Would you say that the E320 CDI is the best diesel Mercedes produced? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

R.Diesel · #16 11-04-2019, 03:26 AM

320CDI engine probably is one of the best. Besides the ubiquitous 617 I’d say the OM602 is up there as well. You may have to replace the head gasket once in 30 years but that’s cheaper and easier than 30 worth of valve adjustments.

Screwdriva · #17 11-04-2019, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 83w126

I have driven a CDI once and it was nice, but I think I would be afraid to buy one because of the SBC and the potential for very expensive failures when its a much bigger risk ($7500+ car vs 1/3 that much for an older car). The bluetec will have the $1800 conductor plate replacement cost so that adds a bit to the maintenance budget too.

Agree. Not to mention that classics appreciate, so they're worth looking after. It's unlikely that any vehicle designed post 2000 will appreciate before EVs wipe them out.

On the SBC issue, didn't Mercedes remove SBC from its vehicle lineup entirely for a couple years till they figured out the issue? I heard that they did this in their India W211 cars because of the high traffic conditions.

valvecovergasket · #18 11-04-2019, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

The 14-15 Bluetecs are more like 2 to 2.5x the price....but usually they also come with about 80-100k less miles on them based on the car browsing I've done on both models.....

i had a 2015 E250 for about a year from new.

incredible car, and easily my favorite diesel benz.
incredible torque, 40+ mpg on the highway without a sweat.
DIY service is obviously more of a challenge

i think the cdi could be interesting but the w211 chassis is a major turnoff (in my opinion)

chronometers · #19 11-04-2019, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

Its a really good one but I don't think its best. Best engine would go to the 606 or 651 in my opinion.

MB ruined the W211 for me with the wood rollerbox armrest/console disaster. You can't get comfortable! Your arm ends up laying on a hard narrow edge that drops down onto the wood cover......WHY.

agree, that is why I got an early 2005 with butterfly center console....I've always liked having center armrests all the way back to W115s.

JimFreeh · #20 11-05-2019, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chronometers

agree, that is why I got an early 2005 with butterfly center console....I've always liked having center armrests all the way back to W115s.

Funny!

That console was why I specifically looked for the later style!
Every early one with the butterfly style was damaged either cosmetically or mechanically.

The wood top never bothered me in the years we had the 05 W211 CDI.

Different strokes, I suppose.

Jim

chronometers · #21 11-05-2019, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

Funny!

That console was why I specifically looked for the later style!
Every early one with the butterfly style was damaged either cosmetically or mechanically.

The wood top never bothered me in the years we had the 05 W211 CDI.

Different strokes, I suppose.

Jim

Agree!

I would definitely say the e320 CDI from 2005 and 6 are the best all around MB I have driven.

ah-kay · #22 11-05-2019, 09:12 PM

I just bought an used 2006 E320 CDI and it threw a number of fault codes when I drove it home. 670 to 676 plus 683. Basically it is complaining the glow plug control module has issues. The GP light stays on or comes on when driving.

The GP control module is located in a PITA location, underneath the inlet manifold. I need to remove belly pan to get to it from underneath the car. What a pain. To add salt to injury, the module is very near the starting motor and I sparked the 12V feed cable with the wrench. I could disconnect the battery but then I have to reset all computers on the car so I decided to tape the 12V with insulation tape before I could put a spanner/wrench near the module. It was extremely difficult to get to the 2 bolts to remove the module. It is also very difficult to remove the 2 connectors with the grime and dirt baked into the sockets/connectors. All in all it was not fun. I spent at least 1.5 hours to get the module out. I found one of the GP is burnt out. I had to carefully remove the GP as it is 5" to 6" long and prone to breakage inside the head. After all is said and done, the whole afternoon is gone for simple things like this. I am not sure I have made the right decision with all these electronics. I do enjoy driving it though. We will see.

ROLLGUY · #23 11-06-2019, 12:35 AM

Having had two CDI's, and of course EVERY other Diesel chassis back to the W115, is is my opinion that the CDI is the best Diesel sedan ever produced. I have also had an '07 Bluetec, but the 722.9 transmission and engine issues/problems have "left a sour taste in my mouth" so to say. Both of my niece's have the two CDI's now, and they love them!!! (200K+ on each). Kristy my niece has never driven anything but a Mercedes Diesel car. She has owned/driven four since getting her license.

