E420 - Rough Idle and Sputtering After Washing Engine
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From: Southwest Arizona (For now - not by choice - going back to Kansas soon)
1997 Mercedes-Benz E420 | 2002 Mercedes-Benz C320
E420 - Rough Idle and Sputtering After Washing Engine
About four days ago I power washed the engine of my E420. This is the first time I've washed the engine on this car (I've only owned it for about four months). Normally, when I wash an engine off, I leave it running and then drive around for about 5 to 10 minutes afterwards. That's exactly what I did in this case, also. A few hours later I went to drive it again. Everything was fine until I braked for a red light about a mile down the road. Then the engine started sputtering and "lurching" - felt like something was way off balance. The whole car shakes. In addition, when it starts doing this, it will sputter and hesitate to accelerate - no power. It feels almost like the timing was somehow thrown off, but the engine still runs. It doesn't seem to do it for the first couple of minutes after a cold start-up, either. It'll let you get a few blocks or a mile down the road before acting up.
Has anyone experienced this problem at all? If so, please help. Thanks!
By the way, I forgot to mention that as soon as it started doing what it's doing, the "Check Engine" light came on and a message popped up that said "Check Engine Electronics". Again, thanks for any help!
Has anyone experienced this problem at all? If so, please help. Thanks!
By the way, I forgot to mention that as soon as it started doing what it's doing, the "Check Engine" light came on and a message popped up that said "Check Engine Electronics". Again, thanks for any help!
Last edited by euroclydon; Dec 20, 2007 at 12:08 AM.
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
where are
you located ,fill in the profile.
Then we can tell you where to get a scanner or have the codes read.with that info a solution can be directed towards.
Water may have gotten into the air box and wet down the maf(mass air sensor)or a bunch of other causes,the codes will point the way.
Then we can tell you where to get a scanner or have the codes read.with that info a solution can be directed towards.
Water may have gotten into the air box and wet down the maf(mass air sensor)or a bunch of other causes,the codes will point the way.
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1997 s320, 1997 e320
hopefully whatever it is will just dry off in a day or two and everything will be fine.
i used to just open the hood and wash the engine with the water hose for a few minutes along with the radiator on my father's 190d and 240d. i would never attempt that on newer vehicles though.
i used to just open the hood and wash the engine with the water hose for a few minutes along with the radiator on my father's 190d and 240d. i would never attempt that on newer vehicles though.
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Charlotte, N.C.
06 CLS500, 04 Tahoe, 04 Infiniti G35 Sedan, Boeing 737
Let me solve your problem for you. Water seeps into the holes where the plugs go around the coil covers. They are not watertight. Some of it goes down into the plug hole. It will sit there as it has no way of drying out. Once the engine gets hot the water will evaporate BUT that turns it into steam. When the engine cools back down the steam will again turn into a small puddle of water at the bottom of the plug valley. The coil covers the hole so the steam cannot escape. Thus shorting out the plug and it wont fire.
Solution: Remove the coil covers, easy to do. Remove the coils, again not that hard to do. If you have compressed air blow that into the holes. Cover your eyes please. If you dont have compressed air get papertowels and fold them into small long strips small enough to slid into the holes. Slip those down all the way until you hit bottom. Remove them and see if they are wet. If so keep doing this until they are dry. Leave the coils off for about an hour or so to let them get air............
Now put it all back together again. Start the car and I would bet that it runs on all 8 cylinders................ Drive it awhile and the computer will do a "driveability check" and reset itself................
How do I know this? Its happened to me, twice.
Merry Christmas!
Jeff
Solution: Remove the coil covers, easy to do. Remove the coils, again not that hard to do. If you have compressed air blow that into the holes. Cover your eyes please. If you dont have compressed air get papertowels and fold them into small long strips small enough to slid into the holes. Slip those down all the way until you hit bottom. Remove them and see if they are wet. If so keep doing this until they are dry. Leave the coils off for about an hour or so to let them get air............
Now put it all back together again. Start the car and I would bet that it runs on all 8 cylinders................ Drive it awhile and the computer will do a "driveability check" and reset itself................
How do I know this? Its happened to me, twice.
Merry Christmas!
Jeff
Last edited by citruspilot; Dec 22, 2007 at 10:29 AM.
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From: Hunterdon County
'06 E 350 4matic wagon; '05 E 500 4matic sedan; '09 S550 4matic
I think Citrus is right, I've washed engine like 3 times in my life, not the MB and never a great result. When you read tool it well probably say "cylinder misfire". I would probably try to let it dry itself first, I would really screw up things if I tried to do what Citrus is skilled enough to do 9remove coils).
