DEFEATED! Tow Lot Bought 500HP Mercedes CL55 AMG Sat For 7 Years

Check out Erik's channel all about key programming and diagnosis for all sorts of brands youtube.com/@SpartanAutoworx?...
For parts from this car or others go to www.Iimportapart.com or email us at [e-mail]
This one was some work! I picked up this 2003 Mercedes CL55 AMG with 4 other vehicles from a tow lot auction. From the very beginning, this car was going to be a parts car just based on its overall condition. This car had been in that tow lot since 2016 and had weeds growing around it.
As with all parts cars, we do our best to get them running including buying and programming keys, sorting out electrical and mechanical issues. This car had them all and put up a fight worse than the burned Miata from last year.
Not all quests end up as I intend and some cars are just not worth the extra effort. The goal with these cars is to verify the parts that I can sell are good. While I could do the normal compression/leakdown/borescope tests, I like to know what oil pressure and valve train sound like. There are other parts that I can also test only with the engine running. The goal isn't always to FIX the car so I can drive it. If this car wasn't rusty, and was in better overall condition I would absolutely be interested in fixing it but with a salvage title in its condition a parts vehicle is its best use.
I hope you enjoyed this video, there will likely be more in the future although I hope they're a little easier, ha.
As always I love all of the comments, feedback and even the criticism. Catch you on the next one.
-Eric

[@I_Do_Cars]

For those that are wondering, three of us tried to get this hood open when it first came in. We tried everything non invasive we could, pushing down, twisting, etc. The hood is a 3-400$ hood and thats why it went the direction it went. As well, this was filmed over the course of a month or so, and was easily one of the hardest to edit videos i've done. Really appreciate all of the support! It means a lot.

[@Electric-Citizen]

Its a Bonnet.

[@12345.......]

@@Electric-Citizen according to the English

[@Dirtyharry70585]

The Freon put out the electrical fire you started

[@PONO-go3ee]

Under Dash leaver hiding up by the Kick panel Hood release ,if you haven’t still found it

[@stans5270]

I owned a 2002 E320 and the hood release started to give me problems 5 years ago. 18 months later, it completely stopped working. I spent two hours doing what you did without a lift before I decided that with the 235,000 mileage and all the other problems that were piling up, I decided to junk it.

[@Goofy685]

If you think I'm gonna sit here on a Friday evening and watch a guy try to start a car for almost an hour, you're goddamn right

[@retro440]

You, too?? ;-)

[@haroldhenderson2824]

Makes at least three of us!

[@zactormak]

i see mercedes i click

[@hi_tech_reptiles]

Technically he's "trying to *try* to start a car"

[@Marcos-ri4he]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@dertmatyui]

It honestly makes me sorta happy to see you get frustrated working on cars, breaking shit, everything falling/ dropping it. Cause that’s how everything I do goes…

[@aidanmcneilly5459]

that’s how you know he’s a real car guy

[@patsiv1]

Amen to that brother

[@user-sf7kl9uh7k]

schadenfreude

[@jupitercyclops6521]

If he'd curse more, tbh. Cursing is like a turbo

[@JCPaintGuy]

Persistence does pay off. If you wind up with a complete drivetrain, the hood, the trunk lid, the doors, and maybe the glass, you’ll do alright AND gave us, your fans, another cool video of entertainment and how to solve problems. Great job Eric - thank you for what you do!!

[@the1stvendetta]

I for one love these "will it run" videos. I'm an engineer and have been working on cars a long time. It's always interesting to me the story of bringing something together, or solving a difficult and sometimes obscure problem. I do still like the engine teardowns of course but I think I honestly like these even more. They are pretty diverse.

[@CL500MBZ]

The standard process is to remove the left side turn marker cover and use a coat hanger to release the left hood latch. Same for the right side.

[@thetoymanator7723]

German engineering at its finest!

[@danielsteward5090]

I remember a similar process for late model VolksWagens. They use the same hood strikers. For what reason I'm not clear. But they do.

[@liuj88]

Does the cover pop off?

[@paulbiers]

of course there is a better method

[@steinbauge4591]

Had to be something like that. I guess it does not matter, this one is for parts anyway

[@mphilleo]

Eric, I was getting real "Every twenty minute job is one broken bolt away from becoming a three day ordeal" vibes from your struggles.

