Crankshaft Balancer Failure! Must read.
 

Has anyone on this board had a front crankshaft balancer fail on a 1998 or newer Mercedes???

This is one heck of a trend we are seeing.

If so, what was the outcome?

Bunches, some eat the timing cover and or the oil pan, others are fine.



Joe

Right. But, I am looking to hear from the customers who this has happened to...

I had this happen to my 98 E320 with 78,600 miles. My wife was driving at the time it happened traveling at 35 mph and about 5 miles from home.

The only damage it did was shread the edge of the drive belt and put a small gouge in the timing chain cover. The rubber from the balancer looked like it sheered from torque by the way it separated. This caused the balancer to shift back toward the engine causing the gouge and shreading of the drive belt.

I ordered a replacement crankshaft balancer and drive belt from Phil and replaced it myself. I also filled the gouge with JBweld.

Its been 5K miles since I replaced it without any problems. (Except for the "Check Engine Electronics" message).

FYI - my 98 E320 was manufactured in the fall of 97.

The good new is, a quick and simple visual inspection is all that's needed to avoid this problem. If any cracking around the outer part of the pulley is evident ( the rubber section at the circumference ) replace it. I've seen several that have deteriorated so badly that there's a noticable wobble of the pulley that can be seen with the engine at idle. Unfortunately, the first failures resulted in front cover replacement,etc. We'll all be doing our clients a favor if we replace the marginallly worn pulleys before it's too late.

'98 ML 320, at approx. 75K miles; approx. 6 months ago. Balancer took out the front timing cover and oil pan; cost over $2200 to repair. Dealer denied ever having heard of a problem with the M112/113 harmonic balancers.

Contacted MBUSA Customer Service, who stated that there is no problem with these balancers and that the failure must have been a fluke. Attempted to escalate the matter but MBUSA failed to follow through.


Doubting MBUSA's response was truthful, inspected '99 E320T, 60K miles... rubber buffer in harmonic balancer was fatigued, with numerous partial thickness cracks. Vehicle has Star Mark warranty but dealer declined to perform balancer renewal, said balancer has no known history of failure. Had balancer replaced anyway, to avoid catastrophic failure.

BTW, a friend's E320 was recently towed to the same dealership... the harmonic balancer had failed, taking out the front timing cover and oil pan. The same service advisor informed him that he had never seen a balancer fail...

About time for a class action?

'98 ML320, happened to me at 77,000 miles, about a mile from home. Gouged the upper oil pan enough to cause a small oil leak, repaired with a spray product from Permatex. My only problem was finding a long enough cheater bar to get the bolt off; it's on TIGHT! Dealer in Houston said he'd seen quite a few of these, but new parts won't do this.

Lenny

Follow this link to the Permatex sealer: http://www.napaonline.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/NAPAonline/search_results_product_detail.d2w/report?prrfnbr=15622574&prmenbr=5806&usrcommgrpid=

This subject has come up a few times in the past. I'm friends with my mechanic and typically the customer complains of noise, upon inspection, the pulley is grinding away the timing cover. They have been using an epoxy to make the part "whole" again. So far no problems with that solution. M.B.DOC determined the engine cutoff number (believe that translates into late MY 2000 cars) where an updated, improved tensioner started to be used.

HTH,

Gee, Mercedes denying a hazardous, expensive and widespread engine defect? How surprising...(insert eyeroll here)

Same here, '98 Wagon
 

'98 w210 wagon. Crankshaft Balancer went out at 48K. Took out a bunch of stuff up front and caused the oil pan to leak. Covered under warranty, but the long list of things replaced tells me it was not cheap.

Aloha

Is this what you are talking about? Mercedes Japan recalled all the "Crank Pulleys".

Japan Recall for Crank Pulley
Babelfish translation:>>

In the contents motive for action machine of trouble, because structure of the crank & the pulley is inadequate, when there are times when the rubber * ring section for vibration proof breaks, continue use in that way state, the particular ring section slipping, strange noise occurs, as when it is worst, the belt for supplemental device drive comes off from the particular pulley, the charge warning light lights up, there is a possibility control force of the steering wheel increasing. <<

Gary

Are they also called harmonic balancer?

