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2014 E350, 2006 C350 Sport(made it to 280k, loved it!), 1990 300E
This is good, Glyn. May have this looked at today since I am at the dealer. Hopefully, they won't charge me if they have to replace the plugs on the cylinder head.
I'm new here and here's an update of how to fix this yourself. I'm in Australia and one of the dealers quoted me $400 to fix the problem. The problem as mentioned is with the Cam Plug part no.: A000 998 56 90 and A000 998 55 90. I fixed the problem myself and it only took 15 minutes. Cost me $35 for both parts. If you want to know how to remove the covers, please follow this link.
This thread was very helpful.
I just did my 08 CLK350 in 10 minutes.
It has two small plugs and one large one, $15 total parts.
The previous valve cover leak problem that plagued the early w208 clk is not a problem on the w209, but those darn plastic parts on hot metal engines only last 100k miles.
Love my MB, my sixth one and first convertable.
Thanks for the great info.
The cam plugs snap in fairly tight, so I don't think you would be able to rotate them unless the seals were shot. As for the vacuum pump, i think that is also called an "oil centrifuge" which is used to keep oil out of the crankcase ventilation system. I think it's not that they stopped using it, but they changed the way the rear of the camshafts are sealed so that the left bank has the two snap-in plugs and the right side has the oil centrifuge and the smaller plug is now bolted in place
Well I tried futzin with the seals again when the motor was hot and they'd expanded enough to be stuck in place. Perhaps that's the point... Or not. There was enough leakage for me to see the smoke of the burning oil however. DX
So, when I install new expansion plugs, should I be spraying them with that silicon spray like you're apparently supposed to use on the engine cover/air box-to-MAF seal?
(I've never actually used that silicon spray on the engine cover/air box anyway...)
No - just pop them in place. If the opening feels dry, wet the seals with some fresh engine oil. The seals were revised and you should have no more leaks.
Just put them in today. I did this with the engine cold. They went in ok but stuck out about 3-4 mm. This was the same on all 3 so I thought it was normal, maybe part of the revision. I checked them again with the engine hot and they slid all the way in smooth as silk. When it was cold it really felt like they wouldn't go in any further, I was really reaming on them... Any of you guys experience this?
Just put them in today. I did this with the engine cold. They went in ok but stuck out about 3-4 mm. This was the same on all 3 so I thought it was normal, maybe part of the revision. I checked them again with the engine hot and they slid all the way in smooth as silk. When it was cold it really felt like they wouldn't go in any further, I was really reaming on them... Any of you guys experience this?
The ones in my sons W203 M272 are a couple of mm from flush and leaking slightly. I'll need to replace them sometime soon. Good to know they go all the way in flush when hot as I would have thought sticking out a bit was normal as that's how they are now.
Thanks for everyone's contribution to this thread - and of course the more frequent contributors. Without you guy's help I would've spent hundreds on repairs that I've done myself since owning my W203
Those caps go all the time. They are there so if the engine has to be done the cams can be timed. They are plastic with rubber seals. I highly recommend also replacing the breather box to avoid premature failure.
On some models it is harder to do like the ML or the R class .
My MY2004 CLK500 smells of burning oil when I'm stopped at a light, or even stop sign. Mercedes dealer said value cover - I checked it and it's all dry and the previous owner had it done last year anyway. I felt as far as my hands could reach for the cam plugs and could only feel 2 small ones - and both dry. How many cam plugs does the M113 have? What else might this be? I don't see oil anywhere? Car has 116K miles and pretty well kept with respect to servicing.
he M113 does not have cam plugs. The typical oil leak will be the valve cover gaskets. It's usually the right side that leaks and causes the odor to be sucked into the fresh air intake.
Wow, you're right, no cam plugs here! Here's something to laugh about... look at the advised next service my shop gave me!
Anyways, I was looking at the shop records the last owner gave me and last year they said there was a small leak in the rear main seal. If the oil leak is from there alone, would I smell it when the car is running?
Main seals could leak onto the exhaust, but it's doubtful. Yes, "right side" is USA passenger side. Car "sides" are always relative to sitting in the seat looking out the windshield. It can get slightly confusing when working under the hood as you are looking backward, so left is right and right is left.
After replacing the cam shaft plug is still had a leak and replace the centrifugal pump cover. A little harder than the cam shaft covers that snap in but doable with small torq ratchet. This is the cover on the right side of the first photo above, $60 at Autohausaz
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Thanks
