C43 Lost it's Snap, Any Reasons?
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
C43 Lost it's Snap, Any Reasons?
MY 1999 C43 seems to have lost its responsivness. While it still revs out to redline and shifts well, it just sort of feel like the ECU is not keeping up with the demands of the engine. The car has 69,000 miles.
I have a K&N filter and have installed a dual exhaust from the cats back, new plugs and Magnacor spark plug wires. The engine is stock.
Any ideas, O2 sensors, plugged cats, ??
Jeff
I have a K&N filter and have installed a dual exhaust from the cats back, new plugs and Magnacor spark plug wires. The engine is stock.
Any ideas, O2 sensors, plugged cats, ??
Jeff
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C32 AMG
Start with running diags with OBDII scanner. See if the DME is happy or if it has any stored trouble codes.
If it is all clear, go back to stock wires. We had problem with Magnacore going back almost ten years.
After that check the plugs, those have to be NGK Iridiums. While you have them out do a compression test.
I am assuming you have access to tools.
If it is all clear, go back to stock wires. We had problem with Magnacore going back almost ten years.
After that check the plugs, those have to be NGK Iridiums. While you have them out do a compression test.
I am assuming you have access to tools.
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From: Orlando, FL
Originally posted by vadim@evosport
Start with running diags with OBDII scanner. See if the DME is happy or if it has any stored trouble codes.
If it is all clear, go back to stock wires. We had problem with Magnacore going back almost ten years.
After that check the plugs, those have to be NGK Iridiums. While you have them out do a compression test.
I am assuming you have access to tools.
Start with running diags with OBDII scanner. See if the DME is happy or if it has any stored trouble codes.
If it is all clear, go back to stock wires. We had problem with Magnacore going back almost ten years.
After that check the plugs, those have to be NGK Iridiums. While you have them out do a compression test.
I am assuming you have access to tools.
If you just installed a Cat-Back, you may want to check for any grounding of the exhaust system to the body of the car. You may have a situation where the DME is picking up KR (knock retard) causing a reduction in ignition timing, which subsequently, would be your loss in seat-of-the-pants power.
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
I do own the tools to do the compression test and a leakdown test.
The plugs are NGK GP-Plats.
I hope the plug wires are fine as the MB wires are so hard to remove
And I need to read the codes. I guess I need the PDA Code reader Evosport is selling. Damn I don't want to spend another $350 bucks.
Thankyou both for the input. I will check what I can this weekend.
Jeff
The plugs are NGK GP-Plats.
I hope the plug wires are fine as the MB wires are so hard to remove
And I need to read the codes. I guess I need the PDA Code reader Evosport is selling. Damn I don't want to spend another $350 bucks.
Thankyou both for the input. I will check what I can this weekend.
Jeff
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From: GA
1999 ML 430, BMW R1100s
Just solved this problem last week on a customer's car.
The K&N filters will release a small amount of oil over time and kill the mass air sensor slowly. This will cause power loss and sometimes transmission shift issues.
I would start there. Also, the stock wires are much better than any aftermarket wires. Mercedes uses a solid wire with a resistor tip. How can you improve upon a solid wire for conducting spark voltage?
The K&N filters will release a small amount of oil over time and kill the mass air sensor slowly. This will cause power loss and sometimes transmission shift issues.
I would start there. Also, the stock wires are much better than any aftermarket wires. Mercedes uses a solid wire with a resistor tip. How can you improve upon a solid wire for conducting spark voltage?
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
So did you replace the MAS and the problem dissapeared or went away.
It's funny you mention the tranny. As mine does not want to shift down into 1st gear anymore.
Well for now I will clean the MAS but I have had little success with that method.
With 69,000 miles on the car is it time to replace the O2 sensors?
Thanks,
Jeff
EDIT: Well after the tip about the MAS I went out and used a 3/4 can of Carb Cleaner and shot it into every opening on the sensor and followed up with 3/4 can of Brake cleaner. Removed the K&N filters and cleaned the oil out of them and then just misted the K&N filter oil on the filter.
Put everything back together and What a Difference. The car will now downshift to 1st gear and accelerates like I have not felt before. Plus the tranny shifts faster and harder.
Thanks for the tips gentleman.
Jeff
It's funny you mention the tranny. As mine does not want to shift down into 1st gear anymore.
Well for now I will clean the MAS but I have had little success with that method.
With 69,000 miles on the car is it time to replace the O2 sensors?
Thanks,
Jeff
EDIT: Well after the tip about the MAS I went out and used a 3/4 can of Carb Cleaner and shot it into every opening on the sensor and followed up with 3/4 can of Brake cleaner. Removed the K&N filters and cleaned the oil out of them and then just misted the K&N filter oil on the filter.
Put everything back together and What a Difference. The car will now downshift to 1st gear and accelerates like I have not felt before. Plus the tranny shifts faster and harder.
Thanks for the tips gentleman.
Jeff
Last edited by speedybenz; Jun 28, 2003 at 11:09 PM.
