Guys & Gals,

I need some help diagnosing the source of my 2006 C230 (M272) throwing the P0016 and P0017 codes in bank 1 repeatedly.

Background:

-155k miles, but very well maintained w/ 0W40 full syn changes every 3-5k miles (owned last 70k mi)

-In the past, had misfire issues solved by new spark plugs, coilpacks, and intake manifold (plastic butterfly valve was stuck)

-Dealership recalled all 4 cam mags & sensors 3 years ago


Presently:

-I replaced bank 1's 2 cam sensors & 2 cam magnets again this week. Reset the codes, CEL comes on (no flash) w/i 15 min without fail.

-When CEL is on, I'm experiencing reduced torque from stop and a lower-than-normal grumble between 3k-5.5k rpm. When codes are clear, car is totally normal. When the CEL is on, no weird vibrations, just reduced power.


Repairs I'm Considering:

-Crankshaft sensor

The crank sensor is not as easily accessible as the cam replacement was, but it's my next guess and it's cheap.

-Timing Chain

The chain appears clean and tight to the naked eye, not sticky from old oil as other sites have warned of. Not sure if this would be worth the trouble.

-Balance shaft

This would total the car. I know the M272 is known for balance shaft sprocket failure, there was even a class action settlement that I failed to notice back in 2014. I've seen the parts kit available for as cheap as $500, but I've also seen others quoted $7k with labor from MB. I have access to a lift and mechanic, but I'd still have to pay him for the time spent away from other customer's cars.


Options:

-Repair & Keep

God I hope it's not the balance shaft. If it is, and I repair it, is it worth keeping afterwards?

-Repair & Sell

I really really hope it's not the balance shaft. But if it is, certainly I'd have to fix it to retain any type of value, no?

-Sell As-Is

Do I just move on and eat the loss? How much further can a ~$7k 11 year used MB really depreciate?

 

Wow that car is still worth $7k!?!? That's steep.

 

No, that's what I paid in 2011. KBB says $5800 private sale.

 

You're screwed. Your balance shaft sprocket is toast. You need to pull the engine to replace it.
To do a definitive test do this.
Rotate the crankshaft to 305 degrees.
Pull all four Hall sensors on the front of the cam cover ends. (the ones with a single screw)
Look inside and you should see a round stamp in each one If you don't rotate the engine around to 305 again.
If these four circle stamps aren't dead nuts in the centers of the four Hal sensor holes, your're hosed.
This is about a $6500 repair at the dealer I just did my 2006 C230 Sport with 108,000 miles. About $1200 in parts and a pant load of time. MB makes a repair "kit" 272 030 04 13.
Search the interweb for Mercedes balance shaft failure. Good Mercedes video on youtube showing hole alignment I mentioned above.

Good luck, Dave

 

I'm pretty sure you're right, Dave.

Thanks for the steps, I'll check out the crank at 305 and report back. Since you've done the repair before - do you think pulling the engine and dumping a lower-milage M272 from my parts car would be preferable over just doing the balance shaft sprocket repair to the existing engine?

 

Car:

You need to check the serial number of the donor engine. You can google Mercedes balance shaft failure. There is a site you enter your VIN and it will tell you. It's not the mileage that matters. They can fail from 10k to 200k miles. It's not a matter of if, just when. If your donor engine is within the affected range but not throwing the P0016 and P0017 codes, swap it and sell it.

Dave

 

Is it possible to re-align the sprocket with the 305? There was a video on You tube that mentioned doing this as a cheaper alternative? Would that work? I don’t know.

 

I have an MB w204 from 2011 and had the same error code.
I replaced the cam and crankshaft position sensors, checked the solenoids, the chain and vacuum lines but the problem still persisted when the engine was at max temperature.
The shop did a short analysis and told me it was the chain and the camshaft that was damaged. Since I already replaced the chain and the camshafts 2 years ago, I believed this was nonsense and must be something else.
The engine choke itself when idle, vibrated alot and missfired.
After oil and oilfilter replacement, the problem was solved.
This is something I should have thought of since the car has been mostly standing still for the last year and caused the oil to loose its lubricating properties which in turn caused the oil not to dissipate the eat and lubricate the timing chain properly. I hope this may solve p0017 error code for a concerned MB owner.

 

@Joew204 , terrific experience, thanks. My 2008 after 164K miles still in good shape…except for that P0017 and P0016 which reduces power at low speed due to Intake cam locked at 36.2 degree. Good news: after replaced magnet, sensor and wiring on exhaust side, P0017 is gone. Similar replacement on Intake side but P0016 persists. My next step would be oil/filter change early and to lighter viscosity. Any other thought?

 

hello all,
i bought this 2007 c230 2.5 with many problems! i just want to confirm a bad intake bank 1 cam phazer! i have pulled the engine and installed all new timing stuff,
new chain,ballance shaft witch old one had no teeth left,crankshaft timing gear,all new guides,and tensioner,all new sensors the magnet ones and cam sensors.
motor runs great!! mileage is low 109k so i didn't replace the phazers it should have a little more power i think after all that work rechecked all timing marks are
spot on!Any thoughts peoples? i also have a P2004 intake runner code i replaced the flap pivit but it stoped working i will be replacing the intake manifold since
my scanner won't activate the flaps