mtnman82

Glad to hear it was just the hose, Russell. My CEL would go off after driving it on the highway, or without stopping for a while ... it might clear on it's own if everything is OK after a few trips. Or just run down to Autozone and borrow one of their scanners, it's free.

We need to find/make/post a picture/diagram of all the hoses for the entire intake system. I'm thinking this would prove to be very useful over time ...

Hopefully Smythe's got badass covered.

drexappeal

Russell, would you mind taking a pic when you get a chance? Might as well have the dealership check all the hoses when I go in for Service B soon. Thx.

BadAssC230k

yeah, i had them check hose/clamps etc since they were already in there.

Apparently when they went to put the new hose in, they ripped the intake gasket. so they are now callin around local dealerships to see if any are in. i dunno... this whole makin me wait [nearly 3 wks] and the 'accidental' tear of the gasket is makin me a bit weary of the 'workmanship' of the fix they are providing.

think im gonna hold off on the install of the pulley/ecu for a week or so to see how the car runs.

C230SportsCoupe

Where is this hose? Anyone wanna post a M271 diagram with arrows to all the hoses and vents being discussed!

RES

I'm having trouble posting picture, I just change networks and am ironing out all the problems when I have time. The hose comes from the throttle body and goes to the head just in front of the intake manifold. I had no problems removing it. But ended up using a standard screw style hose clamp with a 1/4-1/4 drive swivel socket to install on the head. The hose looked like it was a different material and make. I thought the light might go out on its own but I believe it will still store codes for a while. I need to check with our Autozone to see if they can do that. Ive asked several parts places before and been told they don't do that?? But the car has power again so it's fun to drive.

BadAssC230k

awesome! glad you got it taken care of

drexappeal

Oh, okay. I know exactly which hose that is, considering I have a bored throttle body.

Hmmm...I'll take a look this weekend.

BadAssC230k

still at it...

so spoke with them on friday and they said it was a cracked hose behind the s/c. said part should be in on monday. called monday. left message.

called yesterday. they got the part in yesterday morning. went to install it. in the midst of installing that, they tore the intake manifold gasket and were calling around searching for one from surrounding dealerships.

just got off the phone with them right now. car is completely back together. went on test runs. car performs as it should. however, its still shaking at idle. SO NOW they are calling in 'the big guns'; a specialiest to diagnose the problem. seems the "wizards" at Smythe arent capable of pin-pointing this problem.

talked to darwin a while ago and told him im holding off on all engine mod for at least a week thereafter i receive my car. which at this rate, who knows. told him ill still come by for the wheels, but gonna wait to see how the car actualy runs before messin with it.

What I think, is the newer firmware upgarde to the ECU is faulty [or causing some sort of malfunction to the ECU itself] and messing up the A/F ratio. If the car is running fine on normal performance, and choking on idle, somethings wrong computer-wise. So whats gonna most likely happen is a NEW ecu will be installed. big shcker there. but thats jsut what i think.

Told the S.A. that Im startin to get pissed and that after 2.5 weeks of havin the car there is still no resolution and its startin to fall under 'unsatisfied' service, in my eyes. I appreciate them giving me a loaner car, however, I'll continue to make payments on a car that I DONT HAVE. Everything is under warranty. However at this point, I'd rather take the abuse to my car at Mercedes Pleasanton, then have to wait all this time. On top of them STILL not knowing what the problem is.


Who agree's they should install the C350 v6 out of courtesy!? Ugh!

Saprissa

Courtesy ! baahhh

they should do it out of obligation at this point !!

BadAssC230k

one vote is all i need! even if they were to drop a new I4 in that'd jsut be monsterous... i'd surely go off on that for sure. but now... all i do is continue to way.... and continue to beat the hell out of the loaner [not really, just angry at the whole ordeal]

Saprissa

That would help tremendously. If anyone has access to the WIS as well, to pinpoint exact removal procedures.

