E-Class (W210) 1995-2002: E 200, E 220D, E 240, E 290TD, E 300TD, E 200, E 240, E 280, E 320, E 420, E 430 (Wagon, Touring, 4Matic)

00 210 v6 misfire, smoking exhaust

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old Apr 5, 2024 | 07:52 PM
  #1  
basemodel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: bay area
2000 W210
00 210 v6 misfire, smoking exhaust

I changed the oil and filter, started it and it misfired and smoke came out of the exhaust , test drove it (drove about 30 miles) and no warnings popped up, got a street away from my house and it started stalling in the middle of the road and then accelerated and jumped. It’s never done this before so I have no experience. Everytime I start it, it like misses a cylinder. If anybody has had these problems let me know what you did to fix. I’m not sure if my coolant is in my pan, or my gasket is blown/leaking. Someone help
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2024 | 07:58 AM
  #2  
Sandygear's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 124
Likes: 26
2004 e500
Was it doing this before? How much did you drive it prior to the oil change? Are you sure you replaced the oil correctly? What oil did you use? Scan for potentially pending codes.
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2024 | 12:37 PM
  #3  
basemodel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: bay area
2000 W210
Originally Posted by Sandygear
Was it doing this before? How much did you drive it prior to the oil change? Are you sure you replaced the oil correctly? What oil did you use? Scan for potentially pending codes.
it was doing this before, it started like a few days ago, except it was only white smoke coming out of the exhaust, i did a correct oil change, 0W-40, oil filter, 8.5 quarts, o - rings on oil filter,I let it warm up and shifted through gears before driving it, and then I drove it, shifted fine, no loss of power, got it about a 1/2 mile away from my house and it started like limping at 5 mph, and then accelerated with me barely touching the pedal, I let it sit for a hour or 2 and then it started up a little better then it had a few days ago, STILL with the white smoke, I checked my coolant level, hasn’t changed, doesn’t bubble. So I’m not sure what I should do next. I guess scan it like you said. Not sure if that will do anything because I got a free scan from auto zone and it just said to replace catalytic converters ? But I doubt that would be causing white smoke.. thanks
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2024 | 05:50 PM
  #4  
ilove190evo's Avatar
Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 178
Likes: 45
2000 E320
Make sure your smoke color is white. This is very important. Don't tell us it white when actually very very light blue smoke.

Reason? If your smoke is indeed white, it's coolant related. Before the days of fuel injection, white smoke had another issue which is very lean fuel condition. There's a possibility of this condition from your first post, but missing hose or secondary air entering the intake system should not cause this, unless it's very, I mean very lean condition which is unlikely in fuel injected engine because the ECU usually compensate for the very lean condition. But it won't hurt to check your hoses and make sure all is connected. Another way to check this is to shoot carb ( yes. Carb) cleaner around the engine and see if there's a change in engine speed. Do section at a time.

If there is a hint of blue smoke, then it's oil related. This could be from your engine, or oil entering the exhaust system somehow.

So again, check the color of your smoke. Get a piece of white paper, Even with the lines will help. Hold it against the smoke and see if the color is indeed white. If there is even a slightest blue in there, it will show if you hold something white in a background. Also, Scan your car. Make sure it's not throwing a code. There is nothing easier than reading the code to diagnose. I have no idea why people don't scan their car. Been a mechanic for long time, by far this is the easiest to diagnose. When you don't see nothing in the scanner, then it's time to search around. Not the other way around.
Reply
Old Apr 7, 2024 | 02:11 PM
  #5  
basemodel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: bay area
2000 W210
Originally Posted by ilove190evo
Make sure your smoke color is white. This is very important. Don't tell us it white when actually very very light blue smoke.

Reason? If your smoke is indeed white, it's coolant related. Before the days of fuel injection, white smoke had another issue which is very lean fuel condition. There's a possibility of this condition from your first post, but missing hose or secondary air entering the intake system should not cause this, unless it's very, I mean very lean condition which is unlikely in fuel injected engine because the ECU usually compensate for the very lean condition. But it won't hurt to check your hoses and make sure all is connected. Another way to check this is to shoot carb ( yes. Carb) cleaner around the engine and see if there's a change in engine speed. Do section at a time.

If there is a hint of blue smoke, then it's oil related. This could be from your engine, or oil entering the exhaust system somehow.

