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  #211  
Old 01-13-2017, 12:03 AM
ROLLGUY's Avatar
ROLLGUY
 
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Posts: 7,229
MBUSA dealer inventory for '05 & 6 CDI's =0

I checked the nationwide inventory of 05 & 06 E class cars, and there are only six vehicles, and none are Diesel. That leaves only a handful of sources for these cars. I have tried CL, Carfax, Cars.com, Auto Trader, and of course MBUSA. Out of all these sources, I can only find about six cars that are acceptable candidates (colors other than black, silver or gray). I am looking at burgundy, blue, white, and desert silver (acceptable) exterior colors, and any color but black for the interior. If anyone sees one that I might have missed that meets my criteria, I welcome the lead. Of course the closer to CA the better, but I will consider one as far away as the east coast if it is the right car. Thanks, Rich

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  #212  
Old 01-13-2017, 12:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLGUY View Post
So what do you think about the black death? Is it serviceable?
Yes.

I had a leaking injector on my CDI when I bought it from Tyler.
It had been leaking for some time when I bought the car.
I successfully repaired the leak.

Thoughts:

1. You need the extraction tool. I bought the $500 Baum toolset. Looking back, one might have been able cobble up a way to do the job without specialty tools, but the risk to an expensive injector justified the tool for me. I still ended up having to machine a part or two, in order to get the tool to fit correctly.

2. The schmutz that is a byproduct of the leak is as durable as fossilized amber..... This hard, black material will fill the head cavity, and is tedious, and necessary to remove completely to expose the injector and it's clamp.

3. The process itself is straightforward, access (once cleaned) is good, it did take some fiddling to get the injector loose from it's bore.

4. You need to face off the seat at the bottom of the bore to remove any "steam cuts" before reassembly. The Baum kit has a nice tool for this part.

5. My first try at this job was made more difficult due to the longstanding problem. Had I caught this in the early stages, I could have saved a lot of time cleaning and coaxing........

6. Smell. If you smell diesel fuel or fumes, check the injector seals. In my case, I could smell it through the HVAC system ducting. In severe cases, you can hear the leak "chuffing" when running. After I cleaned the cavity, I could hear the leak, as well as smell it.

7. We've had 4 of these CDI's in the immediate family, and so far, two have had the problem.

8. I've been driving MB diesels for decades, starting with W115 220 diesels, W123 240D, 300D,300T-D, all three W124 versions..... and my favorite by far, is the CDI. Sure, it's more complex, requires an investment in diagnostics and tools, but it's relatively easy to work on (like 10 minute glow plug exchange) and the power is amazing. Plus, in over three years and 35k miles, I consistently get over 40 mpg on the highway. Overall, still love the car, but it is eleven years old and with 200K miles I don't expect this car to be trouble free (It's not ). The diagnostic computer (Xentry) is crucial to home maintenance, but it is not cheap. Cheap, that's the word, these cars are fantastic automobiles, but they are not cheap to run compared to iconic diesels like the OM 617. But, you get what you pay for. Drive a W211 back to back with a W123, and the W123 feels like you're driving a forty year old car (actually, you are ). Safety, economy, performance, and quality, it's difficult to name another car that does all of this so well.

Jim
__________________
14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles
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  #213  
Old 01-13-2017, 10:27 AM
ROLLGUY's Avatar
ROLLGUY
 
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Posts: 7,229
Jim, thank you so much for the info. I was looking at some youtube videos, and one guy used oven cleaner to remove the worst of the black sludge, it looked real good. When I get ready, would you be willing to rent the tools for me to do the job? I am sure that whatever car I get, it will have some amount of black death that will have to be dealt with. I am excited about the chance to finally enjoy the experience of owning and driving one of these cars. I thought I could not get much better than the '99 E300 W210 I had for a few years (my friend loves it and drives it every day), but the consensus is that there is a measurable difference between those two, let alone the CDI vs a W123. I am surprised that the CDI is not on the list of the top 10 best Mercedes-Benz automobiles: Top 10 Greatest Mercedes Ever Built
My search continues, and will not be done until I have just the right car in my garage. Lord willing, that time will be soon!
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  #214  
Old 01-13-2017, 01:03 PM
TheDon's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 13,285
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimFreeh View Post
Yes.

I had a leaking injector on my CDI when I bought it from Tyler.
It had been leaking for some time when I bought the car.
I successfully repaired the leak.

Thoughts:

1. You need the extraction tool. I bought the $500 Baum toolset. Looking back, one might have been able cobble up a way to do the job without specialty tools, but the risk to an expensive injector justified the tool for me. I still ended up having to machine a part or two, in order to get the tool to fit correctly.

2. The schmutz that is a byproduct of the leak is as durable as fossilized amber..... This hard, black material will fill the head cavity, and is tedious, and necessary to remove completely to expose the injector and it's clamp.

3. The process itself is straightforward, access (once cleaned) is good, it did take some fiddling to get the injector loose from it's bore.

4. You need to face off the seat at the bottom of the bore to remove any "steam cuts" before reassembly. The Baum kit has a nice tool for this part.

5. My first try at this job was made more difficult due to the longstanding problem. Had I caught this in the early stages, I could have saved a lot of time cleaning and coaxing........

6. Smell. If you smell diesel fuel or fumes, check the injector seals. In my case, I could smell it through the HVAC system ducting. In severe cases, you can hear the leak "chuffing" when running. After I cleaned the cavity, I could hear the leak, as well as smell it.

7. We've had 4 of these CDI's in the immediate family, and so far, two have had the problem.

8. I've been driving MB diesels for decades, starting with W115 220 diesels, W123 240D, 300D,300T-D, all three W124 versions..... and my favorite by far, is the CDI. Sure, it's more complex, requires an investment in diagnostics and tools, but it's relatively easy to work on (like 10 minute glow plug exchange) and the power is amazing. Plus, in over three years and 35k miles, I consistently get over 40 mpg on the highway. Overall, still love the car, but it is eleven years old and with 200K miles I don't expect this car to be trouble free (It's not ). The diagnostic computer (Xentry) is crucial to home maintenance, but it is not cheap. Cheap, that's the word, these cars are fantastic automobiles, but they are not cheap to run compared to iconic diesels like the OM 617. But, you get what you pay for. Drive a W211 back to back with a W123, and the W123 feels like you're driving a forty year old car (actually, you are ). Safety, economy, performance, and quality, it's difficult to name another car that does all of this so well.

Jim
I wish I had just sucked it up and bought that baum toolset.
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  #215  
Old 01-13-2017, 02:39 PM
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Location: San Diego
Posts: 3,537
Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLGUY View Post
I just got sent some photos of the black death. Is it repairable? It appears to be mostly in the middle cylinders, but still pretty bad. I will probably be able to get the car pretty cheap. I have done some heavy work on these Diesels, so this repair does not scare me unless an expert says that it may be too far gone. What say you?
Rich, What is this black death? It looks nasty from the pictures. Please educate me on this black death as I may be interested in a CDI at some point down the line. What causes it and why? No CDI was ever sold in CA so all CA cars are 'imported', so to speak.
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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.
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  #216  
Old 01-13-2017, 02:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ah-kay View Post
Rich, What is this black death? It looks nasty from the pictures. Please educate me on this black death as I may be interested in a CDI at some point down the line. What causes it and why? No CDI was ever sold in CA so all CA cars are 'imported', so to speak.
You can read all about it on the first page of this thread.
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  #217  
Old 01-13-2017, 05:50 PM
Skid Row Joe's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLGUY View Post
I checked the nationwide inventory of 05 & 06 E class cars, and there are only six vehicles, and none are Diesel. That leaves only a handful of sources for these cars. I have tried CL, Carfax, Cars.com, Auto Trader, and of course MBUSA. Out of all these sources, I can only find about six cars that are acceptable candidates (colors other than black, silver or gray). I am looking at burgundy, blue, white, and desert silver (acceptable) exterior colors, and any color but black for the interior. If anyone sees one that I might have missed that meets my criteria, I welcome the lead. Of course the closer to CA the better, but I will consider one as far away as the east coast if it is the right car. Thanks, Rich
Did you not check out the White CDI with 39K miles on it, at a major brand dealer, at Autotrader.com, in Little Rock, Arkansas?
If it's $3K more than your budget of $9K, is a 39K miles car not worth the extra $3K, when you're looking at CDIs with up to 150K miles on them?

Add a Carmax alert to your mix of sourcing. They pop up frequently on that. You'll have to ferret out the E320 gasoline burners though. Carmax does not have a filter on gas/diesel.

Did you create an AutoTrader.com 05/06 E320 CDI alert yet?
I don't get many notifications, because I will only buy under 45K miled CDIs from a dealer. Preferably, major brand car label dealer, where the CDI was traded in- not bought at some auction by a low-end shady smalltime dealer.
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  #218  
Old 01-13-2017, 06:03 PM
Skid Row Joe's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLGUY View Post
Jim, thank you so much for the info. I was looking at some youtube videos, and one guy used oven cleaner to remove the worst of the black sludge, it looked real good. When I get ready, would you be willing to rent the tools for me to do the job? I am sure that whatever car I get, it will have some amount of black death that will have to be dealt with. I am excited about the chance to finally enjoy the experience of owning and driving one of these cars. I thought I could not get much better than the '99 E300 W210 I had for a few years (my friend loves it and drives it every day), but the consensus is that there is a measurable difference between those two, let alone the CDI vs a W123. I am surprised that the CDI is not on the list of the top 10 best Mercedes-Benz automobiles: Top 10 Greatest Mercedes Ever Built
My search continues, and will not be done until I have just the right car in my garage. Lord willing, that time will be soon!
Aside from the potential black death and a complete computer breakdown, even with the occasional need for SBC brake system replacement, I would own an 06 E320 CDI, before I would buy or keep a 98/99 E300TD. I decided to get out of my bought new 99 E300 131K miles when it was 14 years old, to move up to a used 06 CDI with 59K miles. I believe the I6 CDI is more servicable friendly, and less of a hassle than the W210 turbodiesel.
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  #219  
Old 01-13-2017, 07:39 PM
ROLLGUY's Avatar
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe View Post
Did you not check out the White CDI with 39K miles on it, at a major brand dealer, at Autotrader.com, in Little Rock, Arkansas?
If it's $3K more than your budget of $9K, is a 39K miles car not worth the extra $3K, when you're looking at CDIs with up to 150K miles on them?

