'05 CDI injector "Black Death" adventure - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

400Eric · #46 09-08-2018, 11:48 PM

Thanks for the posts guys.

I'm going to see the car in the morning. Wish me luck!

I'll report back here what happens. I will be putting a lot of weight in the stack of recepts that he claims to have. (A lot of weight on what they show.)

If I'm still on the fence about the car, I'll show him the cash (his full asking price) and then tell him bluntly: "You originally said that I could pull the shroud. Many of your other buyers are going to want to have a mechanic check this car out. The FIRST thing that dude is going to do is pull that cover. I have to see under that cover or I'm walking". And then I'll ask him: "How much is your time worth? You can be DONE with this here and now. Most of your other buyers are going to want to see under that cover too. The people who are into to these cars are a small community and we all know all about these cars and their issues. And that deployed airbag in the back seat area is a red flag for a lot of people. It's going to scare a lot of them away. You are going to have to fix that at a cost of $750."

Geez, after reading all of that I'm really wondering if I should bother. If I don't get the car I'll post the ad here so all of you can go see the car and demand to see under the cover.

I'm sorry I can't post the ad yet. I can't let a lurker scoop this out from under me.

Does anybody else here have a more concrete number on what this black death costs to have fixed at an indy shop? Or the stealership? All we have so far is Roller's guess of $1,500.

ROLLGUY · #47 09-09-2018, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

Thanks for the posts guys.

I'm going to see the car in the morning. Wish me luck!

I'll report back here what happens. I will be putting a lot of weight in the stack of recepts that he claims to have. (A lot of weight on what they show.)

If I'm still on the fence about the car, I'll show him the cash (his full asking price) and then tell him bluntly: "You originally said that I could pull the shroud. Many of your other buyers are going to want to have a mechanic check this car out. The FIRST thing that dude is going to do is pull that cover. I have to see under that cover or I'm walking". And then I'll ask him: "How much is your time worth? You can be DONE with this here and now. Most of your other buyers are going to want to see under that cover too. The people who are into to these cars are a small community and we all know all about these cars and their issues. And that deployed airbag in the back seat area is a red flag for a lot of people. It's going to scare a lot of them away. You are going to have to fix that at a cost of $750."

Geez, after reading all of that I'm really wondering if I should bother. If I don't get the car I'll post the ad here so all of you can go see the car and demand to see under the cover.

I'm sorry I can't post the ad yet. I can't let a lurker scoop this out from under me.

Does anybody else here have a more concrete number on what this black death costs to have fixed at an indy shop? Or the stealership? All we have so far is Roller's guess of $1,500.

It may be too late for this (you might have already bought/not bought the car). I would bring a photo of the "Black Death" with you to show the seller. Yes, mine may be the worst case that has been documented, but that photo could really help bring the price down if the potential car has the problem. The photo also might help getting an estimate for a similar repair at the dealer. This estimate can also add to the discount on a potential purchase. For me, I would rather find one that has this problem, knowing that it is not as big of a deal as one could make it out to be. However, if you find a car with a pile of repair receipts, chances are it will not have BD.

400Eric · #48 09-09-2018, 07:16 PM

Thanks Roller.

Here it is:
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/mercedes-benz-320-cdi-turbo/6688536153.html

The carfax was good and clean, it's a Florida car, and the lower miles appear to be true.

The receipts weren't present, they were at the son's work, or something like that. Plus they only go back 4 years, not the entire life of the car like I thought. That SBC unit really looks like it has already been replaced though, and the buddy I had with me concurred on that. The "new tires" are only new on the back only, The battery was dead, and the tags expired last month. I really probably should have walked. One thing in this car's favor is it is super local to me. It sucks going to another state to buy a car that might turn out to be a POS. We had a nice, cordial but frank discussion. I did like I said I was gonna do (here last night), I showed him the money and then told him I had to see under that shroud. He let me. It looked good! The car drove well too! What to do? I gave him $4,800 and drove the car home. AS SOON as I pulled behind my house the "check engine" came on. Good times! And don't forget there is that $750-800 back seat air bag job that has to be done. Aren't used cars off of Craigslist a blast? But at least there was no black death (bringing the thread back on topic).

ROLLGUY · #49 09-09-2018, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

Thanks Roller.

Here it is:
https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/mercedes-benz-320-cdi-turbo/6688536153.html

The carfax was good and clean, it's a Florida car, and the lower miles appear to be true.

