Help. My 1st Benz and it needs alot of work
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: midwest USA
2003 C320 Sport
Help. My 1st Benz and it needs alot of work
This car needs so much work, and I'm clueless when it comes to a Benz. hoping you all can help. my issues are.........
1. Front left wheel seems to bounce and make a banging/knocking noise when i brake. any Ideas? (bushing, control arm, broken caliper bolt, ruined damper...) HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!! ASAP!!!
2. Milky Oil.... suggestions??? there is the scent of exhaust fumes and gasoline coming from the motor when i undo the oil cap.
3. Correct me if i am wrong. there is a tapping noise on the right side, but its not the lifter. its coming from a small part i think is called the fuel purge. Any ideas how much a new one costs?
4. Oil residue surrounding a head cover bolt near the middle right cylinder. What should I do about it? anything?
5. Where can I find a new, cheap headlight lense?
6. What is causing the 10+ second clicking noise behind my dash at start-up?
7. Passenger vents wont switch to windshield or floor. it only blows through the dash vents.
8. How hard is it to replace the rear fog lamp?
9. Washer fluid takes a couple seconds and a couple pushes of the button to start working correctly. Is it the squirter motor or something else????
1. Front left wheel seems to bounce and make a banging/knocking noise when i brake. any Ideas? (bushing, control arm, broken caliper bolt, ruined damper...) HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!! ASAP!!!
2. Milky Oil.... suggestions??? there is the scent of exhaust fumes and gasoline coming from the motor when i undo the oil cap.
3. Correct me if i am wrong. there is a tapping noise on the right side, but its not the lifter. its coming from a small part i think is called the fuel purge. Any ideas how much a new one costs?
4. Oil residue surrounding a head cover bolt near the middle right cylinder. What should I do about it? anything?
5. Where can I find a new, cheap headlight lense?
6. What is causing the 10+ second clicking noise behind my dash at start-up?
7. Passenger vents wont switch to windshield or floor. it only blows through the dash vents.
8. How hard is it to replace the rear fog lamp?
9. Washer fluid takes a couple seconds and a couple pushes of the button to start working correctly. Is it the squirter motor or something else????
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,714
Likes: 56
From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
This car needs so much work, and I'm clueless when it comes to a Benz. hoping you all can help. my issues are.........
1. Front left wheel seems to bounce and make a banging/knocking noise when i brake. any Ideas? (bushing, control arm, broken caliper bolt, ruined damper...) HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!! ASAP!!! Sounds like a shockabsorber completely lost all oil. Inspect it for leaks .Bounce the corners of the car & compare.
2. Milky Oil.... suggestions??? there is the scent of exhaust fumes and gasoline coming from the motor when i undo the oil cap. Hope you do not have a head gasket leak . Have a radiator pressure test & compression test . Are you using coolant? Hopefully the car has been run on short trips & has not been allowed to vapourize the petrol & moisture in the oil.
3. Correct me if i am wrong. there is a tapping noise on the right side, but its not the lifter. its coming from a small part i think is called the fuel purge. Any ideas how much a new one costs? Pass on this one
4. Oil residue surrounding a head cover bolt near the middle right cylinder. What should I do about it? anything? Bolt may need another seal ring & a tighten down? Best to do it so there is no damage to electricals
5. Where can I find a new, cheap headlight lense?
6. What is causing the 10+ second clicking noise behind my dash at start-up?
7. Passenger vents wont switch to windshield or floor. it only blows through the dash vents. Probably the result of above #6 . Stepper motor ?
8. How hard is it to replace the rear fog lamp? Would not need to be a brain surgeon
9. Washer fluid takes a couple seconds and a couple pushes of the button to start working correctly. Is it the squirter motor or something else????Make sure of the fluid level. Check if there are any filters to clean Minor detail .