[@fred.larson2720q]

I first became aware of your channel when KZbin offered me one or more of your engine teardown videos. I have watched MANY of them, but I really love videos similar to this one where you show how you test the engine on parts cars that come in. Your knowledge and ingenuity are very impressive. I also like videos about your own cars, even the oil change on the Lotus.

[@TheVespap200e]

All I can say is WOW! Thanks Eric for the awesome video. I had no idea that you would go threw this much trouble to see if the engine would run. Thanks also to your two buddies that helped you out too. Good job guys! 😀👍

[@neilmckellar5899]

Probably one of the most engaging videos you've done! Sharing your thought process as you do battle with those electrical gremlins really demonstrates the complexities of modern car control systems and the talent it takes to sort them out. Well done!

[@papawheelie5835]

This was a valiant effort, Erik. Mercedes are great cars right up til the new car smell wears off. Beyond that, regular maintenance and care are paramount to their continued value, same as with virtually any other brand of automobile. Their proprietary systems can be daunting and having the right tools and diagnostic equipment is critical to successful repairs.... As you have now experienced. Love the content!

[@1benyko]

You had me worried at 'Defeated' but I'd say you definitely won

[@standardsupplies3332]

What a great argument FOR a 1970 Ford F-150 with a 300 six. And it'll run forever.

[@allynns1]

I admire your determination and skills just getting the hood open was an exercise in determination and not a little bit of pain. Thanks for the entertainment. I wouldn’t think that you would’ve worked so hard without an audience. Thank you.

[@johnmoore8599]

That was a lot of work, but you have a decent parts car and saved a lot of valuable parts for your bottom line. Hope it all worked out!

[@Malaveldt]

I get way too emotionally invested in these. Great video, thank you for showing the nitty gritty of diagnostics here.

[@imjustinjong3939]

literally spend an hour in the midnight looking at a random guy struggling to open the hood of an AMG, man it was an enjoyable journey. one hour well spent. he is committed to get it to run. well done!! great content.

[@RandBLSWorld]

I love these type videos ! I work at a salvage yard so I really appreciate these videos. This is like getting a stuck C4 corvette hood open

[@bartdaw6681]

Cheers to Eric and Ed, it is nice to have smart friends! And you were far from defeated.

[@danielknepper6884]

Nothing that key guy said made sense to me😅

[@hav0c134]

I would love working in your shop. You put real care and effort into your work and it shows. Great vid!

[@KCKing-iu4cw]

You Sir Have The Patience Of A Saint!!! Kudos.

[@MMCUSN]

Mercedes Management: How can we make an engine too difficult for the average mechanic type to work on? Technician: Add wiring. In fact add enough wiring that really doesn't do anything but keep the engine from starting if not perfectly connected. Mercedes Management: Wunderbar!

[@Me-zo8yc]

The start function being on the same fuse as a beeper in a wheel arch exposed to cold/damp/dirt was absolute genius.

[@kurtschreiber908]

LOVE LOVE LOVE this style of your videos. Engine tear downs just kinda get old after a while. Keep these a coming. Thankyou

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

You were entertaining and interesting while offering a whole lot of good tech info. I'm glad you got it to run at the end. Thanks very much for investing your time and talent for your viewers. It is appreciated!

[@JoeCoool59]

It's really cool that you and Eric work together. Eric has been very helpful on several cars I've worked on.

[@cricketyosh]

I don't know why I loved this so much, but I did. Reminds me of being younger and looking over my dad's shoulder as he tried to fix something.

[@savostanivukovic9801]

Love the videos! I’m doing that engine swap in to my customers C55 and I did many 6 speed manual swaps in these generation AMG’s.

[@kevinsmith9420]

Anyone remember getting a key cut at the hardware store?

[@n6mz]

Yes. I also remember testing vacuum tubes at the small-town drug store. They sold all kinds of chemicals with which a young geek could make lots of foul smoke. They also sold some "interesting" pets such as baby caymans. Across the street I could buy a gallon of gas to mow neighbors' yards and get change back from a quarter.

[@danielknepper6884]

Or calling the dealership and give them the last eight of the VIN

[@gamercoolapple1]

Still do for my older car

[@12345.......]

