Flash43AMG

my c43 has 209,xxx miles with no rebuilt transmission and still running like a champ!
any suggestions on maintance to keep it alive?!

LawRens

Keep doin' what you're doin'! ****, we should be taking advice from you :P

BenzMaster19

Wow! congrats! But are you 100% sure though? are you the original owner??

appatula

To keep it running? Yeah, replace the transmission NOW!

haha j/k if it has lasted that long it seems like you are doing something right that every single other C43 owner would pay know. Bravo!

Flash43AMG

i am the second owner! the first owner was my Gf's grandfather! he never replaced the trans and only used the car for long trips, so most of the miles are highway!..........
do any of you know where i can get the front and rear bumper for my car for cheap!
i crashed my car today against the wall that divides the highway. its been snowing since last night and the roads aren't that well clean, plus i was on a bridge so it probably was frozen. i am so ****ing mad and upset!!!!!!!!

shivi1345

damn dude....that sucks


didn't the 98's have better trannys than the rest?

C43AMG

I gotta see this....where you at in NJ ?

AMS Performance

First thing you should do is a compression check... if it checks out that will be a testament to the AMG engineers b/c that's impressive.

Tranny rebuild definitely a good idea, doing a full engine flush may not be a bad idea either to get any gunk out of the engine. DEFINITELY get a full fuel injector system flush as well that will clean up all your fuel rails & injectors to get them working like new (it makes an obvious difference).

I wouldn't be surprised if your engine has another 50-90k left, then it may be time to retire her and get another AMG for another 300k

BenzMaster19

You obviously underestimate the potential, longevity, and build quality of an AMG engine.

appatula

Amen to that, AMG engine is as close to eternal as you can get. Its everything else that will eventually deteriorate. New headgaskets valve seals and trannys for C43's and these suckers will be making it to the million mile club soon.

AMS Performance

Once a motor starts dropping compression then it technically needs to be replaced/rebuilt, at that point its technically a bad motor. That doesn't mean that it can't go another 100k+ it just means that its not at 100%. I'd be shocked if it didn't start dropping compression by 300k. Keep in mind too the C43 motor is technically just an MB E430 motor with minor software changes & etc, its not like the C36 motor which can probably literally do 500k+ with ease since its an iron block (as long as you keep doing head gasket).

BenzMaster19

It's not only because it has a Cast iron block, It's because the "internals" of the 3.6LAMG were modified/changed out by AMG like the pistons and the piston rings/compression rings etc...For example the pistons are Super light weight low friction pistons that were installed, That's why it can last longer because it was basically "Rebuilt" by AMG from the ground up.
As for the head gasket,, It was the factory Gasket that was defective from the factory just like the Timing cover gasket, But it "can" still go out again but once changed out it should last a VERYY long time without any troubles anyways (IF done properly!).

shivi1345

^ so AMG did all that work in re-building engines for the C36, but not for the C43??????

BenzMaster19

A LOT more was done to the 3.6LAMG then just the pistons,,, if you want I could inform you of all the mod's done as per AMG??...
As for the 4.3AMG v-8 when it came off of the E430's they added the AMG exhaust, did the ECU tune, and added hotter cams...

KJI3jflarryfe93

sorry to read the sad news about your car!
was it severly damaged?
you wanna link the pictures of how your car looks today?

when I bought my C43 in 2004 I had it for 2 months, I was rear ended by a drugged driver!
not a drunkdriver!
I was nearly rammed on drivers side by this Lebanese manijak! Best to put a bullet in da head for sob's like him!
This ******* have a history of violence and substance abuse!
Many people I know that comes from middle east have a junkie problem in my city and so is their attitude for law and order! Big problems!
Smoking pot is very popular among these dudes!
I also know this dude who almost killed me!

Driving under influence of drug abuse wasn't the first time for him!
Cops didn't do anything to catch this sob!
He crashed my c43 and got away with it!
**** them swedish cops!

AMS Performance

Correct, the 3.6L AMG motor is a true AMG motor from the ground up pretty much, where as the C43 motor is basically just an "off the shelf" E430 motor with software and few minor airbox & exhaust tweaks.

not to start a flame war... but yet another reason why C36 > C43

appatula

No flame war, the facts are the facts, those who want to disagree can't deny cold hard facts. I was referring mostly to the C36 M104 in my previous post but gave the C43's V8 benefit of the doubt, although like we have allready established the AMG M104 is a true AMG engine through and through. They were practically built the same way Ferarri and Lamborghini engines are.....by hand and the C280 2.8L engine was just that, built by hand from the oil pan up.

MarcusF

Your long life is attributable to the M113's Alusil sleeves. The sleeves themselves don't typically "wear". The pistons will eventually wear out (for example when the rings wear past gap spec, they'll allow blow-by to wear out the piston skirt - that takes a HORRIFICALLY LONG TIME under normal circumstances), but actual "cylinder wear" with Alusil? Usually not a problem.

That leaves the top end. Regular oil changes will keep valve guide wear to a minimum, so just listen for timing chain rattle and be prepared for a very long life. The chain is a double roller, so you'll have to be EXTRA patient.

If the engine isn't badly overheated, and doesn't ingest something it shouldn't (has anyone ever heard of a Benz dropping a valve?), death may be very slow.

appatula

Alusil, yet another space age alloy I am not familliar with! Very Interesting information Marcus! I Know AMG also used unorthodox materials for the intake and exhaust valves on the M104, would you happen to have any backround on that?

Flash43AMG

wow, this is interesting! i am learning alot from this thread!=)

i trust my car, i know this baby wont let me down! i do the oil change on time, regular maintanence & i am smoking cars on the road! those horses are running strong without sign of fatigue!!!!!!!!!!!!! i notice this when i was on the highway right next to a c63 amg! oh boy, let me tell you, my flash was keeping up! i dont know but there is something strange with this c43's, its like a chip that activates when you press the gas all the way down....booooooommm you feel the AMG power!!!!!!! YOU LAUNCH LIKE A ROCKET!!!!!!

jayrasheed

well here credit has to go to merc for they have used it for a long time in the v8 alloy blocks (iirc)

as for the valves they r also old tech for merc engines, back to the early 80s i think.

AMGC

haha, its a kickdown switch behind the gas pedal.

AMGC

I dont get why you guys are acting like 209K is some extraordinary amount of miles. One of my Cosworths has well over 200K, perfect compression, original getrag tranny, and is still chirpin 3rd. This mileage is not hard to reach with any MB engine. An electric MB tranny on the other hand.... well we all know how they suck.

appatula

Ditto. I've had a W123 and a W124 upwards of 300k before I wanted something else. They both still ran as they did when I bought them at 200k. I can't tell you how many older early 80's benzs I see that have the million mile club badge on the grille everywhere here.

BenzMaster19

AMG did replace the valves on the 3.6LAMG, and for the exhaust valves they used sodium filled ones. If you were to remove one it would look like its coated in white powder. They did this because the M104AMG produces alot of back pressure, and by using sodium filled valves it almost eliminates the valve from heating up and dissipates it properly = NO loss in power.