FMU's 200K Mile 2012 ML 350 4MATIC Gas V6 (Early M276) Project Needs Engine Repairs
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Œuvre
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Mar 24, 2026
- Join DateFeb 2022
- LocationNew England
- Posts:89
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- Vehicle(s) I drive2004 E 500 4MATIC Wagon; 2015 ML 350 4MATIC; †2003 C 240 4MATIC Wagon (2003-2022)
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Intro video for this project: <
>. Part 2 of the project: <
>.
It seems that a customer gave up on a high-mileage 2012 ML 350 after getting the initial estimate (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=KTOc4iFsdfJ58Fc2&t=727> for a sample invoice from recently-completed repairs at their shop to a 2014 E 350 4MATIC with the same engine to replace the worn camshaft adjusters in the vehicle's early M276 engine). The techs at Fluid MotorUnion also found stretched timing chain, broken timing chain guides, severely worn camshaft lobes, and slipped camshaft reluctor wheels/tone rings (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=18JGewucTPmH3uCG>)...
The wear problems that they encountered appear to be the same as what the owner of a high-mileage GLK 350 with an early M276 engine encountered after 250,000 miles on another forum (see: <http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/417899-m276-timing-components-replacement.html>). In his case, he states that he had performed oil changes at a somewhat shorter maintenance interval of ~7,500 miles ever since the car was new, and that it had been used mostly for high-speed highway driving. Unlike the FMU techs, who used Genuine Mercedes parts (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=K2xeni4Ify9smjwA&t=1374> for the final invoice), the GLK 350 owner used much, much cheaper Chinese after-market parts from eBay... I wonder how these replacement parts have held up?...
It seems that a customer gave up on a high-mileage 2012 ML 350 after getting the initial estimate (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=KTOc4iFsdfJ58Fc2&t=727> for a sample invoice from recently-completed repairs at their shop to a 2014 E 350 4MATIC with the same engine to replace the worn camshaft adjusters in the vehicle's early M276 engine). The techs at Fluid MotorUnion also found stretched timing chain, broken timing chain guides, severely worn camshaft lobes, and slipped camshaft reluctor wheels/tone rings (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=18JGewucTPmH3uCG>)...
The wear problems that they encountered appear to be the same as what the owner of a high-mileage GLK 350 with an early M276 engine encountered after 250,000 miles on another forum (see: <http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/417899-m276-timing-components-replacement.html>). In his case, he states that he had performed oil changes at a somewhat shorter maintenance interval of ~7,500 miles ever since the car was new, and that it had been used mostly for high-speed highway driving. Unlike the FMU techs, who used Genuine Mercedes parts (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=K2xeni4Ify9smjwA&t=1374> for the final invoice), the GLK 350 owner used much, much cheaper Chinese after-market parts from eBay... I wonder how these replacement parts have held up?...
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It seems that a customer gave up on a high-mileage 2012 ML 350 after getting the initial estimate (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=KTOc4iFsdfJ58Fc2&t=727> for a sample invoice from recently-completed repairs at their shop to a 2014 E 350 4MATIC with the same engine to replace the worn camshaft adjusters in the vehicle's early M276 engine). The techs at Fluid MotorUnion also found stretched timing chain, broken timing chain guides, severely worn camshaft lobes, and slipped camshaft reluctor wheels/tone rings (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=18JGewucTPmH3uCG>)...
The wear problems that they encountered appear to be the same as what the owner of a high-mileage GLK 350 with an early M276 engine encountered after 250,000 miles on another forum (see: <http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/417899-m276-timing-components-replacement.html>). In his case, he states that he had performed oil changes at a somewhat shorter maintenance interval of ~7,500 miles ever since the car was new, and that it had been used mostly for high-speed highway driving. Unlike the FMU techs, who used Genuine Mercedes parts (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=K2xeni4Ify9smjwA&t=1374> for the final invoice), the GLK 350 owner used much, much cheaper Chinese after-market parts from eBay... I wonder how these replacement parts have held up?...
How good are these timing chain kits from Ebay. Are they good enough for another 50,000 km?Originally Posted by Œuvre
Intro video for this project: <
>. Part 2 of the project: <
>.It seems that a customer gave up on a high-mileage 2012 ML 350 after getting the initial estimate (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=KTOc4iFsdfJ58Fc2&t=727> for a sample invoice from recently-completed repairs at their shop to a 2014 E 350 4MATIC with the same engine to replace the worn camshaft adjusters in the vehicle's early M276 engine). The techs at Fluid MotorUnion also found stretched timing chain, broken timing chain guides, severely worn camshaft lobes, and slipped camshaft reluctor wheels/tone rings (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=18JGewucTPmH3uCG>)...
The wear problems that they encountered appear to be the same as what the owner of a high-mileage GLK 350 with an early M276 engine encountered after 250,000 miles on another forum (see: <http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/417899-m276-timing-components-replacement.html>). In his case, he states that he had performed oil changes at a somewhat shorter maintenance interval of ~7,500 miles ever since the car was new, and that it had been used mostly for high-speed highway driving. Unlike the FMU techs, who used Genuine Mercedes parts (see: <https://youtu.be/IYybLXkW_Lc?si=K2xeni4Ify9smjwA&t=1374> for the final invoice), the GLK 350 owner used much, much cheaper Chinese after-market parts from eBay... I wonder how these replacement parts have held up?...
Price is not always a good indicator of quality. Sometimes it is just a high mark up. Parts for the M276 engine from Mercedes are much more expensive than for other similar cars.