Saprissa

Don't blame you at all... I'd be pissed too.
Hopefully, they'll have it all figured out soon, and you'll get to

RES

I can do pics once i figure out how to fix my connection, keeps timing out when I try to upload pics. Ive tried to take pics and info off the Mercedes disc with no luck. I purchased an OBD I & II scanner and all is well after just changing the one line. The way it looks with how it failed and that the new one is different. I suspect that Mercedes is aware of this issue and in my opinion should be changing these for free. More and More I'm thinking Mercedes is loosing it's reputation by not keeping it's customers happy. I know of two friends, one S class and one E class that have returned there cars under the lemmon law. Most where due to things the dealers and SA could have avoided. Just plane poor service and lack of knowledge about the cars.

BadAssC230k

I agree. I bought into the 'mercedes legacy'. Thought it was a wonderful thing to own an MB. then a lil over 14k miles into it, this happens. GRanted, I was the second owner, but seriously. Even if I was 1st owner, granted the car is 4yrs old, but 3weeks of "labor"???? COME ON! I've looked into how much the cars worth as it stands now versus what I owe. Id REALLY hate to leave my car, especially with the amount of money I've put into it. But at this rate, maybe seeking out a new I4 C230 is in my best interest. I love the lines and whatnot. But for the same money I've invested into my car, if i put that into a a4 of 3series, it'd destroy my car. Im still a total fan of MB, but with 'service' like this, it stands to reason of these instance running far in the background behind the shiny tri-star emblem/legacy. sad. I'd really hate to start thinking this is the 'new face' of mercedes.

RES

They used to be great, ask anyone who has had a 124 and they will tell you there is nothing better. I still have mine and it is still going at 320,000 miles and I could drive it everyday for years more. This car is not even close in reliability. When it works it is still very fun to drive, its just all the little things that keep poping up.

BadAssC230k

Just as I suspected...

After the constant run-around from Smythe, and ALWAYS having to get a hold of them first, I finally heard some news. So the "specialist" came in yesterday and basically determined that there is a 'bad string' in the fuel mapping/management part of the ECU.

I effin knew it! Ugh, so rather then replace the ECU in its entirety, which probably takes less time to order/flash/install, they are going to try and have the "specialist" try and fix the string.

Said "So is this as little as replacing the ECU or as big as replacing the motor [I was REALLY pushin for the new motor, damnit! haha]?" S.A. said there was nohting wrong with the motor, and that it was rather 'strong'. So I said "Basically its within the ECU, from which i stated when i first heard it was reflashed/updated and STILL acting up?" gotta love the S.A.'s lovely segways. ugh.

So they are supposed to be hearing back from the 'specialist' later today and I should have an answer. Which means I'll probably have an answer by me calling monday afternoon. If they opt to replace the ECU, it only takes roughly a day to order and another to flash/isntall.

I'm not trying to sound like a greedy person or hoared what I can get out of em, but shouldnt there be some sort of 'courtesy' towards MB items/parts!?
C32 calips? Bi-X? Steering wheel? Damn.

This si just turning into an even more ridiculous mess. Blake had a good idea "how much would they charge to have it towed to another dealership?!"

drexappeal

Make the initial request "high" and whatever you get in return should be satisfactory for all the trouble you've experienced.

BadAssC230k

SERIOUSLY! not looking for much, but jeez, at this rate, i feel like i should have a new car. just have me totally second guessing my car and tis engine now.

BadAssC230k

oooooooook...

Intake cam shaft was advanced one tooth...
In short; when exhaust valves were closing, intake was opening. But as intake was sucking in air, the exhaust valve was still slightly open, so it was pulling exhaust into the intake, damaging the mixture.

Said replaced parts will be consisting of:
- cyclinder head
- timing tensioner
- timing guides
- and I think a few more parts.

