If left untreated, the oil/coolant mix will eventually turn to sludge. Watch out for cracked dust covers on the struts (any damage there will accelerate the wear by allowing dirt and moisture in). The pulsation damper, which is just another nitrogen accumulator, evens out these pulses (membrane deflecting). In traditional Mercedes-Benz fashion, the W221 S-Class was available in short and long wheelbase versions in most markets. You won’t find any coil springs in Citroen cars with hydro-pneumatic suspension, and when a nitrogen sphere fails, there is virtually no damping in a Citroen car. The Mercedes-Benz OE 302 was a hybrid bus with a direct-injection diesel engine, 150kW electric motor and regenerative brakes – not bad for 1969! The first two generations of CDI diesel engines may develop leaks from the fuel injector seals (copper washers). The M156 was the first engine designed fully by AMG and not based on a Mercedes-Benz engine. It’s not from an ABC car, but its construction is the same. The original seals (orange colour) weren’t able to withstand the heat and developed leaks. [3] The option code for ABC is 487. Mercedes-Benz was aware of the problem and came up with a fix documented in the Technical Bulletin LI05.10-P-056435. I think that Mercedes-Benz tried to stay too close to the cutting-edge when designing the OM651 engine. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. In my opinion, you will be happy with the Airmatic suspension provided that you learn how the system works, and how to diagnose problems yourself, so you don’t get ripped off when something starts leaking or stops working. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Problem with your Mercedes-Benz S550? It is possible to do it with the engine in the car if you get creative, but my point is that even small repairs can be pretty expensive. From mid-2012, the OM651-powered cars were fitted with solenoid injectors at the factory. This solution is cheaper than replacing the faulty motor at the cost of more pollution. In my opinion, affected engines are fine only as long as there is proof that the faulty gears (along with a number of other parts) have been replaced, and the engine is running well after the repair. This is an electronically controlled thermostat designed to regulate coolant temperature between 85 and 105 degrees Celsius. Tips for better search results. The W220 featured a facelift in late 2002 that fixed many common problems from the troublesome W220. Luckily for us, Mercedes-Benz got it right with the W221 S-Class. Ideally, get a post-2010 model with the updated seals. Also, do not buy a car without maintenance history (including filter and hydraulic fluid replacements). If you compare the ABC to other hydro-pneumatic suspension setups: In the Mercedes-Benz R129 SL-Class, the ADS suspension has conventional coil springs but no conventional shock absorbers. “Black death” is a dramatic name for something relatively inexpensive to fix, provided that you catch it early. A weak place is engine timing. SLK 55). provided peak boost pressure of 1.0 bar (1.3 bar for the Performance If the high maintenance cost doesn’t scare you, and you still want a car with the ABC suspension, look for a 2008 model or newer. To be honest, it is not because MB cars are weak in this area, but because most owners forget that spark plugs are wear items and need to be replaced at the recommended intervals. The oil leaking out from the air intake may get onto the swirl flap motor and cause it to fail. with the maximum quantity of oil at 4 bar. All cars produced before 2010/2011 may develop this problem. For the M278 and M157 AMG engines, the two cylinder banks had a common water/charge air cooler that was connected to the low-temperature cooling circuit with low-temperature cooler and charge air cooler circulation pump. June 28th, 2018 mercedes benz. M276, M278 and M157 engines â timing chain rattle When these engines first came out, some of them developed a timing chain rattle during a cold start. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a6f7f839acbf4621e1a789d557a2a136" );document.getElementById("caa544c571").