Many more sleeps, and I am still trying to figure out why on earth I took on this 2000MY Mercedes with a destroyed sump. I’m already expecting financial ruin. In the previous SLK230 article, we ended on a ‘cliffhanger’ with the sump replaced but not yet started. Picking up where we left off lets find out how successful this SLK230 Revival might be, in Part2!
Will the engine still start?
A fortuitous holiday discount at GSF saw me take a quick trip to my local store to pick up suitable engine oil and filter. I whipped the old filter element out, and it was really clean. I suspect it hadn’t been in long, but better still, no metallic pieces were hidden in the grooves. While the fresh oil was finding its way through the engine, I took the battery off charge and installed it back into the car.
Key in to the ignition, and turned to the accessory position and all ancillaries were switched off. Then, a turn of the barrel, and I’m really milking this cliffhanger! The engine started up straight away, with no apparent issues. Still didn’t have an alternator at this point, nor the belt on the super charger. However, the engine sounded really smooth at this point. Will have to run her up to temp and make sure there are no post heat gremlins coming out. But all things considered, that should see this SLK230 back on the road.
iCarsoft vehicle Diagnostics.
I’ve been meaning to buy a universal diagnostic reader for a while for the blue light installations and other car tinkering. The R170 SLK230 does have a diagnostic connector, but it is not OBD2 which means only a few diagnostic readers will work with it. The connector is also not the standard J1962 shape, but a big round thing in the engine bay.
In order to talk to the car, I would need a reader and an adapter. After a lot of reading, all of the Merccedes forums (such as SLK World) repeatedly recommend something from iCarsoft. A few days later and I had my very own iCarsoft CR V2.0 from LJM Car Diagnostics, along with a fecthing red adapter.
Navigating the different electrical systems in the iCarsoft was relativley straight forward, although I’ve been working with vehicle diagnostics for over 20 years. Generally the faults where historical, and nothing concerning. Unfortunately, there was nothing to indicate why the wipers and the roof where not working!
Investigating Electrical Issues.
In cleaning out the interior, I had noticed rather a lot of fuses in cubby holes. Could there be an electrical issue stopping the roof from working? After checking all the fuses, the only one that was actually failed, was for the accessory socket. Given the number of dodgy car chargers in the world, this wasn’t a surprise, nor was it the solution to the roof problem.
Well, the roof issue was purely user error, the load blind wasn’t closed! The instructions on the blind are quite clear and explain the the blind needs to be closed for the roof to work. I only wish I had noticed the pictures sooner!
Replacing the alternator
The old alternator wasn’t going to me much good at alternating after its meeting with the kerb of the pedestrian crossing. I discovered the not only was the housing shattered, but the stator (big copper bit below) was twisted. While I didn’t pull the armature (middle bit) out, my suspicion is that it was actually bent in the accident!
So back to eBay for a replacement. I had an initial false start on the alternator. The first ebay purchase never materialised and took several weeks to get a refund. After about ten days I ordered a second alternator which came ithin 24 hours, and on a Saturday!
Perhaps a little over excited as I clawed the package from the delivery driver, I had the alternator installed within 20 minutes of arrival. All the bolts where torqued up and ready for fitting the belt.
Getting the new belt on was an interesting expereince. The tensioner sits at the front of the engine, next to the cooling fan. The tension is released with a E12-ish bolt head, but there is no way to get a socket on. And I dont have and ‘E’ spanners. A hint on SLK World, and i found a method that let me turn the tensioner while sat under the car. Pretty soon the belt was on, alternator alternating and best of all, the supercharger was spinning!
Road Spring
When I first collected the SLK, it was clear the front drivers side was sitting lower than the passenger. The while arch was almost touching the top of the wheel. I had expected the spring to be snapped in the middle, but only a half turn was actually missing. Interestingly corrosion in the spring was noted on previous MOT’s.
Changing the road spring was challenging but straight forward, although I would have prefered to have the correct compressor that sits inside the spring. I would have prefered to use my own spring compressors if I knew where they were, last used in 2008 on a Ford Fiesta. Instead, I borrowed a set from a mate which are an interesting (death trap) design.
Refitting the stabaliser bar
Then more eBay parts woes, the stabaliser hanger was listed for the wrong side, so much messing about and eventually got the right one. I suspect on CLKs, the part numbers are inverted, or there is some oddity on stabiliser bar size.
I raised this with the eBay seller, who promised to look into the anomoly and then vanished. I also tried to buy some inner bushes for the stabaliser. Again, another eBay fail where a set was ordered and only a single turned up. Then I ordered a single, and a set turned up. ARGH!! I really do hate buying anything on eBay, but sometimes it really is the fastest and cheapest way.
Refitting the stabiliser with new hangers and inner bushes was relatively painless. I did have to replace the bolts on the drivers side. Also while working on the stabaliser, I tackled some of the general corrosion. All surface rust. I wouldn’t usually bother, but I was working on another project and had the paint out, so it also seemed rude not to do the SLK.
Resolving the SLK’s flat tyres
The next fun and games were with the wheels. Both front tyres were ancient and split through the treads and all the way around the wheel. Annoyingly, the SLK230 had matching tyres all around, and the rears were in excellent condition. But the frontswere not something I would drive on.
A couple of decent part worns went on, but still didn’t want to hold air. When I leak tested the bead, it was clear the wheels were less round that they might have been at the factory. I managed to get them sealed the second time around, and two weeks later,they haven’t lost a drop.
Getting the wiper moving
Finally, the wiper. Ooooh, a lot of swears were used on that one! The driver-side spindle was completely seized. Without wanting to apply too much force or heat, I eventually dropped the spindle out, cleaned up the corrosion, and put it all back together. This was by far the hardest part of the SLK230 revival!
When putting the wiper mechanism back on the car, I completely stuffed up the positioning. I thought I had returned the motor to centre, but some how got it 180 degrees out. So the second time of refitting, I folloed the workshop manual and got the wiper arm position about right. The movement is a little on the slow side, however, they go up, down and stop in the right place.
SLK Revival complete
And there she is, back to good health. The SLK230 revival is complete. Well, better than before the off-road adventure! Quite a nice little thing to work on, I can see why you all love them.
Rather annoyingly, it looks like we’re moving house (been on the market for a while with no progress) and I need to find this little SLK a new home. Hopefully get her to a new loving owner now. Also noticing hundreds of SLKs in the local area, at least three different R170’s.
Got a hankering for an R171 now,maybe after the move and finance have settled again.
M
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