Turbo waste gate rattle
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
2016 E400, 2015 GLK 350
Turbo waste gate rattle
Hi all - I have a 2016 W212 and on light acceleration between 1800 and 2500 RPM, the turbo waste gates rattle. It sounds a bit like a can full of little stones being shaken. The local dealer tells me this is normal and there is no fix. I don’t think normal means a $73k car should sound like an old truck. Any input form anyone on this issue? Thanks in advance!
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Knowing the engine we are talking about would be very useful?
Than how do you know where the noise is coming from? Not likely you have your head under the hood when accelerating?
Than how do you know where the noise is coming from? Not likely you have your head under the hood when accelerating?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,107
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From: West Central Florida
2011 E550 P2 4M Sedan
I think there are other threads on here about the rattle. JMG tracked down the issue at the source but MB still claims it's normal IIRC.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-incl-vid.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-incl-vid.html
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 725
Likes: 189
From: Chicago area
2015 E400 and 2015 GLK350
Yeah, my 2015 E400 does it, too. It doesn't bother me that much, as the E400 feels more "mechanical" than my old Lexus LS did. The E400 is a luxury-Performance sedan, and one might expect some noises. The exhaust isn't as quiet as the E350, either. . .
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 72
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From: Austin, TX
2016 E400, 2015 GLK 350
It’s the 3 liter dual turbo engine. The dealer diagnosed the rattle as coming from the waste gate linkage. It’s very easy to hear with the window down driving next to a sound wall. There are ways to discern rattles without having one’s head under the hood.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
Likes: 1,798
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Is it gasoline engine?
Must be pretty new design as I did not hear much about it.
Still there are DIY method to quiet rattling rods, like attaching side spring to it, or sliding rubber hose over.
Must be pretty new design as I did not hear much about it.
Still there are DIY method to quiet rattling rods, like attaching side spring to it, or sliding rubber hose over.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,273
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From: Orlando, FL
2015 GL550 4matic
My E550 with M278 has pretty loud rattle from turbos on cold start, goes away after about 15 seconds. Others have said it's normal, no issues for mine. It's been like that for the last 30K+ miles and 4 years of ownership.
Member
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 152
Likes: 48
From: Nashville, TN
'18 E400 Cab
Same noise
I've been to two dealers on the same issue for my 2016 E400. The first dealer did the update and said the noise was normal. I called MB to complain and they said try another dealer and call them back. The second dealer had a much better diagnostic guy and they found the muffler had loose baffles in it. They replaced the muffler and 90% of the noise is gone. Now it only does it between 36 and 42 mph, same as yours under light acceleration especially going uphill. I'm heading back to the dealer to see if this is truly the normal for that turbo or if they can fix the 10%. Will let you know!
-Grant
-Grant
Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 133
Likes: 16
From: New York
E400 GLE350 C63
I only went to one dealer and they said that these turbos are a state of the art design and their is not fix and this rattle is also on other turbo Mercedes. I’ll check a couple other dealers around here and hopefully a fix comes up or either way the sound doesn’t annoy me it just scares me hearing turbo failures on some other cars
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
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I have a 2012 E550 M278 with a Weistec Tune. The car makes 540HP with this tune but the passenger side turbocharger is starting to make this rattling sound at cold startup for the first 15 seconds and now fluttering sound at Wide-Open Throttle. There is a fix that will close the wastegate longer but it will most likely affect my tune as well as your HP numbers. Unfortunately the wastegates are internal on the turbochargers. To top that off the turbochargers are welded directly to the exhaust manifold so in order to permanently fix this issue you will have to replace the entire turbocharge assembly which is around $2000 dealer cost. I have sourced re-manufactured passenger side turbochargers for around $350-450 on eBay most likely with core. But to make matters EVEN WORSE, in order to replace the turbocharger you have to pull the entire engine out of the car. There is no way to sneak the exhaust manifold off of the engine with the turbocharger while the engine is still in the car. It's much too tight of a fit in the engine bay. The wastegate flutter is becoming very noticeable during wide-open throttle now and it's almost embarrassing to see a blacked out Benz on 20" Ace Alloys that makes a loud fluttering ticking noise when passing by. I am most likely looking to pull the engine and replace this turbocharger with a reman this spring/summer and I will post updates once that happens. Anyone with this problem know of an easier fix please let me know.
Last edited by Barbantus; Feb 25, 2020 at 12:26 AM.
Super Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 818
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From: Vancouver B.C. Canada
2014 E550 4MATIC TUNED - Turbo Upgraded Stage 3
I have a 2012 E550 M278 with a Weistec Tune. The car makes 540HP with this tune but the passenger side turbocharger is starting to make this rattling sound at cold startup for the first 15 seconds and now fluttering sound at Wide-Open Throttle. There is a fix that will close the wastegate longer but it will most likely affect my tune as well as your HP numbers. Unfortunately the wastegates are internal on the turbochargers. To top that off the turbochargers are welded directly to the exhaust manifold so in order to permanently fix this issue you will have to replace the entire turbocharge assembly which is around $2000 dealer cost. I have sourced re-manufactured passenger side turbochargers for around $350-450 on eBay most likely with core. But to make matters EVEN WORSE, in order to replace the turbocharger you have to pull the entire engine out of the car. There is no way to sneak the exhaust manifold off of the engine with the turbocharger while the engine is still in the car. It's much too tight of a fit in the engine bay. The wastegate flutter is becoming very noticeable during wide-open throttle now and it's almost embarrassing to see a blacked out Benz on 20" Ace Alloys that makes a loud fluttering ticking noise when passing by. I am most likely looking to pull the engine and replace this turbocharger with a reman this spring/summer and I will post updates once that happens. Anyone with this problem know of an easier fix please let me know.
