Noise is getting worse ...

[Tontastic]

The noise started off as a "ticking" and now its a drone. Rear end noise, which only appears when the drive-train is under load. From standing, when you accelerate it sounds like a beat - beat - beat, until the beats merge into a drone. The instant you lift your foot off of the pedal, it disappears straight away. It doesn't vary at all if you are turning or straight line.

Took the car into a Mercedes specialist in Glasgow (TJ O'Neill) and they hear the noise ok, but can't locate the problem. They spent a lot of time on it, having initially suspected it was the bearing on the drive shaft, but ruled that out. 3 or 4 mechanics spent some time on it as they drove it around ... they eliminated wheel bearings as well. I can't remember all of the things they had thought of, but eliminated, but when it came down to it their only suggestion was to swap the drive shafts over, to see if the noise swapped from the driver's to the passenger's side. They are baffled. They reckon it is either the diff (£1000 swap out part from Mercedes) or a half shaft (£500 part only), but have no means just now without spending a *lot* of money on a strip down to work out what the problem is.

So I planned to drive it until it got worse or broke. They said that they could find no play *anywhere* so it definitely wasn't unsafe. I reckon the noise has got a lot worse since they looked at it, but other than taking the wheels off, and replacing the oil in the diff they haven't interfered with anything much.

The question remains however, if there are any decisive tests to determine if it is one thing over another, and if it is the expensive part (diff) is there a Scottish company that might be able to fix the problem with the existing diff rather than having to swap out for an expensive Mercedes new part?

Should have mentioned that the car is a high miler, a tad over 200K.

 

[xvvvz]

You might want to post the car series, engine series and model year.

 

[Tontastic]

Mental note: never post when tired ...

1999 W210 E300TD ...

 

[Tim Green]

If you can identify how many beats per second at a certain speed such as 10 mph, that may help locate the faulty part. The propshaft turns about 3 times faster than the half shafts. Personally I would suspect a propshaft universal joint - they dont' have to have excessive play to be noisy, but you usually get some vibration as well. Some merc have a rubber "doughnut on the back of the gearbox and these can get deformed causing all sorts of odd things

 

[Tontastic]

Hmm ... when i am pullling away standing I would say that it was perhaps 2 or 3 beats per second, so say up to about 5 mph ...

The thing is that the mercedes specialist gave it a very good inspection. I am presuming that if there was any visible signs of deformation then they would have alerted me to this.

 

[Bolide]

Drive the car at 5 mph in a quiet deserted car park. Turn full lock left and do a couple of circuits. Then full right. Does the tempo of the noise change? If not it's not half-shafts or wheel bearings

Does the tempo of the noise change when you change gear? Drive in 1st then 2nd at the same speed. Does the tempo of the noise change? If not it's not the gearbox

That leaves the gearbox output bearing, doughnuts, prop & prop centre bearing and the diff input bearing

My money's on the diff input bearing. I suspect that the diff is moving on its mountings and the bearing has gone oval. As you load up the drive train the diff tilts, the bearing moves and the drone starts

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Tontastic]

Took it to a transmission specialist this morning. He took it for a drive, and without stripping it down, he reckons its a tooth missing/broken/worn in the diff. Next stop will be to strip it down to confirm this, whilst looking out for anything suspicious on the way in.

He did say that he didn't think it was anything like a bearing or a prop/half shaft, since there is no vibration at all.

My main happiness with these guys is that they are commenting on components inside of the diff, while the mercedes specialist could only comment on interfaces to the diff (bearings) and the diff as a whole. Here is hoping its not too expensive to fix from here ...

I trust its ok to document the ongoing problem like this, it might come in useful in time for someone with a similiar problem.

Thanks very much for everyone who has suggested to date, i'll post again when I have more information.

 

[television]

If this firm is going to rebuild the diff, please let us know, very hard to find a good one these days, it is a very specialised subject.


Malcolm

 

[Tontastic]

Will do ... for information, the company name is Strathclyde Gearbox Services, in Rutherglen, Glasgow. When I turned up this morning, there was a variety of vehicles outside presumably needing work on them, including a Police Van. Workshop looked *really* busy, including a couple of Taxis. The guys I was dealing with also commented that spares could be a problem to get over the xmas period, but he could use a breakers yard if necessary.

Web site is basic (http://www.gearboxservices.com/) but contains contact information.

 

[Tontastic]

Well they drained the oil in the diff, and lots of little bits of metal came out. I am sure the mercedes specialist said that they had done the same thing, but hadn't mentioned any debris.

Needs a new diff, and they are quoting £675+vat including labour to fix, with a year's warranty. Given that Mercedes were quoting just over a grand + vat for the part alone, this is probably (ouch) the cheapest option, unless anyone has any smart sources of diffs for 210s?

 

[television]

Well they drained the oil in the diff, and lots of little bits of metal came out. I am sure the mercedes specialist said that they had done the same thing, but hadn't mentioned any debris.

Needs a new diff, and they are quoting £675+vat including labour to fix, with a year's warranty. Given that Mercedes were quoting just over a grand + vat for the part alone, this is probably (ouch) the cheapest option, unless anyone has any smart sources of diffs for 210s?

Only from a breaker, but you do not know how good it would be until fitted.

Malcolm

 

[Bolide]

Mercman in Southampton should have one. You'll need a part number and the ratio to make sure you get the right one. I'd expect a diff swop (for a s/h one) to be cheaper than a rebuild

If the rebuild price is fixed than it might be the best bet if you're planning to keep the car for a few years

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Tontastic]

Well i am quite happy that i am going to get a year's warranty on the new diff, and they take the risk on getting the wrong item etc, as they took the chassis number as i left so they could order the part.

 

[television]

Well i am quite happy that i am going to get a year's warranty on the new diff, and they take the risk on getting the wrong item etc, as they took the chassis number as i left so they could order the part.

I think for all the work involved that you are doing the right thing,once done it transforms the cars to heavenly silence.

Good luck, Malcolm

 

[Tontastic]

Mmmm. Heavenly silence ... Dreamy!

 

[television]

Mmmm. Heavenly silence ... Dreamy!

To make the new diff last,do pause between R and D to allow the revs and car to stop.

malcolm

 

[Tontastic]

Its fixed ...

After a delay of a week caused by wrong size of diff, lost diff and late diff its all fixed. Nice and quiet. It might be my imagination, but I am sure it is a little quicker as well.

 

[mister_cee333]

Try a decent breakers yard. Birnam's (formerly of Rutherglen) are pretty good. They're now at Blantyre Farm Road which is a wee shady road between East Kilbride and Blantyre. Tel 0141 642 0644.

Another good one is Overton Dismantlers in Aberdeen. They're quite dear but most of their stuff is from lower mileage vehicles. They'll probably deliver too. Tel 01224 722354.

Or Watsons of Inverkeithing. Sorry I can't find their number. It might be 01383 419151. Apologies if wrong.

I'd expect a diff to be £150 or £200 or so. There's every chance it would be guaranteed and that your indi transmission dood would fit it for ya.

Hope this helps.