Hi all,

This is a duplicate of another thread I started in a different Mercedes site, which has gone unanswered. While it seems there are many threads about the M271 EVO adjusters, any kind of video or audio of the problem is hard to come by. The frequency of this ticking is very low as though it is perhaps a lazy lifter, but am looking for some experienced opinion.

I'm helping a friend with her 2013 w204, which is exhibiting the low frequency ticking that you hear in the video. It's most pronounced at idle, but does speed up with RPMs until about just over 1000 when it goes away. Engine temperature seems to have no effect, and no code is being thrown. The problem is, her car has 118,900 miles on it, and we'd obviously like Mercedes to warranty the repair if possible, but with no code that option may be off the table.

It wasn't noticed until after initial startup after I changed her thermostat. She tells me that the car wasn't doing it before I worked on it, but you really can barely hear this with the hood closed, let alone inside the vehicle, so it likely just went unnoticed.

While perhaps unrelated, I noticed that her dipstick looked a little....rusty, and the oil smelled like gas. The next course of action is to change the oil, is it safe to use seafoam in the oil prior to the oil change to try and free up that sticky lifter...if that's what it may be?

Thoughts?
TIA!

 

Oil is cheep drain and replace it along with the filter, I think I would just change oil don't use any flush incase the situation changes and your friend says you have made it “worse".
I know how it is you are trying to help by giving up your time and somehow their worn parts are your problem.

Personally at that milage if it still ticks after the oil change live with it or spend money wisely buying timing chain tensioner, chains and sprocket kit first as the chain will be well stretched by now.
While it is in pieces replacing the chain replace the lifters.

 

I'm not concerned with being blamed for messing anything up really. I only added that I had just changed the thermostat for context in case it may be relevant, or perhaps, I did mess something up. A problem is what I'm hoping to find, regardless of what it is or why it exists.

We are hoping that this can be pinned down to the cam adjusters, so that they can be replaced under warranty, as they are rather expensive.