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The coil packs fail occasionally and sometimes when there’s a misfire, replacing the spark plugs alone might not be enough. The symptoms of a leaking oil cooler are dropping oil level and oil underneath the vehicle after a longer stand still. If you decide to get one of these cars, listen for a ticking noise for the first couple seconds after a cold start. The other two are there to dampen pressure spikes in the system. The final solution to the injector problems was to recall the cars to fit solenoid injectors, which is an older but proven technology. Once a camshaft is scored and loses its profile, the cam followers can wear too – in severe cases to the point of breaking a hole in the centre. At the low level, however, When things go wrong, you can expect the servicing costs to be above average. The Airmatic air suspension was standard equipment in the Mercedes-Benz W221 S-Class, except for the S 600 L and AMG models, which have the ABC hydro-pneumatic suspension. The Mercedes-Benz M276 is a series of 3.0-liter and 3.5-liter gasoline V6 engines with direct fuel injection system. That’s air suspension reacting to new conditions. To makes matters worse, the OM651 is the first Mercedes-Benz motor to have the timing gears in the back of the engine where access is restricted. The M278 is derived from the company's previous M273 V8 engine, sharing its bore pitch, aluminium engine block, and Silitec aluminium/silicon low-friction cylinder liners. piston undersides were also shut off; A volume-controlled high-pressure fuel pump; and. The head bolts were eventually updated by AMG around 06.2010. The ECU is the shiny metal box that sits on top of the air filter housing. There have been cases of head bolt failures due to corrosion in the M156 engines. The air vented from the crankcase through the PCV system contains oil vapours. The later model M278 engines did not have ⦠We would like to share some of the most frequently asked questions about Instant Ink. Our list of 9 known complaints reported by owners can help you fix your Mercedes-Benz S550. The M278 engine had Garrett MGT1752SM turbochargers which provided out of their Mercedes AMG M157 V8 Twin Turbo Engine. However, newer cars also experienced problems. Any leaks should be visible once the plastic engine cover is removed. A balance shaft is an eccentric weighted shaft, which is used to eliminate engine vibration. Your email address will not be published. Imagine that you’re trying to fix a rough idle or misfire. were introduced in 2010 to replace the. As we stated early, the M157 is a reliable engine overall. This makes replacing the timing chain more expensive. and two map-controlled, switched pressure levels. Package). Before buying a car with the ABC, I recommend taking it to a professional to check the diagnostics log for any stored errors. The hydraulic pump will need replacing at some point (very expensive). If a piezo injector fails, you may be forced to have your car fitted with solenoid injectors. The features you see in an S-class car today may be popular in more ordinary cars in a few years. If you can hear a rattle which disappears after a couple seconds, it’s most likely the timing chain. A very common problem is the check engine light coming on due to the gas cap not being tight enough. peak boost pressure of 0.9 bar. In terms of size, it is slotted in between the smaller GLC-Class (based on the C-Class) and the larger GLS-Class, the latter with which it shares platforms. The ABC is really a conventional coil spring suspension with added hydraulic levelling. The ABC suspension is very comfortable, and at the same time, there is very little body roll when cornering or braking (hence the word “Active” in the name). Note for common printer problems Customers receiving the"will damage your computer" message along with others like "unable to access cups/tmp" or "'@%' cannot be opened" need to update their version of the macOS. The fix is to replace the gears with updated ones, which don’t wear out. Despite having excellent performance and winning multiple awards, this engine has its problems. The S 400 HYBRID was the first Mercedes-Benz hybrid car and the first hybrid car that used lithium-ion batteries. If you are in the market to buy a Mercedes-Benz W221 with one of these direct-injection engines, definitely check if the engine doesn’t rattle during a cold start. All engines made before this date are affected – engines with serial numbers beyond 569xx 60 060658 have the updated bolts. Hi, my name is***** the M278 engine, there have been some problems with the timing chain tensioners causing a rattle on start up. Engine serial numbers below have updated gears, which are free from the problem: M272 engines with serial numbers higher than 2729 . The ABC is standard equipment in the S 600 L and AMG models (S 63 AMG, S 65 L AMG). If you are going to buy a W211 with the M272 or M273 engines, be very careful not to buy one with worn gears. All rights reserved. As you can see, it’s important to keep the hydraulic hoses in good condition. Mercedes M157, M276, & M278 Rattle Noise Upon Starting Many of the newer generation Mercedes engines (namely the M157 AMG engine, M276 V6 engine, & the M278 V8 engine) develop an obnoxious rattle sound upon start up. There are two accumulators that store the pressure to feed the system as explained above. It is a problem that you should not ignore. If you don’t stop on time, the hydraulic pump may die from running dry. See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I recommend