Mercedes R230 ABC tandem-pump replacement
spawnywhippet documented replacing an ABC tandem pump after intermittent red warnings and repeated loss of prime. His account covers restricted access, fluid cleanliness and banjo-connection pitfalls; later replies clarify the limits of his fastener settings.
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Why the author replaced the pump
spawnywhippet described intermittent red ABC warnings and having to re-prime his pump every few hundred miles. He replaced it with a remanufactured pump and renewed the banjo O-rings. He reported about five hours for removal and installation, plus roughly another hour for filling and bleeding the ABC and power-steering systems. These are his individual job times. The source is an R230 discussion; the repair vehicle’s exact year, trim and engine are not stated in the account.
Access around the pulley, reservoirs and rear mounting
His account starts with engine trim, intake hoses and the front undertrays, then the pump pulley and belt. He removed the reservoir assembly, disconnected hoses, metal lines and the electrical connector, and worked around the tensioner to reach the front pump bolts. Access to the rear mounting nut required moving the banjo cylinder and its bracket aside. Although he initially tried to remove the fan shroud, he found that unnecessary on his car. He later confirmed that he did not remove coolant hoses or use a special pulley-removal tool.
Cleanliness and banjo-connection damage warnings
The author repeatedly emphasized keeping dirt out of both hydraulic systems: clean the work area, use clean fluid-removal equipment and cap disconnected hoses. Fluid still spilled despite his hose clamps. Before reassembly, he called for clean hands or replacement gloves. When replacing the four banjo O-rings, he warned against scratching the hose sealing faces and cross-threading the connections; he said thread damage could require replacing both the pump and hose. He found the rear banjo awkward because of tension in the metal hose.
The author did not know the banjo-bolt torque
In a later answer, spawnywhippet explicitly said he did not know the banjo-bolt torque and had tightened those bolts by feel. His first post’s single torque setting for the E-Torx fasteners was also his reported setting, without a per-fastener factory reference. Neither statement supplies a verified torque specification for every connection in this job. His later reply should be read alongside the reassembly description, rather than treating informal tightness as a measured specification.
Refilling and operating checks remain part of the account
After reinstalling the pump, the author described refilling the reservoirs, checking for leaks, priming and cycling ride height and steering with a helper. He also mentioned clearing stored ABC faults with diagnostic equipment. He described adding air pressure at the reservoir for priming, but did not give a calibrated pressure or a factory procedure for that step. His account describes operating checks rather than a measured post-repair pressure trace or a long-term follow-up for his car. It does not establish that every ABC warning calls for pump replacement.
A commenter corrected an ABC–SBC warranty mix-up
When myfirstmbenz described an extended warranty as covering ABC, ray0214 corrected the discussion: the system he was referring to was SBC braking, not ABC suspension. That correction keeps two different systems distinct. These forum comments do not establish the current warranty coverage or reimbursement eligibility of any particular vehicle.
A separate owner’s replacement result
goodpw separately reported replacing a noisy pump after its front seal failed, using a service-exchange unit, a new filter and O-rings. The two red warning messages he had seen no longer remained after installation, and he described cycling the ride height and power steering during the work. This is another owner’s outcome, not a measured follow-up of spawnywhippet’s car. The commenter’s exact vehicle specification is not established by that reply.
Source reply ↗ · goodpw