I had one fail on my Peugeot, they put the AC belt on the outside so the shock of the AC cycling loosened the rubber. It just started slipping but I was worried about the alignment of the balance. Peugeot sure was proud of that part:mad:

Is this a problem only on gasoline engines, or has anyone reported it on a 210 diesel (such as a '97 E 300)?

This seems to be restriced to the m112 v-6 gas engine balancers.
I have seen one m113 v-8 do it. I have never heard or seen a
AMG one do it. No diesels or 4cyl/12cyl either.
There was a problem back in 99/00' with AMG crank pulley being
machined out of round. This was causing the front crank seals
to leak.
The seperating balancers are more common now,
We see these all the time on all models with the 112 v-6.
I am replacing a timing cover and oil pan on a 98' CLK 320 at
this very moment because the balancer came apart.

If your dealer says "Not a known problem", they are full of it.
If your car is out of warranty, the area market manager can decide to goodwill the repair.
Make noise. Call the MB Client Assistance Center and make noise.
1-800-for-mercedes. We have seen about 1 a month.
Most have been 98's.
Good luck to all.
DR.D

I had a similar failure on my M111 at about 60,000 miles. I'd have to pull the service ticket from my files to get the details on what part failed.

Harmonic Balancer Failure
 

Yes. My ML 320 harmonic balancer failed at 79,000 mi. Started to grind its way through the block. Replaced the balancer but now it leaks oil. Thanks Mercedes.

My 98 ML320 with 47K miles is at the dealer as I write this to have the crankshaft damper replaced. The thick rubber piece broke away and was banging on the fan blades and oil pan. Luckily this happened when starting the vehicle in my driveway as opposed to driving down the highway at speed. Interesting enough the vehicle is out of warranty due to time and not mileage and I had heard this was a common problem on M112 engines. I called MBUSA and they advised me to speak to my local MB service manager thinking they would repair it under their good faith policy. It was towed to the dealer yesterday and I am hopeful they will pick up at least 50% of the repair bill. One thing for sure....had I not been the original owner and the vehicle not been serviced by the dealer I'd be out on my own. They made that point loud and clear. I'll report back when I get this resolved. I'm told they have engineered a new damper as a replacement.

98 CLK 320
 

Hi. I am a new MB owner. I have heard about this harmonic balancer problem now from a few sources, including this forum. Is there a verdict as to whether or not MB will rectify this problem in advance of difficulties? I know it has not been replaced as of yet. Mileage is around 26500 miles. Thanks.

New/Happy Benz owner

I have a 98 e430 and I'm sick of hearing of MB sticking their heads in the sand. I had a 92 400e with the engine harness problem and the dealer told me that it was not a normal problem. I called MBUSA and they told me that since I wasn't the original owner, they would not address the issue out of warranty. has anyone seen this on the V8 engines?

Over a thousand times!

I just checked the crankshaft balancer (the outer rubber lip of the pulley) in my 1998 E320 with 60k miles and saw no visible cracks or damage. Do you recommend that I change it anyway or should I just keep checking for cracks before changing it?

S.

Failures can be virtually eliminated simply performing routine inspections. It takes only seconds.

I am not sure what exactly I am suppose to be inspecting. The only rubber thing I see is the piece that covers around the big pulley (between the pulley and he belt) in the front center bottom of the engine. I looked inside the pulley using a mirror and all I see is a big bolt and no rubber material.

Does anyone have a picture of the part/piece that tends to fail in 98 3.2 liter engines.

S.

The rubber ring ( approx. 10-12mm wide ) near the circumference of the pulley is the problem. Prior to complete failure there is usually a noticable wobble of the pulley which can be seen with the engine running at idle.

defective m/b parts
 

The last (and most effective) resort is to go too your local small claims court and have an summons issued. You'll be surprised how fast this gets results . Been there, Abe G

Has this problem been fixed on the latest engines?

It's getting so nobody makes a bulletproof car any more. I really wanted to go back to BMW for a change but they have so many problems that it's not feasible.

Looks like I'll keep on buying Mercedes if I can ever wear out my 300E:D

MB dealer split the cost of crankshaft damper replacement on my out of warranty 98 ML320 with 47K miles. My share was $330. I don't have the service ticket with me now but I think they replaced the pulley and belt also. I was told the replacement part has been re-engineered to prevent premature failure.

