C180 auto giving prob's who do i believe????

[oneandonly]

Hi all,

I have a 2001 C180 auto which about a week ago started making a grinding noise while only driving, (acceleration). The noise could be heard when steering Right and steering straight and disappears when steering left.
It can only be heard coming from the gearstick area inside the car.

Mechanic says it needs a new prop shaft, as it makes a tapping noise when you try to twist it. I told the merc parts but says its the bearing on the prop shaft, as the merc dealer hardley sell/stock the prop shaft...
WHO DO I BELIEVE? SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP
Thanks

 

[LYNALL]

Well if the mechanic says the propshaft u/j is worn and hes looked at it why believe the parts dept who havent looked at the car?

Tapping noise could just be backlash in the diff which is perfectly normal.

You can probably get a new joint/bearing fitted to the propshaft.

Either way need sorting asap as can do a lot of damamge if it lets go.


Lynall

 

[ncooper]

I think you can believe them both.
Perhaps you didn't quite follow what your mechanic said?
If he had meant the whole propellor shaft,his reason would have been more likely "because it's bent or twisted" for example.
The propellor shaft is simply a metal tube and cannot make a noise when twisted.
My guess is that he has detected play in a universal joint or the centre bearing.
The parts department have given you good advice but I suggest you go back to your mechanic and double check what he wants you to buy.

Regards,
Nick.

 

[Alex Crow]

bearing is easily replaced, u/j is part of the shaft and most unlikely to be at fault.

 

[television]

The center bearing is a part that fails now,,details all here
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46449

 

[oneandonly]

thanks all for the advice.
next question where do i get a new prop shaft if merc do not stock them, nor do the other giant part shops???
please help

 

[oneandonly]

also do you guys think that i should take the part for a second opinion????
thanks

 

[television]

No one ever needs a new propshaft,, the amount of the work is the same to fit a new bearing or a new propshaft.

 

[oneandonly]

are you sure *television*

 

[oneandonly]

if you dont mind wot do you mean by
"the amount of the work is the same to fit a new bearing or a new propshaft"

 

[oneandonly]

sorry ur name is malcolm

 

[Alex Crow]

if you dont mind wot do you mean by
"the amount of the work is the same to fit a new bearing or a new propshaft"

so you still think you need a propshaft? we seem to be saying not..

are you sure *television*

yeah, he is.

also do you guys think that i should take the part for a second opinion????
thanks

possibly, it is very hard for us to know over the internet, but we have no reason to doubt your mechanic.

thanks all for the advice.
next question where do i get a new prop shaft if merc do not stock them, nor do the other giant part shops???
please help

if it is the bearing, all you need is a new bearing, as we have said. did your mechanic say bearing or universal joint faulty? never known a u/j fail on this car btw.

 

[Alex Crow]

if you dont mind wot do you mean by
"the amount of the work is the same to fit a new bearing or a new propshaft"

he means that to fit a new bearing requires the removal of the propshaft anyway. not difficult to do, and changing that bearing is fairly straight forward too.

good luck.

 

[Maxsmum]

Exact same systems, different solution!

I have a 2001 C180 auto which about a week ago started making a grinding noise while only driving, (acceleration). The noise could be heard when steering Right and steering straight and disappears when steering left.
It can only be heard coming from the gearstick area inside the car.

I know this thread is old now, but just incase anyone comes across it, I have exactly the same symptoms, and have just rang a local Merc repair specialist (not the dealer) who said straight away what the problem was over the phone. The handbrake cable has become unclipped and is hitting the propshaft. Quick and inexpensive to fix. Taking it in this weekend to be fixed. If it turns out to be that I won't re-post, but if not I'll let you know what they found. Pretty confident it's that though, as now having read other threads it seems problems releasing the handbrake completely is also another symptom, and I have that too.

Hope it helps someone else. Took this same problem to a Mercedes dealer (Epsom) who told me I needed £1,200 worth or work (new wheels bearings and suspension arms), and when I got that work down (elsewhere for half the price) it still hadn't fixed the problem!

 

[Alex Crow]

thanks for that, if you have a quick search on the forum you will see this is a common problem and we usually pick up on it these days - can't think why none of us suggested it back then?

the broken clip is part number A000 995 57 20 and i and others keep them in stock as it is such a common occurance.