Looking at a C36 Monday.... What to watch out for?
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Looking at a C36 Monday.... What to watch out for?
I'm looking at buying one of these on monday that has 95k miles and need to know if there are any common points of failure on these cars. I've been around cars a lot so I know all the normal stuff to look out for. I used to be into 124 and 126 body's so i'm familiar with their quirks (AC and cruise almost never work and the inline six eats a head gaskets every 100k or so). Is there anything similar to watch out for with the C36? wiring harness? rear main leak? etc?
Any tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Weston
Any tips are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Weston
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 344
Likes: 5
From: Los Angeles, CA
w202
Main issues:
- engine harness
- leak from front timing cover (front-right) just above the alternator, use a flashlight to check, there will be a leak that's for sure (every M104 has it), question is how bad is it
- leak from both transmission oil lines, the ones that go to the radiator
- rear bushings for the front lower arms, kinda hard to visually check, but put the car in reverse (make sure you don't run into things), accelerate and brake hard: if you hear a clunk, those are toast for sure
- drive the car on freeway to take it to higher speeds (like 70-80mph) and see if there are any vibrations... cheapest issue will be wheels out of balance, if not... driveshaft tends to develop a vibration on these cars...
- check the ASR if works correctly
- unless the car is in great condition, the headliner will be sagging;
- radio usually has a leaking lcd display (if still original), check for antenna to go up and down as you turn on/off the radio
If you can, have an obd2 reader on hand to check for codes. Take your time and press every possible button, otherwise you might end up with bunch of small issues which will kill your pocket slowly.
I bought 7 w202 cars and average checkout time for me is 40mins, i don't care what the owner things, but i'm checking everything.
Good luck
- engine harness
- leak from front timing cover (front-right) just above the alternator, use a flashlight to check, there will be a leak that's for sure (every M104 has it), question is how bad is it
- leak from both transmission oil lines, the ones that go to the radiator
- rear bushings for the front lower arms, kinda hard to visually check, but put the car in reverse (make sure you don't run into things), accelerate and brake hard: if you hear a clunk, those are toast for sure
- drive the car on freeway to take it to higher speeds (like 70-80mph) and see if there are any vibrations... cheapest issue will be wheels out of balance, if not... driveshaft tends to develop a vibration on these cars...
- check the ASR if works correctly
- unless the car is in great condition, the headliner will be sagging;
- radio usually has a leaking lcd display (if still original), check for antenna to go up and down as you turn on/off the radio
If you can, have an obd2 reader on hand to check for codes. Take your time and press every possible button, otherwise you might end up with bunch of small issues which will kill your pocket slowly.
I bought 7 w202 cars and average checkout time for me is 40mins, i don't care what the owner things, but i'm checking everything.
Good luck
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
Rear bushings or front bushings? how do you have a rear bushing for a front control arm? and clunk from where? the front or rear?
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From: On a rock
92 AMG 190E EVO2DTM, 240T Turbo Benz, 84 AMG 190E, 560SEC-TT, 95 C36 & a BHG 98 C230
I got my 95 C36 off of Craigslist and it needed work:
Mileage: 88k
Body/Interior Excellent Condition always Garaged
Headgasket Compression leak Cylinder to Water Jacket (Valve Job & Chain Drive)
Changed Waterpump & Radiator
Transmission no reverse (Rebuilt)
Drive Shaft Flex Couplers busted (F&R changed)
Motor/Trans Mounts changed
Lower Control arm bushings wasted (upgraded to CLK)
Pittman Arm Bushing Gone! (changed all plus tie rod assy.)
AC wasn't working (Bad Condenser)
Bose Amp Blown (changed, ebay $50)
ASR went out so had to change the T-Body OUCH!
also the Fuel Pressure Regulator was bad which is what I think caused all the problems
in the first place. I change them on every car we service now at 80~100k.
Good luck!
Over $5k in parts & a month in labor.
but the car is perfect now! drives like a new car.
Mileage: 88k
Body/Interior Excellent Condition always Garaged
Headgasket Compression leak Cylinder to Water Jacket (Valve Job & Chain Drive)
Changed Waterpump & Radiator
Transmission no reverse (Rebuilt)
Drive Shaft Flex Couplers busted (F&R changed)
Motor/Trans Mounts changed
Lower Control arm bushings wasted (upgraded to CLK)
Pittman Arm Bushing Gone! (changed all plus tie rod assy.)
AC wasn't working (Bad Condenser)
Bose Amp Blown (changed, ebay $50)
ASR went out so had to change the T-Body OUCH!
also the Fuel Pressure Regulator was bad which is what I think caused all the problems
in the first place. I change them on every car we service now at 80~100k.
Good luck!
Over $5k in parts & a month in labor.
but the car is perfect now! drives like a new car.
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w202
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From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
Isn't the rear bushing the one you can upgrade to CLK? I think thats what I have read and heard good things about. IIRC its the larger one closer to the bottom of the picture? Some info here https://mbworld.org/forums/c36-amg-c...s-c43-amg.html
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
Well, then I guess my rear bushing in the front lower control arm is bad as when I back up and hit the brakes hard, I can definitely hear a clunk from the front (only on the right side though). So my question is, do I really need to replace this bushing? This car will never see the track, it's just my daily driver. What's the worst that could happen if I don't replace it?
