jmoody207

So just today at about 1500rpm and 18mph the engine hiccuped twice, lost all power, then made a heavy metallic rattle, like lightly greased marble sized steel ***** dropping in single file back to back from a height of one foot into a aluminum container for less than 2 seconds. Now it turns over fine, no extra noise, just wont start. could this be the timing chain? and given that it is, did the top end get destroyed (valves etc..)?
My shop won't be able to look at it for 6 days.
more info

1999 CLK430
144,397. miles
valves or rockers always knocked loud.
wasn't beating on it.

exhaustgases

Could have. You could remove some spark plugs and check for compression.

jmoody207

Now in a 430 after losing a chain would it mess the valves up??? Or is there enough clearance? I'm asking because the work needed to be done to replace the valves and chain are close to just putting a used motor in.

MarcusF

It's possible that somehow the double row timing set broke. It's easy enough to tell. Pull the passenger side valve cover. If the chain is loose (guide failure) or not there, then things may be expensive. In that case, more than a set of valves and a chain is needed. Chain guides, pistons (if the valves hit something, that something should be replaced, and they come in eight packs) probably a rocker set, and bearings. In addition, someone should ensure the rods are straight, as well as the cams, and the crank. All that is known to bend when a motor eats a valve.

However, you said it cranks normally. When pistons are hitting valves, engines usually don't spin easily. It could be a timing chain, but it could be a lot of things. Before tearing the engine apart you may want to ensure you're getting spark and fuel. It's far more likely that the CPS failed than the timing chain. On an ME 2.8 car, if the CPS is dead and the car cranks, it stores a code. A P0335, P300D, P0335, or a P2034. I've forgotten which and there may be a couple of others. I have no idea whether your ME 2.0 car stores it. Have you dumped the codes? If so, what are they?

Lastly, if it is the CPS, and the top end is noisy (common on an M113), it may be the lifters (common on an M113). Some of us have swapped the lifters out to quiet things down.

I hope that helps.

jmoody207

Good idea's to try, thank you. Now if it was the CPS wouldn't I get some kind of display code on the dash?

jmoody207

Or gow do I obtain the codes.

MarcusF

No. There is no CPS warning light. All you have is the universal check engine light.

If it's the CPS, a code would be stored because the ECU knows the starter has been engaged but it is not picking up a signal from the CPS, showing that the engine was moving. If the car was finally restarted, with an ME 2.8, you'd see a check engine light - after the car was running. In your case, the car isn't running, so you don't see anything. With an ME 2.8 car, if the CPS was bad and you dumped the codes right now you'd see a CPS failure code. I don't know whether ME 2.0 cars store that or not. It seems likely they would.

To dump the codes, you use a code reader. Some auto parts chain stores loan them to customers for free with the hope that those same customers will buy parts from them. I bought mine about 10 years ago for less than $50 IIRC. Many code readers can also be used to clear codes. Not all codes (like some transmission codes for example), but many.

jmoody207

So the code p0341 came up. Thats the cam sensor. I relpaced it with a new one. And it still won't fire. I can hear the fuel pump coming on. Stuck now.

exhaustgases

Did you ever resolve this?

jmoody207

No one could figure it out without tearing into the motor. So I just sold it. Gonna get a 2006 e350 4 matic. Average miles perfect shape. Just concerned about the balance shaft issues for that year. Has 86,000. Miles.

GatorMB

From post 1 it sounds like the hydraulic tensioner fell apart but we will never know now.

If the chain remains intact when this happens there will be no compression and the piston to valve clearance will be ok. If the latter a broken chain or cam gear fails the valves will hit the piston and contribute to Marcus description above post and destroy the engine.

Mercedes recommends replacing the chain @ 200k Km. Around 140,000 miles. Other manufacturers that use the double roller in a V8 specify 200,000 miles.

Cam sensor code and free spinning engine might be the chain failure as well.

Cheers

burgca

Sorry to hear that no one figured out the issue. The cost of the balance shaft repair for the w211 would be a new engine for the w208, I would go for a 2008 model to avoid the issue good luck!!