Timing chain busted - 2005 C230K SS - need advice
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Jacksonville, FL
2006 C55 AMG
Timing chain busted - 2005 C230K SS - need advice
Timing chain broke, I need someone to give me a rough ballpark assuming that valves are cooked. ~$2000? ~$5000? ~$8000? I can't afford to keep sinking money into this ****ty money pit of a car, it has been nothing but one problem after another, no ****, this car is a total lemon, but I am stuck upside down on the loan and cannot afford to ditch it yet.
Has anyone ever had a timing chain break? I mean, the timing chain on a Kia is supposed to be a lifetime part, but my Mercedes breaks one?
I need to know if I should call the mechanic in the morning and tell him to call it quits before he charges me more money to find out how many valves are bent and how much more damage to that ****ty motor. Any advice?
Brent
Has anyone ever had a timing chain break? I mean, the timing chain on a Kia is supposed to be a lifetime part, but my Mercedes breaks one?
I need to know if I should call the mechanic in the morning and tell him to call it quits before he charges me more money to find out how many valves are bent and how much more damage to that ****ty motor. Any advice?
Brent
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Jacksonville, FL
2006 C55 AMG
Only 106K miles...surely the timing chain is designed to last far, far longer on a Mercedes-Benz, right? I thought Mercedes were durable, long-lasting cars, but boy, was I wrong. I'm going back to Toyota and Nissan, **** German cars from now on!
Does anyone have any idea if it would be more economical to part the car out, sell it to a junkyard, or try and sell it for whatever I could get out of it to a private individual as-is? I have no desire to sink anymore money into that POS car, something else will break soon if history is any indication. American cars are more reliable than this one.
Does anyone have any idea if it would be more economical to part the car out, sell it to a junkyard, or try and sell it for whatever I could get out of it to a private individual as-is? I have no desire to sink anymore money into that POS car, something else will break soon if history is any indication. American cars are more reliable than this one.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Another one. See Hoggers thread on rebuild.
People. If you hear chain rattle at startup that shuts up when the oil pressure comes up you MUST pull a new chain or this is the outcome.
Good luck!
People. If you hear chain rattle at startup that shuts up when the oil pressure comes up you MUST pull a new chain or this is the outcome.
Good luck!
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 18
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From: Jacksonville, FL
2006 C55 AMG
Prevention is all well and good and I couldn't agree more, but in my case, it's too late. Does anyone have a ballpark to rebuild the engine? What does a new engine cost? I'm trying to figure out whether to bother to have it repaired or selling it to a junkyard or parting it out.
Am I looking at over $8000 to repair or buy a new engine?
Am I looking at over $8000 to repair or buy a new engine?
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
You can do the head, valves, timing chain & tensioners for a lot less than 8K. You need to get the head off to check pistons & rods for damage although it's unlikely. It's usually just a few bent valves.
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C180 Kompressor Wagon
Find a used engine for $2500 and spend another $1000 fitting it and be done with it. Check if the engine is salvable and sell it on if so.
Replacing the chain drive alone is $2000 (in europe). Rebuilding the head with guess how many bent valves, milling and new gasket another $2000 and that's no guarantee all problems are sorted.
Replacing the chain drive alone is $2000 (in europe). Rebuilding the head with guess how many bent valves, milling and new gasket another $2000 and that's no guarantee all problems are sorted.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Things are MUCH cheaper for Benz in the US than Europe or SA for that matter. Labour is what drives up costs in the US.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
Threads like this make me nauseated. My chain is being replaced next week.
Were you getting rattling starts? Also yes, I'd say you could slide in a new engine and sell it. Have you owned it long?
Were you getting rattling starts? Also yes, I'd say you could slide in a new engine and sell it. Have you owned it long?
Last edited by LILBENZ230; Jul 24, 2012 at 11:16 AM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
He still has payments on the car. I would fix it & drive it. There is no reason why it should not do high mileage once repaired.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
It's so hit or miss. My car has 142,200 miles and Polar's car is at 184,000 and Scott did 203,000 and e24kgold had 160,000 or so on our 05s and no issues. Then you have these with just barely over 100k and ruined engines.
I listen to my car pretty much every morning.
