Power Steering Filter for '96 model?

[rcltrh]

I saw on ebay a power steering filter for 94-96 C220's, then went to autozone and some other parts places online and it does appear that they all carry some sort of ps filter for this model year car. Where does it go and when should it be changed??? The picture on ebay looks like a hockey puck, but I dont see anywhere on my car where something shaped like that would go. Underneath the black ps fluid reservoir there is a cylindrical shaped cast fitting with the hose screwed onto another fitting protruding from that one - looks kind of like back in the old carbureator days how the fuel filters were housed, so if I were guessing, that's where I'd bet it was. But it looks like it would be messy to change as it is side mounted and all the fluid from the reservoir would run out all over the a/c compressor and everything else below. Does anyone know for sure if this is where it is located and if it should ever be changed?

Napa had the wrong rotors in their computer I guess so I haven't got my brakes done yet. They were too thick to even go between the lower caliper frame housing, and they didn't show any others besides those so I went to Oreilly's. They ordered me some and they will be in tomorrow morning so I am hoping they are correct. Thanks in advance!

[jnenad16]

the ps filter is inside the ps fluid reservoir. you have to remove the fluid from the reservoir with a suction pump or similar, then remove the 10mm nut in the middle of the reservoir remove the plastic level indicator, and the spring, and you will be able to remove the filter, the filter looks like a thick pancake. install a new one and refill with fresh atf or ps fluid,whichever was in there before. the filter itseft should be changed every time you work on the ps system, ie. replace pump, hoses, of gear box.


dont order parts for benz from napa or similar parts stores. get only OEM or german aftermarket parts, not american of mexican ones. the good, cheap places to get parts for your benz are www.autohausaz.com www.thebenzbin.com www.germanstar.net

nenad

[rcltrh]

Everything else I have done so far has been oem or German aftermarket, but I just couldn't see how anyone could mess up a chunk of iron rotor. I think their computer is just messed up with part numbers. Hopefully Oreilly's will be correct. Generally I like to use whatever the mfr uses. I have had a Lexus before and have the Toyota truck and always genuine Toyota or Lexus parts for most major stuff, but there are certain things I refuse to pay dealer prices for, and rotors are one, although for the pads I did go with oem. Cast iron is just iron. Of course the right part would have been nice! haha

I am not going to mess with the PS filter then if it is that much trouble. It drives fine and doesn't need any PS work so that can wait until it ever does have problems. thanks!

[jnenad16]

if you have never replaced the ps filter, do so. its recommended replacement along with ps fluid is every 30k miles, just like the trans, and every time you perform any ps system work, so I would highly recommend you do so, it only takes 5min or so to do this. when you remove it, you will see how black and dirty the filter is.

nenad

[rcltrh]

So I only need to suction out the reservoir, remove it and the filter and reinstall with new filter and new fluid for the reservoir only, or do I have to drain and flush the whole PS system?

[rcltrh]

Ok, so I am confused on removing the reservoir and even the whole filter setup. When you remove the dipstick/cap combo, there is a hole about the size of a bic ink pen where the dipstick goes down into the fluid. No way will a 10mm anything go through that hole, and you can't even see the fluid or anything without a flashlight down inside. It doesnt appear that the hole thing is removeable to give more room either, its molded hard plastic. This is the 4 cylinder 2.2L engine, 96 year model. Out of curiosity I just now went to autozone and looked at the filter they show for it, and it is a long, cylindrical filter about 3 inches long and as thick as an ink pen that looks like an a/c orifice tube/filter combo just minus the orifice tube (more of a long screen than filter), and the instructions for their filter says it goes inside the return hose to the pump. It clearly stated for 96 Mercedes 2.2L C220 on the package, but looks nothing like the one on ebay that also states for the same vehicle, which is the flat pancake like you said. I was thinking it might be some sort of aftermarket generic in-line filter, but it has the vehicle info on it so who knows. Anyway, the reservoir is a black, hard plastic squarish box that has no fluid level indicator or anything on it other than the dipstick/cap. The reservoir hangs over down the back side of the pump assembly and looks like it has some hex screws on the back of the pump holding it on. I havent sucked out any fluid to see what is inside since it doesn't really look like what I pictured it to look like after reading some other mercedes instructions about changing the filter. They all talk about some round reservoir and being made of aluminum and such that this car doesnt have. One posting I read said if it has the plastic tank then it doesn't have a filter, which may be my case. Ideas?? thanks again!
Thomas

[jnenad16]

I dont know what autozone is showing you, but its not an MB ps filter.
let me clarify this.
when you open the ps reservoir metal cap, you will see a 10mm nut around a rod in the middle of the reservoir sticking out of the fluid. that nut is a hold down nut for the level indicator and the spring beneath it. remove the nut, following with the indicator and the spring, now suction out the fluid until you see the filter at the bottom of the reservoir, remove it with needle nose pliers. now reinstall. the filter you need is the flat round one I described earlier.

nenad

[jnenad16]

the reservoir you are describing sounds like the ZF one used on BMW, porsche and few other cars. what I dont understand is why your car has that reservoir. it should have the metal one intergrated into the pump. the ZF ones use a honeycomb filter that cant be replaced unless you change the whole reservoir.

nenad

[benzaddict]

You guys are talking about 2 different p/s reservoirs. The '94 and '95 had an aluminum reservoir that housed a p/s filter which is what jnenad is talking about, but in 1996 they changed to a black plastic housing and this has no p/s filter. Hope that clarifies it for you guys. They are 2 totally different pumps and reservoirs, but they take the same fluid.

I don't know what autozone is trying to sell you, a 1996 C220 never had a p/s filter, and no MB ever had an in-line filter for the p/s. Maybe they do that in other countries, but I've never seen it before. Pretty strange.....

[jnenad16]

Originally posted by benzaddict
You guys are talking about 2 different p/s reservoirs. The '94 and '95 had an aluminum reservoir that housed a p/s filter which is what jnenad is talking about, but in 1996 they changed to a black plastic housing and this has no p/s filter. Hope that clarifies it for you guys. They are 2 totally different pumps and reservoirs, but they take the same fluid.

I don't know what autozone is trying to sell you, a 1996 C220 never had a p/s filter, and no MB ever had an in-line filter for the p/s. Maybe they do that in other countries, but I've never seen it before. Pretty strange.....
exactly, I totally forgot that MB had changed the ps pump in 96, for some reason I had the BMW's ZF pump and reservoir on my mind. I guess its because I've been out from work for nearly a year now. Yes, as benzaddict pointed out, there is no filter for the 96up models, and that filter autozone sells, its not for the benz.

nenad

[rcltrh]

Cool, so I won't worry about changing a filter I don't have. I didn't buy the autozone one, just looked at it after I couldn't figure out where one would be to try to get an idea what I was looking for when I couldn't find it. :cool:

As for the brake rotors, I give up. Apparently there were 3 different styles used in the 96 C220 and I have not been able to find the right one yet. Guess I'll have to drive the 2 hours to the nearest MB dealer and let them figure out which one is right. At least by going locally to the parts stores I was able to take them back whereas if I had done the online ordering I would now have 2 sets of useless rotors with over $100 in shipping charges if I wanted to send them back. I put the old ones back on and will just listen to them squeak until I can drive to the dealership.