My dad's '97 E320 V6 also had the crankshaft damper pulley "shaky" at 20,000km on the clock.
Fortunately, no damage due to early finding.

After reading thses posts, I had mine checked out prior to making the long jaunt for the holiday weekend.

Turned out it was cracked. MB did cover the cost of the part and I was just responsible for the labor.

Noticed that the engine was noticeably quieter at idle since the swap...

I am a subscriber to this post. Today I had my wife drive to the dealership to have the balancer checked out before her 67 mile each way trip to Newburgh tonite & my weekend trip to Massachusetts, each for my son's ice hockey team. I admit I had no appointment, but from this forum I knew it was a quick visual inspection. The service advisor told my wife the inspection involved opening the engine, which couldn't be done without an appointment. Well, my wife angrily called me, and after I cited the specifics per ILUVMILS, the advisor put me through to the service manager. Displaying grace and knowledge, he agreed that it was a quick visual and he got off the phone and walked outside and did it himself. Verdict: I'm one of the lucky ones, mine is fine even with 81,000 original miles on my 98 ml320. This forum and the people who take their personal time to post are the best, an unbelievable resource for the rest of us. Thanks again, esp to BENZMAC for bringing this potential problem to our attention, and to ILUVMILS, who made it so clear and simple to understand for a novice like me.

Is this a problem on old v8's?
 

I have a 380 sel, and while I havent noticed any problems, I am interested to know if it affected all the v8's, or just the lucky newer ones.

btw, this isnt a lope-like sound, like that of a big-block american v8 is it?


Thanks,

Yo Benzmac..
 

Gentle sirs, a point of clarification. Is the problem limited to the V6 M112, or has it also been a problem on V8 engines? The initial posts specifically reference the V6 of 1998 and newer, until the redesigned balancer appeared in 2000. Is there a problem outside this range, and in which engines is it found?

[No rumblings of an issue with my 560SL but I can't help but notice the question.]

What's up? I just subscribed to this forum after being directed here from a different forum. I too have had the harmonic balancer issue. My occurred during a long road trip about a week and a half ago. I was on the interstate in the rain, and heard a sound coming from the engine. It sounded like the headers had come disconnected from the rest of the exhaust. After that the power steering started going out. I pulled off the interstate, made it to the nearest gas station and then my engine started smoking as I was looking up a repair shop. Right after I cut the car off and popped the hood, a mechanic who happened to be stopped at the same gas station came over and looked at my car. He told me that the harmonic balancer was shot and the car would have to be towed to the nearest MB dealership. This dealership happened to be about an hour or so away. I had the car towed to that dealership, and since this happened on the Friday evening of Memorial Day weekend, they were not going to get to the car until Tuesday. MB had my car for over a week. The harmonic balancer had to be replaced, part of the exhaust (I think the headers), and the oil pan. When I finally got a call from the MB service department, they told me what they fixed and then I started to give him the information to file the insurance claim with All-State (My ML has 57000 miles and is under extended warranty through my insurance). He continued to tell me that MB was going to cover all costs associated with this issue. They are even reimbursing me for the towing costs. When I asked if MB knew about this issue, he timidly responded yes. Needless to say, it was a huge ordeal, and I cannot understand how MB can know about this and just wait for a problem to occur. The mechanic at the gas station who first diagnosed my problem said if I had kept going, the engine could have caught fire. I am very glad to be done with it.

-Brett

Despite what you might be told at a dealer, M-B has been aware of this problem for a while...


"Group 3 - M112 & M113 crankshaft balancers that fail should be replaced with part number 112 035 08 00 or 112 035 09 00. Improved balancers entered production as of engine end number 661775 for V6 and 166563 for V8."

M-B Tech Tips, Dec. 1, 2000, pg. 4.

Right, but tech tips are not printed to ALL techs and......Mercedes has NOT recalled these.

YET.....

Benzmac & all --

Thanks for posting this topic and specific information. I was at Benz today for warranty service and I complained about "noise" and engine "shaking" and mentioned M-B Tech Tips, Dec. 1, 2000, pg. 4. They checked my Crankshaft balancer, said it was still good but replaced it anyway. On their bill they installed part numbers 112-035-08-00 (vibration AB) and 117-078-0145 (hose, plutn c).

They were very nice to me and did this work pursuant to warranty. However, they would never have checked this issue or done this work had I not approached them armed with the information you wonderful people posted.