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From: Bahrain
R129 SL55 AMG & W208 CLK55 AMG
the air mass sensor is so expensive, if it can be cleaned, then please give more details on how, where and with what exactly. I would really appreciate some tips on the method.
Thanks loads you guys
Ahmed
Thanks loads you guys
Ahmed
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Thread Starter
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
Well I have not had much luck trying to clean the MAS.
But maybe this time I got lucky. And I also used Carb Cleaner for the first time. On some oils and farnish type deposits carb cleaner seems to work a little better? Carb cleaner also will leave some some residue so you need to clean that off the MAS.
I used the brake cleaner to remove the carb cleaner residue.
To clean the sensor I unscrewed it form the body of the MAS to get full access to all the parts.
Jeff
But maybe this time I got lucky. And I also used Carb Cleaner for the first time. On some oils and farnish type deposits carb cleaner seems to work a little better? Carb cleaner also will leave some some residue so you need to clean that off the MAS.
I used the brake cleaner to remove the carb cleaner residue.
To clean the sensor I unscrewed it form the body of the MAS to get full access to all the parts.
Jeff
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From: GA
1999 ML 430, BMW R1100s
Are you guys kidding???
The sensor is less than $300. You can install yourself. I don't understand???
The mass sensor is by far the most critical sensor on the engine. It is used to keep the fuel mixture perfect and also to calculate load in the tranny controller.
Replace it and get on with your life.
The sensor is less than $300. You can install yourself. I don't understand???
The mass sensor is by far the most critical sensor on the engine. It is used to keep the fuel mixture perfect and also to calculate load in the tranny controller.
Replace it and get on with your life.
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
Benzmac said: "Are you guys kidding???
The sensor is less than $300. You can install yourself. I don't understand???"
I understand the thinking to try to fix something rather than throw it away. But I also think that cleaning the MAS is not very successful.
So I will buy a new one also. The point I was trying to make was that "Benzmac's" observation was correct and the cars sluggishness was due to the MAS not working right.
I have no illusions that cleaning the MAS is a long term fix.
Benzmac, What are all the functions the MAS controls on the C43 Bosch system? I also understand that the MAS reads the intake air temp.
Jeff
The sensor is less than $300. You can install yourself. I don't understand???"
I understand the thinking to try to fix something rather than throw it away. But I also think that cleaning the MAS is not very successful.
So I will buy a new one also. The point I was trying to make was that "Benzmac's" observation was correct and the cars sluggishness was due to the MAS not working right.
I have no illusions that cleaning the MAS is a long term fix.
Benzmac, What are all the functions the MAS controls on the C43 Bosch system? I also understand that the MAS reads the intake air temp.
Jeff
Last edited by speedybenz; Jun 29, 2003 at 08:15 PM.
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MAS
I have a CLK55 that used to rip up the tires through 1st gear and into second.
Now the car feels like my old CLK430. It actually cut off power entirely when I hit the gas the other day.
I brought the car in and the dealer told me there were no codes being thrown.
I do have the K&N Filters in the car and I heard the MAS is always breaking on the CLK's either way.
The dealer also told me that they either work or do not work. I do not believe that though.
Any suggestions?
Now the car feels like my old CLK430. It actually cut off power entirely when I hit the gas the other day.
I brought the car in and the dealer told me there were no codes being thrown.
I do have the K&N Filters in the car and I heard the MAS is always breaking on the CLK's either way.
The dealer also told me that they either work or do not work. I do not believe that though.
Any suggestions?
Member
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From: GA
1999 ML 430, BMW R1100s
I have found that the K&N filters let off very tiny bits of the oil they use....This will contaminate the mass air sensor over time.
The dealer is wrong. They can work half-***. Believe me, when you build 500hp+ Mercedes every day, you see it all.
The dealer is wrong. They can work half-***. Believe me, when you build 500hp+ Mercedes every day, you see it all.
Thread Starter
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From: Sacramento
AMG C43, 1999
benzmac,
I cut open a plug wire off my C43 and C280, both 1999 models and the plug wire was a twisted group of tinned copper(?).
There was no solid copper wire to carry the spark energy.
Just was wondering what cars have the soild copper spark plug wires?
Jeff
I cut open a plug wire off my C43 and C280, both 1999 models and the plug wire was a twisted group of tinned copper(?).
There was no solid copper wire to carry the spark energy.
Just was wondering what cars have the soild copper spark plug wires?
Jeff
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Posts: 89
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From: GA
1999 ML 430, BMW R1100s
To add. That is what is known in the industry as a solid core wire.
A resistor wire will be made of a hollow non-conductive tube in the center that is dipped in carbon dust...This allows for the resistance to be in the wire.
A Mercedes wire is solid and has a resistor tip on the end.
A resistor wire will be made of a hollow non-conductive tube in the center that is dipped in carbon dust...This allows for the resistance to be in the wire.
A Mercedes wire is solid and has a resistor tip on the end.
