Can someone tell which of the two engines (2.3 or 2.6) is prefered in the 1993 190E and why?

Thanks.

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra

The M102 4 cyl is the original powerplant for the W201 and the chassis was engineered for it. The M103 6 cyl was shoe-horned into the engine bay to provide a platform to compete with BMW's six cylinder sedan. With more torque, HP and performance close to the 2.3-16, the M103 is great for freeway cruising. From a maintenance point, it's a lot easier working on the M102 than the M103, especially up front.

AMEN! I'll add that it's easier to work on stuff @ the back of the M102, IMHO

Trick question. The right answer is the 2.5 turbodiesel which unfortunately wasn't available in the 190 in the US in 93.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

I've heard the 4 cylinder had problems. But I've also seen those engines with really high miles. Did it have a poor build, or did it attract cheaper owners who didn't take care of them? Or both?

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1994 C 280 117.5k, White (Good as new)
1997 Toyota Camry 149k Miles (Not so pretty anymore)

1990 190e 2.6 95k (Sold-Should not have)
1981 240d Stick ??? Miles...sold

The problem with any luxury car brand is that people who can't afford them new can suddenly barely afford to buy them after they are a few years old. Of course, they then can't afford the maintenance and the car progressively declines through the 2nd, 3rd, 4th owners. Some cars, like Audi and Jag have very high parts costs. One of those cars a few years old can be a real wallet breaker (BMW too in my experience). The maintenance costs (parts) for my old 190e 2.3 were among the lowest of any car I have ever owned, and my c280 isn't too bad either. My 2.3 had well over 500,000km on it when I got rid of it, and it still ran reliably, strong and there were no noises from the car anywhere. The build quality is there. If you are contemplating buying one, find the best one you can in terms of the interior and body (watch out for the slipping or harsh shifting tranny too). The engine can be rebuilt until the cows come home.
As an aside, I found that aftermarket chain parts places (don't include Fastlane in this generality) had prices 2-3x as high as the dealership for some parts such as injectors and bearings for the 190e. I may shop around a bit when it comes time to do work on my new c36 that Santa brought me though.
Good luck. Have fun.

Thanks guys... all of you have been most helpfull in answering my question. As you may have noticed I already purchased a '93 190 2.3. It is in excellent condition with 78,000 actual miles. The interior is like new and the previous owner took it in for service whether it needed it or not.

The only concern I have is that the car has a lot of road noise that my 300E does not have. Particularly I hear the exaust especially when accelerating. I suspect the 190E is not sound insulated as well as the 300E.

Also the 190E does not seem to shift as smoothly as the 300E. It shifts smoothly if acceleration is gentle but is more quick and abrupt if given a heavier pedal.

My main concern is with the noise level. It's like a drone sound that comes from the trunk area. Is this normal for the 190 or might a consequence of some other condition. It is definately the exaust that I hear. If at high speed, I drop the car into neutral and let the car coast at idle speed... then the drone goes away... but returns if I rev the engine while coasting.

Can anyone shed light on these two conditions? I am happy with the car and it is a beauty... beautiful green paint with beige interior. I just put new tires on it because the ones on it were getting brittle although they still had plenty of tread.

Again thanks.

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra

The noise is normal for a 190E due to the lack of any good insulation in the trnuk and accross the back seat and deck. You can do your own soud proofing though with some dynomat type product.

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~Jamie
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2003 Pewter C230K SC C1, C4, C5, C7, heated seats, CD Changer, and 6 Speed. ContiExtremes on the C7's.

1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon.....

Jamie,

Thanks for that bit of information. I'm relieved to hear that the sound is normal for the car and that something can be done about it. I imagined all kinds of other possible problems.

I will definately insulate the trunk area. In fact I have already begun to do so. The 190 is replacing a 325 BMW ( to be recycled) and I took the insulation panels from the trunk area of the BMW and put them in the 190. There is a significant improvement but the deck area that you mentioned... which has no insulation yet... still lets in considerable noise.

I have no idea as to where I can find material like the dynamat that you talk about. Where can I go to get some?

Again thanks.

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra

Look for DynaMat at car audio stores. High end car audio guys use it to damp vibrations and provide sound insulation. It ain't cheap, but works very well.

Start driving that 2.3L. They age fast if they sit. I have owned two 2.3L-8V cars and drove both to 400K before selling, and one I know is still going strong at over 500K.

As to the 2.6, the extra power is felt, but DIY is tougher. Also, the 2.6 is mush worse in the snow. The heavier six unbalances the car a bit in the snow. The M103 2.6L is as durable, or even more so, than the M102 2.3L. I sold my 2.6 recently with 399K on the odo, and she still runs strong and tight. Never opened, not even for valve seals.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

John,

That was a well packed bit of information. The main audio stores around here are places like Circuit City. Guess I'll start there and at least ask the guys at the installation garage where I can get the dynamat.

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra

I had a 1987 190E 2.3L engine. I felt they were underpowered. I was, also, told this after purchasing it. With the air conditioning on with any load in it... it shifted very harsh. It was a quiet running car, and with only the driver in it and no power equp. on it did fine. I drove a 2.6L a time or two after purchasing mine, and it gave me a better all around feeling. Like why didn't I get that one!! If you like it ... that's the most important thing!!

I've seen an 190E in that combination - it is beautiful ! Congratulations on your purchase !

My experience after replacing engine and tranny mounts and all exhaust hangers is that there is still a resonance that I wouldn't expect you'd find with a smooth inline six. I think you'd be fooling yourself to expect to cure it with any sound-deadening. However, it is not there under hard acceleration or cruising - just in a certain rpm range under decel or light load. Keep rpms up to minimize it, and the tranny shift points can be optimized, both for smooth shifts and minimum resonance.

Most Jap cars have intake resonators to eliminate the problem, but the 190E does not have this.

Steve

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'91 MB 190E 2.3
'08 RAV4 Ltd 3.5
'83 Lazy Daze m'home 5.7

Steve,

I think we are talking about two different conditions. You describe a intermitant sound frequency condition... a vibration that occurs at a given range of vibration frequency.

My condition is a drone that increase in intensity (not pitch) as the motor increases in RPMs. An improved resonator system would probably help eliminate the drone sound but since that is not possible it appears that my only alternative is to better sound insulate the trunk area... a section that has hardly any insulation. In fact the trunk seems to magnify the sound something like the housing of a kettle drum.

Maybe the car will be nick named the "The Kettle".

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra