Electronic Accelerator (EA) - Who's got the best price?

[Justin_Luhrs]

Hi all,

I found recently that my '93 600SL needs both EA units (current dealer price $6500!). I have a lead on a company that might rebuild them, but I would like to know if anyone has a good connection on salvage, used or new modules. I would also like to know (if anyone heard a little bird say) what the actual dealer list on these units is. I'd hate to have to sell my car, but since the wholesale KBB on the car is ~$16,250, it would make little sense to spend so much to repair it. Thanks a bunch!

Justin

[Strife]

This post is a PRIME example of why I don't see myself in a newer MB. I'm not sure I would take one for free, because I wouldn't want to have a heart attack over it.

There should not be a SINGLE FREAKING ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY in ANY CAR that costs that much. Or, if it does, it should come with a lifetime (and I mean life of the car, regardless of who posesses it) warranty. Maybe I'd be happy with even 20 years. This would imply that the mfr would design it to be repairable or would stock a good number of the parts at the end of the model run.

Seriously - I am aware that this was an expensive car in the first place - but this is simply over the top.

Comments?

[Justin_Luhrs]

Hello again,

Well.. I did find a company that will re-build the units at a cost of $1600 each, bringing the repair to $3200. A great reduction of the $6500, but I think with all the collective resources we have we can do better.

Also, for other less expensive models I would assume a repair of half the original unit cost, which should be a boon to those with $1100 EAs.

Still looking for the best solution, and appreciate any help getting to it!

Justin

P.S.: I agree with the sentiment on the costs, especially since I'm paying them, but drive a 600, then drive any new car you could resonably afford.
Then... you have your answer!

[JimF]

Originally Posted by Justin_Luhrs

Still looking for the best solution, and appreciate any help getting to it!
Justin

. . listed in the LINKS section (bottom of page) of my web page; I've had good luck with the PartTrackers network.

[Justin_Luhrs]

JimF,

I called Beckmann, they have an even better price. The catch is, you have to know a repair center, as they will charge you full retail if you buy it personally. However, if you know a repair center that will sell it to you for cost, have them buy it, and you'll save a bunch. They told me they don't have a problem with that.

Their price on the units are:

0001415625 - $1898 Retail / $1233 Wholesale
0001415525 - $2288 Retail / $1487 Wholesale

$4186 Retail / $2720 Wholesale

I will continue to look and see what else I can come up with. My father is an electronics engineer, I'm going to have him take a peek into it and see what he thinks. He had a couple of ideas on how it might be repaired. I'm sure usually they rebuild the motor, replace the pot circuitboard and the wiring.

Justin

[JimF]

Originally Posted by Justin_Luhrs

JimF,
My father is an electronics engineer, I'm going to have him take a peek into it and see what he thinks. He had a couple of ideas on how it might be repaired. I'm sure usually they rebuild the motor, replace the pot circuitboard and the wiring.

Justin

. . . at the pictures in MENU#24, you'll see the 'pot' and how it wears. That appears to be the main culprit and there's no replacement assy, that I know of, for that part. Now with proper microelectronic facilities, they probably make a new 'pot'.

If you look at the wiring, it is as new, at least in the one I removed from my car.

[Strife]

Hopefully, you will impress on your dad the importance of performing testing/examining/replacing in an undetectable manner - I would not want to lose the "core charge" on these babies!

[leejxxxxx]

Originally Posted by JimF

. . . at the pictures in MENU#24, you'll see the 'pot' and how it wears. That appears to be the main culprit and there's no replacement assy, that I know of, for that part. Now with proper microelectronic facilities, they probably make a new 'pot'.

If you look at the wiring, it is as new, at least in the one I removed from my car.

Jim, I noticed a repair for something or other (I forgot what it was, I read on here I think) and to fix the pot that was part of it, you just had to move the wiper to an unused area on the resistance material. Is it possible to do that on yours?

The thought of having to replace two of these things is not pleasant.

[ferret]

Originally Posted by Justin_Luhrs

Hi all,

I found recently that my '93 600SL needs both EA units (current dealer price $6500!). I have a lead on a company that might rebuild them, but I would like to know if anyone has a good connection on salvage, used or new modules. I would also like to know (if anyone heard a little bird say) what the actual dealer list on these units is. I'd hate to have to sell my car, but since the wholesale KBB on the car is ~$16,250, it would make little sense to spend so much to repair it. Thanks a bunch!

