Mercedes self levelling suspension

deholyscratcher

hello all.

i have a 190e 2.3-16 and am in the process of overhauling the ASD/SLS piping system from the bottle to the shocks and diff.

The lines are in pretty bad shape so will need to get new ones made as mercedes-benz dont or wont provide the pipes either here or in the uk.

does anyone here know of a business in ireland that can make hydraulic pipes either braided or otherwise for these cars?

cheers

8~)

I've seen copper piping used for the SLS system - basically the principle same as can be done for braking systems where the pipe is made to fit.

I don't know of any reasons why not to use copper piping.
You can either get a kit to make up your own pipes or get someone to do it - where in the country are you?

deholyscratcher

im based in drogheda. would it be an expensive job to get piping made up?

bop1977

if your merc is a cosworth there was an episode of Wheeler Dealers

http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&source=hp&q=wheeler+dealers+mercedes+cosworth&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=QB8VS9utAuWZjAeQ3NmGBg&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQqwQwAA#hl=en&source=hp&q=wheeler+dealers+mercedes+cosworth&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=QB8VS9utAuWZjAeQ3NmGBg&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQqwQwAA&qvid=wheeler+dealers+mercedes+cosworth&vid=-8065566574915439967

they changed the shocks to a manual spring and did away with the self leveling altogether. HTH.

deholyscratcher

i have watched that episode.

a lot of folk do remove the sls system but on my car the hydraulics is used for both the SLS and the ASD differential, not all the 2.3's have the ASD some have the standard LSD so it doesnt really make sense to try and remove the hydraulics system.

in that episode they talked about keeping it 'original' but removed the original suspension set up. mind you the stereo was a good addition

mustang68

A flaring kit can be had on ebay for 6 ->26 euro, 25 feet of brake line will set you back about 15 euro, try jegs for connectors.

biggus

What about Pirtek or hose doctor they make up hydraulic pipes on site for plant and machinery. So could porb do proper pipes for your 190

deholyscratcher

is that the hose doctor on nangor road? no harm in seein what they can do

cheers

carchaeologist

Isnt this an Axle out job?

8~)

Can't help with a contact who'd make the pipes; I'm nowhere near your area.
Dunno if it's an axle off job... I've never looked under a 190 with SLS. Using copper I'd guess it isn't because there's a certain amount of flexibility with copper, but if getting steel piping made up, I don't know.

Price for getting copper pipe made? Last time I got around 3ft of braking pipe+bits and pieces it cost about 20 Euro or the likes; not a lot really. If I was needing a lot I'd chance buying a kit to make up the pipes.

deholyscratcher

thats good to know it shouldnt be too expensive. there's a crowd in banbridge called swagelok - ive been reading posts from owners with SEC's on the UK forums this evening who have used them to replace the hoses on the SEC's SLS suspensions so might be worth a try also

its not an axle out job at least not for the sls as far as i know maybe for the asd diff but thats in good nick

cheers

Seweryn

deholyscratcher wrote: »

hello all.

i have a 190e 2.3-16 and am in the process of overhauling the ASD/SLS piping system from the bottle to the shocks and diff.

The lines are in pretty bad shape so will need to get new ones made as mercedes-benz dont or wont provide the pipes either here or in the uk.

Hi,

I repaired the Nivomat System in my previous Mercedes 124T by using the original pipes from a donor car. I cut out sections of the pipes and replaced them with healthy ones. To connect two pipes I used the high pressure steel couplers, which I got in an engineering shop. All system worked fine after the operation and I never had any problems with the Nivomat since. The car was imported from UK and had the usual problems with rusty pipes.
Replacing the Nivomat with regular shock absorbers is in my opinion not the way to go. The self leveling system is a very clever equipment and well worth keeping it in a car.

Tommyboy40

Some ADS info, it relates more to SL's but not sure about your car here's what I was told. Apparently, when the "sport" switch is not activated, the system is actually infinitely variable, and constantly re-sets and analyzes everything and makes adjustments for ride height, damping rates, elimination of body roll, ride firmness, etc. It is normally fully automatic except when the "sport" button is pushed, as that button functions as some kind of manual override for some of the automatic functions.

The system takes data input from 6 external sensors (2 ride-height, 1 pitch, 1 yaw, and 2 wheel speed), and 6 internal sensors (2 pressure sensors, and 4 internal damper control sensors), and these 12 feeds are processed by an ADS control computer, which in turn controls 4 separate electronic damper valves and an electro-mechanical master valve block. All of these things combine to operate the system's automated functions.

The kicker is, all of these stupid/overly-complicated electronic gizmos must be calibrated for the system to work properly. The car is factory calibrated, but whenever you open the system and the internal pressure is relieved, or if you replace a ride-height sensor, or any other of the other gizmos, or if the stored data is lost while the car is without power, then it can basically go berserk, because all of its stored parameters are invalid.

And here's the real dumb part: This won't throw an ADS light, it just keeps trying to compensate for its own confusion. So if it thinks there is pitch/yaw when there isn't, then it tries to compensate by jacking up shocks. If a damper valve is set in a particular position other than full-open or full-closed, and then the data is lost, the system will on re-boot accept that position as a baseline. So the controller can still figure out what full-open and full-shut is, because that's an on/off circuit function, but now it's confused as to whatever lies in between. Apparently it measures the valve position by voltage or some such, so it stores that XX voltage = XX% open/shut.

Anyway, the solution is that there is a "Master Reset" that can only be done with an SDS computer, and takes literally 45 minutes (though they bill 2 hours) to complete. This wipes all stored data, and forces the car to cycle through every sensor and valve setting and re-calibrate itself. There is no way to force this re-set function without an SDS.

When I was first told about this I was skeptical, as not having to replace any parts always sounds too good to be true, but after it was hooked up to the SDS computer and it did its reset thing, I'll be damned if the thing isn't working like it's supposed to again.

So all you ADS owners, be warned, if you replace anything and it's acting funky afterwards, this is probably why. If you need parts try Ned Kelly in Castlecomer, He had Transmission oil filters in stock for my car, not many people do