Check engine light and loss of power...bad gas?
11-29-2013, 09:23 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Check engine light and loss of power...bad gas?
Coming off highway witha tank of premium octane 94 (with ethanol) I get the engine light and a bit later firing on not all of the 6 cylinders (felt like). Not my usual gas.... First time ever.... Newer plugs ... Any ideas? Car started later with no light but still chugging... I will try in morning. Always dealer serviced 2006 r350 130,000 Kms
11-30-2013, 10:28 PM
#4
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
2006 MB R350
That doesn't sound like a OBD code to me. But your problem sounds like what I have going on. I've had two CEL lights in the last month and my OBD code reader flashed a code for a misfire in cylinder 1 and the other time I had a misfire in cylinder 3. I pulled a few plugs and checked them out they looked ok but I figure I will be replacing with new plugs soon. So I figure I'll start there and see what happens....
11-30-2013, 10:40 PM
#5
The ODBC codes would likely start with a "P"
Misfires are almost always the coil or the plug wires. 2 plugs per cylinder like the R500? If you have 100K miles on the plugs they should be replaced. They may look ok but that doesn't mean they are performing olk, The curious thing is if the plugs have any *black* on htem since a misfire would tend to cause that. But if its 2 plugs per cylinder, maybe that would not be the case.
I know I am sitting on 106K miles and dreading the plug replacement. There is no room to do that work with the R500. I also see that it takes a special tool. I'm looking at Iridium plugs for the task.
One other thing I thought of tha thappened to us. We always took the car in for service also. but when I did my own oil I did the air filter as well. It was beyond filthy. When I replaced it, my wife commented on how much begtter the car was running and she did not know I changed it. It was so bad i had to vacuum the chamber out to get the dirt and stones out. The dealer had never replaced it in all the service.
Misfires are almost always the coil or the plug wires. 2 plugs per cylinder like the R500? If you have 100K miles on the plugs they should be replaced. They may look ok but that doesn't mean they are performing olk, The curious thing is if the plugs have any *black* on htem since a misfire would tend to cause that. But if its 2 plugs per cylinder, maybe that would not be the case.
I know I am sitting on 106K miles and dreading the plug replacement. There is no room to do that work with the R500. I also see that it takes a special tool. I'm looking at Iridium plugs for the task.
One other thing I thought of tha thappened to us. We always took the car in for service also. but when I did my own oil I did the air filter as well. It was beyond filthy. When I replaced it, my wife commented on how much begtter the car was running and she did not know I changed it. It was so bad i had to vacuum the chamber out to get the dirt and stones out. The dealer had never replaced it in all the service.
Last edited by starbound01; 11-30-2013 at 10:42 PM.
12-01-2013, 08:32 AM
#7
Maybe someone that has done it can shed some light on the R500. There is no room between the body and the engine to get your hands in there. The tool is like a pry bar with a little curve to pry the plug wires off. The problem is I don't want to take it into the shop. Beyond the cost, something major ALWAYS goes wrong with the car within 6-9 months that will be very expensive. It's the reason I started fixing it myself.
Yes, 18 plugs will be better than $100; Bosch are a little cheaper at $5 ea with the NGK and Denso at $7 ea, No clue what kind are in there. I am seriously considering replacing the plug wires as well. I'm thinking it's not necessary right now, but I am sure that the plug wires are not going to make it to 200K miles. Seems to me $150 for a Bosch set is cheap insurance over the long haul. We are at 106K miles, so it's past due for the plugs. All I'll have to worry about after that is if a coil pak goes bad, the CEL will throw a code for that.
Yes, 18 plugs will be better than $100; Bosch are a little cheaper at $5 ea with the NGK and Denso at $7 ea, No clue what kind are in there. I am seriously considering replacing the plug wires as well. I'm thinking it's not necessary right now, but I am sure that the plug wires are not going to make it to 200K miles. Seems to me $150 for a Bosch set is cheap insurance over the long haul. We are at 106K miles, so it's past due for the plugs. All I'll have to worry about after that is if a coil pak goes bad, the CEL will throw a code for that.
Last edited by starbound01; 12-01-2013 at 08:34 AM.
Trending Topics
12-01-2013, 02:40 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thx everyone - Dealer replaced my plugs at last service - so nearly new plugs. I think I only have 6 (one per cylinder). (My CLK had 2 for a total of 12).
I've read elsewhere the computer shuts down the injector so the unburned gas doesn't destroy the catalytic converter. Perhaps there's a way to turn it back on / reset it…
The code I quoted above is the workshop code (from Service Menu, Service Data)….which is required for dynamic maintenance FSSS Plus in the WIS.
We will drive the car a bit and see if it goes away. Then it's going to the dealer as this is not an item i intend to cheap out with or do myself (like an oil change).
I've read elsewhere the computer shuts down the injector so the unburned gas doesn't destroy the catalytic converter. Perhaps there's a way to turn it back on / reset it…
The code I quoted above is the workshop code (from Service Menu, Service Data)….which is required for dynamic maintenance FSSS Plus in the WIS.
We will drive the car a bit and see if it goes away. Then it's going to the dealer as this is not an item i intend to cheap out with or do myself (like an oil change).
12-01-2013, 10:43 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
2011 C300 4matic, 2015 Porsche Macan S, 2006 R500 (sold)
Maybe someone that has done it can shed some light on the R500. There is no room between the body and the engine to get your hands in there. The tool is like a pry bar with a little curve to pry the plug wires off. The problem is I don't want to take it into the shop. Beyond the cost, something major ALWAYS goes wrong with the car within 6-9 months that will be very expensive. It's the reason I started fixing it myself.
Yes, 18 plugs will be better than $100; Bosch are a little cheaper at $5 ea with the NGK and Denso at $7 ea, No clue what kind are in there. I am seriously considering replacing the plug wires as well. I'm thinking it's not necessary right now, but I am sure that the plug wires are not going to make it to 200K miles. Seems to me $150 for a Bosch set is cheap insurance over the long haul. We are at 106K miles, so it's past due for the plugs. All I'll have to worry about after that is if a coil pak goes bad, the CEL will throw a code for that.
Yes, 18 plugs will be better than $100; Bosch are a little cheaper at $5 ea with the NGK and Denso at $7 ea, No clue what kind are in there. I am seriously considering replacing the plug wires as well. I'm thinking it's not necessary right now, but I am sure that the plug wires are not going to make it to 200K miles. Seems to me $150 for a Bosch set is cheap insurance over the long haul. We are at 106K miles, so it's past due for the plugs. All I'll have to worry about after that is if a coil pak goes bad, the CEL will throw a code for that.
12-03-2013, 11:27 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
So to close off this topic - I took the car in for repair - needs a new intake manifold (Apparently I "blew" a hole in the intake somehow …. was running on only 3 cylinders instead of all 6. $4000 later I should be good (with an oil change and shorting tail light fixed as well). At least I'll have peace of mind that my "tumbler flaps" will be brand new again.
12-09-2013, 11:18 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Intake Flaws
Once again - to close this off - add $ to make the total about $7500 after they repair my bent valves from the intake supposedly sucking in the bushing on the intake….. Just plain bad design. Whoops did I say that out loud? 
