C250 Problem Update

"Firewrx234" (firewrx234) 04/15/2016 at 22:44 • Filed to: C250, Problem

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Ok so after having Mercedes Benz look at my car for low power problems and rough idle on startup, they told me to change the oil before they will go any further.

Apparently at 4500 miles (supposedly the car says to change oil every 10 k but I don’t like that) my oil is “really dirty” as told to me by the service advisor. So dirty that the code fault they found could be caused by a sensor be covered in sludge and debris. After I refused to pay them $175 for an oil change, he told me that when the tech went to check the dipstick, he found rust on it. He cleaned it off and replaced it and checked again with the same result...more rust. Not good.

At this point I’m beginning to think coolant is getting in the oil or similar which was compounded by one new realization this evening. As I was pulling a freshly filled gas can out of the trunk (while the car was still running) I heard a little rattle. It sounded like debris is rolling around near the muffler. And at this point it’s making more and more sense that my catalytic converter may be clogged and reducing exhaust flow and cutting my engine power.

This is the most reasonable explanation I’ve come up with and I’m not excited. At least I’ve got the factory warranty still rolling right now!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234 04/15/2016 at 23:19

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Just no. Unless you’re using shit oil and filter just no. Dipsticks and their guide tubes rust a little bit sometimes from moisture (condensation) in the crankcase. It happens and is nothing to worry about because it’s such a small amount.

Do you have service records proving oil changes were done on time? Receipts are fine as long as the parts meet spec. If so, then the allegedly dirty oil is an indicator of a larger problem that they need to take care of, not you. And by the way, you CANNOT judge an oil’s condition by appearance alone.

I haven’t seen or heard of any head gasket or catalyst issues on a C250 with the m271 evo engine. Doesn’t mean they don’t happen of course, but those are the last place I would look.

Do you know the fault code? If it is in fact engine related and not fuel, I suspect cam adjusters or something with timing. Have you noticed any abnormal engine noises, especially at start up?

As far as your muffler rattle you are more likely to have picked up some gravel/pebbles/debris behind a heat shield.

E92M3 > Firewrx234 04/15/2016 at 23:45

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This doesn’t really make sense. Let’s say you did have a headgasket issue. There’s nothing that would rust other than the dipstick tube itself. The engine is aluminum. The oil pan is aluminum. Secondly, rust doesn’t float. Even if it did, it would of got caught by the oil filter instead of clinging to the dip stick. Third, antifreeze has chemicals in it to prevent rust and corrosion. Hell, are we sure this thing even has a dip stick? Most german cars don’t these days.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Firewrx234 04/15/2016 at 23:49

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I think you might take that car elsewhere next time...

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Firewrx234 04/15/2016 at 23:56

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I hate it when the service advisor is obviously lying to me to explain some strange problem they are to lazy to figure out. “your car is using oil because of engine braking” How can I trust them and/or not laugh in their face.

boredalways > Firewrx234 04/16/2016 at 00:21

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Thanks to the OPPO map, I remembered that you are an Indy Opponaut (plus the blurry license plates in the background of your photo is a dead giveaway).

Anyway, I strongly suggest you give Pete’s Service Center in Meridian-Kessler a shot. Sure it might be a little far for you to travel but if I remember correctly, they have a discount deal locally with a rental car company on Keystone (Enterprise and/or Avis/Budget) if you need it. They won’t feed you a line of B.S. It’s been a long while but I’ve used them twice in the past and sent my friends to them as well. Good people.

An alternative would be a little further in Castleton called World Class Car Care. Sure they are my go-to guys but it looks like you will be traveling far enough.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > E92M3 04/16/2016 at 12:20

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All correct. It does in fact have a dipstick.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 04/16/2016 at 12:25

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Or at the very least request that a different tech work on it. Whoever was dispatching work probably saw the RO and though a simple C250 check engine light would be super easy for one of the young guys in the shop. The young guy was probably in way over his head and didn’t ask for help for whatever reason. There’s only a handful, maybe, of masters in every shop and we can only do so much. If the younger guys don’t come and ask for help we probably won’t realize they need it.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234 04/16/2016 at 12:32

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Don’t take my frustration in my last reply against you, it’s meant towards the dealer. That’s a terribly useless thing to tell a customer and they should know it. If they don’t then they’re idiots (not necessarily all of them mind you, just the ones involved in that response).

