Some Problems =\
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 491
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From: Redding, California
AMG GTS
Some Problems =\
So I have ~60,000 on my 2003 C230 (1.8L supercharged motor, m271) and this week I had to park outside because I was moving stuff around in the garage. Out of all the times I drove this week I noticed some consistent problems. I do warm-up's religiously. On the first start-up of the day the car sounds very hesitant to start, while cranking up I can hear the motor struggling to start as if it had no fuel in it. Also, my transmission has been very jerky. As it shifts and "grabs on" to the next higher gear I feel the car wobbled back and forth a bit (as if you dumped the clutch on a manual transmission car) and from standstills it has a very jerky start (as if you kind of dropped the clutch while starting out from standstill). Can anybody tell me what's going on? I don't notice any leaks, and all fluids are still topped off. 
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2006 C350 Sport 6MT
my car did stuff like that but they reflashed it. Now I only get hard jerks which we came to the conclusion it was the Torque Converter.
60,000 miles is pretty good. DO you run your car hard?
60,000 miles is pretty good. DO you run your car hard?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 491
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From: Redding, California
AMG GTS
I'm usually a calm driver, but when I make a quick pass I guess I can be considered quite spirited. =\. So what did you do with your torque converter, or did you just leave it be?
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2006 C350 Sport 6MT
We'll I still have warranty so i'm going to take it in Monday. But I would wait till the master come on for more info. I'm sure you know the masters of this forum 
But mine was jerking all the time. I would accelerate then feel this lag and boom it would jerk and go. As if it kept slipping. But they reflashed it and it works now. Except the 2nd to 1st to stop jerk which is from Torque Converter.
Good Luck
But mine was jerking all the time. I would accelerate then feel this lag and boom it would jerk and go. As if it kept slipping. But they reflashed it and it works now. Except the 2nd to 1st to stop jerk which is from Torque Converter.
Good Luck
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Has the car thrown a CEL, Have you downloaded codes?
Have you checked the cam sensors for oil leaks?
Has the car been properly maintained? Age of plugs, fuel filter etc. etc?
Have you checked the cam sensors for oil leaks?
Has the car been properly maintained? Age of plugs, fuel filter etc. etc?
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Seattle
w203 m112
++ on what glyn said.
+
I believe the trans fluid + diff fluid is listed as 100k service intervals (what my manual says), but I believe both of those got down graded to 60k intervals (newer manuals)...
When I had my trans fluid flushed it made a VERY big difference in how my car shifted - it shifted quicker and at lower rpms (100-200 lower)... This was felt very often when rolling (foot off the gas) down hill and the car wouldn't shift into third, but after the flush, it would very quickly shift into third without any issues. Starting to move out of park was much smoother also.
The diff fluid is an easy one to do also for some peace of mind.
+
I believe the trans fluid + diff fluid is listed as 100k service intervals (what my manual says), but I believe both of those got down graded to 60k intervals (newer manuals)...
When I had my trans fluid flushed it made a VERY big difference in how my car shifted - it shifted quicker and at lower rpms (100-200 lower)... This was felt very often when rolling (foot off the gas) down hill and the car wouldn't shift into third, but after the flush, it would very quickly shift into third without any issues. Starting to move out of park was much smoother also.
The diff fluid is an easy one to do also for some peace of mind.
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Nor Cal
A Car
funny thing, i have the EXACT same problems happening to my car, but its a 01 C320, with the m112 engine. Just had the valve cover gaskets replace (left and right), clean the MAF, new belts, new oem air filters, new mobile 1 syn oil, did a throttle reset and its always been up on maintainance, and i rarely drive it hard, always give it the proper warm up and everything. whats cause the hesitant start up?
my transmission has been extremely jerky as well. around what price is for a complete tranny flush at an indy shop i can expect?
my transmission has been extremely jerky as well. around what price is for a complete tranny flush at an indy shop i can expect?
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Seattle
w203 m112
funny thing, i have the EXACT same problems happening to my car, but its a 01 C320, with the m112 engine. Just had the valve cover gaskets replace (left and right), clean the MAF, new belts, new oem air filters, new mobile 1 syn oil, did a throttle reset and its always been up on maintainance, and i rarely drive it hard, always give it the proper warm up and everything. whats cause the hesitant start up?
my transmission has been extremely jerky as well. around what price is for a complete tranny flush at an indy shop i can expect?
my transmission has been extremely jerky as well. around what price is for a complete tranny flush at an indy shop i can expect?
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Redding, California
AMG GTS
No codes thrown so far. I've maintained the car quite well. I did the cam sensor leak fix (where you just put in that extension harness for the wiring) at about 29,000 miles. Around 32,000 miles I changed the transmission fluid. I change the air filter every 15,000 miles and oil w/filter (Mobil1 0w-40 european formula and oil filter from the factory) just about every 6-8,000 miles. I guess I should go do a tranny fluid + tranny fluid filter change and see how my luck goes with that. Anybody know of a good indy with a good price to go to for that in the Bay Area?
Thanks for the input everyone.
Thanks for the input everyone.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
OP & holycao - When you say no codes - do you mean no CEL or no stored codes without CEL? If just no CEL get an OBDII/CAN scanner & look for stored codes.
Do as Tru says - we do a 60,000Km tranny flush in South Africa not 60K miles.
Problems relating to plug wires & coil packs could be there but you need to pull codes.
Do as Tru says - we do a 60,000Km tranny flush in South Africa not 60K miles.
Problems relating to plug wires & coil packs could be there but you need to pull codes.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Yeah Tru - MBSA is pretty conservative - 15,000Km engine oil change with 229.5 oils & fleece filter & 60,000Km tranny changes. My tranny flush is due in 10,000Km time. My change is a smooth as new & I want it to stay that way.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Nor Cal
A Car
OP & holycao - When you say no codes - do you mean no CEL or no stored codes without CEL? If just no CEL get an OBDII/CAN scanner & look for stored codes.
Do as Tru says - we do a 60,000Km tranny flush in South Africa not 60K miles.
Problems relating to plug wires & coil packs could be there but you need to pull codes.
Do as Tru says - we do a 60,000Km tranny flush in South Africa not 60K miles.
Problems relating to plug wires & coil packs could be there but you need to pull codes.
btw, thanks Glyn and Tru for the insite.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,255
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From: Seattle
w203 m112
IF you are just after a flush, I wouldnt imagine more than 2 hours of labor on it.
My shop WAS able to flush out the fluid (including the torque converter) and put in a new trans filter for 3 hours of labor, iirc.
Flushing out the torque converter involves unhooking one of the trans lines going into the radiator and catching it as one turns the car on/off quickly. I haven't done it myself, but thats what I've been suggested... :x
I chose to have a trained shop do my trans filter/fluid replacement only because I read about how finicky the transmission was with a variable difference of only a few 100 ml of trans fluid from E's thread.
My shop WAS able to flush out the fluid (including the torque converter) and put in a new trans filter for 3 hours of labor, iirc.
Flushing out the torque converter involves unhooking one of the trans lines going into the radiator and catching it as one turns the car on/off quickly. I haven't done it myself, but thats what I've been suggested... :x
I chose to have a trained shop do my trans filter/fluid replacement only because I read about how finicky the transmission was with a variable difference of only a few 100 ml of trans fluid from E's thread.
