Manifold cracked on 2001 E200

[John of Dublin]

Just a statement in case anyone has seen it, I'm told it has happened to others....

In 2005 - with my E200 just 4 year old - the manifold cracked as I was just gently cruising through a town. I've had the car from new and I'm a very sedate driver. There was maybe 60K miles on the clock at the time it happened.

The car sounded like the exhaust had gone - so I headed to an exhaust centre. They promptly told me it was cracked manifold and I ended up paying 1,000 Euro at Mercedes garage for new manifold for 4 year old Mercedes!

I was pretty ****ed about this....I aproached Mercedes but they were not interested - kept repeating like parrots that the car was outside warranty. Interestingly, I'm still using the original exhaust from new.

I've had 12 year old banger cars in the past and the last thing you expect to fail is the manifold. I guess they make them thinner these days.

Just be warned!!!! Has anyone else seen this happen?

 

[jberks]

I've not heard of this before and none of my mercs have suffered so I suspect it was a one off. Manifolds don't crack due to age, there are plenty of ancient ones running around. They go because of a manufacturing defect. When that happens is just chance. You were unlucky but Sods law does state that daft things will fail just outside warranty. Legally MB are right, though morally it shouldn't have failed and they should have offered you at least 50% off.
The only point I would make is that there is no way in hell I would allow myself to be ripped off by the dealer to the tune of £700 for an item that I could get from any reputable breaker, or have my existing one repaired. Its not cosmetic or deteriorate with age or wear and tear so there is no benefit to having a new shiny one. All too easily we visit the dealer and accept whatever we are told. We all have the ability to say NO and walk away. I have done this many times when confronted with something I find unnaceptable. Often that is enough for them to see sense and be more reasonable. Failing that, there are always alternatives. Perhaps not as convenient, but a hell of a lot cheaper.

 

[IDMerc]

Unfortunately I cannot remember where I have read this but cracking of the 2.0 litre exhaust manifold is a common fault. (Not on the new twinpulse engine). I will try to locate the article and post ASAP.

 

[television]

But isnt this the strange way that MB do their pricing, £700 is a stupid price, its cast with only two machined faces, plus a few holes, its as though when something breaks MB are happy to rub your nose in it, many things like this can put some people off for life. If I sell something and it breaks, I fix it for cost.

Malcolm

 

[bundy]

i run my own indy merc workshop & in the past 3years seen 12 manifold failures on 180 kompressors & 200,s the design of the manofold is bad & due to harmonic vibration cracks around the tig weld. (yes it is stainless) merc show no interest in warranty & simply refuse to beleive there is a problem.

regards ted

 

[jberks]

I stand corrected. As they say, you live and learn.
Can't it be repaired? The seem to be able to re-weld most things these days and with a £700 budget, there should be some room to menouver.

 

[clive williams]

i run my own indy merc workshop & in the past 3years seen 12 manifold failures on 180 kompressors & 200,s the design of the manofold is bad & due to harmonic vibration cracks around the tig weld. (yes it is stainless) merc show no interest in warranty & simply refuse to beleive there is a problem.

regards ted

Ted,

Harmonic vibration cracks used to be a fact of life on turbo comp cars where the stress of excessive heat - sometimes red hot - and vibration cracked the manifold. It's unusual on a supercharger engine as the stresses are less on the exhaust system.

Can the manifold be braced? which will change the vibration pitch.

Clive

500E
E320CDIT210

 

[bundy]

hi clive.
from what iv,e seen there seems to be nowhere to put a brace. the manifold itself is a pretty poor design. its sort of a manifold within a manifold!! as to welding it up again the time taken to strip the top half of the supercharger to gain access to the manifold (it self a pig of a job) the labour involved etc if it were to fail after being welded i wouldnt want to do it again for free :-( at least with a new one you get 12 months g,tee and i would be covered for the labour also.
regards ted

 

[rossclifford]

Guys on reading this thread I would say 100% dont bother welding them as it is money down the drain.
Prior to getting my MB I was a Jaguar fan and had a XJ6, now these are well known for cracking manifolds and mine bit the dust. I sent them off to be welded twice and they still split, these were cast manifold and I think there is alot of porosity in the casting that makes welding them nearly impossible as the vibration soon cracks the weld. The problem for the XJ was that used manifold were like rocking horse S***, the only fix I ever got to work was massaging exhaust putty into the crack, it seemed to hold for the remaining 6 months I had the car.

 

[whammer007]

Hi all,

I'm just back off hols in the W210 Komp. While I was away, I noticed a slight "blowing" coming for the front while booting it at lower revs in high gears. Is this an indication of cracked manifold? I've yet to investigate, but it does kinda sound like it.
Anyone got any ideas as to alternative suppliers for manifolds, if I fit a genuine one it's just gonna go again right?

Regards,

Whammer

 

[jon pollard]

My 2001, W203 C-Class had a new manifold fitted in 04 under warranty - to say I was shocked was an understatement. Dealer told me that MB had found a design fault in original manifold design which led to a stress fracture, hence they gave me the new modified design manifold. Dealer unable to give me a straight answer as to why car wasn't recalled if it was a design fault. Just glad to get it done under warranty; although I'm curious how much 'warranty' the new manifold has?