dfc

Hi everyone, I have some questions regarding to my 03' C32; and hope you guys can help me out.

1. For all you C32 drivers, does your engine sound abnormal. I mean it has this cranking noise (light when revs up, but quite hearable while in idle). It sounds more or less like an amreican disel truck (dodge ram) engine. Is that a normal sound, or have all your engines make nomininal sounds?

2. My front suspension, when going over bumps, seem to be making squeeking noise at an audible level. I figured I'd ask you guys for some suggestions on this one.

3. When coming to a complete stop slowly, my car jerks a lil bit, and then stops. Is that normal?

Thanks for all your help.

dfc

Links to my cars

jswedberg

How long have you had your car? Have you had it in to the dealer and asked about these things? What was previous car? Are these things "different" compared to your previous vehicle?

1) Many people have mentioned that the engine has a "diesel-like" sound at idle. I personally have never noticed it, though.
I guess it depends on what you think of as "abnormal"! Now
if you are hearing something like diesel clatter, take it IMMEDIATELY to the dealer - it could be loose valves, which are not good.

2) The squeeking noise should be fixable - the dealer usually will lubricate the sway bar bushings.

3) What do you mean by "jerks a little bit"? Sometimes the transmission kick down (from second to first) can feel like that. Or maybe the brakes are grabbing at the end? The C32 does have pretty sensitive brakes.

JustinTRW

1) Many have complained about the issue, it is normal.

2) A common problem, your techs may already have a fix for it. People who have had the problem fixed can tell you more about it. I have not had it, so I don't know.

3) This could be two things. Either the transmission downshifting and the brakes doing their job OR the torque covertor issue at around 1500 rpm. If you can replicate the problem, see if it occurs around this engine speed. It seems to be a lock-up mechanism engaging or disengaging. I'm not sure, but it is normal.

Faheem Daddy

That diesel sound you're referring to is a result of the Kompressor...my C230k makes the same noise; and a girl I know has a C-Coupe, and her car makes that same noise. All of us Kompressor owners complain about that. Its normal, I hope.

Harris

[QUOTE]Originally posted by dfc
Hi everyone, I have some questions regarding to my 03' C32; and hope you guys can help me out.

1. For all you C32 drivers, does your engine sound abnormal. I mean it has this cranking noise (light when revs up, but quite hearable while in idle). It sounds more or less like an amreican disel truck (dodge ram) engine. Is that a normal sound, or have all your engines make nomininal sounds?

This is normal, all C32s have that sound, you will get used to it.

2. My front suspension, when going over bumps, seem to be making squeeking noise at an audible level. I figured I'd ask you guys for some suggestions on this one.

Yours is a '03 C32??? I am VERY surprised that you have this sound so soon!!! The squeaking noise shouldnt come out after 5000 miles or so.... Its the sway bar bushing, dirt gets inside the bushing thus making this strange noise (thats what my service guy told me). MB supposed to have a new design for the bushings for all '03 models, probably when your car was made, they're still using the old bushing design. Go to your dealership & ask them to change the bushings for you for now. Wait 'till they have the new bushings in stock before you can completely solve the problem.


3. When coming to a complete stop slowly, my car jerks a lil bit, and then stops. Is that normal?

I believe thats the kickdown of the transmission. The car is supposed to downshift on its own when slowing down.


Thanks for all your help.

dfc

dfc

Thank you all for the help. So the sway bar chage is not absolutely necessary right? Other than the annoying sound it produces, will it cause further damages, say inability to absorb shocks or such...

Dan

Harris

I dont think it will affect the car in any way. But dont you think its a bit annoying for such an expensive car to have that sound? I will get it fixed.

rrf

New Swaybars? did you order them yet? Need review!

Harris

Yup, I've ordered the Evosport sway bars. They are on the FedEx truck now, should be getting them some time next week. I am very looking forward to it.

