E320 Cdi w210 2001 turbo/MAF problems

[Sparkc180]

Hi all, have just traded up from the C180 to a W210 2001 E320 Cdi and was wondering if anyone can help. The car has been serviced 1000 miles ago. When I took it for a test drive it seemed fine and drove really well. WHen driving it back, I noticed that under hard acceleration or kick down the turbo seemed to go into limp/protection mode. Most noticable from standing start under acceleration, as soon as turbo cuts in, it limps. If you use the throttle progressively and don't kick down in lower gears, the car is fine and absolutely flies at motorway speeds. The car doesn't smoke at all under acceleration and is otherwise driving perfectly.

I have also noticed that at idle in park there is a detectible vibration in the cabin. I am not familiar with this model, but think it unlikely that this is normal.

When I called the dealer he said the previous owner had "boosted " the turbo (does he mean remap?) and limp mode was engaging to stop the turbo getting over boosted and damaged.

Not really happy with this explaination and the dealer has promised to call the previous owner and find out what was done by whom.

Opinions seem to range from duff MAF sensor to bodged remap. Surely if someone remapped your car to behave like this, you would take it back and get the orignal mapping back, so I am not sure this is the case.

Aside from this issue, I am really enjoying the car and it seems to be doing 35mpg combined.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what these symptoms point to?

TIA

SparkC180
2001 E320 CDi Avantgarde

 

[5pares]

The vibration could be down to a faulty injector. The limp mode could be caused by mapping (ive seen brabus diesel upgrade do this but only when driving very hard) so i doubt it is your problem. Air mass is likely cause but your need faults reading.

 

[Sparkc180]

Suppose thats the best way forward. No point in shelling out for a MAF just to rule it out.

Thanks for the advice, I may check the maf myself anyway as it will be a while before I can get it back to the dealer.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

If its the original MAF its well worth changing @ £70. This may very well solve your problem and is less than the cost of plugging into STAR. The vibration you describe is very likely to be an injector. I had these symptoms 12mths ago and as the car had covered 65K changed the MAF first and had the injectors checked by a BOSCH diesel specialist second. It turned out to be the injectors, only noticable at tickover though. I had all 6 refurbed at a cost of £900 so ended up with a spare MAF (old one).

Hope this helps!

 

[Sparkc180]

OK. bit the bullet and put a new maf in. Not a blind bit of difference. It you floor it from standstill, it'll get to 3K rpm and you will hear the turbo dump through the waste gate, ease of the accelerator and go into the turbo more progressively (1/3 of throttle into turbo, then half throttle when turbo is engaged) then it drives totally normally. I also noticed that there is a lot of oily residue round the turbo, but the car is not dropping oil.

Just to recap, dealer said the turbo has been boosted and that this is turbo protection cutting in to stop it over boosting. Dealer says he was going away for a week, but his phone is showing as disconnected. Starting to get a bit worried. Any thoughts?

 

[jberks]

My first thought is that the dealer is talking crap and making excuses.
Its dropping into limp mode, more than likely it will have stored a fault indicating why. This is the starting point.
Anyway - assuming you've not had it long I'd throw it back at the dealer and insist it's sorted or a full refund.

 

[124coupe]

If the dealer knew the car was re-mapped and failed to mention this prior to sale then you have a clear case of misrepresentation and therefore grounds to hand the car back.

The car may have been mapped to the point where its damaged the turbo or other components - and without the original map you can't put it back to standard.

A re-map has to be declared as a modification to your insurers.

Take it back and insist its either fixed (and you are kept mobile while you wait) or your money back and buy a good one instead.

 

[BlackC55]

Get it on a diag machine. This will be the only way to tell what the problem is.

 

[Sparkc180]

Thanks for all the advice. Car going to specialist on Tuesday to have diagnostics read, as the dealer is quite far away from here & I would like to get a second opinion before I go back to him.

I really do like the car and hope its nothing to serious and that I don't have to give it back!!

 

[OlafMaxwell]

Hard to say what the cause is. Malcolms advice on MAF was sound, they go anyway and it is cheaper than running diagnostics.

I have 156k and no undue vibration, so far no engine problems. Glowplugs were replaced around 65k, MAF about 90k, auto shift unit at about 125k, none of these particularly expensive. I dont know what the story is on timing chains, I hear of problems on other engines but not on 320cdi unit. Injector seals will go, not expensive to replace.

I have come across engine mounting issues on the 320cdi and would suggest look at that. This was from an MB main dealer. I am presently looking at replacing mine at next service. Bad mountings would certainly allow more vibration in an otherwise perfect engine. The front cross member is a known corrosion item but I am not sure if this also is linked with engine mountings or not.

 

[Sparkc180]

Update:

Just taken the car for a 400 mile round trip. Halfway there I noticed the turbo seemed to be responding normally on kickdown everytime. Had a four hour meeting and got back in the car to drive home. On a standing start the the turbo is now performing normally and kick down is engaging without the turbo stalling/limping?!? (very powerful car when everythings working correctly!)

The car is going to a specialist for diagnostics tomorrow irrespective. I hope it's all clear as I don't think I have ever enjoyed driving long distance quite so much and I don't want to take it back to the dealer unless I really have to. Thanks for all the advice so far & I will update tomorrow with the results for anyone thats interested or having a similar issue.

SparkC180
2001 E320 CDi Avantgarde

 

[Rumpelstiltz]

Dear Spark

Im having the exact same issue on my 2001 E320 Avantgarde stationcar, and would like to hear what your solution was.

My car is actually at the mechanic today to troubleshoot the issue, which went from intermidiate to permanent on a trip to France.

I have a supision on the wastegate to the turbo, but have to wait on my mechanic to come back tomorrow.

Rumpel

 

[Alex Crow]

hello rumple. your fault could be caused by many many things, but i suggest you start a new thread and tell us all the details you can think of. how long you have had the car, when/how it started, EXACTLY what it does or doesn't do, when it does it (eg cold/hot, top gear, after driving 1/2 hr, intermittently, high rpm, l/h bends or whatever you can think of) and what you have had done to cure it so far.

fwiw, the turbo wastegate itself is most unlikely, could be the vacuum system to it though, or the air filter, hoses, intercooler, maf sensor, exhaust or egr valve!!! many many possibilities.

 

[JohnGerman]

it is most likely down to the remap and the injec. are on there limit if it only happens when u are low on fuel and boot it hard.
put more then a quarter of diesel in and try it again if the problem is still there have the ecu checked for any fault codes.

 

[Naraic]

it is most likely down to the remap and the injec. are on there limit if it only happens when u are low on fuel and boot it hard.
put more then a quarter of diesel in and try it again if the problem is still there have the ecu checked for any fault codes.

That was 3 years ago...hope its fixed.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[JimM]

Well, yeh, I second that!

Such a shame people don't come backto tell us the fix, and others (me included) have to change and do everything all over again until we find the cause - again.

These are lovely cars to drive when they are in good order, that is the shame of them, that we can't bear to part with the intermittent great power and comfort, eh? I've binned other cars for less problems! lol