Member
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From: On a rock
92 AMG 190E EVO2DTM, 240T Turbo Benz, 84 AMG 190E, 560SEC-TT, 95 C36 & a BHG 98 C230
I have new customer with a C36 and he was taking his car to another shop every 2 years to replace the LCA bushings. They used LEMFOERDER which are the originals bushing manufacturers. The rear is the non-solid original. I told him to upgrade to the CLK ones. When I installed mine I noticed my steering was more responsive. Plus I will probably never have to change them again!
Forgot to add that when you run bigger rims they put a lot of stress on the LCA bushings.
Forgot to add that when you run bigger rims they put a lot of stress on the LCA bushings.
Last edited by Darth Speed; Jan 18, 2011 at 05:56 PM.
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From: Dallas, Texas
W203 C55 and SAAB 9-3 2.0T
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
Thanks, but there's no info on how to DIY. Any special tools required to decompress and compress the bushing in and out of the arm?
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From: San Diego/Escondido, CA
1996 Mercedes C36 AMG
i definitely need to change mine too
been putting it off for a while now, i remember it was fairly simple to do, but there was something about the difficulty about putting it in, like a special tool was necessary, i will look for what i am talking about because i know that was confusing haha
been putting it off for a while now, i remember it was fairly simple to do, but there was something about the difficulty about putting it in, like a special tool was necessary, i will look for what i am talking about because i know that was confusing haha
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From: Canada
eclectic assortment of cars
While the bushings themselves may be cheap, you will almost certainly need an alignment after. The reason being, you have to remove the control arm entirely from the car to get at the bushings, and the front one has the eccentric adjustment bolt in it to play with camber/caster (or was it just one of those? can't remember). Also, to remove the control arm, you need to remove the spring. The round bit at the upper end of the control arm in the photo in the earlier post is where the spring sits.
You will then need a press to press out the old bushing and to press in the new one. You can do without a press, there's a factory tool (or factory reproduction) where you can do this without removing the control arm, but the tool is about $175 if I remember right.
It's DIYable - I did it - but you will need the right tools. I used the 'right' type of spring compressor, and actually I cheated on the bushings - I had my friend do them instead, as I'm too cheap to buy a press. Why clutter up my garage when he's got one 10 minutes away?
Check out kochtools.com, part number KT20272 for the bushing tool. Check out their part number KT20252 or KT20243 for the right type of spring compressor.
On second thought, not all cars have that eccentric adjustment bolt, right? So maybe you could take it apart and put it all back together again without an alignment, but I think you can only tell if you have the adjustment bolt once you remove it. And once you remove it, if you have it, your alignment will be gone.
For these reasons, I did all of my suspension at once - spring, shocks, bushings, all the rear torque/thrust/camber/tie arms.
You will then need a press to press out the old bushing and to press in the new one. You can do without a press, there's a factory tool (or factory reproduction) where you can do this without removing the control arm, but the tool is about $175 if I remember right.
It's DIYable - I did it - but you will need the right tools. I used the 'right' type of spring compressor, and actually I cheated on the bushings - I had my friend do them instead, as I'm too cheap to buy a press. Why clutter up my garage when he's got one 10 minutes away?
Check out kochtools.com, part number KT20272 for the bushing tool. Check out their part number KT20252 or KT20243 for the right type of spring compressor.
On second thought, not all cars have that eccentric adjustment bolt, right? So maybe you could take it apart and put it all back together again without an alignment, but I think you can only tell if you have the adjustment bolt once you remove it. And once you remove it, if you have it, your alignment will be gone.
For these reasons, I did all of my suspension at once - spring, shocks, bushings, all the rear torque/thrust/camber/tie arms.
Last edited by Saaboteur; Jan 25, 2011 at 02:32 PM.
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
^Thanks for the info! But damn, that sounds like a lot more work than I care to take on. I guess I may just have it done by a local shop and bend over for it. 
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1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
. I called a local shop that is VERY credible and they quoted me an OUTRAGEOUS price to install all my parts and do an alignment so be ready to hear them talk about SERIOUS $$$$$$$$$ to do the job.
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eclectic assortment of cars
Seriously guys, it's not too bad - with the right tools. If you have a press, and the right type of spring compressor, you could probably get the entire front - springs, shocks, control arm bushings - done in an extended afternoon. Without those, though, you will likely be *****ing and cursing quite a bit, especially with a cheap type of spring compressor. I think I've had a spring in and out in about 10-15 minutes with the proper type of spring compressor. You just need to make an investment in tools - which you can always use again later on, or sell I suppose. This post presupposes that you have an assortment of wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc and some skill too.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 369
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
Seriously guys, it's not too bad - with the right tools. If you have a press, and the right type of spring compressor, you could probably get the entire front - springs, shocks, control arm bushings - done in an extended afternoon. Without those, though, you will likely be *****ing and cursing quite a bit, especially with a cheap type of spring compressor. I think I've had a spring in and out in about 10-15 minutes with the proper type of spring compressor. You just need to make an investment in tools - which you can always use again later on, or sell I suppose. This post presupposes that you have an assortment of wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc and some skill too.
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
I know this is gonna sound ultra-ghetto, but way back in the day, when my buddies and I used to lower our Acuras/Hondas, we used to simply take the entire shock/spring assembly out, cover them in a generous pile of rags/towels, have one guy put his entire weight on the assembly, while I unscrewed the spring hat against a brick wall, LOL! BANG! the spring would pop against the wall (leaving a knick!) and voila.~
