I've been getting this really weird, very, VERY low vibration sound when inching along, accelerating at low speeds. Been trying to find the source of this vibration for nearly a YEAR, and had already taken it to 2 mechanics, and spent $300 on a wrong repair for it, at a German specialty shop to boot!

Today, a general mechanic looked at it. He found the problem, by applying pressure to the bottom of the damnper with a crowbar, when it's making that noise (I have to hit the accelerator a bit, while braking so the car doesn't go anywhere). He said it's the dampner.

I said I just replaced it 2 years and 30,000 miles ago, how could it be that? Plus, when I had it replaced last time, at 90k, (then it was causing a clicking sound, since the rubber on the inside where the bolt goes through had diminished a bit), the mechanic told me it was not the original. That means the new one I had put on, was at least the 3rd dampner this car has had. He said it's either that, or the piece it attaches to at the bottom, but probably the dampner.

So I'll order one and have it put on, but how long should it last?

Thanks,

Jeff 1991 300d, 117k

But it is manufactured by bonding that rubber compound to the steel. It has been stated that certain engine cleaning compounds (degreasers) sprayed on the damper can have very serious effect on these assemblies.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

You are referring to the damper shock that damps serpentine belt vibration.

The pressed in bushings at the top and bottom of the shock do fail due to excessive vibration and assocaited heat. The damper can also lose its gas charge from excessive heat/vibration.

On my 99 I found that my tensioner vibration originated from a partially collapsed motor mount. Only took me a year and 2 stretched out fan belts, two broken springs, and 2 or 3 damper shocks with melted bushings or burst innards to figure that one out. Oh yeah, I also wore out a tensioner pivot arm during that time too.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

What piece is the tensioner pivot arm?

Jeff

Yours should be like the left hand side of the detail. http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.asp?TP=1&F=124128&M=602%2E962&GA=722%2E418&GM=717%2E437&CT=M&cat=502&SID=20&SGR=045&SGN=03

Reference part number 5. 8 & 29 for the tensioner pivot arm.

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Hmmm. Again, my problem is a very low, but VERY annoying vibration sound on low acceleration, just inching along. When stuck in traffic inching along, I might grab my ear plug. The sound went away when the mechanic used a crowbar to push down on the dampner to stop it from making any noises. That sort of leaves the dampner and the tensioner pivot arm stuff as suspects. What does the tension pivot arm do, and do you have a guess as to which it might be? I'm going to call the parts place tomorrow to see if the dampner should go after just 2 years. Seems like they'd last for 10 at least.

Thanks,

Jeff

If it`s other than OE/Stabilus, 2 years is actually a pretty long time... Same thing with Febi/Vaico/Swag IP dampers-they just don`t last.

http://www.stabilus.de/parts/katalog/de/hersteller_nr.asp?Hersteller=DAIMLER+CHRYSLER&Hersteller_Nr=A+604+200+02+14&sprache=englisch
http://www.stopshopanddrive.com/RenderScriptTemplate.epc?_cmd=epccat_VehicleWHD&cookieID=2B40BBLP12B40BBLV3&mode=SIW
..Febi-made in Turkey...you have to look at their steering shocks-really ugly manufacture

That call might go better if you get the nomencleture correct. Belt Tension D a m p e r.

Ask for a dampner and you might get a wet rag!!!

Drop your fan belt on a COLD engine and run it for 30-60 seconds and see if the noise/vibration is still present or not. If it is gone you know its associated with the tensioner or accessory devices.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

That statement is incorrect, you would need to ask for a "dampener".....

__________________
Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

I have had the pleasure of wraping aluminium foil around the bushing to fill the slack. The bottom mount will keep the foil from working its way out. The top mount needs the assistance of a washer to keep the foil from working its way out.

If foil quiets things down, go buy new mount bushings.

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82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods