Vibration cured! (I think)
 

Hey, all,

I've recently noticed a come-and-go vibration from the passenger side of the dash of my '97 C230. It would happen when driving over a rough patch of concrete (and believe me, we have plenty of those in New Orleans). I thought it might be the cabin filter housing, since I've only got one clip on there (I lost the other behind the footwell panel), but everything is tight there. I tried popping out the dash speaker on that side, thinking it might be loose, but the sound continued.

So I checked my Haynes (UK) manual and found several bolts that hold the dash (facia, in UK parlance) in place. You pop off that plastic panel at the end of the dash, the panel which faces the door, and tighten that 8mm bolt. The panel clips right back on. Then I opened the panel under the glove box, the one you remove to change the cabin filter, and tightened 2 more bolts at each end.

To be sure, I snugged down the screws on the A/C vent, then put some thin insulating foam, the kind you buy at Home Depot to weatherstrip your house doors and windows, in under the speaker grille, and clipped it back into place.

Voila! No more vibration, at least for now! What a solid little car . . .

I am super curious about the Haynes Manual you reference. I was told by Haynes that they have no such manual. Do you have the PN on that one?

Thanks,

Mike

There you go ( the 7 th one down ).http://www.books4cars.com/result1.asp?imageField.x=114&imageField.y=57&findmake=Mercedes&offset=200
Go to " books4cars " in your hometown.
That's where I got mine.

Since this was published in 1994, have you found it to be very good for 1997? And just to confirm, it is Haynes? Mine is 1998 and I think that is basically the same as 1997.

Thanks,

Mike

Yes it is Haynes and I appreciate it very much when I work on my 2000 car.
;)
Btw., they have updated the manual since it was first published.

The Haynes (UK) manual
 

Yes, it is good, with the caveat that the manual I have is only for the 4-cylinder and diesel models, not the 6-cylinders or the C230 Kompressor. That's of course if you're focusing on engine work. The parts about body fittings, suspension and steering, etc., would probably be the same for all.

That said, I'm puzzled. The Haynes manual has a procedure for removing the charcoal canister emissions filter. However, my US maintenance booklet, from MB, says that the charcoal canister service is only for W140s. Was the charcoal canister a feature on Euro- or UK-model W202s only?

I'm buy'n it.

Thanks!

Mike

If my C230 has a charcoal canister, I can't find it. I was also wondering about that. What I don't get is why Haynes US claims they don't have a manual for the C230. Haynes manuals have always been written in England anyway. This is how I learned about circlips, spanners, paraffin, and dynamos.

When I first changed the cabin air filter in the C230 (off lease, had about 28,000 miles, and I bet the original filter), it had a charcoal filter in it. I put in the "normal" one and found out the cost for the charcoal. It was three times as much. I don't have the part number, but I think I remember it was 210...

I think we are talking about the charcoal canister for collecting fuel vapors from the tank, which used to be a standard issue emmissions component. Seems it might have gone the way of the distributor cap. I will put up a "lost" sign on my telephone pole and see if anyone has seen it.

No way!
I just recently priced the cabin filters ( at my local dealer ), for my C 230.
Paper filter $ 22.00
Charcoal filter $ 34.00.
;)

I don't think it's the cabin filter
 

According to the Haynes book, you have to remove the left rear wheel and the wheelarch liner, then unbolt this canister. It's not in the cabin at all.

Trust me, if I don't have to fool with it, I'll be perfectly happy.

I agree. I am glad to see New Orleans is still there. Keep an eye on those sump pumps.

Mike