The CDI is very DIY friendly, unlike the later Bluetec V6. The 722.6 transmission will last the life of the car if maintained regularly (20K-25K intervals). Although I will probably have an OM617 powered 'Benz in my stable till the day I die, I have pretty much settled on the W211 platform for the majority of my automobile needs. I have a wagon now, but am not happy that they are not available with the Diesel engine in America. Years ago I had thoughts of making one (CDI engine swap into the wagon chassis), and still may do it if the right donor car becomes available.....Rich

shertex · #24 11-06-2019, 04:30 AM

When I was en route to pick up one of my CDIs, the PO informed me that the glow module went out. We had already agreed upon a purchase price. But he was kind enough to split the cost of the new module and replaced it before I picked up the car. He did indicate that it was extremely difficult to get to.

The glow plugs themselves are very easy to access. So far I have no trouble removing them using the factory procedure. Rossafuss over on Benzworld swears by using a low torque impact driver....but somehow that scares me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ah-kay

I just bought an used 2006 E320 CDI and it threw a number of fault codes when I drove it home. 670 to 676 plus 683. Basically it is complaining the glow plug control module has issues. The GP light stays on or comes on when driving.

The GP control module is located in a PITA location, underneath the inlet manifold. I need to remove belly pan to get to it from underneath the car. What a pain. To add salt to injury, the module is very near the starting motor and I sparked the 12V feed cable with the wrench. I could disconnect the battery but then I have to reset all computers on the car so I decided to tape the 12V with insulation tape before I could put a spanner/wrench near the module. It was extremely difficult to get to the 2 bolts to remove the module. It is also very difficult to remove the 2 connectors with the grime and dirt baked into the sockets/connectors. All in all it was not fun. I spent at least 1.5 hours to get the module out. I found one of the GP is burnt out. I had to carefully remove the GP as it is 5" to 6" long and prone to breakage inside the head. After all is said and done, the whole afternoon is gone for simple things like this. I am not sure I have made the right decision with all these electronics. I do enjoy driving it though. We will see.

arcteryx · #25 11-10-2019, 12:29 AM

I have had mine for 2 years, very happy with it. It has 133k on it now. It has had some issue and I’ve DIYd all except the SBC (I do have a lift so accessibility is easier). I consider most of the issues are wear n tear due to the age of the vehicle and not MB craftsmanship or lack thereof.

I’ve replaced:
- glow plug module, which threw a code and was hard to reach
- All glow plugs, didn’t need them but was PM. Used a torque wrench and they were very easy to remove
- oil level sensor
- tranny flush when doing the tranny filter kit
- front and rear brakes
- Front suspension which had torn rubber bushings . This wasn’t hard to do but did take a bit of time. I recommend doing both ball joints as well
- tranny mount
- intercooler seals
- starter
- SBC done by dealer a few months ago. It threw a code / dash light warning. After some troubleshooting I made an appt with the dealer.

I need to replace some of 722.6 bits with some sonnax parts I have, it is hard to shift when cold in winter.

It’s fast, has good ac and gets decent mileage. Super comfortable to road trip and commute in. It floats down the road. I don’t like the MOST system, I do long for a reliable solution for Bluetooth. The wire to the 3.5mm in the glove box gets old to look at.

I’ve had a W124 92 300d. Very well built. Great car but the AC isn’t that good here in TX. My father bought it and still has it. 350k last I checked. He has a 06 CDI as his DD with 89k on it, it’s his second. The first was totaled out.

I’ve considered 07+ diesels but haven’t pulled the trigger due to emissions. My 07 5.9 Cummins with 261k is probably the most reliable vehicle I’ve had and is easy to work on compared to the MB, lots of room. But that is apples to oranges. I do like the e250 as well as the X5d since it’s roomier.

jay_bob · #26 11-10-2019, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcteryx

I don’t like the MOST system, I do long for a reliable solution for Bluetooth. The wire to the 3.5mm in the glove box gets old to look at.

I found a cheap Bluetooth receiver on eBay and wired it to the aux input. It will have a white/red/shield for the audio out and a red/black for the 12 V.

On the 2008 (not sure if yours is set up the same) the aux comes in on a dedicated 3 pin cable that plugs into the back of the head unit.

I just clipped off the lead going to the aux jack on the back of the radio, and soldered the audio leads from the Bluetooth receiver to it.

Then tapped 12 V dc at the lighter socket.

This solution does work better with Android phones where you can tell the Bluetooth pairings which kind of signal to expect. My son has a Pixel and he can tell the phone that the MB PhoneSystem is for communications and the (whatever the name of the audio adapter) is for audio.

I have an iPhone and it does not allow you to specify this, so occasionally the phone confuses the roles and tries to send phone calls to the audio adapter or music to the phone connection.

