Hi all. Firstly a massive thank you for so much info. Incredible resource. Now; I have had my 2001 s320 CDI for nearly 4 years and have just cleaned out the inlet manifold etc (barely necessary), fitted expensive new MAF, and removed the 2 small cats with great results. However, yesterday, after noticing intermittent rough idling for the first time in ages, I left it idling while I picked up my daughter from school. When I returned you can imagine my delight to hear it banging away like something from the fifties. I crept home with it fluctuating between almost stopping then jumping away but never going properly or going into limp. Later while trying to get my scanner to work i noticed that when ignition is on the EGR buzzes and vibrates and the swirl flaps continuously open and close. I thought the MAF might have failed again or the EGR got sticky and started confusing the ECU, but my indie says not possible. Hope it's not terminal as these engines are hard to find down here. Any advice massively appreciated. Cheers, Martin.

 

Quick update, my indie left a hose clamp in the airway somehow and it made its way to the inlet port where i assume it sat for a few weeks until the screw wound out and jumped in and lodged under a valve. Removed it, and swirl flaps this time, tested compression, put back together but, alas, still terrible noise. Heading down there in an hour to pick it up....