So again, check the color of your smoke. Get a piece of white paper, Even with the lines will help. Hold it against the smoke and see if the color is indeed white. If there is even a slightest blue in there, it will show if you hold something white in a background. Also, Scan your car. Make sure it's not throwing a code. There is nothing easier than reading the code to diagnose. I have no idea why people don't scan their car. Been a mechanic for long time, by far this is the easiest to diagnose. When you don't see nothing in the scanner, then it's time to search around. Not the other way around.
Just started it after letting it sit all night, not a lot of smoke came out to determine the color, revved it up a little higher and it was definitely not white, it was more of a light grayish, and then got a little darker so yes I think oil is definitely leaking in to my exhaust some how… time to figure out where
Reply
Old Apr 7, 2024 | 06:24 PM
  #6  
ilove190evo's Avatar
Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 178
Likes: 45
2000 E320
As I always state this as I 'm pretty new to MB as I just acquired the last June, so what I'm about to say may not apply to our beloved MB.

Normally, when you see little smoke at start up, that's usually head related., most likely valve guide or a seal. When you start and no smoke but as the engine warm up and start to see smoke, it's usually block/piston related such as rings. Oil rarely seep into exhaust system, but it's not impossible. But more common corrupt are the head(s) or the rings. Since you haven't state how many miles you have on the car, hard to say. Remember, the same car that your next door neighbor have went 200k without any problem, it doesn't mean that your car will go 200k as well. Maybe it's time to give some TLC.

Lastly, my experience are from other car, mainly domestic V-8 but I have worked on from motorcycles to V-8 (old and new), so these experience may not apply to our beloved MB.
Reply
Old Apr 7, 2024 | 06:35 PM
  #7  
basemodel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: bay area
2000 W210
Originally Posted by ilove190evo
As I always state this as I 'm pretty new to MB as I just acquired the last June, so what I'm about to say may not apply to our beloved MB.

Normally, when you see little smoke at start up, that's usually head related., most likely valve guide or a seal. When you start and no smoke but as the engine warm up and start to see smoke, it's usually block/piston related such as rings. Oil rarely seep into exhaust system, but it's not impossible. But more common corrupt are the head(s) or the rings. Since you haven't state how many miles you have on the car, hard to say. Remember, the same car that your next door neighbor have went 200k without any problem, it doesn't mean that your car will go 200k as well. Maybe it's time to give some TLC.

Lastly, my experience are from other car, mainly domestic V-8 but I have worked on from motorcycles to V-8 (old and new), so these experience may not apply to our beloved MB.
There is 161,000 miles on it, it was serviced all the time before I got it, i got it at 140,000 always did an oil change at 5,000 miles with oil filters, I live in the Bay Area and it does get cold, but that’s where I’m confused because since this started happening it always lets out a grey whitish color whenever I start it, once it gets going it drives fine, doesn’t overheat, but it does lose power when accelerating. I will put it on the lift and see if there is anything dripping down into my exhaust.
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2024 | 03:44 AM
  #8  
ilove190evo's Avatar
Member
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Jun 2023
Posts: 178
Likes: 45
2000 E320
Did you change the oil material? Such as from mineral oil to synthetic? Or you had synthetic from the get go? Reason for this is dinosaur oil is little more (ever so little) forgiving to any type of leak/seepage. Synthetic are not so forgiving. So if you change the type of oil you use, that may be the cause. Us V-8 guys are more experienced with these types of leaks. When our V-8 car were made, only racing engines used synthetic. When those hit the market at affordable price, almost everyone experienced oil leak of some kind and we were all scratching our head what was going on ( not me though. I just couldn't afford the synthetic at almost $3/qt when dino oils were at $0.99/qt).

Next in line is your head. But don't take my word 100% because I'm not there to see your car. Even when you take the video of it, I can't hear, smell or touch what is doing so don't bother. Anyway, when you sit your car for any length of time, oil from above leak through from the guides and seals and sit, either on the valves or make it into cylinder where the valves are open. This applies for both intake and exhaust. when you start your engine, leaked oil gets burned in the cylinder, creating smoke. When you bring the engine to operating temp, all the clearance within the engine tighten up, creating less leakage. I'm pretty sure when you engine come up to operating temp, you still see little smoke but you can't see it because you're driving and smoke is not dark enough or not enough for you to see in the mirror. And no, watching the tail pipe at idle won't help. IF you do see the smoke at tail pipe at idle, it's definitely your head, probably need to change the valve guides and seals. Easiest to see if you have a leak up top is to look at your spark plugs. You should be able to see if you have black plugs. With the fuel injection engines, you rarely have black spark plugs from too rich of a fuel condition.So if you have any black spark plugs, it's time for you to rebuild the heads or get another car if you don't want to go through that route.