The receipts weren't present, they were at the son's work, or something like that. Plus they only go back 4 years, not the entire life of the car like I thought. That SBC unit really looks like it has already been replaced though, and the buddy I had with me concurred on that. The "new tires" are only new on the back only, The battery was dead, and the tags expired last month. I really probably should have walked. One thing in this car's favor is it is super local to me. It sucks going to another state to buy a car that might turn out to be a POS. We had a nice, cordial but frank discussion. I did like I said I was gonna do (here last night), I showed him the money and then told him I had to see under that shroud. He let me. It looked good! The car drove well too! What to do? I gave him $4,800 and drove the car home. AS SOON as I pulled behind my house the "check engine" came on. Good times! And don't forget there is that $750-800 back seat air bag job that has to be done. Aren't used cars off of Craigslist a blast? But at least there was no black death (bringing the thread back on topic).

What is the back seat air bag job you speak of? I did not know there were airbags in the back seat. Do you mean the airbag in the front seat back? If you have any bags deployed, you need to have them replaced and the module reset. I have experience with this, and even a parts car. However, I have already used some of the airbags. Actually, there is a place in Riverside that sells airbags, and can reset the module. You can't buy bags from any wrecking yard. Either way, it sounds like you got a decent deal on the car, even with the issues it has. Keep us informed on your progress with the car. Thanks, Rich

400Eric · #50 09-09-2018, 08:21 PM

Rear seat driver side side airbag (the one in the D.S. rear door panel) has been deployed.

400Eric · #51 09-10-2018, 12:36 AM

"P0087 fuel rail/system pressure too low"
I cleared it and drove the car one mile, it hasn't come back yet. I'll drive it some more tomorrow.
Anybody have any "first places" I should look?

vwnate1 · #52 09-10-2018, 01:03 AM

Wow ~ a fascinating story and solution .

ROLLGUY · #53 09-10-2018, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

Rear seat driver side side airbag (the one in the D.S. rear door panel) has been deployed.

Do you know why? That would mean you need the airbag and door panel. I have the airbag, but the interior of my parts car is light beige. I assume yours is either black or grey. There are three W211's in my local P-Y-P (Hesperia). All three are silver, one with grey interior, the other two black.

ROLLGUY · #54 09-10-2018, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

"P0087 fuel rail/system pressure too low"
I cleared it and drove the car one mile, it hasn't come back yet. I'll drive it some more tomorrow.
Anybody have any "first places" I should look?

Could be a clogged filter, or most likely the fuel pressure valve (quantity valve?). Not sure exactly what it is called. It may have just been an anomaly. If it comes back, use your scanner to collect the live data.

400Eric · #55 09-11-2018, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

Do you know why? That would mean you need the airbag and door panel. I have the airbag, but the interior of my parts car is light beige. I assume yours is either black or grey. There are three W211's in my local P-Y-P (Hesperia). All three are silver, one with grey interior, the other two black.

Roller! My interior is light beige! We need to talk more about this! Do I need to get an interior code to you to be sure if we have a match? Which tag should I pull the code from?

To answer your question, The story I got was that the driver cut a corner too sharp and hit a curb with enough force to deploy the side air bag. Like I said, I probably shouldn't have bought the car. (I spent a lot of time lying under the car scrutinizing that L.R. suspension I can assure you.) The ad said: "no issues". I'd hardly call a deployed airbag a non-issue. And now, upon closer scrutiny, it appears that the curtain airbag(s) on that side deployed as well. Can we please include that bag too in our discussions?

I didn't get to drive the car after all today so I have no news on the fuel pressure business.

ROLLGUY · #56 09-11-2018, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

Roller! My interior is light beige! We need to talk more about this! Do I need to get an interior code to you to be sure if we have a match? Which tag should I pull the code from?

To answer your question, The story I got was that the driver cut a corner too sharp and hit a curb with enough force to deploy the side air bag. Like I said, I probably shouldn't have bought the car. (I spent a lot of time lying under the car scrutinizing that L.R. suspension I can assure you.) The ad said: "no issues". I'd hardly call a deployed airbag a non-issue. And now, upon closer scrutiny, it appears that the curtain airbag(s) on that side deployed as well. Can we please include that bag too in our discussions?

I didn't get to drive the car after all today so I have no news on the fuel pressure business.

There were only 3 standard interior colors for the '03-'06 W211 that I know of- Black (Charcoal?), Grey (Slate?), and Beige (I'm pretty sure it is called "Stone"). It is odd that a silver car would have anything but the black or grey interior. If your interior is not Grey or Black, chances are it is Beige (Stone). That is good news for you, as I have everything you need.

You might want to start another thread on the restoration of your car. It would be great to have photos and a play-by-play.

