ggms16

Hi Guys!!

I know many of you are very concerned about your C230 with the M271 engine misfiring.. I have read tons of forums saying that is a the 12$ hose's fault or even saying that it is a cylinder head issue.

Well, my car had 4 months with that creepy issue, misfire in cylinder 2 and 3 (P0302, P0303, P0171) CEL on, I bought myself a code reader and erase the code up to 10 times a day, terrible misfire at idle (had to restart the car to go a few miles more every single time the misfire was there), car shaking when coming to a stop or a traffic light, compression issue in cylinder 2 and 3, etc etc etc.

I changed the 12$ hose a few days ago and the car kept the same failure

I took the car to a dealer (already out of warranty in Venezuela) and they told me it was the cylinder head that needs a replace (car has only 34k miles) and that would cost up to 5k US$.

Yesterday I took the car to another dealer, they put 4 new injectors on it and, guess what... THE FREAKIN' MISFIRE HAS COMPLETELY GONE!!

TOTAL COST: 400$

I was just as happy as the day I bought the car! It feels completely new, more power than the latest days and no vibrations at all (changed the engine mounts at the same time)

Guys I really hope this helps you out and don't waste huge amounts of money changing the cylinder head when maybe you don't need to.

Note: the guy at the dealer told me that when they change the cylinder head in the other dealer they also change injectors, so the car will work perfect as well but with much more money out of your pockets.

Also remember to use Techron at least once a month in your car to prevent this to happen again.

Glyn M Ruck

You have a 2005 that already has the new head so it could not be head problem.

Pleased you got sorted cheaply.

ggms16

Yes but my car was built in apr-2004...

Glyn M Ruck

OK then you might or might not have the new head - then your car is not a 2005 C200

mac911

Glad you saved money!

I wonder if it is the gasoline in your area?

Maybe Techron concentrate once a year would help? Oops, you already recommended monthly. Sounds like you know what to do.

ggms16

We only have available 95 and 91 Gas in Venezuela, but we also have Chavez, so that gas is crap! I'm a little worried about people living in FL, GA and TX.. Most of the gasoline there comes from Venezuela...

By the way, we pay here for a 95 gallon 0.0413 US$ and 0.0370$ for the 91oct, so I don't know if I should complain about it's quality

ggms16

The car was purchased on June 2005 in Venezuela at the dealer.. SO in papers it is a 2005

LILBENZ230

I bought mine in 2008.. but that doesn't make it a 2008.

ggms16

I'm not trying to say that mine is a 2005, I just mean that I bought it brand new 0 MILES in 2005 and the title says it is a 2005.

SteveAustin

Gracias por haber compartido la informacion sobre los injectors. He tenido el problema que describiste. Tengo un 2005 C230 que fue fabricado en 2004, se indica en la puerta. No entiendo las preguntas de los demas, no es algo raro.

Glyn M Ruck

Placing the correct Model information on your profile will help us help you better. When someone asks a question the first thing we do is look at model & year. Some problems are very specific in this regard.

C230 Sport Coup

I think the head issue was resolved right around then....forget the exact date.
The other thing that helps, is Seafoam, which cleans the carbon from the valves and seats and fixes the compression issues.

Ultimately though the valves end up getting messed up.

ggms16

In the pic you can find my VIN and engine serial, can someone tell me if mine has the head issue?? Maybe as it is only 32k miles it will fail later.. if so I will sell it inmediately and buy a w204.

razorfish228

I'm not sure if I have this exact problem but I am getting this code (P0171) and when I'm at idle, the car has this code coming up. I erase it and than it will come back at another time but only during idle.

I also hear like this choking noise even with the engine hood closed. I'm wondering if anyone here could give me an idea of what to do.

Opps forget, I have an 2005 C230SS with less than 25K miles.

I was thinking of the MAF but taking this apart and cleaning it looks like a tuff job from what I read in another post.

ggms16

What to check:
- Check the 12$ hose
- Use a higher octane gas
- Check your Maf Sensor
- Use techron
- Check your o2 sensor
- Check your fuel pump

If non of these work, then clean your injectors by taking it to a workshop

razorfish228

After almost taking apart the airbox, I found my problem. There is a tiny little hose under the front of the airbox that came off which was making this hissing noise. After examining the hose, the front of the hose split and would not hold. I cut the hose with a razor up to the point of the split and than squeezed this back into the little pipe. It was very difficult to push it back but sorry I didn't take any pictures.

I also think the fuel I was using even though it was 93 octane was dirty. I changed gas stations and I don't have the CEL on anymore for now.

Thanks for helping.

BF_JC230

Do we have a date for USA production when the head re-design was implemented into manufacturing?

ggms16

I have in my computer the EWA Net software from Mercedes Benz, I looked the part number of cylinder head for C230 and It's exactly the same for 2003, 2004 and 2005 models.

ggms16

Any ideas about part number??

Glyn M Ruck

Todd - you have a better handle on US changes. Was it concurrent with what you guys call 2004.5 models?

Our old troublesome family car was March 2004 SA production. Long since sold after 3 heads in 100,000Km

C230 Sport Coup

No, 2004.5 didn't have it.
I can't remember where I read the exact date,
perhaps in the EPC ?
It was in 2004, for the 2005 model year.

I have a friend who has a 2003 and told her to use Seafoam, which she has been doing regularly, and it has increased compression by removing carbon and allowing the valves to seal.

But a local former dealer mechanic told me the real problem was that the timing chain stretches, causes the valves to get carbon,
which in turn causes the valves to become malformed,
or something like that. Just glad I don't have that engine.
I felt secure with the M111 due to it being in production so long,
but even then, i have a coolant leak on the right rear of the head,
which is common for that series apparently.
I just keep driving it anyway.

I'm more concerned with me needing new tires (again! i think i'll go back to my C7's so I can rotate, tired of replacing tires with every oil change!)
And then I have a wheel bearing problem, or possibly something worse, with horrible sounds coming from the drive train and I'm due for an oil change.
And then my front Akebono's are getting quite close to needing to be changed, close to 100K miles on them, and thats another 300-400....

So I need about a grand or 2 to get all this taken care of.

Unfortunately with the current economic situation, employers can pay crap wages and get away with it...so, I got my hands full there....
OK, sorry,. back to your regularly scheduled thread!

ggms16

SO you say 2004 cars made for 2005 market (redesigned interior) DO NOT have this issue?

ggms16

My car has the redesigned interior