What's a hardware store 🙃

[@sleepychallenger]

Whats a key?

[@bennyblanko3]

And the key programming was genius. I just called the local dealer, gave them the info, and they mailed me a new key - but it cost 200 bucks for a damn key.

[@kevin9c1]

Ivan from PHAD has a great method for working on shorted circuits. Use a test light (one that draws a couple amps) across the fuse pins. If the lights are bright, you have a dead short. Fiddle around with everything until the lights go out or at least very dim, and you found your short. No need to continuously sacrifice fuses.

[@BabyZoomer278]

Once again, an awesome and fascinating video of you playing detective/surgeon. I found myself twisting my body and arms empathetically as you were trying to get the hood to open! Keep 'em coming, these are real treats to watch.

[@kayciecarryl3366]

This video is really cool. THANKS! Every bit as good your engine teardowns.

[@hamsterox9216]

I had a similar run with this type of situation to what u went through with an E55 and it turned out to be a dead ECU caused by a ruined harness underneath the supercharger. You gave it a fair shot and went on a wild chase, but I could tell immediately what happened the second I heard that fan blow full speed.

[@gannicus1026]

If you look closely to my thumbnail picture then you know how I felt while you were cutting your way to open that hood latch. it hurts me when someone mistreat this beautiful masterpiece (I mean the previous owners, not you Eric). Mine was pristine and I do regret selling it every time I see one on the road or on TV (I owned both the CL55 and the S55). It's a good find and a lot of valuable parts which makes me happy that you'll make some profit. btw; that noise while trying to start the car is the secondary air injection pump gasping it's last breath.

[@robertshelton3796]

Eric get one of those oscillating multi tools they're pretty good at making those kinds of shallow cuts in tight spaces through thin metal.

[@paul5683]

And invest in a carbide tipped blade. Normal blades are for wood, the carbide will cut anything.

[@bryanduncan1640]

I found you looking for the electrical fault fascinating - I didn’t have a clue what you were talking about, but found it riveting all the same!

[@chillmore97]

Something about a flapper valve in the ABC system which disintegrates and plugs up the hydro lines. LegitStreetCars did a 99-part series on trying to troubleshoot this issue.

[@brianf8621]

😂

[@kevin9c1]

That's ridiculous. It was only 91 parts.

[@crazieman]

I love these WILL IT RUN videos so much

[@heinzkot360]

Next time get a second person and do this: Hold tension on the cable Press on the hood where the latch is. Maybe tap the hood slightly to release presure on the latch. Pretty common for these latched when not used to „lock up“ sort off.

[@patrickcowan8701]

Used to have to do that on my f250

[@bonose12]

Great work and perseverance Eric. Thx so much.

[@petersomma4407]

I love the methodical approach to diagnosing the issues.

[@blown9646]

Bro, not even 15min in & I'm fricken dying here😂😂

[@jonnyduncan7056]

You have got some serious patience Eric and great methodical way in fault finding..

[@kurdisshop243]

Great video! Man that's a whole lot of wire chasing wrench throwing craziness.....and I loved every minute of it!

[@ctravis595]

I’ve had a 2002 CL for ten years now, going on the third engine. Congrats on the w215 crash course. Between the alarm siren and the water ingress of fuse boxes and floorboards, you’ve found most of the major issues these have. After I bought that CL, I went on to become a mechanic and work for Mercedes. Now I have 4 MB and started my own repair shop specializing in MB. Most Mb techs hate these w215, something about them is very second-nature to me, probably because my w215 is how I learned how to work on cars, how engines work, etc I believe ultimately you need to check rear fuse box under rear seat and you probably have a bad Ecu

[@benaldredge2671]

Eric, you definitely get an “E” for Effort! You excel in determination

[@thomass2055]

Love it Eric sarcasm and all good job man!!!

[@TJG239]

Subbed, these are amazingly well designed cars but quite complex. Hats off to you for finding this one and giving its guts a second life

[@PerfectDirectionscc]

Hi from South Africa Erik. I recently found your channel and love your off brand humour, double entendres and subtle irreverence to social norms. I really have learned a lot and even though many of the engines you tear down are only found in the States your simple explanations help expand ones knowledge base easily. You mentioned in this video the rolling screen on the laptop. This is a simple alignment of shutter speed, frame rate and electrical pulse all determined by your electrical feed at 60Hz. It is almost always visible in your videos especially when they are sped up. Try playing with your shutter speed or exposure time and avoid increments of 30fps when it is really noticeable, going for odd frame rates and see if it resolves the issue. Thank you very much and keep up the good work.

