TheGrandmaDee

I have a 2001 S600 Sport, stock. Last week it began misbehaving insofar as it would "slack" on acceleration on occassion then resume normal rocket mode.

It was once every 2 days, then every day and by the end of the week it was here, and has been since. The car idles very well, smoothly and quietly. No backfiring, no smoke.

The transmission shifts unusually as it is now has a "slight hessitation" (1 second) then "abrupt" shift in all gears (upshift ONLY). Started at the same time.

No oil or water on anything that I am able to see around toip end. No leaks. Engine is clean and always has been. Not driven winters.

Engine light is ON. Codes read "misfires" in 7, 8, 9 ,10 ,11, 12. Yes. I know it sounds like a bad drivers side Ign. Pack, but it runs and idles SO smooth I am having trouble believing it. It is as if it is stuck in the "Thruway Ecconomy Mode" (I assume they made that for 2001?)

Is there a fuse or Fuse "Cube" for that feature? For Coils? An old lady driving the car would NOT think there was anything wrong except possibly the shifting, but that may be me being oversensetive to the way it should be. Some form of odd "Limp Mode"? (the car easily works it's way up to 100mph, just takes longer).

Oil is clean, not milky. No engine noises. Starts immediately. At idle, a glass of water on dash barely makes ripples. 75K miles. No noticeble difference in left and right exhaust. Emmissions clear. Pulled the MAS and carefully wiped it down. No effect. Engine makes a much DEEPER tone, like it's lugging, when I go to accelerate.

Everything posted that could apply seems to be shot down by the ultra smootness of the idle, no backfires, no exhaust smoke, no noises, clear oil and almost acceptable acceleration to thruway speeds.

Please help. Thank you

TheGrandmaDee

Also, has everyone seen the $41. individual coils? See them at: http://www.amazon.com/96-02-Mercedes-Ignition-0221504001-0001587203/dp/B003TI640A%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJAOOGQTQGLTE7LIA %26tag%3Dfb4amz08-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165 953%26creativeASIN%3DB003TI640A

TheGrandmaDee

ALSO PLEASE.....

What is the name / description / part number of the "Box" at the front of the Ignition Pack please? I may want to buy it seperately.

ALSO, What is the name / description / part number of the rubber boots that go over the plugs and attach to the bottom of the coils please?

LASTLY, What are the Brand(s) and number(s) of Spark plugs that will fit an 2001 S600 NA please?

Thank you.

haoz129

Hi GrandMa.

I'd think it's the Coil Pack. If part of the coils are not stable car may still be drivable. MB use 2 coils/sparks per cylinder.

Is the issue surfaces when car cold ?

The individual coil in Amazon you quoted is not for W220 S600. W220 S600 only use Coil Packs. One Coil Pack for each bank. Each Coil Pack intergrate 12 coils which assembled as one unit. Althoug I fixed those coil packs by soldering individual coil I didn't see anywhere selling the coil. Regular owner can't use the individual coil even sold somewhere.

I guess the box you mentioned is part of the Coil Packs which can't be serparated either.
The rubber boot is called Spark Plug Gasket, A 000 159 00 80.

Thanks.

Howard

TheGrandmaDee

Hello Howard:

Thanks for the reply.

Since my original message, I have disconnected the driver's side coil pack plug. NO CHANGE !

I was astonished when the car Idled very smoothly, ran, shifted and would be unoticed by a "little old lady".

This in comparison to when the issue first started (a week ago) the car shook, stalled and had a very hard time making it to Thruway speed. (see the gasoline issue below)

Now, shaking or stalling or inability to get ANY acceleration, is no longer an issue. The car idles very smoothly and accelerates like a 6 cylinder... on just the passenger bank! An unknowing person would not notice anything wrong with the car.... Very hard for me to comprehend.

The one thing which crossed my mind was BAD GAS. I filled the car up shortly before the issues started. It was near empty. After the problems started and the car had 2/3 tank left, I filled up the 1/3 from a different Sunoco station, the improvement began.