I listen to my car pretty much every morning.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
It's very service & maintenance related Matt.
If I owned a car with an M271 engine I would just pull a new timing chain every 100K miles for the piece of mind. Cheap & easy.
Why Benz did not fit a duplex chain I will never understand.
If I owned a car with an M271 engine I would just pull a new timing chain every 100K miles for the piece of mind. Cheap & easy.
Why Benz did not fit a duplex chain I will never understand.
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Joined: Jun 2011
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From: Lumberton, TX
2009 ML350, 2007 GL450, 1963 GMC, BMW 325i
Sorry to hear about your problem.
I did my chain, balance chain, new head, and gaskets, plus a few extra parts for about $1500.
If I remember right, MB was figuring around a 20 hour job, but I could be way wrong.
I can't remember who it was on here, but someone just had an indy shop replace their engine. Price wasn't too bad.
Start calling good indy shops, and get some prices on your two options.
I did my chain, balance chain, new head, and gaskets, plus a few extra parts for about $1500.
If I remember right, MB was figuring around a 20 hour job, but I could be way wrong.
I can't remember who it was on here, but someone just had an indy shop replace their engine. Price wasn't too bad.
Start calling good indy shops, and get some prices on your two options.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Orlando FL
2009 C300 4Matic Sport
Damn Glyn, 8k is still a lot of money.
Dude, I would seek a complete engine, this one is at a reasonable price:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-200...6b0e6c&vxp=mtr
Dude, I would seek a complete engine, this one is at a reasonable price:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-200...6b0e6c&vxp=mtr
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From: Milpitas, California
2005 C230
Well. I called a master certified mechanics. 96 reviews and 5 stars on yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/mercedes-exclusively-san-jose
Being all paranoid so i asked him for a quote about the timing chain and he laughed at me and he told me that he never heard of a timing chain break on a mercedes, maybe the ones in the 80s. Apparently some of his reviews shows that he had worked on c230 's. If he wanted to rip me off he could've quoted me and told me to come to his shop...
He said that the cylinder heads go bad for our m271 engines. I don't know your situation and im not an expert, just want to give you a heads up.
Being all paranoid so i asked him for a quote about the timing chain and he laughed at me and he told me that he never heard of a timing chain break on a mercedes, maybe the ones in the 80s. Apparently some of his reviews shows that he had worked on c230 's. If he wanted to rip me off he could've quoted me and told me to come to his shop...
He said that the cylinder heads go bad for our m271 engines. I don't know your situation and im not an expert, just want to give you a heads up.
Last edited by silvermamba; Jul 24, 2012 at 01:24 PM.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
You're no expert and apparently neither is he. The chain does not "break" per se, it jumps a tooth or three.
If I had been you, I would have said I asked for a price quote and not a history lesson or his opinion on timing chain.. alas, then I wouldn't take my car to him.
If I had been you, I would have said I asked for a price quote and not a history lesson or his opinion on timing chain.. alas, then I wouldn't take my car to him.
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From: San Francisco Bay area
C63 AMG
Do you know of a sound clip or video of how it sounds? When I turn on my car after not driving it for a 2 days or more it makes a different sounds at first and I feel like it takes a little longer to start up.
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C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; Jul 24, 2012 at 03:26 PM.
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From: Pasadena, CA
2002 C230K, 2013 BMW 328, 2015 BMW X5
Ohhhh Shhhhheeet, your thread on Benzworld had me cracking up.
Sorry about your timing chain issues. As frustrating as it is right now, your best bet is to get that puppy fixed. The only way to make a few bucks parting it out is to get the parts off yourself. Trust me, disassembly is easier than assembly.
Its post event, but this goes back to being in tune with your vehicle. Once you know what it regularly sounds like, those off sounds can cue you in to potential issues.
Good Luck.
Ed
Sorry about your timing chain issues. As frustrating as it is right now, your best bet is to get that puppy fixed. The only way to make a few bucks parting it out is to get the parts off yourself. Trust me, disassembly is easier than assembly.
Its post event, but this goes back to being in tune with your vehicle. Once you know what it regularly sounds like, those off sounds can cue you in to potential issues.
Good Luck.
Ed
