Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

Thank you for the kind words, guys! I don't feel like I have a ton of energy. I do something like this, and then it takes me days to get over it! The E55 was purchased as a parts car. I never really imagined that it would ever be a functioning car again. As for the wheels @Dave2302, they are real BBS, and they are what's on the car at the moment, so, they'll be sticking around for a bit. AMG wheels would be nice, but just not in the "necessary" column right now. I'll keep pressing on the E55 for a couple of more weeks, and then all of my car attention will shift to the Crossfire. I have some major updates for the M113K Into a Crossfire thread coming!

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

Spoiler alert :D

I say !! SPOILER ALERT PLEASE !! ;) ;) ;)

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

It will be an engine out maintenance and some enhancements. Based on what was learned on this E55, the engine will come apart to get a new oil pump check valve, but as the Crossfire's engine came from a CL55, it uses the single sump oil pan, so it does not have the same o-ring issue that the E55 has. However, there are two o-rings behind the timing cover that ALL M112(K)/M113(K) engines have, and when (not if) they fail, coolant runs into the oil. I will be replacing those, the oil pump chain & tensioner, and will think about replacing the timing chain, as well. Next will be a rear main seal, as mine has begun to weep. I will be adding a pair of Needwings headers, fresh spark plugs, and perhaps a few other small items. After that will be a Killer Chiller, and relocating the battery to the trunk. This will be to make room for a roughly 2.5 gallon tank where the battery currently lives. For the most part, all things that have been done before. Where it will change from done before is at the rear of the car, where I will be dropping and modifying the rear subframe to accept a HAG215 differential, Lobro (bolt in) axles, and a Wavetrac. While apart I have one more additional wee project that I will talk more about - if it works out. I'll talk about all of this and more in the other thread when I get to it. All of this will kick off around the third week of June.

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

15 June 2023
I haven't updated this thread in a bit, but the E55 has slowly been assuming more and more daily driving duties. Replaced both front O2 sensors, air filters, and put on new wipers after a windshield change. This cleared out the fault codes for one of the O2 sensors, but the CEL remains due to the intercooler pump not running. It has been replaced, but still the code persists. Recently found where rodents chewed up another small bundle of wires behind the right headlamp, just above the pump, so strong possibility that the problem is there. I now have 1100 miles on the car, and just as confidence was building, the charging system experience a failure yesterday. Assuming the alternator went out, but the good news was that I was able to limp the 39 miles home, and made it just as the entire dash lit up with errors from the braking system, to HVAC to well, you name it. Turned the car off. It wouldn't start again. Jumped it today, and got it up on ramps to begin work. Unfortunately, the V8 Crossfire is taking up the entire shop, so work will have to be done in the shop driveway. Will get to it as soon as this afternoon's thunderstorms have passed....

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

17 July 2023
E55 took me to Orlando today (~425 miles). Ran like a top, albeit, it is happiest driving more Autobahn speeds than Interstate speeds. VERY comfortable car to go long distances with. Got to Orlando several hours early, so hit a local pick a part today, and found some SLK parts I wanted for the Crossfires, along with a few trim pieces and a replacement rear SAM for the E55. Electronics in the E series (W211) are a lot more complex than the Crossfire, and some of them can be finnicky, especially a car that was left like this one was. The rear SAM manifests problems with the trunk opening, rear sunshade, and even the intercooler water pump. Hoping the "new" one I picked up from a 2007 E350 will solve a few of those issues.

I also picked up a set of chassis braces from an SLK320. Hoping to retrofit those to the V8 Crossfire coupe. I think the Crossfire roadsters use either these same braces, or ones very nearly identical.

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

Hi Neil, just catching up, back of our holiday.

I would expect that the Rear SAM will fix those problems, the only caveat may be it will require Coding as per 55K for the Intercooler Pump and for the Rear Roller Blind, since these were not standard fitments across the board. I hope, but not certain, that this car uses DAS "Version Coding" for that, otherwise you may need to use Vediamo or Developer Mode, because it may be that the guys previously working on the Car swapped the SAM not knowing that and that is why those 2 items aren't working. Normally, if it still communicates we can use the function to copy across the coding, but may not work here.
I recently found all this out on an R Class of similar vintage which was SCN Coded for some functions.

Regarding Crossfires and Chassis Braces, since they are (alledgedly) the same Monocoque structure, one would like to assume that the Bean Counters didn't decide not to weld in all the Chassis Brace's Captive Nut mounts .............. I'd be interested to know the outcome of that unanswered question ?????

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

I will tackle the Rear SAM this week. If it follows everything else in this car, it will be a complete struggle.

As for the braces, I did a *very* quick look. The captive nuts are not there. Also, the coupe trunk structure may be the reason the coupes did not have them. I think it is different enough to make the braces not fit. I have to spend a bit more than 30 seconds looking to be sure though.

Re: E55: Deceased Derelict to Daily Driver
 

Yeah, I hoped, but kinda suspected Daimler / Chrysler actually including the captives would be way too easy :rolleyes:

I'll be putting a full roll cage in my Crossfire Coupe Drift car project, so that'll stiffen it up a huge amount :D

Hopefully the 211 SAM shouldn't be too much grief ;)