1. Front left wheel seems to bounce and make a banging/knocking noise when i brake. any Ideas? (bushing, control arm, broken caliper bolt, ruined damper...) HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!!!!! ASAP!!! Sounds like a shockabsorber completely lost all oil. Inspect it for leaks .Bounce the corners of the car & compare.
2. Milky Oil.... suggestions??? there is the scent of exhaust fumes and gasoline coming from the motor when i undo the oil cap. Hope you do not have a head gasket leak . Have a radiator pressure test & compression test . Are you using coolant? Hopefully the car has been run on short trips & has not been allowed to vapourize the petrol & moisture in the oil.
3. Correct me if i am wrong. there is a tapping noise on the right side, but its not the lifter. its coming from a small part i think is called the fuel purge. Any ideas how much a new one costs? Pass on this one
4. Oil residue surrounding a head cover bolt near the middle right cylinder. What should I do about it? anything? Bolt may need another seal ring & a tighten down? Best to do it so there is no damage to electricals
5. Where can I find a new, cheap headlight lense?
6. What is causing the 10+ second clicking noise behind my dash at start-up?
7. Passenger vents wont switch to windshield or floor. it only blows through the dash vents. Probably the result of above #6 . Stepper motor ?
8. How hard is it to replace the rear fog lamp? Would not need to be a brain surgeon
9. Washer fluid takes a couple seconds and a couple pushes of the button to start working correctly. Is it the squirter motor or something else????Make sure of the fluid level. Check if there are any filters to clean Minor detail .
A workshop manual would also be essential . Some one will help with this . I think you can download it in the USA.
When repaired a througher & complete service should be done with the MB approved oils & filters.
Also make sure your auto gearbox has a complete flush every 39,000 miles.
Good luck & let us know how you go .You will come out of this a competent & experienced DIY mechanic .
It would be an excellent idea to start with, to find a mentor whether a tame local independent mechanic who is patient & does not mind giving advice on some techinical issues or a mate who has done this sort of thing before.
A little history of the car would be interesting .. mileage, type of useage etc ?
Last edited by Carsy; Feb 16, 2013 at 01:11 AM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: midwest USA
2003 C320 Sport
My advice would be to proiritize the problems & go at it systematically . Engine & suspension should come first.Parts can be expensive & these engines need a certain level of expertise when removing heads ect. Don't over capitalise . Make sure the repairs are worth while compared to the value of the car.
A workshop manual would also be essential . Some one will help with this . I think you can download it in the USA.
When repaired a througher & complete service should be done with the MB approved oils & filters.
Also make sure your auto gearbox has a complete flush every 39,000 miles.
Good luck & let us know how you go .You will come out of this a competent & experienced DIY mechanic .
It would be an excellent idea to start with, to find a mentor whether a tame local independent mechanic who is patient & does not mind giving advice on some techinical issues or a mate who has done this sort of thing before.
A little history of the car would be interesting .. mileage, type of useage etc ?
A workshop manual would also be essential . Some one will help with this . I think you can download it in the USA.
When repaired a througher & complete service should be done with the MB approved oils & filters.
Also make sure your auto gearbox has a complete flush every 39,000 miles.
Good luck & let us know how you go .You will come out of this a competent & experienced DIY mechanic .
It would be an excellent idea to start with, to find a mentor whether a tame local independent mechanic who is patient & does not mind giving advice on some techinical issues or a mate who has done this sort of thing before.
A little history of the car would be interesting .. mileage, type of useage etc ?
It has 138,000 miles. I am the 4th owner. According to the carfax it was serviced at the dealership all the way up to 2010 then the record goes down hill. The last owner treated the car like crap. No service records after 2010. there was also over 30,000 miles put on it between 2011-2012. You can tell someone had aftermarket rims on it at one time cause 3 of the 4 wheels do not sit perfectly straight. they are pointed in all different directions. thanks for the advice by the way.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: midwest USA
2003 C320 Sport
If it's brand new I can use it. the right side has already been replaced so my left side is in great shape structurally, its juat foggy compared to the new one. already tried restoring it.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: Portland, Oregon
W203 C320, W208 CLK 320, w209 CLK 500
5. Headlights can be bought on ebay for fairly cheap for oem, or really cheap if you don't mind going with aftermarket depos or one of the other brands, the lens itself wasn't really made to come off very easily, it can be removed if you don't mind throwing your headlight in the oven, but much more work than simply replacing the entire housing.
