3000 rpm limit on warm engine P0100 error
My Injector 1 failed recently which is typical Merc 2.2L CDI issue happening every 60k miles. It was repaired and the issue started a few weeks after that. (I'm just adding this as it might be related. Maybe MAF sensor got contaminated with fumes or something).
- While the engine is cold the car drives like a train. Once it gets 80-90'C its is not allowing me to go above 3000 rpm.
- I cleaned all the connectors I could find, checked all relays and fuses, cleaning all connections I saw in all 3 fuse box places.
- Replaced fuel filter, checked and cleaned the air filter bay, replaced the air filter.
- Cleaned MAF sensor using the electronics cleaner. I thought I fixed it but then again once the engine got into warm expected temperature the car is not letting me pass 3k rpm.
- I unplugged the MAF sensor while the engine was warm, and then the other sensor below (not sure what that one is for). Started the car again still, the car did not allow me to go above 3K rpm.
- On the cold engine, I unplugged the MAF and the car very quickly did not let me go above 2000 rpm. No error lights on the dashboard such as check engine or other "LIMP mode" were displayed.
- 2 small air vacuum filters got cleaned (I think they are related to the Turbo pressure regulator). No improvement results whatsoever.
- EGR valve was cleaned and actually, it was not that dirty and totally clogged up like I saw some people had. It was more oily dirt than solid dirt and quite easy to clean up.
- As in recent years, my turbine engagement was not as rapid so I also used wynn turbo cleaner (paraffine oil can work the magic too), I cleaned the turbo actuator module and put the quality grease on it. Manual movement of the open/close arm is looking OK.
The issue happens when the engine gets to fully warm-up temperature (after 40min drive) and stays there for a 4+ hours after the drive. Then I think error cleans itself and I start from the square one.
This lets me think that if I could easily use a can freezer on this sensor if it would allow me to start it from a 'cool sensor' status and drive fine. That would confirm that the problem is the bloody MAF sensor which I tried to clean well and be delicate with it.
(It is Hot Film MAF Sensor type).
Here is something worth checking too.
https://www.justanswer.com/uk-car/3z...it-senser.html
Any assistance and next check suggestions welcome (before I really would be forced to pay for a quite expensive MAF sensor - just to test if this is the rouge thing causing such a weird problem).
MAF looks like this :
PIERBURG 7.22684.00
Merc no:A6110940048
PBT GF30
Last edited by adam.itech; Jun 22, 2018 at 08:10 AM.
I bet if I could attach freeze air-can via a pipe to it I could cool it down so the error would not come up! :P Bet on MAF was the right bet. 'Cleaning' turbo and inlet manifold helped with the smaller 'turbo hole' too. The train is back!

If i do a WOT, the car rpm will stop around 6000 rpms (redline is 7200), and hang there until a fuel cut off happens. It feels like its hitting a soft limiter. However when you slowly accelerate aka half pedal or so, the car will go to redline. Only have tried all this during normal operating temperature.
Did you have same symptoms as me? Or just would not go past 3000 regardless?
Any info helps...thank you.


