DOnald,
I read that also. Thanks for the advice. What does a job like usually run? A few hundred bucks, correct? But I am *thinking*, although I very well could be wrong, that it's something else. What about bushings, or differential mounts? Transmission mounts? I guess I'll just have to check it out, but I can't duplicate it when I try and show anyone! Either that or no one notices it. Thanks again.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Brother of The Benz, David
There's nothing on a MB engine that costs a few hundred bucks.
An exchange cylinder head is approx $1500.00.
Now you see why I'm no longer Mr.Lead Foot, and haven't been for 100,000 miles.
Happy Trails Beep Beep from The Spiderman in Houston!!!

Well I'm finally getting my lower control arm bushings fixed on Tuesday! THe car is extremely unstable and now feels unsafe for me to drive, especially on the freeway! I just got new tires Saturday, so the new bushings should really add to the ride.

I was on the freeway this evening coming home, and the car just feels out of control! It's all over the road, the steering sucks, it tracks left and right, delays when correcting minor wheel changes, and the back end feels like it's sliding off the chassis sometimes when going fast around slight turns, or a lane change, for example (I am pretty sure that's just a symptom of the severly worn bushings though). Will post results soon, I CAN'T Wait to get this service done!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Spiderman, that sounds like an interesting article. Do you remember which issue? I would like to read the whole thing about the valves.

Spiderman, I second Souther Son!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Brothers of The Benz, all lead feet drivers
Sorry for being so late in replying to your request for the dates in the Star.
Part one July/August 2000
Part two September/October 2000
These two articles are the best published in a long time.
Read and take note.
I've been aware of the condition since being a student at General Motors Institue, Flint, Michigan.Class of '58(five hard years of excellent Automotive Engineering Education.
Happy Trails Beep Beep from The Spiderman in Houston!!!

Spiderman, I read the articles to which you referred by Stu Ritter. Although he does state that the BMEP (brake mean effective pressure) does hammer the valve as well as the top of the piston, (therefore forcing it in the opposite direction) he fails to quantify the extent of resulting wear to valve and seat. And, of course, that is the real question.

If all BMEP resulted in degradation of engine life expectancy, I would think that a diesel should have no chance of making it successfully around the block.

In addition, my LT4 vette has 10.8 to 1 compression, high volume fuel flow injectors, and makes approximately 390 shaft HP. Since this engine also falls under the Federal mandate that all major components must reasonably last 120k miles, I can only assume that the valve components must be of good enough quality to take a fair amount of punishment.

Since you have been educated in this field, can you quantify the effects of BMEP upon modern components? (as you know, sometimes theory and practical application can vary widely).

ttt

Ok, well I finally had the lower control arm bushings replaced on Friday. The car drives SO much better now. And the total only came out to $450!

Well after getting my car back (a dream after driving that Pontiac Grand PEICE OF ****!), the difference was astounding. I could actually control the car again. But shortly after getting my back, I noticed the popping sounds were coming quite often. I thought that maybe they just needed some time to set in (?). Well I know they do not. But the pops are there! I can hear them coming from the front end, but I can also hear it from the rear end of the car too! And when I hear these pops, it's pronounced that they are the "acceleration resistance!" So when I hear or feel one of these pops, it happens at the same time the car is having it's "resistance." So I now know what my acceleration resistance problem is!!! And I'm definitely glad it's suspension related.

1. What causes pops in the rear with the suspension? PLEASE don't tell me the rear has the same kind of bushing too...!!

Taking the car back in early next week to have them fix the front bushings again and inspect the rear suspension.

Thanks!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

a few things come to mind
1) the transmission clutch pack is breaking loose and slipping. can be checked by holding the brakes hard and slowly pushing down on throttle. It should hold full throttle torque without any jumping etc. Watch the engine mounts while doing this you may be feeling the engine trying to jump out of the engine bay!

2) A broken/loose flex joint in the drive shaft can cause a jerky feeling as you try to accelerate.

3) Electronic throttles are plagued with defective wiring insulation. The stuff just crumbles off the wires inside the hard covered wiring harness. Early symptoms may include missing under acceleration, missing at higher RPMS, and finally go into limp in mode Benz/Bosch are pretending there is no problem, yet they are replacing lots of wiring harnesses and electronic throttles under warranty. Those of us 'out of warranty' are stiffed.

There should be a NHTSA recall campaign. Ford got hit with several hyndred million judgenment because a $10 ignition part would fail some of the time after several year.

Thanks for the reply! Ok, so we rule out number 3 because my wiring harness was already replaced.

As for number one, when you say to push the brakes and step on the gas a little to check the trans clutch packs, what will I be looking for if that is the problem? Are there any other symptoms that might relate to this problem?

And for number 2, can I inspect this myself? Is this an easy/expensive fix? Again, are there any other symptoms for this? Thanks a bunch!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

"As for number one, when you say to push the brakes and step on the gas a little to check the trans clutch packs, what will I be looking for if that is the problem? Are there any other symptoms that might relate to this problem?"

Well I have noticed lately that when I engage reverse and push the gas anything harder than lightly, it will sometimes make a POPPING sound and have an "acceleration resistance."

Does this sound like the transmission clutch pack?

Thanks again everyone, and I'm sorry this has gone on so long.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Well...
The results are in!!

My ACCELERATION RESISTANCE was a symptom of a worn Front Flex Disc. Part costed me about $60 (from here)... and I don't know what the labor costed, probably about $200. I'll find out later. Thanks for everyone's input and I'm so glad to have this problem solved! This post ALSO helped me to figure out that I had worn lower control arm bushings also. You all made me lose $700!!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

I HAD A C280 THIS PAST SUMMER WITH A POP NOISE ON ACCELERATION AND RAPID DECERATION.
TURNS OUT THE TRANSMISSION CROSSMEMBER JUST WANTED TO BE MUCH TIGHTER THAN THE FACTORY THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE.
THIS HOWEVER WOULD NOT EXPLAIN RESISTANCE TO ACCELERATION OR LOOSE HANDLING.
CHECK FOR WORN OR DAMAGED REAR CONTROL ARMS IN REAR SUSPENSION AND WHILE YOU'RE DOWN THERE CHECK YOUR HALFSHAFTS(THEY MAKE POPPING NOISE AND CAN CAUSE RESISTANCE ON ACCEL.)
MF

Mike,
notice that I solved the problem. But thanks anyway. It was the flex disc (and lower control arm bushings).

BTW, WHY ALL THE YELLING!? I'm sorry, but it's really annoying!!!!! No offense, it's just that the CAPS LOCK IS KIND OF IRRITATING!!!!

Thanks for the info though.

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)