DL_AMG

1. This is normal. It's the SC sound.
2. Mine is 2003 with almost 1800k mi and haven't had the problem.
3. I think I know what you talking about. I do feel that small jerks especially when I'm in the stop and go traffic. When I'm moving at <5mph and tap on my break to slow down the car (about 1-2mph), I can feel a small jerks from the break. I think AMG break is very sensative which sometime I think is the road that is uneven that makes the jerks. But it does happen quit offen during the 1-5mph breaking (I don't think my tranny have the chance to shift yet). I will bring it in for a check when I have time...

rrf

from a review


""Talking about supercharger, you might have bad impression on Mercedes’ superchargers about their noise and vibration as seen in the 2.0 and 2.3 Kompressor. However, this Lysholm-type (helical) supercharger supplied by Japan’s IHI is not the same as the cheaper root-type superchargers used by C200K and some SLKs. It runs seamlessly and quietly once above idle (which generates diesel-like noise). Engagement and disengagement are made in an unaware manner. There is instant power from just a few hundred revs above idle. From 2,200 to 6,100 rpm, no less than 295 lbft is ready to serve you, proving how flat the torque curve is. It’s not a lazy, torque-bias engine as well, because the redline is actually raised by 200 rpm to 6,200 rpm. Unsurprisingly, the way it deliver its power is very different from M3. While the rev-happy M-power screams fiercely to 8,000 rpm red line to deliver maximum performance, the Mercedes supercharged V6 has instant power all the time. ""

dfc

Have you guys tried to do a little bit of cosmetic changes to your beloved C32, say swap the orange signals for a unified white in the front and whatever in the back?

Well, I was bored the other day, and started to swap bulbs. I noticed that those bulb disassemblies weren't as simple as I had expected. Fog lite for example, it took me quite a while to figure out that I have to reach from behind the wheel and dis-assemble that mud panel; then I could reach in and proceed. Somewhat frustrated, but the end result was good.

Now, with that front parking lite (small 196 bulb), do you guys have any ideas as to how to pull it out from its socket? I shock the headlite assembly violently, almost breaking it, but it remain in its socket rock solid. Oh, as for the rear signal light bulb, the bulb type is a non-standard (1156/57) bulb. Any idea where to obtain some aftermarket rear bulbs for C32?

dfc


03' C32 Pewter, loaded except parking assist, and rear shade.

FrankW

1. DL_AMG: the diesel sound is not coming from the S/C. Every MB car have that noise at idle. I have read some post in the forum that had the informations on that, but i forgot which thread.

dfc: the sound is normal.

2. my car has 7042 miles as of today, and still squeak free.

3. either it is the transmission down shift or the brakes works really well cause the car to stop sooner than you had expected with the force applied to the brake paddle.

Vadim @ evosport

The diesel noise we all hear on late model MB (3-valve engines after '98) are due to a large connecting rod clearance that MB runs on their engines.

We are in a process of building a 6.1L from 4.3L, and the first thing we noticed when the engine was torn apart is how wide the rod journals are on the crank. I am not sure why MB does that.

DL_AMG

FrankW:
My brother's 2001 C320 doesn't sound like mine at all...just curious when you said "MB car have that noise at idle." I think it might be the machenical connections between the engin & SC that create the diesel like sound.

My car just hit 1800k mile yesterday, the weirest thing is my slow breaking problem hasn't reoccre latest few day when I in the traffic. I guess the breaks need to be break-in...

Kar don

I think the S/C pulley has a clutch and it disengages at idle, is this true?

FrankW

yes, it is true. the S/C disengage when ever it is not needed.

FrankW

In slow traffic the transmission is constantly shifting between 1st and 2nd gear. That is the cause of the jerks when you lift of the gas and apply the brake.

As for the sound, two other MB in my family all have that sound. Assure you it is normal. MB crap i guess I really hate that sound too.

c32aus

I had the same problem. Dealer said there is a tech bulletin about the issue. They've changed the rocker arms and camshafts. The sound is almost gone now.
Having said that, I had to take the car in twice because the first time they've worked on it, there was 17% power lost. Since I had the car dyno'ed right before and after their work is done, they could not disagree. I am not quite sure what they've done in the second time but the power is back to normal.