6. + 7. These are related, and the result of broken stepper motor actuators, or in plain english, there are little plastic arms that connect motors to vents in the air conditioning system, when they break, you get that tapping noise of the motor turning with the arm broken, and you also can't adjust airflow, there is a very detailed thread/guide for how to do this sticked on the top of the w203 page.
8. Very easy, pull back the carpet panel in front of the headlight in the trunk, pop off the board with all the bulbs in it, swap bulb and put back.
9. I'd check the fluid level first, if its fine, it might be a failing motor, which is easy enough to replace and there is a guide on how to do it here somewhere.
I'll leave the other questions for someone else to comment on, Good Luck!
6. + 7. These are related, and the result of broken stepper motor actuators, or in plain english, there are little plastic arms that connect motors to vents in the air conditioning system, when they break, you get that tapping noise of the motor turning with the arm broken, and you also can't adjust airflow, there is a very detailed thread/guide for how to do this sticked on the top of the w203 page.
8. Very easy, pull back the carpet panel in front of the headlight in the trunk, pop off the board with all the bulbs in it, swap bulb and put back.
9. I'd check the fluid level first, if its fine, it might be a failing motor, which is easy enough to replace and there is a guide on how to do it here somewhere.
I'll leave the other questions for someone else to comment on, Good Luck!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,136
Likes: 6
From: GA
2016 Chevrolet SS, 2006 Cadillac STS-V
I wouldn't worry about anything until you get item 2 sorted. You should start by getting your oil analyzed. Get with Blackstone Labs and they can send you a container to collect some oil in and send it to them. They can tell you how wear metals look in the engine as well as if there is any coolant or fuel in the oil. Its cheap and will let you know if you should even bother spending money on the other items.
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: midwest USA
2003 C320 Sport
My advice would be to proiritize the problems & go at it systematically . Engine & suspension should come first.Parts can be expensive & these engines need a certain level of expertise when removing heads ect. Don't over capitalise . Make sure the repairs are worth while compared to the value of the car.
A workshop manual would also be essential . Some one will help with this . I think you can download it in the USA.
When repaired a througher & complete service should be done with the MB approved oils & filters.
Also make sure your auto gearbox has a complete flush every 39,000 miles.
Good luck & let us know how you go .You will come out of this a competent & experienced DIY mechanic .
It would be an excellent idea to start with, to find a mentor whether a tame local independent mechanic who is patient & does not mind giving advice on some techinical issues or a mate who has done this sort of thing before.
A little history of the car would be interesting .. mileage, type of useage etc ?
A workshop manual would also be essential . Some one will help with this . I think you can download it in the USA.
When repaired a througher & complete service should be done with the MB approved oils & filters.
Also make sure your auto gearbox has a complete flush every 39,000 miles.
Good luck & let us know how you go .You will come out of this a competent & experienced DIY mechanic .
It would be an excellent idea to start with, to find a mentor whether a tame local independent mechanic who is patient & does not mind giving advice on some techinical issues or a mate who has done this sort of thing before.
A little history of the car would be interesting .. mileage, type of useage etc ?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,714
Likes: 56
From: 1 hours drive north of Sydney Australia
2007 W204 220CDI Classic Sedan
If not I would suggest changing your oil & filter if it is milky then monitor if the milky colour returns. It may only be caused by short trips where the engine does not warm up sufficiently to evaparate the petrol & moisture .
Last edited by Carsy; Feb 19, 2013 at 03:41 AM.
