Sooty exhaust on C300 4 cyl turbo
09-04-2018, 08:04 PM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Sooty exhaust on C300 4 cyl turbo
Is anyone seeing a visible soot accumulation on their car? Does this have to do with direct injection or is donething seriously wrong with the engine?
09-05-2018, 12:08 PM
#2
Senior Member
I don't know if you're seeing soot as much as you're seeing brake dust. The stock MB pads are NOTORIOUS for dusting all over the vehicle. Hence why I swapped to ceramic.
09-05-2018, 12:35 PM
#4
Yes, I have the same issue in my 2016 C300. Black soot all over the rear of the car, constantly.
I can take the car to a wash to clean it, drive home, and there be a thin film of black soot already covering the rear bumper and part of the trunk lid. Especially if any water is left, it attaches right to it.
While I haven't looked into it that deep, seems like one of those things that isn't a "problem" and is just the way the car is. My vehicle is Polar White, so the soot shows more than usual, which makes me unsure if this is a common problem for the 2.0L inline-4 engine, or is a one-off thing to be more concerned about. The soot also finds its way into the sills of the vehicle - every time I wash the car, I have to open all doors & trunk to wipe down the sills on the inside, as they are covered with the soot after just several days of normal driving.
Hopefully this is not an indicator of poor engine health or shortened lifespan.
I can take the car to a wash to clean it, drive home, and there be a thin film of black soot already covering the rear bumper and part of the trunk lid. Especially if any water is left, it attaches right to it.
While I haven't looked into it that deep, seems like one of those things that isn't a "problem" and is just the way the car is. My vehicle is Polar White, so the soot shows more than usual, which makes me unsure if this is a common problem for the 2.0L inline-4 engine, or is a one-off thing to be more concerned about. The soot also finds its way into the sills of the vehicle - every time I wash the car, I have to open all doors & trunk to wipe down the sills on the inside, as they are covered with the soot after just several days of normal driving.
Hopefully this is not an indicator of poor engine health or shortened lifespan.
09-05-2018, 02:22 PM
#5
Senior Member
Yes, I had the same problem but when I switched to ceramic brake pads the problem went away. I'd take it to the dealer and let them tell you for sure but i'm not convinced yet that what you're seeing is exhaust soot. It would get all over the sides and collect on the rear bumper and somehow around the license plate area and in the strip where the C300 and 4Matic badges are located. ESPECIALLY in the fake brake vents in the rear bumper.
09-05-2018, 02:32 PM
#7
Senior Member
Any time, also for the other poster, if it's on your window sills it's probably also brake dust. The stock MB pads are horrendous when it comes to this. However, if i'm wrong and the dealership tells you it's soot please fill us in on what they say the cause is and if they say it's a known MB issue.
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09-11-2018, 04:00 PM
#8
Newbie
Thread Starter
Exactly what is happeningbto mine. Also polar white. Let me know (amd vuce versa) if you eger get a determination other than some water vapor spritz from the muffler. Still dont think itbis brake dust. Thank you
Yes, I have the same issue in my 2016 C300. Black soot all over the rear of the car, constantly.
I can take the car to a wash to clean it, drive home, and there be a thin film of black soot already covering the rear bumper and part of the trunk lid. Especially if any water is left, it attaches right to it.
While I haven't looked into it that deep, seems like one of those things that isn't a "problem" and is just the way the car is. My vehicle is Polar White, so the soot shows more than usual, which makes me unsure if this is a common problem for the 2.0L inline-4 engine, or is a one-off thing to be more concerned about. The soot also finds its way into the sills of the vehicle - every time I wash the car, I have to open all doors & trunk to wipe down the sills on the inside, as they are covered with the soot after just several days of normal driving.
Hopefully this is not an indicator of poor engine health or shortened lifespan.
I can take the car to a wash to clean it, drive home, and there be a thin film of black soot already covering the rear bumper and part of the trunk lid. Especially if any water is left, it attaches right to it.
While I haven't looked into it that deep, seems like one of those things that isn't a "problem" and is just the way the car is. My vehicle is Polar White, so the soot shows more than usual, which makes me unsure if this is a common problem for the 2.0L inline-4 engine, or is a one-off thing to be more concerned about. The soot also finds its way into the sills of the vehicle - every time I wash the car, I have to open all doors & trunk to wipe down the sills on the inside, as they are covered with the soot after just several days of normal driving.
Hopefully this is not an indicator of poor engine health or shortened lifespan.
09-11-2018, 04:02 PM
#9
I know what brake dust is, and I know what soot is. I know how to differentiate the two.
I think this is something we will not know about until a year or two from now when the first engines start failing at 80-100k
09-12-2018, 08:16 AM
#10
Senior Member
It's not brake dust. I understand why some would say that, but I'm not an uninformed car owner.
I know what brake dust is, and I know what soot is. I know how to differentiate the two.
I think this is something we will not know about until a year or two from now when the first engines start failing at 80-100k
I know what brake dust is, and I know what soot is. I know how to differentiate the two.
I think this is something we will not know about until a year or two from now when the first engines start failing at 80-100k
09-12-2018, 08:34 AM
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
Soot is normal on a highly boosted turbo car. They run on the rich side of Stoich during power enrichment to keep the engine safe, the result is some unburnt fuel coming out the exhaust as soot. If you see a car on the dyno, it's not uncommon to see a puff of black smoke out the exhaust when the throttle is fully opened. This isn't very noticeable when the car is moving down the road and the air disperses it, unless you know what to look for, but it's quite normal.
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