The engine is much quiter now and does not shake at all.

Thanks,

I think most of the people I know with over 50K on their 98-2000 V-6s and maybe with a ML430 has experienced this. Local dealer offered free part post warranty on the most recent.

Thinking of buying a 98 Wagon. Please keep us advised Benzmac as to "official" outcome/ secret warranty issues.

C43 Harmonic Balancer Failure
 

Bought a '98 AMG last year used from a dealer here in Dallas. The C43 had 42,642 miles. The warranty was just out on the car. One year later, just now, it was due for service and the dealer was nice enough to print out the service history. It seems that at 42,449 mi. (200mi before they sold the car to me), the harmonic balancer failed, taking out the timing cover, and engine oil pan. The pan and timing cover had to be drilled and tapped as part of the repair. The A/C system (condenser removal) had to be taken apart and new drier/ freon etc. installed. Power Steering hose was replaced. The total bill looked close to $2,000.00. This print out was not an invoice duplicate, just a running list of expenses from mile #23.

The engine seems ok now, but it makes me wonder why the last owner dumped the car right after the balancer let go..... just wish I could talk to that guy about that. Regards from flyblind.

Drilled and tapped? HMMMM That sounds fishy.

The parts are readily available.

I just replace the timing cover, oil pan, and bolt and balancer.

I have lost 2 engine balancers on my 98 ml 320 the dealer here in las vegas says its common on the ml 320:confused:

This happened to my 99 ML430 at 50K mi:

Squeeled suddenly and loudly as I pulled into garage, engine vibrated violently. Smelled burned rubber.

Called shop next day, and they knew right away it was the balancer. I started the engine and it ran smoothly. Drove 4 miles to shop.

They found that the balancer was indeed bad, but that it also ate through the oil pan which had to be replaced too. Total cost parts and labor was around $950. (10 hour job !).

The shop foreman said the balancers have improved in design over the past couple of years, and the separation shouldn't happen again. Hope he's right !

can someone take a pic of a failed one next to a new one? perhaps somone that works at a shop or dealer?

benzmac
 

drilled and tapped may refer to a replacement front cover which must be tapped before installation. Comes with holes present but not threaded.

Don't be surprised by the lack of understanding and care on MB's part. After all, it's just bussiness as usual in the corporate world.
Look how long it took for MBUSA to issue the ML p/s clamp recall.
Can't tell you how many subzero days I was on the side of the road replacing a p/s hose clamp.

Yeah, and how bout those early to mid 90's wiring harnesses?
Can you say "lowest bidder"?

Re: benzmac
 

The wiring harness issue is not a question of the "lowest bidder", but rather a case of the environmental wackos temporarily taking over the engineering process. The insulation on the wires was altered to be more easily recyclable, but instead, bio-degraded in the car.

From day one, Mercedes hasn't tapped the front covers.

If you will notice, the bolts that go into the blind holes are not exactly round. Instead, the are slightly triangulated to work as a self tapping bolt that makes its own threads. (To save on cost)

I talked to my dealer about this crankshaft balancer problem, he said:

1. It happens mostly in warmer climates.

2. It happens mostly in 320 engines.

3. It happens mostly on higher milage cars.

MOSTLY?

I think I'm going to replace mine.

I wish I had seen this post sooner!
 

Crosspost:
http://classifieds.mbnz.org/forums/messages.asp?messno=2126&id=9

I have a 99 ML 430 with 58,000 miles that had the same problem with the harmonic balancer. I considered myself lucky for finding the defective unit before it could create more damage to my vehicle. Upon inspection, the rubber insert of the defective was definitely coming off and made the unit wobble when turning. The unit in my ML 430 was made in England - not Germany or USA.

I just found I have this problem too DIY??
 

I had heard squeeling on my 98 C280 with 58000 miles for a week or two and decided to look the belt over then I noticed the rubber out of the harmonic balancer I guess I was lucky to catch it as the rubber is completly out for about 1/3 of the pulley (I can actually get my fingers behind it).
Its unlikely the dealer will do me any favors and fix it so I would like to try it myself. I saw mention of where to get parts so my questions are should I even try to get the dealer to fix it gratis. and where could I get the parts?
I could post a photo if anyone would like to see it

Thanks
Bob