Is an E430 supposed to smoke ?
 

Have just bought an E430T (estate/station wagon) 3.5 years old with 90K miles, to replace my E280T.
I didn't realise what the gearing was like on these - just over 2000rpm @ 70 mph.
After taking delivery of this one owner "motorway mileage" machine, I decided to boot it :D
As the revs approached 5000rpm, a load of smoke came out of the back :eek: I thought - s@@t I've bought a dog:mad:
Anyway, when I booted it a few more times, it seemed to clear. Does this just sound like old fashioned carbon bulid up in the heads ? My dads old V12 Jag needed clearing every 4000 miles but I didn't think modern engines would retain all that cr@p in the heads ? Is it possible that the previous owner that has done these 90K miles has just sat there @ 2000rpm on cruise ? If this is likely then does this mean the engine should be in better condition than a regualrly thrashed one (of the same mileage) ?

The 124 260E that we have does the same thing with the same results on repeat to the point that it comes clean.

The 126 300SE, on the other hand, has none of this nonsense.

Perhaps, it is not normal.

If you just idle around town for miles on end and finally wind it out you will see stuff blow out of the exhaust, I believe, on any car.

This happens alot on the early flex-service cars due to lack of oil changes. MB realized this problem & now recommends only synthetic oil. Changing oil might help!

Changing to synthetic oil?