[@MrPaige222]

Somewhere along the line we forgot what cars are for and started adding ridiculous stuff that is fragile and expensive. This car could have lasted 50 years by eliminating 90 percent of the stuff that killed it without any difference in it's function.

[@douglaskleinjans4232]

Your a modern version of vice grip garage. Both of your knowledge put together would solve alot of problems.

[@dudemelonhed8508]

thanks for the new episode, keep up the good work!

[@Kingsoupturbo]

Deep dive! learned some diagnostic procedures I didn't know before, impressive content!

[@michaelskinner896]

This was pretty epic. I loved the troubleshooting process you went through, although it's obviously helpful to have some of the tools you were using, haha. Too bad it sat for so long as it's a really great car. It would make an interesting project car for someone.

[@edifyguy]

I think this one is too far gone to be a worthwhile project car. Eric did it no favors in that regard, but sitting for 7 years with mice and moisture eating at everything makes it not a good proposition to repair. There are just too many issues to make repairing this car worthwhile. These are fun, but not rare, so not worth the effort to put back together when they're this much of a mess.

[@sirpercival4731]

Some times you WIN - sometimes you LOSE !

[@ronmaas5898]

Great video, awesome job running down the issues

[@joethompson2102]

I know a bunch of people said you should have done this or that to get it open. I’ve actually done this, I also got an abandoned cl with no key and stuck hood. After I got a key from the dealer($300) I still had to get the hood open. I went under and use a long rod with hook on the end. Grabbed the cable right by the latch and pulled.

[@isdos]

I think what I would have done is that find out which part is the least expensive to ruin. Sometimes some fender grill part or similar is dirt cheap and could be easily chopped with sheet metal cutters or angle grinder. Anyways, really enjoyded the video, keep this stuff coming along with the "my cars" stuff.

[@patrickdiehl6813]

You never know until you try.... I'd still call it a success, you have a lot of decent parts to sell and we all got to enjoy this video 👍

[@brianjay692]

9:15 is when Eric’s Chop Shop officially opens for business.

[@shan6021]

Great video! You have shown the frustrations of all MB owners fixing their cars.

[@stephanebolduc6501]

Eric, You should bottle up your patience and determination and sell them, you’d make a mint. Great video with a very good outcome considering the challenges you worked through. Thanks again for sharing this story!

[@farmcat3198]

This is bringing back some traumatic childhood memories. Our family had a '78 Grand Prix. It had been in an accident, my Dad's fault, which he blamed on me. After banging out the fenders, the hood release cable broke. He finally figured out some way to get it open, and he stuck the cable through the grill. When we needed to open the hood we had to grab the cable with channel locks, pull the cable, and bang the hood down and at the right angle. There was some special trick to getting it open and it was very difficult. All this hassle for a wrecked car. Could we get the car fixed or replaced? No! Our budget was being eaten up by six worthless horses in the back yard that nobody paid any attention to. It was awful.

[@george2113]

Horse people don't apply logic

[@jaredbawden6707]

Congratulations on the purchase of a rare AMG diesel.... That supercharger bearing made it sound absolutely terrible 😅

[@timothyodonnell8591]

I loved the video! Troubleshooting videos of anything mechanical are my favorite.

[@gamingwithzan4654]

Whenever you say it's fine I really feel like everything's going to be just fine thank you.

[@Me-zo8yc]

I love how even on a "Defeated" video you have more talent and patience than I could muster in a month of Sundays 😂

[@Nevoexpo]

This was very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[@shsshs3895]

Thank you for showing all the different things that one has to go through in trouble shooting the car. I learn a lot from the video. One could have chosen not to added the details shown in the video, but I'm glad it was added, because I learned a lot from them. Thank you for the video. It was a good teaching video. My education background is electrical. I watched it over dinner, on a Tuesday night.