Obviously, I am looking for a way to dodge the $1200 coil pack.

I was going to run the tank all the way down and re-fill with "Sun 260". My thought being that, as the Coil Pack actually (so I have read) responds to the cylinder temperature / high octane gas and adjusts the spark and timing accordingly, maybe a full tank of high octane will resolve the issue.

Also, would the "Ecconomy/ Thruway Mode" being stuck "ON" shut down the one bank (My codes are 7,8,9,10,11,12 misfiring)?

Are the coil packs FUSED or have a "circuit breaker cube"?

Would bad O2 sensors (2 per bank/ both of them) shut down the Coil Pack?

Bad Air Mass Sensor?

Other ideas please?

Thanks for any assistance.

Tom

haoz129

Dear GrandMa,

Are you saying the beast idles smoothly without left bank ? That's astonishing indeed. What a nice engine. Yeah, you still got 6 cylinders which is more than most of the cars have, just don't race, ok .

I don't have idea about "Ecconomy/ Thruway Mode" as I have a 03. But I don't think misfire msg will be triggered when ECU turned a bank off.

For further investigation, I'd like to take it to a shop to clean the massages. Put left bank back on, run a while to see whether the misfire is still there.
As entire left bank has misfire it could be also traced to the Transformer which is a black box on top center of the engine supplying electricity to both Coil Packs.

Anyway you'd better have someone read the fault memory. A general reader can't handle it. Need a MB Star/SDS equivalent.

Without all fault codes reflecting the entire picture our guess could cost you more.

Thanks.

Howard

Viet_Amg408

hey crazy grandma..

when last time your beast got a tune up? spark plugs change? try that first...check engine lite is on...Codes read "misfires" in 7, 8, 9 ,10 ,11, 12...usually if it set code for that cylinder meaning those cylinder are misfired...need to be correct...its common failure coil packs....its hard to tell if those coil you disconnected make any changes at idle...because its a V12...

i would try to change spark plugs first...clear the code and see if the code come back..

if it does come back later, then you have to replace the coil packs..

good luck

tusabes

a v12 is like two inline 6 cylinder engines, so yes it would still be very smooth even with one whole bank not firing

1Don2001_ S600

I'm having the same issue reported getting error code P0300 with P0307 - 312 I replaced both the Driver side Coil pack and spark plugs and still have the same issue, any ideas on what it can be?

Welwynnick

If replacing the coil pack doesn't fix the problem, then its usually the ignition power supply at the front in the middle. Sorry.

1Don2001_ S600

thanks, now I need a good price for a new transformer

MooJohn

You can find them on ebay new for around $700-750. That's from a seller with a good history, not some fly-by-night website.

Don't feel bad - there's really no way to tell if your problem is a coil pack or the transformer until you've replaced one of them. Only having a known-good spare to test with could help.

cybertronicify

Your S600 is equipped with cylinder deactivation, it turns off half the cylinders with a solenoid. If that solenoid is stuck, you have a problem. The M137 engine is designed to work on half its cylinders, just like a slightly slanted inline 6. Thats why it gets freakishly good MPG on the highway. And since its designed to do that, you wont have a misfire.

1Don2001_ S600

Thanks, the new Transformer will be here Monday missed the Mail Man Yesterday. hopefully this will clear my CEL and get her on the road again.

1Don2001_ S600

new transformer is installed, the car smoked when 1st started guess it was because the other half of the engine had not been firing for a while. I cleared the code and it has not come back so far. I hit the road to open her up after driving around for about 20 or 30 min. THE BEAST is back. but take off is slow could be throttle position sensor?

1Don2001_ S600

I replaced the throttle position sensor last week and no more slow start. but as always I have another problem now. code P170 and 173 just got a new BOSCH maf hoping this is the last for a while, should I clear the code or will it clear on it's own?