Cool Video! Excited to see an update on the TCU shortly too. All I can say is that Chinese ABC suspension parts (Hydraulic) have the same quality issues/concerns. This means only real alternative that is headache free is refurbished or Coilovers.
The original parts are unnecessary. Arnott and Febi Bilstein do a good job for half the price. I've been driving new FB struts for two years now. In the course of this, I would change the compressor, air filter and axle rubbers (wishbones, etc.), as they are closed at least in the same way.
I have wondered about this, as buying a used w211 is always scary cost wise because of sbc and arimatic. However sbc and airmatic is what makes theese cars soo good too.
My old s211 i could get my foot in between the wheel and the fender in the raised mode (original). Yours looked simmilar. Remember that when you lock the car it levels out the airmatic suspension.
Try to do actuations in das to completly deflate the car, maybe it sorts itself out when it inflates? Also when doing calibration of airmatic in das the car has to be on completly level ground. Just initiate a new module or whatever it is called and you can relearn it :)
We have had the same issue with a brand called Gold. We could raise the car. But it would not release air out the strut even even if you actuated with Das. You can hear the solenoid click but the strut stayed up.
Dear Ash, Loved videos ---------------------------- I wanted to comment to say that I really loved your videos - a lot of which I watched this weekend. I did this after difficulties resetting the SRS light on changing the indicator stalk. I had no idea that not putting the orange securing clips was necessary despite them being connected. Though initially intrigued by the possibility of not being ripped off to reset the srs button, which I was forced to pay for, to pass the MOT, I loved all of your videos on which I binged this weekend. Your w203 c200 that died ----------------------------------------------- I was really happy that all your hard work was not thrown away after your parents' w203 died, though felt bad for it as a front sam is only £45 on ebay and not hard at all compared to all the hard work that you had done. I wondered if the fuel pump or other may have been the cause. You also mentioned the immobiliser which though it was not stopping the car from working, made me wonder if the immobiliser worked at ECU level switching off everything including injection timing etc rather than it just switching of the ignition/fuel pump circuits which is how things used to work. None of this is to say that I did not love the very hard work you did on your E55, with its high insurance costs and low fuel economy, but I am sure really good driving performance. Requests for further videos & OVD ----------------------------------------------- I never knew so much was controlled or monitored electronically via the CAN bus. The idea that you could monitor buttons pressed and essentially make them do whatever you wanted was great, never mind actually replacing failed control systems which have been put in everywhere including the radio. I ordered an mcp2515 and look forward to using open vehicle diagnostics. Are the w203 settings there? The impression from one of your videos was that you could reset any saved and current error as long as you had rectified the problem. You said how it identified ecus by deliberately getting reports from deliberately wrongly structured requests for information. Though I can look at your software and look at the structure, is it worth doing a video on not just monitoring the can bus, but about querying the status format of a sensor/service and resetting it, if you know the error/service. How does your request get timed so it does not overwrite other information on the can bus? You also mentioned how you plugged it into a lexus and just got 2 ecus, which you felt were hiding other ecus. Would you just plug into a different can bus to find the other ecus? I asked the above out of curiosity. I am hoping your open vehicle diagnostics will tackle my main aims of clearing errors at present.
I would go for Arnott parts, good pricing and i know a lot of W/S211 guys that use them and never had them fail. The original design had some flaws in them
I just replaced front right and ran into same problem as you. It wont go down, release valve stuck. They are dorman brand but i guess similar to chinese. Soo disappointed as i always thought dorman provided good aftermarket stuff. Previously used arnott, bilsteins( new) and RMT rebuilt. Yes ive changed air struts three times since owning the car. Ps. I did the 9 volt thing in the two lower pins but dont hear the solenoid releaseing the valve, jus a humming sound. Also used my autel to lower/ release pressure but no luck. Only way i got it down was to remove hose and knock the valve with a socket extension and hammer, while also activating the lower strut from the autel scan tool. Hope this helps.
Hi. I recently replaced my airmatic front strut with a OEM refurbished because the air bag blew. The car was not level at any time. All was solved with calibration with ROMESS inclinometer in DAS. I hope this can help you.
