w140 rear suspension clunks
 

Hi. I have 92 500sel. 150k miles. Rear suspension makes clunking noise over bumps. No noise over little bumps. Car rides smoth otherwise. Shop replaced control arm bushings as they were worn out. Clunking became quiter but still there. Shop says all other bushings are fine. Is there anything else I can check for play?:confused:
Thanks

A problem like this happened to my brothers 1994 S500. It was the shocks making noises. We got the shock absorbers replaced. The car also sat higher than it did after we got it replaced.I had a '92 500SEL as well. Gorgeous car. Custom Green MB paint job. Tell me what was wrong with the car. My guess is the shock absorber. Keep posting

Thanks snp8990 for quick reply
 

I picked up this car with engine problem. Timing chain guide rails broke( 2 top and 1 inner rail) chain ate 2 rail pins. Than rotor unscrewed somehow:confused: and broke distributor cap. Then chain jumped 2 teeth on left side intake cam sproket and in that state guy drove the car home for whole mile on remaining right 4 cylinders making insane noise and smoking oil that escapes through rail pins. Crazy right? Then he tried to start the car and it would not start anymore. So I bought it as a gamble since I didn't know the damage. We replaced broked rails, reset timing, new timing chain tensioner, caps,rotors,wires and car started :) Amazingly compression readings came out fine 175 to 180 no bent valves. So now trying to fix the rest of problems car has. Clunking noise is 2nd on the list.1st is wiring harness since car stalled 3 times so far. I checked suspension today and there is little play in sway bar links. But I don't think that they make SO much noise. Sounds like shock are loose but car rides very smooth and sits level:confused: Its confusing. Are 95 s500 shocks will work on my car since my friend is parting one out? Is there any way to test shocks?

WOW I never seen green s-class!

Thanks

This wasnt your average green S-Class it was a light green,really nice! It had beige leather and was very low mileage. When I bought it, I was told that it was owned by an elderly gentleman.That car never gave me any problems. I miss it. I couldnt find a color even close to that one!!It was truely beautiful. Im gonna look through my car pictures and see if I can find a pic of that. It was really something!
So far,through the pics I found my 280SEL,220S (That picture has lasted many,many years! We were only the 2nd owners in the 70's)1999 E300TD, Toyota Previa,I found one pic of the car,but my kids are standing in front, you cant really see the color.

This is amazing!

Unless I miss my guess, the W140 came with Self Levelling Suspension. The hydropneumatic struts and hydrogen accumulators (aka spheres, aka bellows) can fail producing the clunk you are speaking of. This is not uncommon for SLS equipped cars (W124 500E , W201 190E 2.3-16, W124 300TE, etc).

If your car is so equipped, have your shop check the condition of the struts as well as the accumulators.

snp8990
Id like to see light green s-class. Find some pictures of it. Sounds like very unique color combination.

Strife:
It is trully amazing! And plus to all that engine was overheated once or maybe more times because seller told me that he spent $1200 looking why it was overheating. Changed radiator and no more overheat. And still engine is alive:) Oil pressure is good. That is one well designed and built engine!

yhliem:
Yes car has self-leveling system. Is there a way to check accumulators myself? Something that shows that they are bad?

Thank you

Read these pages...

http://v12uberalles.com/pressure_spheres.htm

http://v12uberalles.com/Rear_Struts.htm

pcmaher
Thanks for info. Yor website is great! Alot of info and very well explained. Ill replace my accumulators first before strut replacement.
Thank you

Man I cant even find another car the same Green color.I am going to look more tonight to see if I can find it. Its really something you dont see everyday.

Very old thread, just found it.
 

I'm since sold the car buy the clunking came from rear strut upper mount. They unscrew and can be replaced. About $90 at the dealer.

Now I drive 94 S500 and there is clunking from right rear. In this car clunking comes from lower strut mount where it connects to control arm. Those mounts are part of strut. Strut has to be replaced. Struts are expensive and i would recommend replacing accumulators or convert to non slf level regular springs and shocks.
I'm converting rear self level suspension to non self leveling one. My strut is shot and accumulators are shot too. Conversion is cheaper and easier to maintain, just replace shocks when they fail. Spring have to be replaced also as self level suspension springs are weaker than non self level.

I hope this info helps someone.

Bad upper mounts will give a distinctive thud; almost like something is loose in the trunk. They tend to make that noise when the suspension extends rather than when it compresses.