I am feeling defeated by my 2003 W203 C180 kompressor Sport Coupe.
Since my C207 is totaled due to floods I am left to get it running ASAP.
Since I got the car I have faced the same problem and for the life of me I cannot figure it out. P0020 Continuous Camshaft Adjustment, Incorrect Position of the Exhaust Camshaft.
To the list of parts:
-new timing chain
-2 new adjusters
-2 new valves
-new exhaust camshaft position sensor (it was leaking oil from the connector so it had to go anyway)
The camshafts are in time, I have checked the markings enough times to remove and install the valve cover in my sleep and it still shows up. I have checked the wiring to both sensors and adjusters and it all seems the same but it only gives me an exhaust camshaft error. The camshafts do not advance no matter how I drive the car and the only thing I have noticed is that the intake camshaft hangs at about 115 degrees and the exhaust is at 107 as shown in the picture.

Camshat positions after a hard drive.
When I forcibly advance the camshafts through the actuation test they slam in fully advanced positions. The actuation test on my scan tool is in 5% increments from 0-100% and at 45% the camshafts advance fully but do not react either below or above said value. The camshafts advance to 88deg for the intake and -80deg for the exhaust.
Do these camshafts adjust though the entire range of motion or are they only on/off? What should be normal values for the camshaft positions on a warm engine at idle with no loads? ( Mine are 115,3deg for the intake and the exhaust is at -107,3deg)
I have considered plugged oil paths but I really don't want to remove the camshafts again and I am unsure if it will even be possible to clean by hand. ( maybe a cleaning oil additive and an oil change)
Are the teeth on the camshaft used by the position sensor cast into the shaft or pressed on? (i have seen position teeth get pressed out in time and turn about on the camshaft)
A faulty ECU is also an option but I do not know how to prove that it's dead and do not know the procedure to learn it to the car even if I bought one.

At this point I am feeling defeated and tired, if it wasn't for the amout of time, labour and money poured into it I would have sold it already but now I have no other option other than get it fixed.

 

"..new exhaust camshaft position sensor (it was leaking oil from the connector so it had to go anyway).."

If the oil has infiltrated into the connector and cable?, then it may have migrated back to the ECU?, this is a common failure on many models..

 

I am posting an update as I am obliged to after all the suffering in the past 3 months. The car is fixed.
I was rechecking everything and noticed that even though the camshaft position sensors have different part numbers from mercedes they are identical in size, connector , o-ring placement, everything. Decided to swap them and see what happens and everything works. I have no clue why, only thing i can guess is the fact that the intake camshaft sensor was the original one and the exhaust one was a Bosch aftermarket one and since the intake cam has one long "ridge" that the sensor needs to read and the exhaust has 3 short ones and one long one. I figure the waveform on the Bosch one is less accurate but I am unsure. At this point I am not removing anything since I finally got it working and will not bother to confirm. I will reassemble the rest of it tomorrow and test drive it.

 

Never mind the previous message. Took it for a drive today after reassembling everything last night. Still does it but now I at least see movement from the actuators before the dtc sets.
According to data from ESI Tronic the value of the exhaust camshaft supposedly should be less than -100deg. I don’t know if I should trust said value.
Something else of interest. According to ESI there is a known issue with this engine where the chain tensioner for the oil pump chain has a plug and said plug can get loose and even fall causing a lack of oil pressure.
Has anyone seen anything about that issue, any way to inspect said tensioner and guide assembly without removing half the engine?
I will attach photos of the tensioner and plug later tonight.
Also is there a service hole to measure oil pressure?

 

I have an '05 C230 Kompressor Sport Coupe. Checking the oil pressure is done with a tool that goes where your oil filter goes. I attached the procedure. Maybe your car works the same. Seems like if you searched for the tool part number and found the tool, the list of models it fits would tell you if it will work.