Justin

Can someone tell me what the EA unit does? My light ASR & ABS have started coming on, and thee isn't a mechanic within 100 miles. Does it effect the car's operation? Mine is a '94 320SL

[JimF]

Originally Posted by ferret

Can someone tell me what the EA unit does? My light ASR & ABS have started coming on, and there isn't a mechanic within 100 miles. Does it effect the car's operation? Mine is a '94 320SL

. . .page MENU#24 for my troubles with the infamous ETA (elec throttle actuator). If you mean the EA (electronic accelerator), check out MENU#9.

Since your car is a '94, you should have the "X11/21" LED/switch combo so you can read the DTCs (Diag Trouble Codes) from the Diag Module, MENU#6. For how-to-do, check out MENU#2.

Keep track of the 'blinks' and lets us know.

[Justin_Luhrs]

Hi all,

Didn't have time last week to pull those EA's, but will be doing it this Sunday.
I'll take pics same day and post a few somewhere.

I'd like to keep my $2700, my car needs it elsewhere =)

Justin

[TheV12pwr]

For $2800 I'll get you a compleate engine !!!
Take whatever you want..........

[Justin_Luhrs]

Apparently he found someone to sell it to in a hurry, by the time I'd looked at that auction it had been ended without any bids.

(apparently he ended it because he took a peek inside per someone's suggestion and found the wiring damaged, and thus he cannot sell it as a good unit.)

I'd love to buy a whole engine for $2800, but unless I knew the mileage on it... I wouldn't do it. If you maintain these engines, they apparently run for the better part of forever. So I'd probably take the EAs off of it and turn it into a coffee table like that one company does.

FYI, I pulled my EAs yesterday. On the '93 600SL it's a snap, didn't even need the service manual to pull them.

They will be opened and pictures should be available after Wednesday.

[Justin_Luhrs]

My father and I took the EA covers off today, and did some measuring about.
Our measurements are not conclusive at this point although it appears that the pot wipers each have a resistance range of 400-1360ohms.

Both wipers show exactly the same resistance range, a possible indicator of a good part (as one appears more heavily worn, but still has the same range exactly). Also, the physical appearance of the resistance elements are good.

What was incredibly obvious however, was that the wiring was history.

Large sections of insulation are missing or cracked, the wiring inside them heavily oxidized. Continuity tests show no shorts, but that is with the cable stationary and under no thermal stress. There is enough movement between the wires in the main cable and the solder joints on the small PCB that rub marks of insulation are present in the housing cap (motor side).

The two next steps being taken are:

1) make the resistance measurements with an analog meter to look for jumps or shorts in the movement range of the pots, as they are hard to look for on a digital.

2) rebuild the wiring in the main cable utilizing teflon jacketed wire, which should be a permanent fix for thermal degradation. Also to be rebuilt is the cross connect wire between the two sides of the unit.

3) inspecting the electromagnetic clutch in the mechanical section is probably a good idea as well, if there is one.

Question we were debating:

1) How does the motor control the movement of the throttle plate?

Also, the throttle plate is sprung very heavily, so I don't see the motor running all the time or it would probably overheat. Is the motor only active during certain operations (i.e. cruise control)? Does it act like a servo? does it have an internal brake? We have not disassembled the motor.

Any input anyone has would be appreciated. I should have the meter and more news on Wednesday.

Anyone who has repaired the wiring harness, I'd like to know how you handled the proprietary connector section of it.

Also, I don't think I posted the codes that were stored:

DM:
006 ISC -> EA
038 ISC -> EA

ASR:
011 Solenoid valve relay A7/3k1
017 Solenoid valve relay A7/3k1
030 CAN: No reception from EA/CC/ISC N4/1

EA:
048 Reference potentiometer, potentiometer monitoring M16/3r1
096 Starter lock-out/back-up lamp switch S16/3

[lconn]

ferret, I read in another thread that if you're getting both asr and abs llights, it's often the brake light switch on the brake pedal. I should be so lucky.

I have a 95 SL600 with new asr problems. ASR comes on cold or hot, usually right after you get going a few hundred yards. If you reset it, you can avoid it by staying on or off the throttle. ASR fails when you use light partial throttle. There's a slight shudder and roughness, then the light. If you drivew the car hard, no light. Sounds like it might be a bad spot in the ETA you guys are chasing. I'll be working alongside you to see if we can get these cars going.

Leonard