Potentially Expensive Engine Failure
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 50
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From: South Africa
E Class 3.2 Diesel 2006
Potentially Expensive Engine Failure
I have a C 230 Compressor, with the 1.8 super charged engine
Yesterday the car lost power and today failed to start.
The agents have just informed me that the timing chain and tensioner have failed.
The car had just had a service a few days earlier. The mileage is 65,000 miles.
My question is does this engine have an adjustable timing chain tensioner and is this a serviceable part that is adjusted at this service. I do have a concern that this part was incorrectly set at the service.
Thanking you
Antony
Yesterday the car lost power and today failed to start.
The agents have just informed me that the timing chain and tensioner have failed.
The car had just had a service a few days earlier. The mileage is 65,000 miles.
My question is does this engine have an adjustable timing chain tensioner and is this a serviceable part that is adjusted at this service. I do have a concern that this part was incorrectly set at the service.
Thanking you
Antony
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Timing chain tensioner and timing chain should last the life of engine, it self adjusts. I've never heard of this failing on any MB forum. So there's 2 possibilities, 1) it was just defective from the factory and it's bad luck that it failed prematurely, 2) they are telling you this but really don' know what's wrong. You may want a second opinion, may just be the CPS which controls timing to the injectors which is a common problem with any MB.
The question I have is, if it did indeed fail, did it damage the valves (a problem on some engines when the timing belt/chain fails and the pistons crash into the valves because they opened at the wrong time)?
The question I have is, if it did indeed fail, did it damage the valves (a problem on some engines when the timing belt/chain fails and the pistons crash into the valves because they opened at the wrong time)?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 50
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From: South Africa
E Class 3.2 Diesel 2006
The chain is being replaces only then will they check if valves are bent.
They say the computer reading shows the valve timing to be 4 degrees out. According to the agents this is beyond the adjustable range of the variable timing so they say the chain has slipped.
All I know is that this is going to get expensive.
I also cant believe that i am the only one on this forum with this problem.
Thanks for your reply,
They say the computer reading shows the valve timing to be 4 degrees out. According to the agents this is beyond the adjustable range of the variable timing so they say the chain has slipped.
All I know is that this is going to get expensive.
I also cant believe that i am the only one on this forum with this problem.
Thanks for your reply,
Super Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 573
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W203
Is it under warranty? If you're under warranty, who cares, just make sure they fix it properly, ie have them check if a piston was damaged if a valve is bent.
Replacement of the timing chain is not cheap, maybe 5-10 hours depending no the shop. I would want to know that the engine is not damaged first before spending that much $$$ on labour. A shop with a boroscope (sp?) could look inside each spark plug chamber and determine if the valves, pistons, and cylinder walls are damaged.
Replacement of the timing chain is not cheap, maybe 5-10 hours depending no the shop. I would want to know that the engine is not damaged first before spending that much $$$ on labour. A shop with a boroscope (sp?) could look inside each spark plug chamber and determine if the valves, pistons, and cylinder walls are damaged.
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Dont' expect MBUSA to goodwill this as a warranty issue. 4yr/50k and they MEAN it!!
Moreover, have they popped the valve cover off to at least do a visual inspection of the head/valves? Any signs of oil sludge?
Any slippage/breakage on an interference engine will cause damage to the valves/head/pistons/crankshaft/block.
Chains/belts stretch as they age due to centrigual forces stretching the chain. On motor and mountain bikes, chain replacement is a common thing. When comparing against a brand new chain on a bench, the old one will have stretched.
What signs of failure did the tensioner show? Did the spring crack? Was the bolt loose?
This is probably an emotional time for you, and even more so your wallet. On every car i've had for a long time, Honda, Toyota, VW, + German marks, each has experienced some sort of low to mid 4 figure failure out of warranty and no goodwill. That's why used cars with factory warranty command a premium over out of warranty.
My advice, if the uncertainty factor of $$$ is stressing you out, mother's little helper always helps.
Moreover, have they popped the valve cover off to at least do a visual inspection of the head/valves? Any signs of oil sludge?
Any slippage/breakage on an interference engine will cause damage to the valves/head/pistons/crankshaft/block.
Chains/belts stretch as they age due to centrigual forces stretching the chain. On motor and mountain bikes, chain replacement is a common thing. When comparing against a brand new chain on a bench, the old one will have stretched.
What signs of failure did the tensioner show? Did the spring crack? Was the bolt loose?
This is probably an emotional time for you, and even more so your wallet. On every car i've had for a long time, Honda, Toyota, VW, + German marks, each has experienced some sort of low to mid 4 figure failure out of warranty and no goodwill. That's why used cars with factory warranty command a premium over out of warranty.
My advice, if the uncertainty factor of $$$ is stressing you out, mother's little helper always helps.
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From: Rhode Island
Debadged 6-Speed '05 C320 Sports Coupe
I've got an adapter that permits pressurizing the cylinder with compressor air by replacing the spark plug with this threaded adapter. Chances are that if the valves are bent, then non of the cylinders will hold air. No dissassembly required for this test...
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Not trying to hijack but this sounds interesting. How long will a motor cylinder stay compressed and is there a pressure gage involved?
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97 J30\71 220 gas 4-speed
Anyone know if the Mercedes V-8 still has the record for longest timing chain?