[@mahcooharper9577]

Literally cheered when the hood opened, much respect for having the patience to refuse to break good parts to get it open. Could sense the frustration but also know why you love your work Eric. Was still a good buy for $1200! The fact you didn't get it properly is a shame but you still got to hear it run, and I still loved the video, looking forward to more of this sort of content! :)

[@stevenberg1903]

Now that was some original content!!😃

[@DEEuroworks]

Great video in going into details! That CL55 definitely has seen better days. I have owned a CL55 and CL600 for about 10 years and while they are amazing cars when in good condition and running well, if they get neglected they can definitely become a huge headache for anyone trying to fix them up. 🍻

[@fletcherchambers7175]

One thing I admire about you is your ability to do what you do without profanity. I wouldn't last 90 seconds.

[@carlbernard4197]

Agree on this 💯 😂😂😂😂

[@redlock4004]

Your probing up the front of the car for the hood latch is reminiscent of bovine veterinary practice (:

[@earlearl8850]

Great show, and do more of these types, thanks. ..

[@madf00bar15]

A day in the life, we don't always win. Thanks, enjoyed the video.

[@therealdojj]

It's Alex getting rid of his fleet 🤣

[@scottymoondogjakubin4766]

That battery seen better days ! The cells may even be shorted causing electrical issues !

[@williamclark1091]

Amazing amount of work to troubleshoot! Very impressive.

[@da443-galmond4]

First time viewing your channel. Was an interesting one to start with... Defeated, but learned alot about diagnostics(not that I will ever use it....but one never knows what the future holds). I subscribed.

[@stanleystrycharz2572]

Not bad getting it to run. Seems to have more wiring than the space shuttle in there.

[@Madpegasusmax]

next video, how to install a carburateur .Great video , it shows how complicated recent cars are ,and how the horn wire can block your car from cranking ...

[@nitroruski7986]

a yes the fuel toilet making less of em bhp and making 4 mile per gallon

[@bradhaines3142]

​@@nitroruski7986wrong, there's a guy who has one on a 70s ford getting 40mpg

[@ibannymous]

I’m at 40K feet laughing at you misadventures. It reminds me of my youth. Thanks for the entertainment as always!

[@johndiaz7240]

Great stuff love your thinking when troubleshooting.

[@kimepp2216]

You should get an air nibbler to cut sheet metal. That chassis looked pretty clean . That car sells for $35,000 CAD and up in Canada.

[@colchronic]

So $500 USD?

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

@@colchronic no no, at LEAST 5000$ /sarcasm

[@RollingRoadEFI]

@@colchronic LMFAO

[@liver.flush.maestro]

Did you look on a similar model to see how the cable works? I think you need to also push on the cable sleeve instead of just pulling on the cable itself. I.e. the differential pull action would do it perhaps. Nice video 🙂

[@weedmanwestvancouverbc9266]

I had a seized latch on my hood of my F-250 and I sprayed pile of anti-seize into it to try it. I finally gave up and cut the cable and the housing far enough back that I could reach it and then the anti-seize started working on I could get it open. Now I just have to open it by pulling on the cable reaching through the front trim.

[@JamesYoung99811]

Always a good day when you post, keep up the great content! What are we thinking about merch...?? Need myself a black hoodie!

[@emilschw8924]

Blue is always ready for action! Yay for good old blue! And the dipstick battles pales in comparison to this battle of getting the hood popped.

[@clintcolombin]

Seeing that it's not all easy really shows people that there will be struggles. Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do, but it's worth it.

[@chrismemphis8062]

You sure know cars, this is way beyond my vast skill set

[@jrp6799]

Good effort man. The motor trade can be exhausting at times. Keep the videos coming.

[@18Macallan]

Good work Eric! 👍

[@andrecampbell691]

If I were a billionaire, I wouldn't buy a Mercedes, but I do love my Toyota.😂

[@billyclubbandit]

Sometimes the car does you instead.

[@theprobeius]

This was a really fun video that offered a neat look at the process before there's just an engine on a stand.

[@johndandrea8034]

I love this type of video....Very informative...It was like watching a mystery or who done it movie. :)

[@1JackTorS]

My wife told me I should be more in touch with my feminine side. So I crashed the car.

[@KevTech1]

Her car hopefully

[@curlymyhero]

What a great video! I watched the whole thing!

[@BikingChap]

Really enjoyed this different 'will it run?' type of content, a nice change :)