Last is your piston rings but I'm guessing that this is not the cause, but there is a possibility. But if it's your rings, when engine sits for any length of time, oil will seep through the ring and go down to the crankcase/oil pan and won't cause the oil to burn at start up. But it will start to burn oil when it gets to operating temp because you get oil splashing all over down below the piston, and eventually make itself through the rings and start burning in the cylinder/head.

Now, your original post said you had smoke coming out from your exhaust. But if you just smelling the burnt oil or see the smoke from any of the exhaust component from outside, them all of the above won't apply as they are all internal leaks.

As always, all these experience are from other cars that I've worked on, so it may not apply to our MB.
Reply
MB World Stories

The Best of Mercedes & AMG

story-0

6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 9, 2024 | 12:49 PM
  #9  
basemodel's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: bay area
2000 W210
[QUOTE=ilove190evo;8952209]Did you change the oil material? Such as from mineral oil to synthetic? Or you had synthetic from the get go? Reason for this is dinosaur oil is little more (ever so little) forgiving to any type of leak/seepage. Synthetic are not so forgiving. So if you change the type of oil you use, that may be the cause. Us V-8 guys are more experienced with these types of leaks. When our V-8 car were made, only racing engines used synthetic. When those hit the market at affordable price, almost everyone experienced oil leak of some kind and we were all scratching our head what was going on ( not me though. I just couldn't afford the synthetic at almost $3/qt when dino oils were at $0.99/qt).

Next in line is your head. But don't take my word 100% because I'm not there to see your car. Even when you take the video of it, I can't hear, smell or touch what is doing so don't bother. Anyway, when you sit your car for any length of time, oil from above leak through from the guides and seals and sit, either on the valves or make it into cylinder where the valves are open. This applies for both intake and exhaust. when you start your engine, leaked oil gets burned in the cylinder, creating smoke. When you bring the engine to operating temp, all the clearance within the engine tighten up, creating less leakage. I'm pretty sure when you engine come up to operating temp, you still see little smoke but you can't see it because you're driving and smoke is not dark enough or not enough for you to see in the mirror. And no, watching the tail pipe at idle won't help. IF you do see the smoke at tail pipe at idle, it's definitely your head, probably need to change the valve guides and seals. Easiest to see if you have a leak up top is to look at your spark plugs. You should be able to see if you have black plugs. With the fuel injection engines, you rarely have black spark plugs from too rich of a fuel condition.So if you have any black spark plugs, it's time for you to rebuild the heads or get another car if you don't want to go through that route.

Last is your piston rings but I'm guessing that this is not the cause, but there is a possibility. But if it's your rings, when engine sits for any length of time, oil will seep through the ring and go down to the crankcase/oil pan and won't cause the oil to burn at start up. But it will start to burn oil when it gets to operating temp because you get oil splashing all over down below the piston, and eventually make itself through the rings and start burning in the cylinder/head.

Now, your original post said you had smoke coming out from your exhaust. But if you just smelling the burnt oil or see the smoke from any of the exhaust component from outside, them all of the above won't apply as they are all internal leaks.

As always, all these experience are from other cars that I've worked on, so it may not apply to our MB.[/QUOTE

Here is a video of my car now, I drove it down the coast at 60-80 mph the whole time for about 30 minutes, it doesn’t overheat, temp stays at about 80 the whole time, started the car this morning and their was the tiniest bit of smoke that came out, not as much as it was a few days ago… as I was driving back this morning I got a notification that there was too much oil, so I pulled over and turned the car off, checked the dip stick and it was at full and not exceeding the line red plastic at all, engine wasn’t hot either, pulled off the oil filler cap and there was a little bit of white stuff in the oil but it could’ve been from condensation I’m not sure. Tried resetting the oil trip and it said there was too much oil. When in reality it isn’t. Just a checkin on your response, but thank you all for trying to help 👍🏻
Attached Files
File Type: mov
IMG_8836.mov (12.86 MB, 29 views)
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:37 AM.

story-0
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-1
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-4
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-6
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

Slideshow: From bulletproof sedans to surprisingly tough SUVs, these Mercedes models proved that the three-pointed star can go the distance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-08 09:55:49


VIEW MORE