avoiding the S 63 AMG unless you are planning to do something about the head bolts that may corrode. The gas behind the membrane inside the nitrogen sphere is compressible and can absorb the shocks from the road (membrane deflects). The dark colour of the fluid means that it is dirty and full of abrasive particles – the entire hydraulic system could be worn out. }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); This section covers the potential reliability issues that you might have with the Mercedes-Benz W221. The rattling noise is a result of the chain tensioners not applying enough tension until oil pressure builds up (a couple seconds after cold start). level, the lubrication and cooling points in the engine were supplied Something as simple as changing the motor mounts may require the engine to be removed from the car. In response to the failing OM651-powered cars, Mercedes-Benz initially decided to replace the faulty injectors with new ones, but eventually, scrapped the piezoelectric injectors completely. Good for you, but don't buy anything untill watching this video. If a hose blows, the suspension shuts down. This is particularly true for the S-Class, which has been Mercedes-Benz’ testbed for the latest technologies. Both types of suspension are expensive to maintain, with the ABC being the more expensive of the two. They are in constant tension to create a seal between the cylinder head and the engine block (engine block – head gasket – cylinder head). The Airmatic ride quality is indeed very good. The Mercedes M278 Engine. Engine misfires are one of the most common problems we see in many Mercedes-Benz cars. It’s not a very reliable design with lots of plastic parts that can fail. There were also some issues with premature valve guide wear. Required fields are marked *. You may also smell diesel fuel inside the car when the engine is running. A little backstory first. There are some options available on the market today that can help you save money servicing the ABC suspension: repair kits, aftermarket parts (Arnott has a good reputation) and reconditioned parts. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Alternatively, you can buy the older S63 with the M156 as long as you can get a warranty that covers potential engine meltdown, or replace the head bolts preemptively. Used Car Buying Guide: Pre-purchase Inspection (Part 3), The electric motor alone is rated at 20 PS (15 kW), 2009-2013, S 63 AMG, S 65 AMG & AMG Sports Package, staggered setup, S 63 AMG, S 65 AMG & Sport Package Plus one, staggered setup. If there was a leak, you will see a black mess on top of the engine. Even if you don’t drive the car, the nitrogen gas will eventually escape, just like air escapes from a seemingly airtight balloon. Application: S-Class, CL-Class, SL-Class, E-Class, CLS-Class. These are the original wheel sizes that were fitted by the manufacturer. Follow this link to read more about timing chains and how to check them. Well, this is partially correct because the first Mercedes-Benz hybrid was a bus: This section contains Mercedes-Benz W221 specifications. However, if you decide to get one of these cars, listen for any timing chain noises during the first couple seconds after a cold start. Problem persists and now the car has to go back in. Once fixed, they are not bad units. Unfortunately, the production of the Mercedes-Benz W221 stopped soon after the check valves were introduced. Next time you fill up your car with gas, make sure to tighten the gas cap or the service engine light may come on. 1 Printer overview Printer views Printer specifications Printer hardware setup and software installation For more information: The following information is correct at the time of publication. Air suspension is commonly used in trucks and buses because vehicles with air suspension can maintain correct height and level despite the load. As these gears wear, the engine timing is altered due to increased slack in the timing chain. The Mercedes-Benz M278 is a family of direct injected, Bi-turbocharged, V8 gasoline automotive piston engines.. In other models, the ABC was an optional extra (option code 487). Some engines seem to last despite having the unlucky gears, but I would not take the risk. Please be aware that it’s still going to be expensive…. This is by far one of the most the flow rate was reduced to 2 bar and the oil sprayers for cooling the When the bolts start corroding, the clamping force may be reduced, which could allow coolant to leak into the combustion chamber or mix with the engine oil. For example, replacing a leaking oil cooler in the M137 required the cylinder heads to be removed, which made it a very expensive job. You will definitely see it once you remove the plastic engine cover. The most problematic cars were the ones manufactured in 2009 and 2010. 