2007 CLK 220CDI - Mid life EGR, MAF, CAT cleaning?

[Droverunner]

Now I've finished all the routine servicing on our 114k mls CLK I wonder if it might benefit from a mid life clean of the EGR, MAF and possibly a CAT check? Do any of the CAT cleaning products like this from ECP work?

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...MIhr74xPH21QIVqjLTCh2DhwxkEAQYASABEgIrwfD_BwE

 

[Wighty]

I can't comment on them , but if I am ever adding additives I go to www.powerenhancer.co.uk and have a read on Archoil products . I have used the AR6400 fuel additives over the years .
Did you do your ATF and filter in the end or are you trying to get away with it

 

[Wighty]

The egr on my E320cdi is very accessible , (not sure where yours is ) , I whip it out every year and spray it clean , takes about 30 mins .

 

[umblecumbuz]

My egr ain't egr-ing any more, because it's disconnected. No more fouled up inlet manifold problems.
I am laying one of my MB's up this winter and removing the cat/dpf unit and 'redesigning' them. They should never again give trouble either.

 

[Droverunner]

Thanks guys. Think I'll at least take off the EGR and give it a proper clean.

To be honest once an EGR is clean and if a CAT isn't already blocked our driving style keeps these things clean and we've never had further problems on a huge variety of used vehicles.

Re the autobox oil. Despite all my posts and questions we've only owned the car for 8 days and I'm still waiting for a moment to ask the dealer who did the service around 84k if they changed the trans oil again (I have the invoice for this at 40k). I have the dealer entry in the book at 84k but it is the only service where there is no invoice in the file. If there is no evidence it has been done I will get it sorted soon.

 

[Wighty]

Thanks guys. Think I'll at least take off the EGR and give it a proper clean.

To be honest once an EGR is clean and if a CAT isn't already blocked our driving style keeps these things clean and we've never had further problems on a huge variety of used vehicles.

Re the autobox oil. Despite all my posts and questions we've only owned the car for 8 days and I'm still waiting for a moment to ask the dealer who did the service around 84k if they changed the trans oil again (I have the invoice for this at 40k). I have the dealer entry in the book at 84k but it is the only service where there is no invoice in the file. If there is no evidence it has been done I will get it sorted soon.

Whew ! I was worried you had forgotten the ATF .....I can rest easy knowing you are on it now

 

[monkeh]

The only real way, Is to physically take apart the inlet manifold, and clean it out.
Just cleaning the EGR will only clean out the schmoo in that area, Trust me, if your mileage is around 100k, Its going to be coked up. I dived into my OM642'd 300c to clean out the intakes, change oil cooler seals, and inspect her flaps (ooer missus)
EGR is the devil to diesels, As one person said to me, 'You'd not run very well if you had to eat your own sh*t'
My car ran beautiful after cleaning the whole system out. It runs even better with the EGR mapped out. Also the oil stays cleaner for longer without it.

 

[JBell]

Archoil AR6400 is good stuff, Amazon is cheapest.

You can have it "Carbon Cleaned" for around £90 ahich will probably get rid of most of the accumulated crap

 

[Droverunner]

At risk of starting a K&N filter style thing... so what is the procedure, mechanics and physics behind the Carbon Clean process. Their website tells me little.

 

[JBell]

At risk of starting a K&N filter style thing... so what is the procedure, mechanics and physics behind the Carbon Clean process. Their website tells me little.

AFAIK it uses hydrogen to clean all the built up crap out of the EGR, MAP etc, the guy down here also does EGR removal, also does DPF cleaning.

This is as link to their FB page

https://www.facebook.com/ECCDEVONCORNWALL/

 

[Droverunner]

I don't have facebook... but anyway want to know from other than the folks that provide the service.

 

[LostKiwi]

You could also possibly look at Walnut shell blasting (as used in BMWs which are prone to carbon buildups).

 

[Droverunner]

>>>as used in BMWs which are prone to carbon buildups

Hmm yes well... that's the thing with all the EGR and CAT clean/delete stuff. We have run many diesels from new ones to 249k milers over the past 25yrs and never suffered issues related to carbon. For example my BMW 2.5 6cyl at 150k mls and 15yrs old pulls like a steam train with great smoothness and its mpg is where it ought to be according to tests from when it was new (45mpg). I took its EGR off 2yrs ago and cleaned/tested. But it had minimal deposits and was fully working anyway so gained nothing.

Neither of us does really short runs and we both probably take our diesels over 4000rpm several times a day so perhaps that keeps them good??

I'm going to take the EGR off the CLK to check and clean soon plus have a look in the manifold... it will be interesting to see what that's like.

 

[LostKiwi]

>>>as used in BMWs which are prone to carbon buildups

Hmm yes well... that's the thing with all the EGR and CAT clean/delete stuff. We have run many diesels from new ones to 249k milers over the past 25yrs and never suffered issues related to carbon. For example my BMW 2.5 6cyl at 150k mls and 15yrs old pulls like a steam train with great smoothness and its mpg is where it ought to be according to tests from when it was new (45mpg). I took its EGR off 2yrs ago and cleaned/tested. But it had minimal deposits and was fully working anyway so gained nothing.

I'm going to take the EGR off the CLK to check and clean soon plus have a look in the manifold... it will be interesting to see what that's like.

This isn't an MB only issue. BMW have lots of issues with the direct injection petrol engines (particularly turbo ones like the Cooper S, M135i, M335i etc.... as well as some of the newer diesels such as the 320d). VW also suffer clogged EGRs with their newer engines.

On petrol engines the issues are around the lack of fuel injection in the port washing the back of the valves and keeping them clean thus allowing carbon buildups to form (especially since breather systems deposit oil vapours into the ports as well).

 

[Droverunner]

I will be honest that apart from the lease Citroen 1.6hdi which the CLK replaced we've not run diesels newer than 2009 models so my experience is all prior to that... say between 1986-2009. If you say it's an issue on newer diesels then fair enough... I'm only making the point in the large variety of diesels we've run the age range mentioned above carbon has never been an issue.

I'n not saying there is no issue just we don't seem to experience it. Weird but good... so far.

 

[JBell]

I don't have facebook... but anyway want to know from other than the folks that provide the service.

I looked at it and the feedback from people that have had it done was very positive, some of the EGR were almost totally clogged up and it was most brands and many they clean out by hand first to get the worst out

VW / Audi have massive problems on the 2.0TDi engine with EGR and it is not just low mileage cars, a friend of mine had a A4 and does 20k a year and it broke down on the M3 with a knackered EGR.