The more I think about it the more I think you need a cam adjuster. The fault was probably for camshaft position. The “tech” probably thought the sensor or adjuster could get gunked up, but that didn’t happen on this engine. It happens on M272's with the cam magnets (adjustment solenoid), but that’s a part defect not a dirty oil issue. Your adjusters can cause hard/long starts as well. If I had to guess, intake cam adjuster.

DipodomysDeserti > E92M3 04/16/2016 at 12:51

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Also, unless it’s a race car, most people have antifreeze/coolant in their car, which will keep stuff from rusting. Only way I could see the dipstick rusting is if water is getting in from the outside or its just from condensation in the crankcase.

Firewrx234 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/17/2016 at 04:32

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As far as the fault code they called it the exhaust can sensor or something similar. And the oil should be within spec and timing. They said the sensor was covered in debris and sludge, which is highly concerning to me under any oil change schedule and only 27k miles.

Firewrx234 > boredalways 04/17/2016 at 04:36

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Thanks, I'll definitely have to check them out if I need something. This place has just angered me to no end.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234 04/17/2016 at 04:47

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99% positive it’s a cam adjuster then. For one, the sensor being dirty and sludged up cannot possibly affect its performance because it operates magnetically. Two, these aren’t sludgy motors, at all. People go way over intervals all the time without sludge build up on these. Taking that and everything else they’ve told you into account, I can safely assume the idiot working on your car doesn’t have a damn clue what he’s talking about. He probably saw what was a normal amount of carbon on the sensor, and started grasping at straws because he was in over his head and had no idea where to go next. $20 says he’s been a tech for less than a year, $50 says less than two years. Your dealer’s performance is frankly terrible in this situation, and I’m sorry you have to deal with them.

Firewrx234 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/17/2016 at 04:58

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Oh and to give you a little more insight into its behavior, today while driving around town: it didn’t want to go at stoplights until it spun the tires, and it holds the turbo spooling and whining while driving lazily or with no acceleration in a parking lot at 10 mph or less, and I even had 1 occurrence today where when I came to a stoplight and stopped, the car almost died after the downshift/stop. Not sure how many of these could be normal behavior but the car seems soooo sluggish some times and so lethargic until about 2500-3000 rpm. (Blanket statement to all: yes I know that’s the torque range, yes I know turbos lag, yes it’s a 4cyl, but it wasn’t like this until the last 1-2 months of ownership...) Yes that statement needed to be used over the phone to one of the device advisors who tried to claim that I just didn’t know Turbo 4cyl are less powered and laggy than other things...yes I know...I own it and it didn’t act like this before a month or two ago, so please help me. Some advisors just don't want to listen.

Firewrx234 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/17/2016 at 05:00

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Thanks for the insight!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234 04/17/2016 at 12:10

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It’s very possible that’s related to the adjuster as well, because basically it will cause your cam timing to be way off at times. You know how VVT/VTEC systems advance the cams to drastically increase power in certain rpm ranges? Imagine if the cams were retarded instead of advanced, or advanced at idle instead on high rpm.

You can always ask the service manager to set you up with a different service advisor and technician.

Firewrx234 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/17/2016 at 12:18

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That’s great to hear. I appreciate it! And as far as the noise in my muffler, it actually seems to be a couple pieces bouncing around inside it near the intake of the muffler. I checked to see if there was heat shielding in the area and I can’t find it if it is. Just odd.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Firewrx234 04/17/2016 at 12:25

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That is weird. It is possible that either it or something ahead of it came apart. But I doubt it’s related to your other problem.

Firewrx234 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 04/17/2016 at 14:09

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Yeah after what you've brought up, I'm sure you're right on that