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From: Rhode Island
Debadged 6-Speed '05 C320 Sports Coupe
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 50
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From: South Africa
E Class 3.2 Diesel 2006
Ok thanks all of you for the sympathy, fortunately my car is under a partial warranty, where I am liable for 50% of the costs.
The chain and tensioner were replaced and a compression test was 100%. The dealer did not have a scope as has been suggested above.
fortunately the "Slack" chain only slipped a tooth and was therefore still intact. There seems to be NO valve or wallet damage. the cost was only $ 900.00 where I pay half.
My car is out of its warranty in 4 months so I just left the car at the dealer and bought a 2 year old E Class W211. It is a 3.2 cdi and goes like hell.
There WAS a Warning to this failure, on startup in the morning the engine was noisy for the first 4 seconds. I did report this to the agents one week earlier at the service, they said it was the hydraulic valve lifters and I can ignore it. Well guess what. I bet you the tensioner runs on engine oil and for some reason it was not holding its tension (Maybe some one can enlighten me if the tensioner runs on oil pressure).
So guys its a fond farewell from the W203 forum and off to the boring old man W211 forum for me.
Thanks for the support and please do not ever ignore a ticking sound at startup.
Bye for now
The chain and tensioner were replaced and a compression test was 100%. The dealer did not have a scope as has been suggested above.
fortunately the "Slack" chain only slipped a tooth and was therefore still intact. There seems to be NO valve or wallet damage. the cost was only $ 900.00 where I pay half.
My car is out of its warranty in 4 months so I just left the car at the dealer and bought a 2 year old E Class W211. It is a 3.2 cdi and goes like hell.
There WAS a Warning to this failure, on startup in the morning the engine was noisy for the first 4 seconds. I did report this to the agents one week earlier at the service, they said it was the hydraulic valve lifters and I can ignore it. Well guess what. I bet you the tensioner runs on engine oil and for some reason it was not holding its tension (Maybe some one can enlighten me if the tensioner runs on oil pressure).
So guys its a fond farewell from the W203 forum and off to the boring old man W211 forum for me.
Thanks for the support and please do not ever ignore a ticking sound at startup.
Bye for now
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2011
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C230
Hey guys. This is my first post. I just read the scenario above. The situation I'm having is very similar except my valves, I'm told have bent. The cost is to repair/replace the motor is approx $8900!!!
My only question is: can this be caused by water? I'm told by one mechanic that the supercharger sucked in water (I live in Miami. This summer has been very wet.) causing the issue. Then I'm being told by the dealer that no water was found. Again, can water cause the problem? Thanks.
My only question is: can this be caused by water? I'm told by one mechanic that the supercharger sucked in water (I live in Miami. This summer has been very wet.) causing the issue. Then I'm being told by the dealer that no water was found. Again, can water cause the problem? Thanks.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
Bent valves could be the result of water ingestion. If the engine had hydrolocked, though, it would have been while you were driving during a very wet day and not just out of the blue. I would have it towed elsewhere for a second opinion and at that cost I would certainly file it on insurance if a mechanic says water is the reason. That should be covered and with a repair of that cost on an 05 C230 it would likely be totaled.
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C230
Thanks for the response.
My wife was actually driving the car and recalls driving through several puddles. She parked the vehicle at a local Starbucks, returned to the car and it wouldn't start.
It has been reported to my insurance company. The first opinion (personal mechanic) was that there was water. My second opinion was "no water". I'm arguing that by the time the second inspection was performed (approx 5 days later) the water had evaporated and therefore that is why no water was found upon the second inspection. A third opinion is not going to do me any good at this point. Let's see what the outcome is.
My wife was actually driving the car and recalls driving through several puddles. She parked the vehicle at a local Starbucks, returned to the car and it wouldn't start.
It has been reported to my insurance company. The first opinion (personal mechanic) was that there was water. My second opinion was "no water". I'm arguing that by the time the second inspection was performed (approx 5 days later) the water had evaporated and therefore that is why no water was found upon the second inspection. A third opinion is not going to do me any good at this point. Let's see what the outcome is.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
Gotcha.. I would go with the first opinion because that is what it sounds like. Although I plunged my C230K into a puddle once that splashed up on the hood and it never even flinched! The air intake is in the grille so it would seem difficult to hit a regular puddle and hydrolock it, but it could happen.
Hopefully your insurance will cover it as a comprehensive claim. I doubt they will repair the car depending on your mileage, I guess.
Hopefully your insurance will cover it as a comprehensive claim. I doubt they will repair the car depending on your mileage, I guess.
Newbie
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moms amg c36
almost every manufacturer recomends the timing belt changed every 30 thousand miles. esp if its an interferance egine also you gotta make sure you never turn the engine over backwards as it can sometimes release the tensioner and ruin ur day i know a ford ranger that did it 3 times because the driver would park it with the manual shifter in reverse gear on a downward slope driveway and no parking brake it would roll slightly and that would realease the tensioner
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moms amg c36
hydrolocking a cylinder would break the pistion and or connecting rod. unless you submarined ur car it would be fuel or coolant unless your one of those idiots with a k.n cone filter mounted 3inches from the ground. leaking fuel injectors or o-rings can cause hydro lock. if you replace a timing belt its alway wise to do the tensioner and stud. itd suck bigfoots sick dick to do all that work then have a 3$ tensioner stud snap cuz its brittle from heating and cooling 5million times.. more or less..
