W201 2.0 engine not very smooth?

[E280T]

Hello all,

The 3rd Benz in my collection is a Baby Benz, w201 190E 2.0 Automatic.
Looks good, drives good and has loads of torque. The only problem I am having is that the engine sounds raw. The engine idling behaviour is stable (approx 700rpm) but when driving the car under normal every day circumstances the engine sounds very raw. Like a 190D from what I remember. It has this dark raw vibrating sound which doesn't seem to come from specific part. Perhaps the exhaust pipe vibrates against the bottom of the car. Even in neutral it sounds raw when I hit the gas pedal and the engine revs up. Apart from the sound I really like the engine. But I can't help to think that perhaps its just this engine and not all 2.0 90kw engines on the 190E, cause if it is, I would say I am dissapointed. My other car is a w124 e280t so of course the four cylinder is less smooth, but I also drive a 1991 230e often and that one also sounds way smoother than the 2.0 in the baby benz.

Does anybody have experience with 2.0 in the 190E?

Thanks!

 

[E280T]

Oh, and before I forget to add:

The engine just recently had an oil change.
The engine coolant is clear.
No smoke is coming from the exhaust pipe.
The cam shaft and the valves are NOT causing the sound cause its obviously a different kind of sound.

 

[grahamcol]

I have a 190 carb with the same engine (2.0 litre) and I find mine a bit raw compared to my C200. I guess it's just an older design although maybe yours and mine would benefit from some new engine mounts perhaps ?

 

[dieselman]

It will be the engine mounts transmitting vibration.

 

[E280T]

Thanks for the tips, will check out the engine mounts, perhaps just change them...

 

[Peter C1974]

Replacing engine mounts might make a difference, however, you can't do anything about the general roughness of a four cylinder engine.

My daily hack is a W124 E200 automatic of a 1994 vintage, thus 4 cylinders, 16V head and 136 BHP. At normal (sub 3,000 rev/min) engine speeds, the engine sounds fine, however when extended the engine sounds horrible. To make things worse, before the E200 I had a BMW with a six cylinder engine, a Lexus with a V8 before that and a W126 300SE with a six cylinder engine before that... all of which were creamy smooth from idle up to the red line.

My next car will probably have 6 cylinders.

 

[grahamcol]

Agreed that 6 + cyliners will be much smoother. However, worn engine mounts will definately make an engine feel rougher than it is.