Don't buy any Chinese shock absorbers! A waste of time and money, especially for a car with such a powerful engine. Mine worked for 2 weeks, I sent it back immediately and bought Bilstain. I have been using them for 4 years and the car still drives like new.
I forgot to say that Airmatic does not require calibration after replacing the struts . I have Star Diagnostic at home but it wasn't needed, the car set itself immediately after starting engine if struts are good.
I’m afraid you need to reverse engineer the original ones. I hate working with coil springs myself im converting all my cars to hydropneumatic one of these days
You need to reset and set the ride height parameters with the Star system, and auto-self calibration; that's why the heights are all wrong. Additionally, do it on a "hard" flat level surface, not soft gravel. At least that way if the issues still exist, you can definitively say it's the shocks.
Why would you buy a special car and start tearing up, remove heavy seats, insulation... Make it lighter... Maybe it's easier to buy Honda civic and try forcing engine...
@@pfoxhound Come on man,It's just a joke. Even MBWorld discuss about convert their E or S Class airmatic to coil spring overs a lot. I know airmatic is smooth ride than spring. Even in youtube still has these guide. You can buy second hand part from Japan rather buy Chinese refurbished part. Why you so serious?
@@namon2345 yeah, that's what I read there... Guy was asking: how about to remove seats and some more just to save some weight. It was somewhere in 2005-2012. He just bought a brand new car and ready to destroy it...
@RANDASH the dealer cost for front air Shocks on my 2006 Audi A8L are $3,032 each. It's absolutely absurd, they were also just replaced by the dealer in 2020 only 15,000 miles earlier and they've already failed.
Cool Video! Excited to see an update on the TCU shortly too. All I can say is that Chinese ABC suspension parts (Hydraulic) have the same quality issues/concerns. This means only real alternative that is headache free is refurbished or Coilovers.
The original parts are unnecessary. Arnott and Febi Bilstein do a good job for half the price. I've been driving new FB struts for two years now. In the course of this, I would change the compressor, air filter and axle rubbers (wishbones, etc.), as they are closed at least in the same way.
arnott dont have the liquid magnetic stuff, so the strut doesnt stiffen up, when you press the button
I have wondered about this, as buying a used w211 is always scary cost wise because of sbc and arimatic. However sbc and airmatic is what makes theese cars soo good too.
My old s211 i could get my foot in between the wheel and the fender in the raised mode (original). Yours looked simmilar. Remember that when you lock the car it levels out the airmatic suspension.
Try to do actuations in das to completly deflate the car, maybe it sorts itself out when it inflates? Also when doing calibration of airmatic in das the car has to be on completly level ground. Just initiate a new module or whatever it is called and you can relearn it :)
We have had the same issue with a brand called Gold. We could raise the car. But it would not release air out the strut even even if you actuated with Das. You can hear the solenoid click but the strut stayed up.
Dear Ash,
Loved videos
----------------------------
I wanted to comment to say that I really loved your videos - a lot of which I watched this weekend.
I did this after difficulties resetting the SRS light on changing the indicator stalk. I had no idea that not putting the orange securing clips was necessary despite them being connected.
Though initially intrigued by the possibility of not being ripped off to reset the srs button, which I was forced to pay for, to pass the MOT, I loved all of your videos on which I binged this weekend.
Your w203 c200 that died
-----------------------------------------------
I was really happy that all your hard work was not thrown away after your parents' w203 died, though felt bad for it as a front sam is only £45 on ebay and not hard at all compared to all the hard work that you had done. I wondered if the fuel pump or other may have been the cause.
You also mentioned the immobiliser which though it was not stopping the car from working, made me wonder if the immobiliser worked at ECU level switching off everything including injection timing etc rather than it just switching of the ignition/fuel pump circuits which is how things used to work.
None of this is to say that I did not love the very hard work you did on your E55, with its high insurance costs and low fuel economy, but I am sure really good driving performance.
Requests for further videos & OVD
-----------------------------------------------
I never knew so much was controlled or monitored electronically via the CAN bus. The idea that you could monitor buttons pressed and essentially make them do whatever you wanted was great, never mind actually replacing failed control systems which have been put in everywhere including the radio.
