CL-Class (W216) 2007-Present: CL 500, CL 600

M278 - P0016 code

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Old 07-20-2018, 05:04 AM
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M278 - P0016 code

Hello,
I have a CL550 with the M278 twin turbo engine and got the error P0016 (position crankshaft / camshaft sensor A Bank1).
The car runs good otherwise, but normal engine start take longer than normal (2-3 seconds) Start / Stop works fine and has no start delay.
I have replaced the passenger side camshaft position sensor on from the intake side, but unfortunately that has not changed the code (I deleted it after the switch)
My guess now is that the diagnosed error is really there and that the timing chain may have lengthened. The engine has about 110k mls. New, updated chain tensioners and check valves for the oil supply are were installed.
My other assumption is the crankshaft sensor, but AFAIK the signal used by all camshaft sensors and then should show all 4 error codes related to cam/crank correlation (p0016-20), right? Since the sensor is quite cheap, I would swap it just as a test.
Do you have any experience with this issue?
Thanks for the help,
Alex
Old 02-28-2019, 01:48 AM
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2014 E550 coupe. Previously owned: 08' C63 AMG-totalled, 2nd 08' C63 AMG-totalled too, 05' C55 AMG
What was the outcome?

Originally Posted by aleco99
Hello,
I have a CL550 with the M278 twin turbo engine and got the error P0016 (position crankshaft / camshaft sensor A Bank1).
The car runs good otherwise, but normal engine start take longer than normal (2-3 seconds) Start / Stop works fine and has no start delay.
I have replaced the passenger side camshaft position sensor on from the intake side, but unfortunately that has not changed the code (I deleted it after the switch)
My guess now is that the diagnosed error is really there and that the timing chain may have lengthened. The engine has about 110k mls. New, updated chain tensioners and check valves for the oil supply are were installed.
My other assumption is the crankshaft sensor, but AFAIK the signal used by all camshaft sensors and then should show all 4 error codes related to cam/crank correlation (p0016-20), right? Since the sensor is quite cheap, I would swap it just as a test.
Do you have any experience with this issue?
Thanks for the help,
Alex
What was the outcome of the issue you’re having??I have a 14 E550 M278 and it’s doing the exact same thing you describe. I have a CEL and so also have to hold the start button for a very longs time to get it to start. What did you end up doing to yours to correct your problem?
Old 02-28-2019, 05:33 AM
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Thanks for the follow up. I forgot to post the end of the story.
It turned out that all 4 cam adjusters were shot. In particular they were showing significant wear in the area of the locking barrel (you have to disassemble then to check that. Worst offender was the intake adjuster of the passenger side. When one adjuster is worn, the likelihood that the others are also damaged is very high. (mine had 200k km on the clock)
I also switched out both secondary chains. I expected more stretch there, but both were only about 4mm longer than new.
Its all doable with the engine in the car. Get all the WIS docs and its not a problem.
Good luck Alex
Old 11-10-2019, 06:05 PM
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2012 CLS 550, 2015 Q50S, 2007 CLS 550 (sold)
how hard was it to remove the cam adjusters. Are they keyed to insure the teeth are not off when you install the new ones. I'm worried that I may damage the engine by not having the teeth lined up with the chain since the M278 is an interference engine. Also, where did you find the cam hold down brackets to remove the cam adjusters?
Old 11-12-2019, 03:57 PM
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Originally Posted by aleco99

