My 2000 ML-320 has 53000 miles on it.

I did a visual inspection of the rubber insert in the balancer and it looks ok, i think, at least no visable cracking on the front edge.

The part number is 112 035 06 00

What do you MB Tech recommend?

Is this a newer version or still of the manufacutring lot that should be replaced.

Also, what is the approximate cost to replace the balancer at an MB Dealership?

Thanks for the advise.

Balancer catastrophically FAILED in October 7, 2003 on ML430 @ 72,000 miles. Had vehicle in for service December 13, 2004 with 88,279 miles and asked for dealer to inspect harmonic balancer. Imagine my surprise when I was informed a new balancer was needed for $350. I advised tech writer to go back to his records and reconfirm I paid over $2,000 after supposedly splitting the October 2003 repair cost and then come back and see me. His parting words were "it's 14 months old.....Mercedes only warrants parts for 12 months." He returned shortly to advise "(they) would take care of it".

(I did a visual inspection (engine not running) prior to taking it in for this routine service ("B" service without any oil, any filters, rotation, balance, wiper blades, etc. since I had all these taken care of prior to this appointment). I did NOT notice any cracks in the rubber. However, the service ticket reads "inspected crank balancer, found wobbly". Balancer part number on this service ticket reads 112-035-13-00-05.

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Jim

Jm,

What year is your ML-430?

Sounds like the new "redesigned" balancers are holding up any better than the originals.

Has any progress been made towards helping owners recover some or all of their money for damages occurring due to the harmonic balancer? I'd heard rumor of a class action against MG and I'd talked to some MB employees well over a year ago that seemed to think that the company would be forced to do something.

Looks like there is a recall campain started...

It's official. Harmonic Balancer Service Campaign released 4/5/05

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

After reading and skimming through these 30 pages, my guess is that we've not seen the last of this. I'm not certain the DC has nailed the design issues down on the dampner. Soooooo, if I choose to just do it myself on my 113 motor, I'll need now and for the next time (with the question dejour in parens):

112 589 00 40 00 superceded by 111 589 00 40 00 dampner counter hold (is this still available thorugh Phil in Fastlane?)

17mm allen head socket. Hello Snap-on

113 589 00 40 00 fan pulley counter hold (any other non destructive way to hold it)

113 589 00 01 00 flat open end wrench (thin) about 35 or 37mm to unscrew the viscous fan (cheap source)

Two large cheaters. I've got 2 4-5' pieces of pipe that I used when I changed out the front seal on a 110 motor. an equally demanding task

006 990 70 04 New Bolt (is this allen or hex)

112 035 13 00 05 New dampner (is this the most recent/best part number)

Front seal (should I replace it while I'm there or leave well enough alone)

What else am I missing?

Cheers all

__________________
S, J.R. Brown
2000 G500 LWB Obsedian Black
2005 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab Off Road Sport
1993 Volvo 240 Sedan Anthracite
1980 450SEL Champange (owned it for 15 years. Great car)
1986 280GE LWB Anthracite (Sold it and kinda wish I hadn't)

hay all this talk about harmonic balancer have gotton me worry, I read a few threads here, but don't know exacetly what you folks are talking about. Can someone take pictures of this things (the harmonic balancer). It seem like it one the pully system between the engin and the radiator. Thanks. Should I be concern about this on my slk 320 as well.

Also on another note. I heard the ML430 engin have vibration problems are they related to this? I have heard that it is a engin mount problem. Or are there no more known problem on the ML430 then the ML320's

thanks for you help.

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Silver Honda Accord, 2006
Silver G500, 2003
Silver SLK-320, 2002
Black ML-320, 2000
Bule Porsche 993 Targa , 1997
Silver Merkur XR4Ti, 1987

Your balancer is essentially just another name for the crank pulley. Its the large pulley at the lower center of the front of the engine with the numbers and markings on it. I believe your ML falls in range for defective balancers but the SLK doesn't. Call your dealer and they can check for you, I don't have the bulletins here with me.

Engine mounts in ML's just don't typically last too long. I do them way more often in ML320's than ML430's.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

Photo's on pages 4 & 6 of this thread.

for customer

Wow, what an old thread! I still have the old ML from page 1 of this thread; 249,000 miles now.

__________________
Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)

Failure was experienced on our 1998 C280 at 125,000 miles. in 2005. A groove was cut in the oil pan, repaired with aluminum Devcon. Some weeping around the Devcon but not a serious problem.

MB service tech said he had seen several. The dealership sold me a replacement and a new crank bolt for $80.00 US. I made a wrench to hold the hub of the old damper and bottomed the handle out against the pavement, a 24" 3/4 drive broke the bolt loose with moderate effort. Used a Snap-On torque multiplier and the home made wrench to install the new part.

205,000 on the vehicle now will check it for signs of the rubber cracking .
T W Hudson
hpshooter@juno.com