C180K not starting

[colifecape]

Hi,
This problem has me worried, I have a C180K SE 2005 saloon and the problem began last week with the idle hunting and shaking badly.
I`ve read other posts about replacing the breather hose under the air box and sure enough it was split in 4 places.
I let it limp through the weekend till I could get the spare today but now although the engine turns over it will not fire up.
Plugged in a tool and got the following codes which I`ve cleared:

P0303
P0304
P0302
P0010
P0313 P
P0010 P

I had let the tank get quite low last week and the wife put £40 of supermarket fuel in and since it ran steadily worse over the weekend I`m thinking fuel starvation.... or rather not getting there at all.

Also just replaced plugs with MB ones.

Any comments are much appreciated.

Thx,
Coli.

 

[Cole@MBS]

You have a pressure test valve at the end of the fuel rail, like a tyre valve, while cranking, press that in to make sure you have fuel pressure, just cover with a bit of rag!!!!

 

[Alex Crow]

You have several cylinder specific missfire fault codes, plus a code to say missfire with low fuel level.

More worrying though is the P0010 code, which relates to a cam timing fault.
I suggest a compression test to see if you have any.
If you don't, go for a cam timing check, but it will be too late.
These engines are known for very many faults, slipping cam chains being one...

 

[colifecape]

I was thinking of that, but I don`t know how much fuel to expect. I won`t get the chance till Wednesday afternoon.

The only thing I can say is, I can hear the pump priming in the back when the ignition is on. Does the pump have an inlet strainer that may be chokin` with gunk?

Picked up a fuel filter anyway and thanks for a quick reply.

Coli.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Think Alex has nailed it, he can remember faults codes of the top of his head, a gift I wish I had, makes sence now re reading your first post, get the timing checked!!!!

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

Think Alex has nailed it, he can remember faults codes of the top of his head, a gift I wish I had, makes sence now re reading your first post, get the timing checked!!!!

Be kind to yourself Cole, I dont have the same ability either, without the description p codes mean nothing to me.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Cheers Steve, thought it was just me!!!!!

 

[colifecape]

I imagine Alex you suggest a compression test to look for bent valves?

I hope not Cos it`ll be off the road a while to rectify that. Does anyone know of a good indie in Lanarkshire? I think I`ll need another head to look at that.

Dealer labour costs are astronomically scary.

THx,

coli.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Local indi, Might pay you to ask that question in a new thread, will get more views that way!!!!!!!

 

[Steve@Avantgarde]

There is a good indie outside of Edinburgh that ST4 uses, maybe he could help.

I am in the process of doing one at the moment and I have quoted around £1450 including replacing 8 valves and the chain.

The real expense comes if the gears on the front of the cam shaft have to be replaced as they are £420+VAT each but you wont really know if you need them until you come to time it up.

 

[colifecape]

That seems incredibly expensive for a chain sprocket. More than £500??? What do they make them from? At that price they should outlive me as well as the car.

Any way once i get more time from work I`ll get the covers off and try and look for anything untoward. I`ve got a compression tester here to check further.

£1450 to fix a tanned engine doesn`t seem the end of the world cos I`d really like my car back. I`m borrowing while I fix my `99 fiesta...


THanks

Coli.

 

[Paul1975]

hi just been reading the posts, i had the same problem and compression tests were zero on all four cylinders.My car had the same symptoms with the erratic idling and engine light coming on and thought it was just a sensor or something simple!When I took the rocker cover off the inlet cam timing mark was about 3/4" away from where it should have been!Took the head off and was greeted with two lovely dents in each cylinder with the corner broke off no 4 piston. went into mercedes today for some prices as alot of the parts are mercedes only and have now hit the bottle!The gentleman said to blame mitsibushi and "you will be uphill and down dale before you get a secondhand engine"!He blamed the camsprocket with the adjuster on it and said not to bother rebuildng it without changing both of them at £840 so he gave me a list of things i need:chain tensioner £60,chain£126,piston from germany £148 each, then he told me the chambers cant be honed because of the nickel liner!So I now have a parts list quote coming to £2158 and nine pence!surely this has been caused by a chain tensioner as theres very little movement in the adjusting sprockets?Hopefully your problem isnt as catastrophic!

 

[ernieh]

Endemic Problem?

You have several cylinder specific missfire fault codes, plus a code to say missfire with low fuel level.

More worrying though is the P0010 code, which relates to a cam timing fault.
I suggest a compression test to see if you have any.
If you don't, go for a cam timing check, but it will be too late.
These engines are known for very many faults, slipping cam chains being one...

This problem seems to be coming endemic with these engines! Almost as bad as the glycol problem pre-facelift......or is it just your luck whether it happens to you or not? Notice somebody referred to Mitsubishi; did they supply some of the parts?

Anyway, I'm glad that I moved mine on before it caught up with me!


Ernie

 

[colifecape]

That reply, Paul1975 is a belter.
If I find that much damage, I`ll have a heart attack.
But I`ll take some pictures when it comes to a strip down. What exactly was the cause of all that? My cars only done 76K, shouldnt even be tired.

Thx

coli.

 

[colifecape]

Oh dear.

Stripped off the rocker cover and set piston 1 to TDC. No sign of timing marks on either camshaft. Also 3 cracked rocker arms.
The sprocket condition looks very good, but I can pull the chain enough between the cams to feel for some play between the pitch of the rollers. Guessing this has started with a stretched chain , then a lot of skipping. I just hope the pistons aren`t gubbed.

:cry::cry:

Looks like the next move is the head off.

Any other pointers would be great.

Coli.

 

[Paul1975]

sorry to hear you have the same bother as me!hopefully your pistons will be ok just dented, I was talking to an indie over here near belfast who says he has done about 20 of these in the last four years!the diesels and most of the other engines dont give much bother with the chains he told me it was mitsibushi made this engine for merc, and its definitely the chain stretching thats the cause, not the cam sprocket adjusters as mercedes told me!I only bought the car from a dealer 2 months ago he didnt do a warranty but I'm sure I have some sort of consumer rights!wishful thinking maybe.good luck with it!

 

[Paul1975]

meant to say mine has done 86000 miles,300 of which since I bought it.Always worried about timing belts I had on previous cars thought the chains were reliable!Thought the car had been heavy on petrol but alot of people reported this,though the plugs and injectors show all the signs of over fuelling so this problem has been working on the engine for a while I would have thought.

 

[ernieh]

Ideal Engines

Just a thought....noticed a company that do second hand and recon engines. One for your car would be around £1395 with 34k miles on the clock. They obviously do a check on their condition before selling and warranted for 6 months. The company is Ideal Engines. Obviously there are others, but that was one that I noticed.

Ernie

 

[colifecape]

Cheers, Just need some time to strip it. Got a quote from them for a second hand engine at £1200, supply only.
Done 38K with a warranty.
Wouldn`t be long and I`d be changing its chain as well. I`d like to see MB`s 60k service to recommend change or at least a check. Theres bound to a lot more of this happening to others.
Does anyone know if there are better quality chains available?

Thx,
Coli

 

[cleverdicky]

hi reading this with a lump in my throat. My sympathies to you both.
I've had similar in the past, mainly belt driven cams. The last car I ever had with a chain driven timing belt was a morris marina TC back in god knows when.
With your experience after now working on this and request for advice on a better chain, would you say the chain was the primary cause or wear in the sprockets?

With the same engine I dread the thought of this happening and wonder if its worth a pre emptive strike on the chain.