darkfact

Okay, it’s a 2002 Mercedes C200 kompressor.

I have my car since last April. And funny thing the time of its first service just arrived and I took it the service today.

anyway my problem is… I noticed for a while now that my car doesn’t accelerate as it used to before.
I didn’t have any prove and I though I’m wrong. Till few days ago. I raced two cars twice. They were just like mine… and they all were faster than me and passed me. They were soooo far away from me in few seconds!!!! Like if they were driving a 6 cylinders car or something! But no, they were driving C200 kompressor.

Heh, its funny but here people with same cars like to race, there cars usually drive on the same line right next to each others all the time.

But with me… I failed… two C200 kompressor cars were faster in acceleration than me. NO they were not modified or anything…

what do you think the problem is?
I got ripped off at the garage today because of this problem! They connected that laptop to my car and they didn’t find any problem. They took it in a ride and they said there seems nothing wrong BUT they recommended that I do “a fuel system cleaning”. I don’t know what does that means, but that’s what they said. It costs about 300 bucks without the parts (the parts cost me 100 bucks).
I was so dispirit especially that I was racing girls and they made me look stupid so I said okay.
The garage also said I should change the air filter and sparks. (I have only 11000 miles on it by the way).
So? What do you think?

Thanks guys for ur time.

Ted Baldwin

...........you should get a dyno on your car. This will give you the info you need. If your dyno says your car puts out less HP than it is supposed to, then perharps there is a problem with your Kompressor. The guys that did your fuel system cleaning basically ripped you off.

Ted

darkfact

Okay, how can they check the HP and the Kompressor? I’ll go to them after two hours. So if you give me a reply now I’ll be thankful.

darkfact

By the way… they did connect it to that laptop. But all what I saw was a list that had some things in it like ESP2 and DTR on the left and it used to write “!” “f” or a tick. He did the test again and every thing was fine and nothing failed.

Does that mean the Kompressor is okay or there is some other type of dyno to do? please tell me its exact name so I can tell them. Thanks.

Lynn

darkfact, you need to have the horsepower of your car measured by a chassis dynomometer. If you tell us where you live, we might be able to suggest a shop.

I wonder if your bypass valve is stuck open. That would turn your car into a normally aspirated car, because all the boost would be dumped back into the air filter.

darkfact

I'm from Kuwait.
by the way... my car accelerates fine. when that guy took it for a ride he didn't notice anything wrong with the car. BUT when I was racing those other C200s I was slower than them. that still means there might be a problem with the komp or something?

No, they didn't modify their cars.

darkfact

when I say fine I mean it looks like there is nothing wrong... :s

darkfact

knowing the horsepower would tell us if there is something wrong with the komp?

Lynn

Knowing the hp may tell you if something is wrong. If you are getting a much lower hp reading than the factory spec, then something may well be wrong. Keep in mind that MB engines can vary as much a +/-10% in hp from the factory specification.

I just looked for a dyno shop in the Middle East and I coudn't find one in Kuwait or neighboring countries. That doesn't mean there isn't a shop with a dynomometer, but you'll have to ask mechanic shops in your area, if they know of one.

Do ask your shop to check the functioning of the compressor bypass valve.

darkfact

come on guys... pelase tell me now... I have to go there NOW before he start working on my car and I lose about 400 bucks!

When they measure the HP... whats that thing thats going to tell them there is soemthing wrong in my car? please tell me...

Lynn

darkfact, I wish I could give you a better answer, but it really isn't that simple. Before spending the four hundred bucks, ask them to check the compressor bypass valve, and do a compression test. I'm sure that patrick or mbrech208 could offer other suggestions, but those are the only ones I know. I wish you good luck in finding the problem.

darkfact

hey thanks for ur help. I posted that message before reading ur post.
that post was really useful. I just came back from the garage.

heh, I talked to their "boss" over there and said to him things that I picked up off the boards and he thought that I know a lot about cars ^_^

He said that fuel system cleaning is because of that shaking my car had.

anyway, I told him about the compressor. he said the car is new and he really doubt there is something wrong with it. but he said he'll check it for me. he said he'll run a test.

and about the HP. I told him about the meter you just mentioned. he said he doesn't have it and its the first time he hear of it.
Btw I think he could do this test with that laptop right? it checks every thing from the sound system to the transmission. what do you call it by the way?

Lynn

The computer and software are commonly called the DAS system. I think the official name is StarDiagnosis. Unfortunately, the computer can't measure the horsepower.

Larry Sonsini

Hi Darkfact,

Sorry to hear that your MB is becoming quite the source of frustration. But, to help you a bit, the Dynamometer is a rather large piece of machinery that can measure a number of performance measures, HP being one of them.

Here's a picture:


And here's a link to information on the machine:


dynojet site

It's kind of like a treadmill for your car. The shop straps your car down, hooks it up to a computer, and then runs through your gears to see what kind of force your car can exert on the drum.

Then you'll get something that looks like this:


From something like that, then you'll be able to tell for sure how your car compares to factory specs.

BTW, I don't think we covered this, but have you made any modifications to the car? 19" rims? "performance mods," Are you driving with the "W" (winter mode) button depressed? Was there additional weight anywhere on your car when you made the runs? Without more data, it'll be hard to determine why your car seems to be slow.

ima55r2

This might be too easy but does your car have the adaptive transmission? If so, you could be in "granny" mode".

Have the system get used to more agressive driving and punch it 5 to 10 times until it shifts or downshifts quicker.

darkfact

I didn't change anything in the car since I bought it...
well, I only installed a cell phone. but, heh, that has nothing to do with all of this of course.

I "raced" a girl again tomorrow. her car is just like mine exactly. well, she had evolution version. (17" wheels, mine are 16"). but other than that... its all the same. Oh wait... I have park assist.

and I asked my shop. they don't have that meter (did I say that before? hmmm) anyway, I guess the dealer is my only help in this... and thats not a good thing probably O_o

darkfact

whats that?!?! please explain.

all what I know that my car is automatic. so I guess it is adaptive. (?).

I did notice a while a go some changes when the gear changes since I changed my driving style :p

by the way, the gear is always on S.

ima55r2

The computer "learns" your driving style and will adjust the shift patterns of the automatic transmission for reasons of being smoother or economical for fuel consumption or whatever.

I don't like it myself because the quick response, when needed sometimes, just isn't there after being in slow traffic. I wish I could disable it.

I drove my neighbor's s430 for a couple of minutes and when I came back, he couldn't believe the difference in pick up. The only good thing is that it doesn't take too many harder stomps on the gas to get things where they belong.

darkfact

cuz usually I don't drive fast. and I'm always easy on the gas. but all of a sudden I wanted to accelerate fast unlike before?