W210 E240 compression loss

[meanie]

I've been offered an E240 (W210) that has lost a compression.
Does anyone know of a common fault with these,as it's not really cheap enough yet to take a chance on without some idea of where the fault may lie.
The dealer who have diagnosed this has told the owner that it will cost 'about a grand' to diagnose more accurately(must be the dearest cylinder leakage test in history!).
The only grief that I've had with these engines has been getting the sodding plugs out!
Any ideas?

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

The cats may have broken up at some point which may of been sucked back up on overun and damaged the cylinder?

The price is properly to remove the heads and take a look.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Have to agree with Ellsy, sounds like the most likey fault on that model!!!

 

[meanie]

The cats may have broken up at some point which may of been sucked back up on overun and damaged the cylinder?

The price is properly to remove the heads and take a look.

I just can't believe that a modern & well equipped dealer doesn't have cylinder leakage test gear-I think they were just trying to scare him into a newer,shinier model off of their 4court!
Anyway,back to your response,is this a common fault,cos that's enough to make me walk from this one.

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

If you can get your hands on a endoscope to have a look down the bore to check.

It is only possible to be 3 things

Valve damage/seating

Cylinder bore or piston damage

Or seriously blown head gasket. ( you would know about that if it were the case.)

On that engine the cat damaging the bore is the only loss of compression ive ever come across in the 10 years or so its been about!

 

[meanie]

If you can get your hands on a endoscope to have a look down the bore to check.

It is only possible to be 3 things

Valve damage/seating

Cylinder bore or piston damage

Or seriously blown head gasket. ( you would know about that if it were the case.)

On that engine the cat damaging the bore is the only loss of compression ive ever come across in the 10 years or so its been about!

We seem to have a concensus of opinion here,thanks!I'll be walking from this one.

You seem to be staying clear of my other slightly cheeky point though!

Of course,it may also be possible from what I've learnt tonight that they may have suggested this explanation,& that he may have been a little conservative with the truth!

 

[Autofix]

Bore damage on that engine while not overly common does happen. I have seen 3 over approx the last two years and heard of a few more. I think you should budget for a replacement engine.

 

[meanie]

Thanks.
Does there seem to be any kind of pattern to the mileage?I only look after a handful of these,but I'm wondering whether prevention might be better than cure.

I'm going to go back to him,tell him what I've found out & offer him a couple of hundred now.Should make a decent breaker to top up my W114 fund!

 

[television]

You could do a quick check yourself though the plugs must be removed.

Do a compression reading, then squirt some oil down the plug hole. If the compression comes up its bores.

I also think that it depends on the spec and condition of the car, if it is a loaded and rust free example then at the right price it could be OK

 

[hmang]

I've been offered an E240 (W210) that has lost a compression.
Does anyone know of a common fault with these,as it's not really cheap enough yet to take a chance on without some idea of where the fault may lie.
The dealer who have diagnosed this has told the owner that it will cost 'about a grand' to diagnose more accurately(must be the dearest cylinder leakage test in history!).
The only grief that I've had with these engines has been getting the sodding plugs out!
Any ideas?

how did they accurately diagnose compression loss if the plugs would not come out ?........just interested...

 

[meanie]

how did they accurately diagnose compression loss if the plugs would not come out ?........just interested...

I haven't got the car,just been offered it.
My comment on getting the plugs out referred to the only problems that I've had with these engines on the few that I look after.
I did offer to have it in and do a cylinder leakage test to give a more accurate idea of where the fault lies,but he just wants rid of it.
If I can get the price down a bit more I'll have it as a breaker & will carry out a leakage test then.