And, make sure you put something underneath waste rod, in case, C clip flies off.
Move the waste gate freely couple times, then, put the rod back with c clip back on.
Wish you luck!!
Last edited by cocobeex; Feb 25, 2020 at 01:02 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 19
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Try to take off C clip off your passenger side turbo and lift up the rod. And make sure you don't turn the rod.
And, make sure you put something underneath waste rod, in case, C clip flies off.
Move the waste gate freely couple times, then, put the rod back with c clip back on.
Wish you luck!!
And, make sure you put something underneath waste rod, in case, C clip flies off.
Move the waste gate freely couple times, then, put the rod back with c clip back on.
Wish you luck!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,273
Likes: 129
From: Orlando, FL
2015 GL550 4matic
Mine has a fluttering chatter at cold start only. Been like that for the last 40K miles that I have owned it, always did it. Goes away after maybe 15 seconds, I believe its normal / non-issue. If it's not affecting performance in any way, how frequently to you hit WOT where you're hearing the sound? I know I barely ever open mine up. I live and commute on city streets only, top speed limit is 45mph for maybe 1/2 mile, so I basically never floor it, and rarely use Sport mode. Because the power it has is more than I can ever really use, I decided not to get any ECU tune that would compromise the factory engineering and reliability.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 1
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W205 C300 4Matic
I have a 2012 E550 M278 with a Weistec Tune. The car makes 540HP with this tune but the passenger side turbocharger is starting to make this rattling sound at cold startup for the first 15 seconds and now fluttering sound at Wide-Open Throttle. There is a fix that will close the wastegate longer but it will most likely affect my tune as well as your HP numbers. Unfortunately the wastegates are internal on the turbochargers. To top that off the turbochargers are welded directly to the exhaust manifold so in order to permanently fix this issue you will have to replace the entire turbocharge assembly which is around $2000 dealer cost. I have sourced re-manufactured passenger side turbochargers for around $350-450 on eBay most likely with core. But to make matters EVEN WORSE, in order to replace the turbocharger you have to pull the entire engine out of the car. There is no way to sneak the exhaust manifold off of the engine with the turbocharger while the engine is still in the car. It's much too tight of a fit in the engine bay. The wastegate flutter is becoming very noticeable during wide-open throttle now and it's almost embarrassing to see a blacked out Benz on 20" Ace Alloys that makes a loud fluttering ticking noise when passing by. I am most likely looking to pull the engine and replace this turbocharger with a reman this spring/summer and I will post updates once that happens. Anyone with this problem know of an easier fix please let me know.
You’re pretty spot on with this and I agree it can be very embarrassing to have this issue on such nice looking cars. I have a 2015 C300 with the single turbo M274 engine and my car has been at the dealer for a couple of weeks now for this problem and numerous times prior to diagnose it correctly. I’ve been hearing the same rattle noise mostly on cold starts and it lasts for about 30 seconds to a minute, but can also hear it when passing close to walls or parked cars. As usual my dealer constantly has trouble hearing or feeling anything I know is an issue and after two or three trips they diagnosed it as some loose heat shields above the transmission. I was baffled at how they could come up with that conclusion since the noise only occurred at full volume during cold starts, plus that heat shield material is very thin. They insulated the shields and somehow claimed to no longer hear the rattle when it’s very obvious. After pinpointing it for them they finally deemed it was the turbo wastegate linkage and said they’d be replacing the entire turbo assembly. I haven’t gotten word yet if the engine needs to be removed but I do know there’s not much space on the passenger side so it’s probably likely. Luckily I’m still under extended warranty. If you start to hear this rattle, it’s not normal and don’t let them tell you it is.
Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 151
Likes: 95
From: Connecticut
2013 E550 Sedan, 2005 E500 4matic Wagon
In my experience 3 things can contribute to the rattle. Wastegate actuator rod where it physically attaches to the wastegate arm. The shaft for the wastegate going through the turbine housing and the puck itself against the bypass port of the turbine.
1. Constant back and forth movement can wear away the pintle on the wastegate arm. Then the actuator rod itself can rattle against the actuator arm. This can be shimmed with a thin stainless washer against the c-clip. Move arm after to make sure there is no binding.
2. If the shaft is prematurely worn in the housing, then likely a new turbine or entire turbo is needed. There is no easy fix for that scenario.
3. The puck...couple ways to attack this. If the puck is rattling against the housing then the pre tension on the rod may need to be increased. A half turn on the rod should do it BUT. This can increase / decrease boost (depending on which way you go - shorter= more boost longer = less. A full turn is usually about a half psi. If that does not take care of it, then the puck itself where it is attached to the arm is worn. No easy fix for this. Same as #2 repair. This is not a Mercedes fix. This is just years of playing with turbos.
Keep the shiny side up.
1. Constant back and forth movement can wear away the pintle on the wastegate arm. Then the actuator rod itself can rattle against the actuator arm. This can be shimmed with a thin stainless washer against the c-clip. Move arm after to make sure there is no binding.
2. If the shaft is prematurely worn in the housing, then likely a new turbine or entire turbo is needed. There is no easy fix for that scenario.
3. The puck...couple ways to attack this. If the puck is rattling against the housing then the pre tension on the rod may need to be increased. A half turn on the rod should do it BUT. This can increase / decrease boost (depending on which way you go - shorter= more boost longer = less. A full turn is usually about a half psi. If that does not take care of it, then the puck itself where it is attached to the arm is worn. No easy fix for this. Same as #2 repair. This is not a Mercedes fix. This is just years of playing with turbos.
Keep the shiny side up.