Hello,
I have a CL550 with the M278 twin turbo engine and got the error P0016 (position crankshaft / camshaft sensor A Bank1).
The car runs good otherwise, but normal engine start take longer than normal (2-3 seconds) Start / Stop works fine and has no start delay.
I have replaced the passenger side camshaft position sensor on from the intake side, but unfortunately that has not changed the code (I deleted it after the switch)
My guess now is that the diagnosed error is really there and that the timing chain may have lengthened. The engine has about 110k mls. New, updated chain tensioners and check valves for the oil supply are were installed.
My other assumption is the crankshaft sensor, but AFAIK the signal used by all camshaft sensors and then should show all 4 error codes related to cam/crank correlation (p0016-20), right? Since the sensor is quite cheap, I would swap it just as a test.
Do you have any experience with this issue?
Thanks for the help,
Alex
get Xentry
Old 02-20-2020, 11:29 PM
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Originally Posted by aleco99
Thanks for the follow up. I forgot to post the end of the story.
It turned out that all 4 cam adjusters were shot. In particular they were showing significant wear in the area of the locking barrel (you have to disassemble then to check that. Worst offender was the intake adjuster of the passenger side. When one adjuster is worn, the likelihood that the others are also damaged is very high. (mine had 200k km on the clock)
I also switched out both secondary chains. I expected more stretch there, but both were only about 4mm longer than new.
Its all doable with the engine in the car. Get all the WIS docs and its not a problem.
Good luck Alex
Do you have instructions for changing the crankshaft position sensor? I replaced all four adjusters and both chain tensioners but still have the P0016 code. I didn't replace the secondary chains while I had the engine broken down so now i'm hoping it's just the sensor. It appears to be located on the driver side rear of the engine but not accessible.
Old 02-21-2020, 09:27 AM
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I changed the CPS also in my car. To 99% its not the sensor. I had the same thought back then. Save yourself the hassle as you have to remove the vacuum pump and you'll still break your hand. Please schedule a time with your MB dealer or somebody with a xentry.
What we did was a test of each adjuster to see if its in the right range of adjustment. One of them was out of range, although the mechanical marks lined up.
We then startet to play around with a filed down cam sensor and moved that left and right in the bore to see in which direction the offset was. This way we were able to pinpoint that it was off one tooth and corrected that.
P0016 is only triggered when there is truly an error in the cam adjusters.
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Old 02-21-2020, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by aleco99
I changed the CPS also in my car. To 99% its not the sensor. I had the same thought back then. Save yourself the hassle as you have to remove the vacuum pump and you'll still break your hand. Please schedule a time with your MB dealer or somebody with a xentry.
What we did was a test of each adjuster to see if its in the right range of adjustment. One of them was out of range, although the mechanical marks lined up.
We then startet to play around with a filed down cam sensor and moved that left and right in the bore to see in which direction the offset was. This way we were able to pinpoint that it was off one tooth and corrected that.
P0016 is only triggered when there is truly an error in the cam adjusters.
thanks for the info. I definitely didn’t want to go back into the engine after performing that job the last time but looks like I’ll have to in order to correct the offset. Maybe I’ll do the secondary chains this time just to make sure chain stretch isn’t causing the issue also.

I have new adjusters and tensioners installed but I’ve read that if you update the chain you have to buy new adjusters and tensioners because the new chains have different links and are not compatible. Maybe I can find the older style chain to prevent replacing the new adjusters I just installed.
Old 04-24-2020, 06:16 PM
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Originally Posted by dstoud
thanks for the info. I definitely didn’t want to go back into the engine after performing that job the last time but looks like I’ll have to in order to correct the offset. Maybe I’ll do the secondary chains this time just to make sure chain stretch isn’t causing the issue also.

I have new adjusters and tensioners installed but I’ve read that if you update the chain you have to buy new adjusters and tensioners because the new chains have different links and are not compatible. Maybe I can find the older style chain to prevent replacing the new adjusters I just installed.
Not sure if you ever fixed your car but found one that the reluctor wheel on the camshaft had spun a few degrees and it needed the complete camshaft.

These newer cars and their respective engines are junk.They will end up totaled soon when one of many repairs will supersede their value.
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Old 12-16-2021, 03:51 PM
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W166 ML550
Originally Posted by aleco99
Thanks for the follow up. I forgot to post the end of the story.
It turned out that all 4 cam adjusters were shot. In particular they were showing significant wear in the area of the locking barrel (you have to disassemble then to check that. Worst offender was the intake adjuster of the passenger side. When one adjuster is worn, the likelihood that the others are also damaged is very high. (mine had 200k km on the clock)
I also switched out both secondary chains. I expected more stretch there, but both were only about 4mm longer than new.
Its all doable with the engine in the car. Get all the WIS docs and its not a problem.
Good luck Alex
I know it is an old thread, but I have exactly the same problem on my W166. Did you test your camshaft adjusters by rotating the engine, were they jumping.
I wonder what is the way to find out which phaser is out of shape without removing it.
I replaced chain tensioners and check valves, but still got the p0016 code and long cranking.

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