the bleeder and fluid is recirculating into the reservoir, so I assume the pump is OK and the lines are OK. None of the fittings are leaking, so I can only imagine that I must have done something stupid with the SLS valve when I rebuilt it. I followed pictures, so I believe I put the cam back in correctly and the piston only went in one way. Before I did anything to the system, when the lever on the valve was lifted to "F", you could clearly hear the fluid flowing (like a water faucet). I don't hear anything like that now and no effect on the height.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what to look at next or should I just take the valve apart again?:confused:

As I recall- the bleed valve is not a bleed valve at all, but there to release pressure on the system before you open it. to bleed mine when I swapped out the trailing arms I filled the reservior and jumped on the rear bumper a bunch of times with the engine running.

that was all i did, and my sls works fine.

well-
'cept for the bouncy accumulators.

It's possible that I swapped the lines when doing the unions. I imagine if I did, the system would pressurize, but the valve lever wouldn't work. As soon as I can get out to the car, I will verify that the lines are not crossed. If they are I can easily swap them since the unions are right next to each other. Otherwise I guess I'll be opening the SLS valve body again.

I read that the SLS needs to be bled in 2 stages, the second being with 300lbs in the rear to compress the struts and let the air out of them. If it is a self bleeding system, where does the air release from? Does it burp out into the reservoir?

Chad,

Disconnect the valve lever arm from the adjusting rod and try spinning the lever arm on the valve 180 degrees (toward the back of the car) and see if the actuators respond.

IIRC, its pretty easy to reassemble the valve body with the cam in the wrong orientation.

I did think to try that and it made no difference. I still haven't attached the adjusting rod. I want to make sure the car lifts before I connect it and try to adjust it. Do you think having the feed and return lines swapped would create my problem?

Honestly, I don't know.

But, I'd definitely check it if it were me.

Fixed!!
 

I checked the lines I spliced and realized that I did swap them accidentally. Now that the lines are correct, the SLS works very well. I took it for a test drive and floated over everything I used to feel.:cool:

I got the new expansion tank installed too. Now to get started on the oil cooler lines and motor mounts.;)

More Photos
 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...nger/parts.jpg
Parts used. Not shown are the accumulator line from the dealer and the coil of 6mm line.

A few pics showing the ramps and jack stands:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...enger/Rear.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...r/SideRear.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...nger/Front.jpg

SLS valve before rebuild
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...nger/Dirty.jpg

SLS valve after rebuild
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...nger/Clean.jpg

I still need to get photos of the unions and the valve with the new linkage. I'll get them when I fine tune the linkage adjustment this weekend.:)

Here are the pics after I adjusted the linkage.

The unions:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...ger/unions.jpg

SLS valve (the bends aren't pretty, but they work.:)
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/b...r/adjusted.jpg

sweet- good job saving your SLS, enjoy.

Thanks Mobetta, I'm definitely enjoying the SLS and I did what you said about bouncing the bumper to bleed the system and it worked.:cool: Thanks for the tip. I also noticed that it got better after I drove around for a while. I guess it finished bleeding while on the road.

Note: check out how much oil dripped from my oil cooler lines, in a few weeks time, in the photo of the front wheel.:eek: I doing them next.

Nice job Chad, and thanks for the pics. Isn't working SLS great!! Nobody should ever even consider junking it.
Beautiful color wagon too! Nice.....


Um, Chad, we do need to talk about those wheels.......:eek:

Thanks Jimmy. About the wheels ... my last car was a tuned '98 Acura 3.0 CL.;) I do love the look of bundt wheels and have grown to love the hubcaps too. I tried to order the wheels in silver powder coat, but they didn't have them in the correct offset so I have chrome. Sorry, I know you are experiencing a double stab to your purist heart:o

sls valve is what is crumbling on mine from rust and corresion, how much is a new one? tia

I didn't price the valve myself but read of others who got a price of around $600 from the dealer. I would go to a junk yard and pull one to rebuild if yours is that bad. I believe Biodiesel300td (andrew) will have the o-rings for the rebuild available soon to members here. I don't think the rebuild kit from the dealer is available anymore, so you need a valve with a good piston assembly to start with.

I would like to see a pic of your valve. I believe they are made from aluminum and the bracket is steel. There can be quite a bit of corrosion between the two, but if it hasn't breeched the halves of the valve body it should be OK. You might need a new bracket, but they are an easy find.

Great material in here!

Does anyone have the sizes for the flared fittings used on the hard lines for the SLS?

I'm relocating my reservoir to the other side of the car and need to extend the return line over there. Can I just put a barbed fitting and use hydraulic-rated hose? Regardless, what size fitting do I ask for? Can I buy them at McMaster?

Thanks!

cestes

Save the fittings that are on the end of the line now and reuse them.

Get some 6mm line, 2 flare nuts and a matching union. The place you order the line and fittings from can make sure the nuts and the union match. As long as you don't damage the fitting as you remove it from the reservoir, you can bubble flare it on to the new spiced line.

When I damaged a flare nut, the only solution for me was to mail it to the place I ordered the lines from and have them match it. It pays to be very careful in the first place.:o

For the time it takes I usually take thick grease and coat the metal brake lines especially. The local climate takes quite a toll. This is on usually older vehicles I expect to have a long time. I just use a paint brush to apply.

This could be extended to the leveling system metal lines if one expected to have their car for a long time. The grease seems to stay on pretty well and slows oxidation down to almost nothing. It also seems to travel a little or the oil in it does. So even if you do not get perfect coverage it still covers well. Worth the effort in my opinion.