I ordered an mcp2515 and look forward to using open vehicle diagnostics. Are the w203 settings there?
The impression from one of your videos was that you could reset any saved and current error as long as you had rectified the problem. You said how it identified ecus by deliberately getting reports from deliberately wrongly structured requests for information.
Though I can look at your software and look at the structure, is it worth doing a video on not just monitoring the can bus, but about querying the status format of a sensor/service and resetting it, if you know the error/service. How does your request get timed so it does not overwrite other information on the can bus?
You also mentioned how you plugged it into a lexus and just got 2 ecus, which you felt were hiding other ecus. Would you just plug into a different can bus to find the other ecus?
I asked the above out of curiosity. I am hoping your open vehicle diagnostics will tackle my main aims of clearing errors at present.
I would go for Arnott parts, good pricing and i know a lot of W/S211 guys that use them and never had them fail. The original design had some flaws in them
Did some shocks on a GL63 and the Chinese ones said they would not have the various dampening functions working ADS etc.
You need to do a full air suspension reset in the ECU.
I just replaced front right and ran into same problem as you. It wont go down, release valve stuck. They are dorman brand but i guess similar to chinese. Soo disappointed as i always thought dorman provided good aftermarket stuff. Previously used arnott, bilsteins( new) and RMT rebuilt. Yes ive changed air struts three times since owning the car. Ps. I did the 9 volt thing in the two lower pins but dont hear the solenoid releaseing the valve, jus a humming sound. Also used my autel to lower/ release pressure but no luck. Only way i got it down was to remove hose and knock the valve with a socket extension and hammer, while also activating the lower strut from the autel scan tool. Hope this helps.
AirTec adaptive air suspension is another option, they are in Bulgaria.
Hi. I recently replaced my airmatic front strut with a OEM refurbished because the air bag blew. The car was not level at any time. All was solved with calibration with ROMESS inclinometer in DAS. I hope this can help you.
Is there any way to contact you? I’m looking for help retaining a w211 instrument cluster on a motor swap for my w211 e55 amg.
Don't buy any Chinese shock absorbers! A waste of time and money, especially for a car with such a powerful engine. Mine worked for 2 weeks, I sent it back immediately and bought Bilstain. I have been using them for 4 years and the car still drives like new.
I forgot to say that Airmatic does not require calibration after replacing the struts . I have Star Diagnostic at home but it wasn't needed, the car set itself immediately after starting engine if struts are good.
Did you kalibrate it?
I’m afraid you need to reverse engineer the original ones. I hate working with coil springs myself im converting all my cars to hydropneumatic one of these days
I used chinese, not an issue
You need to reset and set the ride height parameters with the Star system, and auto-self calibration; that's why the heights are all wrong. Additionally, do it on a "hard" flat level surface, not soft gravel. At least that way if the issues still exist, you can definitively say it's the shocks.
Wrong. The airbag will eventually adjust based on the inclination values the sensor provides.
Next:I delete airmatic and convert to coil spring on my E55 so you should do it
I'm gonna keep airmatic🤣
@@RANDASH Maybe buy second hand E55 from Japan and swap airmatic struct and compressor part.
Why would you buy a special car and start tearing up, remove heavy seats, insulation... Make it lighter... Maybe it's easier to buy Honda civic and try forcing engine...
@@pfoxhound Come on man,It's just a joke. Even MBWorld discuss about convert their E or S Class airmatic to coil spring overs a lot. I know airmatic is smooth ride than spring.
Even in youtube still has these guide. You can buy second hand part from Japan rather buy Chinese refurbished part.
Why you so serious?
@@namon2345 yeah, that's what I read there... Guy was asking: how about to remove seats and some more just to save some weight. It was somewhere in 2005-2012. He just bought a brand new car and ready to destroy it...
Go
JUST GET ORIGINAL STRUDS THEIR WORTH IT
2400GBP on a car I bought for 7000 :D
@RANDASH the dealer cost for front air Shocks on my 2006 Audi A8L are $3,032 each. It's absolutely absurd, they were also just replaced by the dealer in 2020 only 15,000 miles earlier and they've already failed.
Change the control valve