1. Problems and Faults with the W220 S Class The Mercedes W220 S Class was the flagship Mercedes of the 1998 to 2005 era that was designed by Bruno Sacco. In older Citroen cars, which were famous for their hydro-pneumatic suspensions, there is a nitrogen sphere at each wheel that serves the function of both the shock absorber and the spring. If the car feels bouncy or hard, something is wrong. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. models; and. All the while, more and more metal is being ground away from the gears. The M272 engines manufactured between 2004 and 2008 were fitted with balance shaft gears and idler gears that can wear out prematurely. For M272 or 273 engines, the plastic expansion plugs located ⦠The purpose of this article is to make the suggested repair pathway easier to decide For this reason, people came up with a way to disable the swirl flap motor using a simple resistor to trick the car’s ECU into thinking that the motor is working. It is driven by the timing chain as it needs to in sync with the engine pistons. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The system is powered by a hydraulic pump, monitored by sensors and controlled using solenoid valves. It’s the coil spring inside the struts that does the job of absorbing the shocks from the road, and the hydraulic system is there just to adjust the car body lean and height. I can’t recommend the OM651 engine (S 250 CDI) because of potential problems with the timing chain, which is at the back of the engine. 30 468993, M273 engines with serial numbers higher than 2739 . if (d.getElementById(id)) return; Fuel injection and fuel ignition would be adjusted; and. Also, these engines experienced problems with the original piezoelectric fuel injectors. If you think the Airmatic suspension is complex, never buy a car with the ABC suspension. Thus, you can expect the maintenance costs to be accordingly higher. The percentage of engines that fail is small, as I see it, but it’s not worth the risk to me. These features are also shared with Mercedes' M278 V8 engine, announced at the same time. Your email address will not be published. The S 600 L and the S 65 AMG were manufactured only in a long-wheelbase version. Any Mercedes S Class features the latest technology and gadgets that [â¦] It is also better than the Airmatic suspension when it comes to handling. I believe that this is caused by a combination of too soft camshaft lobes and too hard cam followers. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. . The ABC is a hydro-pneumatic suspension, and you can check if any particular W221 has the ABC by decoding the VIN number. The hydraulic pump is a piston pump so it generates pressure pulses with every stroke. To illustrate, here’s a photograph of a bent connecting rod after hydrolock (not from a Mercedes-Benz): Mechanical engine damage is the worst case scenario, usually, the cars start losing coolant before failing like this. Watch out for balance shaft and idler gear issues in the M272 and M273 engines. The swirl flaps are not essential for the engine to run – they are there to improve emissions and disabling them has a minimal impact on engine performance. Following on from my Complete M271 and M272 engine threads here is âThe complete M276â thread. The hydraulic accumulators serve the function of the shock absorbers. When the swirl flap motor fails, it puts the car in limp home mode along with turning the “Check Engine” light on. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; Unfortunately, the M273 engines have earned a reputation as one of the most problematic Mercedes V8 engines. Click here for an article that might help you decide if a modern diesel engine, like the Mercedes-Benz CDI, is the right choice for you. Failures aren’t that common. There is one coil pack per cylinder and you can replace them individually, so it’s unlikely that you’ll need all six at the same time. Also, it is self-levelling, which means that it will maintain the ride height despite the load in the car. If you are going to buy a car that has a leaking system, expect the air pump to be on its way out too. 2013010001 was issued for 2013 model year Mercedes-Benz R231 SL 500 vehicles that had 4.7-litre biturbo M278 V8 engines.During installation at the factory, the check valve of the left and right secondary chain tensioners may have been pressed too deep into the cylinder heads and this could compromise oil supply into the cylinder head. The ABC is a complex, high-performance system and it will be more expensive to maintain than standard suspension or even the Airmatic. It is very labour intensive, which makes it a very expensive repair. Click on the buttons below to read more about the typical problems that fall outside the scope of routine maintenance. When Mercedes Benz introduced the M278 we realized immediately itâs potential. The Mercedes-Benz M278, M157 