(It's technically my son's car but we had a bunch of issues this summer so we temporarily swapped cars until I am sure everything is sorted - see https://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/400578-w211-can-bus-problems.html for the whole story)

There also is a thriving Chinese market for replacement head units that fit in the specific dash opening and have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto built in. These can be found all over eBay, AliExpress, or Amazon.

dieselbenz1 · #27 11-10-2019, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by arcteryx View Post
I don’t like the MOST system, I do long for a reliable solution for Bluetooth. The wire to the 3.5mm in the glove box gets old to look at.

I also think the MOST bus can be a problematic way to wire in a third party device. I just disabled a third party MOST bus blue tooth device which I suspect was causing me current drain problems.

tjts1 · #28 11-10-2019, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 83w126

I have driven a CDI once and it was nice, but I think I would be afraid to buy one because of the SBC and the potential for very expensive failures when its a much bigger risk ($7500+ car vs 1/3 that much for an older car). The bluetec will have the $1800 conductor plate replacement cost so that adds a bit to the maintenance budget too.

The SBC brakes on the 03-06 W211 are covered by a 25 year unlimited mileage extended warranty from the date the car was first sold. 07-09 W211 reverted back to conventional brakes. You can take the 330mm 4 pot brakes from an 07-09 car and replace the 295mm brakes on an SBC car for the ultimate braking setup. Yes they fit inside the stock 16" wheels. The response time with SBC brakes is like nothing else I've ever driven. In an emergency situation SBC can ramp up brake pressure much more quickly than your foot can in a conventional system. MB gave up on SBC because of cost and lawsuits, not because of any fault in the system. It is very reliable. Bosch is still selling SBC brakes to other manufacturers today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimFreeh

Funny!

That console was why I specifically looked for the later style!
Every early one with the butterfly style was damaged either cosmetically or mechanically.

The wood top never bothered me in the years we had the 05 W211 CDI.

Different strokes, I suppose.

Jim

At 177k miles mine is still in perfect shape.
https://i.imgur.com/zXi0gxX.jpg

Even if MB offered a CDI wagon in America I would've still bough the M112 gasser. It is by far the cheapest and easiest to maintain MB engine I've ever encountered. It's smooth, quiet and with a couple of simple mods quicker than any diesel MB. And it runs in 87 octane. There's also a huge price gap between gassers and diesels which I find hard to justify.

ROLLGUY · #29 11-10-2019, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Even if MB offered a CDI wagon in America I would've still bough the M112 gasser. It is by far the cheapest and easiest to maintain MB engine I've ever encountered. It's smooth, quiet and with a couple of simple mods quicker than any diesel MB. And it runs in 87 octane. There's also a huge price gap between gassers and diesels which I find hard to justify.

That is the reason I bought a 211 wagon. It is so versatile, and yes, the M112 is arguably the best gas engine MB ever made. However, a 211CDI wagon would be totally awesome! I would still love to make one one day, should a good CDI donor come available.

jay_bob · #30 11-10-2019, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselbenz1

Originally Posted by arcteryx View Post
I don’t like the MOST system, I do long for a reliable solution for Bluetooth. The wire to the 3.5mm in the glove box gets old to look at.

I also think the MOST bus can be a problematic way to wire in a third party device. I just disabled a third party MOST bus blue tooth device which I suspect was causing me current drain problems.

The device I used is tapped to the switched "terminal 15" feeding the cigarette lighter, so it cannot drain down with the key off. And it goes into the analog side of the system, not the fiber MOST bus. Yes it is counterproductive, going from digital in your phone over Bluetooth, to analog, back to digital in the head unit, across the MOST bus to the amp, back out as analog to the speakers, but it works well enough. Audiophiles may be able to tell how much distortion and what not, but if you are going down the road you probably won't notice it.

The problem you likely had with the third party MOST adapter is that MOST devices have a constant power and ground, and a 'wake up' wire. If the installer was lazy and hot wired the 'wake up' to constant hot, instead of finding the wake up line in the car, that would explain the constant draw. The head unit puts out voltage on the wake up wire and this tells the other devices (audio gateway, CD changer, voice module, nav processor, phone Bluetooth system) to switch on, drawing from their constant power sources.

The head unit itself relies on a CAN bus message from the car to know when to turn on. It is not handled by switched hot like the old days. The reason for this is that if the electrical system voltage is crashing (like when your son ignores the red battery and drives 50 miles on battery due to a dead alternator) then the system can shed the load of the sound system. Found this out first hand based on what my son experienced.