Add a Carmax alert to your mix of sourcing. They pop up frequently on that. You'll have to ferret out the E320 gasoline burners though. Carmax does not have a filter on gas/diesel.

Did you create an AutoTrader.com 05/06 E320 CDI alert yet?
I don't get many notifications, because I will only buy under 45K miled CDIs from a dealer. Preferably, major brand car label dealer, where the CDI was traded in- not bought at some auction by a low-end shady smalltime dealer.
I will gladly purchase any car over my 9K budget if you kick in the extra $
Seriously, 9K is all I got, and that is stretching it a bit. I do have a cars.com alert, and will probably set up others if I can figure out how to do so. My friend inspected one for me today, and it is very nice in every way=NO black death whatsoever. It is just above my budget (asking price), but I will try to get it delivered, and below my budget.......Rich
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  #220  
Old 01-13-2017, 10:03 PM
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If $9K is your upper limit number, then that's that.


My problem is finding the right car, (used) not necessarily the right priced car. What I'm looking for now, a slightly used C7 vert with M7, equipped almost exactly like I want it, and a CPO - Certified Pre Owned w/full-factory warranty) car - it's a difficult process to hit paydirt. I hate to break down and buy new, but I can always do that. I just like the shopping for a deal aspect of buying used and saving $jack$! .
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  #221  
Old 01-14-2017, 12:03 PM
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Found one- great engine and suspension, interior not great

I am looking at an '05 that is wonderful in a few areas (engine, suspension, springs), but the interior has issues. I don't know if a good cleaning will bring it back, or if it is just too worn. What do y'all think? Also, this is what an engine looks like without a hint of "Black Death".
Attached Thumbnails
2005-2006 E320 CDI Buyers Guide, Common Problems, & Roll Call-img_6745-s.jpg   2005-2006 E320 CDI Buyers Guide, Common Problems, & Roll Call-img_6759-s.jpg   2005-2006 E320 CDI Buyers Guide, Common Problems, & Roll Call-img_6770-s.jpg  
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  #222  
Old 01-14-2017, 12:32 PM
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It appears there are a lot of grease stains on the interior. Hopefully a good detail can clean this up.
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  #223  
Old 01-14-2017, 12:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BWhitmore View Post
It appears there are a lot of grease stains on the interior. Hopefully a good detail can clean this up.
I may have the guy detail the car before making a decision. Mechanically it seems great. However, there is some bad clear coat areas, and that is not so good. As much as I like this one, I may pass on it.
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  #224  
Old 01-15-2017, 01:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROLLGUY View Post
I am looking at an '05 that is wonderful in a few areas (engine, suspension, springs), but the interior has issues. I don't know if a good cleaning will bring it back, or if it is just too worn. What do y'all think? Also, this is what an engine looks like without a hint of "Black Death".
It reminds me of a rough around the edges E320 CDI I took a look at in Memphis, Tennessee a couple years ago. It was a trade-in in the back lot at a small dealer I've shopped for almost 20 years. What I think you'll find is tons of deferred maintenance and parts replacements possibly up to several thousands of dollars in bringing up to snuff. Well beyond the frayed and stained interior. You've not stated miles or asking price, but I have a feeling that the principle of; nothing's more expensive than a cheap CDI, may be the case here. I've spent almost $3K in maintenance and parts replacements on my CDI since buying it almost 4-years ago, but I am not one to let my cars deteriorate. It was essentially perfect when I bought it, and it still has cost almost $1K per year keeping it nearly perfect. It's cosmetics are still nearly perfect, BTW.
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  #225  
Old 01-15-2017, 09:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe View Post
It reminds me of a rough around the edges E320 CDI I took a look at in Memphis, Tennessee a couple years ago. It was a trade-in in the back lot at a small dealer I've shopped for almost 20 years. What I think you'll find is tons of deferred maintenance and parts replacements possibly up to several thousands of dollars in bringing up to snuff. Well beyond the frayed and stained interior. You've not stated miles or asking price, but I have a feeling that the principle of; nothing's more expensive than a cheap CDI, may be the case here. I've spent almost $3K in maintenance and parts replacements on my CDI since buying it almost 4-years ago, but I am not one to let my cars deteriorate. It was essentially perfect when I bought it, and it still has cost almost $1K per year keeping it nearly perfect. It's cosmetics are still nearly perfect, BTW.
The asking price is a little over 9K, and it has about 140,000 on the odo. Yes it is overpriced, as I have found examples around here with similar mileage with interiors and paint being near perfect. However, they have been gray, black, or silver. Although I really like the exterior and interior color of this car, and the top of the engine is almost factory clean, I would probably only pay about 4K for the car considering it's cosmetic condition.

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