ECU maps are fine, per the specialist. Too late to order parts today. Ordering monday, should be in weds, installed thursday and hopefully ready to be rockin on friday. Gawd, this is a mess that looks like its finally being cleaned up. Lets hope THIS is it.

mtnman82

Whoooooaaaaaa, how did the intake camshaft get advanced by a tooth????!!!!???? Did the timing belt get replaced, or did they have it off in any other recent work? I believe you said it went in initially for rough idling and had the hose replaced ... was it running fine and then the rough idling just started?

There's no way one of the camshaft gears should just slip a tooth all by itself.

Not sure why they're replacing the head, unless that was the culprit for the tooth slipping in the first place (i.e. something broke or wore out - in which case I'm sure we'd all like to know). If the timing belt was the cause (cracked/worn belt), I would think all you would have to do is to replace the belt (along with tensioners, etc.) and make sure the cam/engine timing is sync'd properly.

REALLY hope this takes care of it for you, badass. Please let us know if you gain any more insight into the root cause of this.

BadAssC230k

Have no idea how the tooth got advanced. What I'd like to think was the scenario was this:

When I had taken the car into MB of Pleas, they replaced the PCV hose. In the midst of that, the tooth was advanced [and this is judging by the swift moves and crafstmanship by the handling of the car, i.e. my chipped grille]. Drove for a week, and i thought it was me being paranoid and a complete hypochondriac... Then the following week, had the RENNtech pulley installed, which accelerated the problem. The stock pulley was put back on and the car was sent to Smythe for fixing.

Im pretty sure the timing belt is being replaced as well. There was a lot going on yesterday, but I do believe I recall hearing of the belt being one of the parts ordered, which is cool. Saves me havin to have it done in 25-30k miles.

Yeah the SA said there was no way the tooth could have advanced on its own, which I agree. He said there was no sign of wear or damage, but I find it better that they are replacing afformentioned parts, rather then reseting the timing. As well as possibly dealing with anything further, i.e. bent valves or deformed cam.

I dont think a cracked belt would have caused as big an issue asthis has. When the problem occured, the second time around, with the exhaust on, my car sounded like a cat-back'd STi. Just total wrong pitch. Maybe a worn or [somehow] stretched belt, but that would have been easily noticeable, or at least I'd like to think the ppl at any MB would be able to recognize that.

I really hope that this is the culprit. Everything is still warrantied, thankfully, but for a while, and I even told this to my S.A. was that I was even looking into how much the car was worth, throwing on the stock parts, and slappin a 'for sale' on it. Then moving onto an 05 c230k I4 [fan of the gas mileage, haha]. Either that or if the price was right, an 07 C350. I can deal with the extra 80lbs in weight, but with 268hp at the crank, it wouldn't be hard to clear 300hp... But that was just all hypathetical.

Once I get my car back, the wheels that I've waited MONTHS for, are surely going on. Engine mods are gonna be weighed out for install, partially cause they've already been paid for. I'd really like more horsepower out of the motor, but if its going to be detrimental to the motor, I'll sell the parts. But judging by how the S.A. spoke of the motor, I shouldn't have a problem with slappin on the mods. But for the sake of being, lets just keep our fingers crossed...


Jay/out.

BadAssC230k

oh and just as a throw in; I had asked about the plugs and wires. They said that was one of the first things they had checked. plugs and wires are fine. no browning or burnt plugs. Guess I'll just have to do the NGK/magnecor's later, later, heh

C230 Sport Coup

Interesting.

So, the M271 has a timing BELT?
Not a chain?
Another reason to love the M111.

BadAssC230k

chain, sorry.

RES

I was going to say if you where going to have them remove the timing chain and install a belt then you deserve to have it messed up but since we all figured out it has a chain now, all is well. As for plug wires good luck finding them because the M271 has coil packs on top of each plug, no wires. So hopefully they don't charge for those because I would have my car towed to a different dealer. I have a feeling the dealer could tell you the muffler bearings are bad and you might say "great change them please". I feel like we need to know some basic info about our cars so they don't take advantage of us.