Crankshaft Balancer Failure! UPDATED - Page 18 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

zero4588 · #**256** 11-26-2003, 01:01 PM

cyclocross- Don't worry. You still have your extended warranty, so be sure to drive your car as much as you can and indentify as many problems as you can. Once those potential problems have been addressed, I think the coast is clear for a long time.

ksing44 · #**257** 11-30-2003, 07:27 PM

Mine is not for sale.

timz · #**258** 12-03-2003, 12:49 PM

I just had the harmonic balancer done on my '98 ML320. I took it in for a B service and specifically asked them to look at it. They said it was just beginning to "wobble" and they replaced it.

The new part numbers:

112-035-13-00 Vibration AB
006-990-70-04 Screw
112-997-02-46 Seal Ring, V
023-997-84-47 Seal Ring

They covered the replacement but only after much discussion and complaining, since I already was spending $2300 on service and repairs.

Noredline · #**259** 12-09-2003, 12:21 PM

Hi I'm Dave, I have a 2k ML55, with 80k. It is in today having the harmonic balancer replaced. I wouldnt have known to check it had it not been for your site and others. Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. It is cracking, and a slight wobble is noticeable.

Thanks again,
Dave

mhingram · #**260** 12-09-2003, 07:01 PM

I told my parent to have their 98 320 e station wagon's (with only 36000miles) replaced. It looked okay to the dealer but, they thought it was a good idea to replace it (surprise surprise). They charged $210 for the job. It actually had the bad part number.

#**261** 12-09-2003, 08:13 PM

The MB dealership wouldn't even consider a goodwill repair (54k miles) on my 99 E320 unless the part was defective. They claimed there was no design problem with the H/B, and hadn't repaired one in the last 2 months.
I had my independent put a new one in for $230. He told me that a customer had recently paid $4,000 in repairs due to a malfunction in the H/B. $230 is good insurance and let's you sleep at night. I may even get a refund one day if there's a recall on this part.
Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. I never would have known until it was too late.

PhantomZX · #**262** 12-10-2003, 09:22 PM

I just changed the one on my Mom's car and the 00 00 part looked like it was fine. The car is a 1999 E320 with 26590 miles.

I put the side-by-side pictures up at the following location:

Pictures of HB (56k warning!!)

Total cost:

$65 for new HB and Bolt
$110 for tool to hold HB while removing bolt (Thanks to Phil of mercedesshop.com - Dealer wanted $275!!!)
$25 for miscellaneous other tools I didn't already have.

The procedure was pretty easy, thanks to the 2 5-foot pipes I used as breaker bars.

PhantomZX · #**263** 12-11-2003, 12:41 PM

What was the cause of the excessive oil consumption? I'm assuming the HB has nothing to do with it.

Benzmac · #**264** 12-11-2003, 08:11 PM

When the m112 and m113 engines were first out, they used regular oil at 10,000 mile oil changes. Us Techs knew that this was wrong, but Benz insisted it was OK>

Well, we see who was wrong.

Now they settled a class action law suit and all 98 and 99 owners get 150k mile warranty on the engine and must use synthetic oil.....

HMMMMMMM

azinn · #**265** 12-11-2003, 08:16 PM

2000 models got it too. At least thats what the letter I recieved said.

grapes11 · #**266** 12-11-2003, 08:34 PM

Benzmac-Any info on just what that 150k warranty is covering at the dealers. They were very vague in the letter. Sounds just like parts that may have been damaged due to sludging. And i'm sure the dealer will decide what's covered? I,m sure a harmonic balancer would not meet their criteria.

zero4588 · #**267** 12-11-2003, 10:43 PM

They'll need to do some leakdown compression test to determine whether or not the engine warranty applies. Like mine car consumes about five quarts every 5000 and they say it's within spec. So the warranty does not apply until it gets worse to about seven or eight quarts every 5000 miles. Blue smoke, unusual trembling, or high engine temp, as they said, are signs to look for.

cyclocross · #**268** 12-12-2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Benzmac

Now they settled a class action law suit and all 98 and 99 owners get 150k mile warranty on the engine and must use synthetic oil.....

HMMMMMMM

Does the 150k mile warranty extend to a second owner or only to the original owner? I recently purchased a one-owner Starmark 1998 C43 from a MB dealership. They did not mention the 150k mile warranty. They did say that I was to use synthetic oil (Mobil 1). TIA.

Tobias MB · #**269** 12-12-2003, 04:45 PM

Can we now get back to the original issue?

HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURES

Tobias MB
4 MBs

Tump · #**270** 12-12-2003, 05:28 PM

I did post much earlier on my harmonic balancer that I had my dealer repair pursuant to warranty.

But, regarding the 150,000 engine warranty, I bought my 1999 C43 Starmarked from the local Benz dealership and when the class action was settled they sent the settlement letter to me. That means, if you bought the car from a Benz dealer you definately will be covered by the class action settlement. I believe, however, that even if you bought a Benz covered by that class action from a private party it would be covered as well.