I too wondered about the "no issues" statement in the ad. If the SRS light is on, I would definitely call that an "issue". I have been in a collision where the airbag deployed, and I assure you, I would have been severely injured, or even killed, had it not been for the airbag. I would not want to drive around in a car equipped with airbags, and not have them deploy if needed. That is exactly what will happen if you get in a collision- NO airbags/s. This repair would be on the top of my list. I am surprised the seat bag (left seat bolster) did not deploy as well. It would be best to scan the airbag system for additional codes. In the case of my CDI, it was hit on the passenger side, and all three bags deployed (curtain, seat, and rear passenger [door panel]). This caused the front passenger seat frame to get tweaked, and now the seat frame needs to be replaced. It has the WSS (Weight Sensing System) for passenger occupancy sensing, NOT a weight sensing mat. The WSS consists of four weight sensors (one on each corner of the seat frame), and a module. All the other bags and module in the car are good to go now, but the SRS light is still on because of a WSS fault. I have a seat frame from a car from P-Y-P (Labor Day sale-40 percent off), but have not had the time to install it.
These are things that have to be dealt with whenever airbags are deployed, but I am learning that they are not as hard or costly as many think they are. Also, finding a somewhat local airbag system repair company (Airbag Master Tech) has been a great help.

400Eric · #57 09-11-2018, 08:26 PM

This is very helpful. It is a mystery why the front driver side side airbag(s) didn't deploy too.

I am going to pull the L.R. tire and have an even closer look at that rear suspension. I'm going to have a closer look at the L.F. suspension too. The way the front tires are worn more heavily on their outsides indicates that the front-end alignment is way out of wack. In fact, I'll just take it in and get it aligned (it needs it anyway). If there is anything wrong, they'll find it. Maybe I might need some suspension parts from your parts car too!

Yes, I know I need to start a thread on my new to me CDIs. I've been intending to do that since I got the Arizona CDI at the end of last April.

Thanks again Rich!

ROLLGUY · #58 09-11-2018, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400Eric

This is very helpful. It is a mystery why the front driver side side airbag(s) didn't deploy too.

I am going to pull the L.R. tire and have an even closer look at that rear suspension. I'm going to have a closer look at the L.F. suspension too. The way the front tires are worn more heavily on their outsides indicates that the front-end alignment is way out of wack. In fact, I'll just take it in and get it aligned (it needs it anyway). If there is anything wrong, they'll find it. Maybe I might need some suspension parts from your parts car too!

Yes, I know I need to start a thread on my new to me CDIs. I've been intending to do that since I got the Arizona CDI at the end of last April.

Thanks again Rich!

Yes, with the computerized four wheel alignment systems, it will tell if anything is out of spec (front and rear). On the front control arms, it may have caster bolts installed already. If so, alignment will be easy. If not, the bolts are available from many sources- Dealer (last choice for me), ebay, Amazon, Pelican etc.
Is there any evidence of curbing or damage to the wheels? If the car hit a curb hard enough to deploy airbags, I can't imagine any wheels not being damaged. The guy might have replaced the damaged wheels before selling the car. Did/does the car have a salvage title? If the guy notified his insurance, the car might have been totaled. However, because of the lower mileage, he might have collected the $ and patched up the damage (replaced wheels, cut out air bags and stuffed trim back into place).

400Eric · #59 09-11-2018, 11:54 PM

Before I went to look at the car, I had a dealer friend run one of their carfax style checks on the car and it came back clean. (Here and in the earlier post here I called it a carfax but this one is for dealers only, and better.) I figure that one or both the L.S. rims probably took the brunt of it, and was/were replaced. That would explain why the car has two new back tires while the fronts are only so so. My main concern is bent and/or cracked control arms.

ROLLGUY · #60 10-05-2019, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

My niece has the car now, and LOVES it!. There has been no issues from the B.D. repair, and the car runs great. I now have an identical car (same year and mileage), except a different color. I bought it without any B.D. issues, so that is good. I did have to replace the SBC module. It was really not that big of a deal, other than having to pay $200 for a shop to bleed the brakes. I like some things about both cars, so it would be hard to choose if I could only have one. The pro's for the Bluetec for me are: interior color is awesome (kinda orange-ish tan), and the smooth power it provides. I think it gets better fuel mileage than the CDI as well. The updated interior and front bumper are nice too. Since the oil cooler seals have been replaced already in this car, it is a plus as well. The con for me is: should the trans ever go bad, it would be VERY expensive to fix. It has the seven speed 722.9. This particular car only has 76,XXX miles on it, so I think I am going to sell it while it still has good value. The CDI has many things that I like about it, and not many things I don't. The 722.6 trans is familiar to me, and I have worked on them, so they don't scare me. I think most repairs on the CDI will be easier than the Bluetec (everything is packed in tight on the V6). All things considered, I would keep the Bluetec if it had a lot more miles on it, and sell the CDI to my other niece (that may happen anyway). Also, the CDI has a trailer hitch that I use for pulling a small trailer. The car does rather well with it, so it has value to me for that. However, the Bluetec just gives me great joy when I drive it!. I do like having both......Rich

UPDATE: My niece has been driving the car (the one with the black death years ago) for over a year, and still loves it! There has been no sign of the B.D. returning.