THS IS A POST ON BEHALF OF LINDA REASON BY REQUEST.

oigle

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We bought an old (2005) Mercedes C180 K Classic from our son about 6 weeks ago. We live in France so we brought it over here and started the process of importing it. this involved getting new lights (to dip the other way). Our first problem was that the lights we bought (not Mercedes own brand) didn't work. Let's go back to that some time later.

Having got our local garage to try, and fail, to fit the lights, we then filled up with petrol (the right sort - 98 octane, not diesel or 95) and took the car home. The next day it was sluggish starting and the engine was missing while driving slowly. All OK if you drove fast. We took it back to our local garage who declared it beyond their expertise to deal with - they didn't have the right tools either. So they sent it to another garage (not Mecedes as they had a 3 week waiting list). The other garage compression tested it and said there is no compression on one cylinder. They spoke to the nearest Mercedes dealer who said they'd never come across this before and didn't feel there was any point in investigating it - just scrap the car!

We are baffled as to how something so serious could come out of the blue like this. The car was driving beautifully until the morning after the topping up of the petrol. There were no warning signs of any problems - no black smoke, no funny noises, nothing. Admittedly, there is black smoke now. We drove it home from the local garage yesterday - only a mile - and it barely made it. Again, when driving fast no problem, going slowly it could barely get moving.

I'm hoping for a bit of advice. We've no faith in the garages in France and we would have to pay to get it transported to one of the main Mercedes dealerships anyway. At which point they would probably say it was uneconomical to repair, without even knowing what the real problem was (like the local Mercedes garage). For £500 we could get it shipped back to the UK where our son owns a garage. He could maybe fix it. Alternatively we could buy a reconditioned engine and get that fitted for about £1,500 - also in the UK. Or are we throwing good money after bad?
 

DREAMER NO2

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oigle wish i could help you . But the compression is a main factor in engine condition.No compression on one cylinder means a big job . I would get another garage to check it for a second opinion .
 

LostKiwi

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Can you not get your son over to give it a once over? MBS in Southampton are reasonably close to the ferry in Portsmouth so could be an excellent option if shipping back to the UK.
Where in France are you? We have several members there who may be able to assist and in 2 weeks I'll be over so if on my way could drop by.
 
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oigle

oigle

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Very generous offer LK. I hope she takes you up on it. She messaged me as she found difficulty in making a post for some reason. I have made some suggestions to her, one of which is to enter the conversation on this thread. Hope she is able to.

Thanks

Ian.
 

LindaR

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Hello everyone. This is Linda - the one with the no compression in one cylinder problem. Thank you very much Ian for getting my post onto the forum - heaven knows why I couldn't do it myself.

Thank you all for your replies too. We (and the car) are currently near Baud in Southern Brittany. I would be very grateful to hear from any members near to us who might be able to take a look at the car.
 

LindaR

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I'll be traveling Normandy to Bordeaux if that works?
I'll also have STAR with me (the kit not the member).

That is VERY kind of you. If we are still in the same position in 2 weeks time I will say "yes please". However we are a bit of a detour if you're going from Normandy to Bordeaux - would probably add 2 or 3 hours to your journey. You'd be welcome to break your journey and stay the night here, of course.
 

LostKiwi

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Could work. I have a friend in Kerbouvellec I was thinking of dropping in on so you're not far from there.
We can see how things look by then.
 

bembo449

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surely low compression on a cylinder would effect the car throughout the rev range not jus when going slowly ?
 

ajlsl600

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maybe it jumped a few teeth on timing, bent a valve a bit. explain why it goes seemingly ok at high rpm and crap at lo, timing wrong and bent valvr, no comp on 1 cyl. fits as does seemingly sudden arrival of issue .is tensioner on this hydraulic? maybe seal shot.?age hardened slack chain jumped a few?
 

LostKiwi

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maybe it jumped a few teeth on timing, bent a valve a bit. explain why it goes seemingly ok at high rpm and crap at lo, timing wrong and bent valvr, no comp on 1 cyl. fits as does seemingly sudden arrival of issue .is tensioner on this hydraulic? maybe seal shot.?age hardened slack chain jumped a few?
It's an M271 known for stretching chains and wearing sprockets....
 

Oldspanners

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I'm with this, get the timing marks checked before doing any serious £££'s.
I'd get a garage to take the cam cover off and check the timing marks it's not a big or complicated job and decide after that if it's worth proceeding.
How many miles has the car covered?
 

LindaR

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The car's only done about 85,000 miles.
 

star

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A star test might show a cam timing fault, but not guaranteed. Only a couple of things will cause loss of compression, a cam fault will still not tell you the cause.
 

ajlsl600

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It's an M271 known for stretching chains and wearing sprockets....


is that engine bucket followers? if the cover is off can you see if a valve is stuck down a little due to it being bent?or maybe one can see a big valve clearance indicating same thing .. if no comp on any cyl its looking like head off. cant be to difficult , must be SOMEONE up to that in brittany . get the OP to ask for mobile mechanic on anglo info for brittany area . third run in sl this pm , then back on quick test , fingers toes, everything crossed ......
 

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