and M152 were 90-degree V8 petrol engines that If the leak is large enough, the engine may sound like a steam locomotive due to gases escaping from the combustion chamber. I believe that 2011 cars may be affected too. Here’s a video of an accumulator taken apart. The seals are cheap. A couple of years ago you had to buy an entire manifold assembly to fix this problem (£800 at the dealership). When these engines first came out, some of them developed a timing chain rattle during a cold start. The M278 (and its variants the M157 and the M152) is a direct injected, twin-turbocharged, V8 gasoline piston engine. The V12 W221 models are very expensive to maintain. In my opinion, the Airmatic is not unreliable, but it is significantly more complex than traditional suspension. Please be aware that Mercedes-Benz is a manufacturer of high-performance, luxury cars. Additionally, there is a hydraulic cylinder in each strut that can change the height of the suspension (each wheel individually). Introduction to the Mercedes M278 Engine. Well, now you know that it’s not the case anymore. So you’ve already spent a lot of money on the spark plugs, and now you’ll try replacing the coil packs…. If you hear a ticking noise, it’s likely the camshaft. Read more about timing chains and how to check them before buying this car. . (function(d, s, id) { The Mercedes-Benz W221 may be equipped with hydro-pneumatic suspension called Active Body Control (ABC). The camshaft lobes are quite sharp (small nose radius), which may contribute to the problem. Instead of traditional coil springs and dampers, the Mercedes-Benz W221 is fitted with four Airmatic struts, which are air springs and dampers integrated into single units. Up until this point, all M-B diesel engines had dual-row timing chains that were superior in terms of durability and longevity. The letter “L” indicates the long wheelbase. Corrosion was a big problem with the W220 S-Class model. The typical cause of failure is increased friction in the mechanism from the accumulation of oil and carbon deposits in the intake manifold. Check that the car responds correctly, with no warning messages, to manually adjusting the ride height. Shopping for a Mercedes-Benz? ©AustralianCar.Reviews. However, this is a much smaller problem than leaking oil cooler seals. This would cause the engines to fall mechanically out of time, would produce cam and crank timing correlation codes and extremely rough running. Package). If you compare this to the V6 M272 engine – a Delphi (OEM) ignition coil for the V6 is £40. A typical symptom is dropping coolant level while the oil level is rising. Also, the swirl flap motor design is unfortunate in this engine. Similarly, the damping is lost when an accumulator fails in the R129 SL-Class with the ADS suspension. Unfortunately, some of the engines in the W221 may develop issues (OM651, M272, M273, M276, M278 and M157). If you are curious how carbon deposits and oil appear in the engine intake manifold – they come from the Exhaust Recirculation Valve (EGR) and Crankcase Ventilation System (CVS). The PCV breather pipe is connected to the air intake before the turbocharger – that’s how engine oil gets into the intake manifold. The intake manifold in these engines is very complex. When a leak occurs, the gases and the diesel fuel from the combustion chamber can escape and cover the area around the leaking injector with burnt, hard, tar-like substance. The direct injection petrol engines (M276, M278 and M157) may develop a timing chain rattle during a cold start. The check valves prevent the engine oil from draining from the chain tensioners when the engine is off. The rattling noise is a result of the chain tensioners not applying enough tension until oil pressure builds ⦠vehicles; M157 referred to the 5.5-litre biturbo V8 engine for AMG-badged Ensure correct spelling and spacing - Examples: "paper jam" Use product model name: - Examples: laserjet pro p1102, DeskJet 2130 For HP products a product number. It wasn’t an official recall, but in reality, it kind of was. There are 24 spark plugs and two ignition coil packs in this engine – one coil pack per cylinder bank. AustralianCar.Reviews has over 1,550 extensive reviews of 62,000 Australian cars... 1.0 bar (1.3 bar for Performance If it drops in a couple hours, something is worn out or there is a significant leak somewhere. Replacing the swirl flap motor is not as painful as replacing the oil cooler seals, but there is still a lot of parts in the way, and the motor itself is not that cheap. From the start of production, the W221 has a galvanized body and much better corrosion protection than earlier Mercedes-Benz cars. However, their replacement is expensive as the fuel injection system and intake manifold need to be disassembled to get to the oil cooler.
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