M271 6th worst engine ever.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
M271 6th worst engine ever.
Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; Sep 11, 2025 at 12:22 AM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,269
Likes: 172
From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
On the flipsiide....
15 Legendary Engines That Refuse to Quit
I was hoping the M111 would be in their, but I suppose their tendency to blow head gaskets
nixed that, The Mercedes‑Benz OM617 Diesel made the list though woot woot!
15 Legendary Engines That Refuse to Quit
I was hoping the M111 would be in their, but I suppose their tendency to blow head gaskets
nixed that, The Mercedes‑Benz OM617 Diesel made the list though woot woot!
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 14,710
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From: unbegrenzt
2017 GLE350 4MATIC
^good list also^
I owned the Toyota 1GR-FE and Ford 300ci six and they indeed were engines for the long haul.
Guy I know has a Ford 7.3L IDI diesel and seems like it should go for at least another decade and couple hundred thousand more miles.
I owned the Toyota 1GR-FE and Ford 300ci six and they indeed were engines for the long haul.
Guy I know has a Ford 7.3L IDI diesel and seems like it should go for at least another decade and couple hundred thousand more miles.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,275
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From: BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
From 2002 to 2011, Mercedes slotted the supercharged M271 into C‑Class sedans and SLK roadsters.
It offered punchy low‑end torque—until you hit 30,000 miles and heard the balance‐shaft bearing rattle, signaling imminent engine collapse.
The plastic timing‐chain tensioner and guide rails disintegrated, letting chains skip teeth and trash valves.
Owners report coolant‐pipe gasket disasters, warped exhaust manifolds, and tricky-to-access accessory drives that double labor time.
Luxury tax gets you premium leather seats and a ticking time bomb under the hood—famously expensive to repair once out of warranty.
It offered punchy low‑end torque—until you hit 30,000 miles and heard the balance‐shaft bearing rattle, signaling imminent engine collapse.
The plastic timing‐chain tensioner and guide rails disintegrated, letting chains skip teeth and trash valves.
Owners report coolant‐pipe gasket disasters, warped exhaust manifolds, and tricky-to-access accessory drives that double labor time.
Luxury tax gets you premium leather seats and a ticking time bomb under the hood—famously expensive to repair once out of warranty.
Still on the original chain and guides on this end.
Plastic coolant pipes are a nuisance but aren't the end of the world. The exhaust manifold cracking only applied to earlier builds.
Is the engine that hard to disassemble?
