Hi I have a 1998 E300 that I just did some maintenance on: oil change, sway bar bushings and links, both fuel filters, and diesel purge. Car has 130K on it mainly driven in the city. I was hoping the it would run like new but it seems to have this strange crackling or rattling sound (almost like intermittent popcorn kernels or the artificial tapping of keys on an iPhone/iPad) under moderate acceleration between 2-3K RPM. The noise is especially noticeable when the turbo is spooled up and speed is increasing but RPMs are relatively constant at 2.5K even with moderate throttle. Belt shock replaced Feb 2009 at 94K and glow plugs and plastic fuel lines at 117K. Is this crackling normal under moderate load for all OM606.962s?? Maybe I'm just hypersensitive because the 2005 CDI is so smooth. Please advise so I don't waste too much time trying to diagnose.

I was thinking next step would be cleaning the intake manifold and the runners in the head as well as scrubbing the tank strainer. Potential solutions or no??

Some have mentioned retiming the injection pump due to chain stretch but isn't 130K too early for that?

Motor mounts are getting shaky so I'll do those and the belt shock again for good measure.

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1982 300D-T (sold)
1988 300E (sold)
1994 E320 Wagon (sold)
1995 E320
1998 E300D-T
1999 E3204M Wagon
2001 E320
2005 E320 CDI

Any sound record or video?

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1999 W210 E300 Turbodiesel

Not sure if you could hear the sound on a video over road/wind/engine noise. I might give it a try since I got an iphone a couple days ago.

Just imagine merging onto the highway...not using kickdown...but 1/3-2/3 throttle...RPMs going to 2.5K and staying there...with a slight turbo hiss and intermittent crackling.

Sorry just no other way to describe it.

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1982 300D-T (sold)
1988 300E (sold)
1994 E320 Wagon (sold)
1995 E320
1998 E300D-T
1999 E3204M Wagon
2001 E320
2005 E320 CDI

PS...I just remembered what the sound reminds me of...

Its the same noise as the crackling from the W210 seat frames except coming from under hood during moderate acceleration

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

__________________
1982 300D-T (sold)
1988 300E (sold)
1994 E320 Wagon (sold)
1995 E320
1998 E300D-T
1999 E3204M Wagon
2001 E320
2005 E320 CDI

Video in this thread:

Does your E300 with the 606.962 sound like this?? VIDEO

__________________
1982 300D-T (sold)
1988 300E (sold)
1994 E320 Wagon (sold)
1995 E320
1998 E300D-T
1999 E3204M Wagon
2001 E320
2005 E320 CDI