Would someone please reply to my threads! Piston help.
 

Hey guys,

The new water pump was just put on (10:44 pm here in North Carolina) in my backyard by a friend who works for a Mercedes dealer. So there I was, after new leather, new tires, AMG rims, new wood grain, all season mats, thinking that I was finally ready for the ride.

Then he hits me with a beauty. He said that he smelled burned coolant coming from my exhaust, so evidentally the coolant was leaking into something in my engine. Anyway, to make a long story short I have a broken piston or something. If I go to Mercedes it'll cost me like $1400-$1800 but he'll do it for around $600.

I have put so much into this car, I'm just ready to ride in it. Darn, I've only had the thing for two weeks and I have yet to drive it 2 whole miles as of yet.

He told me to think about it and that he'd call me on tomorrow, to see if I wanted to get it fixed. Guys I'm sorry but I am just so hurt right now. :( There's nothing about a letdown.

Please reply w/ anything you know about "pistons" and my situation of coolant getting in there.

More like a cracked head or blown head gasket. What model/year?

Peter

My bad, the official disease is: "a blown head gasket."

I don't know anything about this, so can someone please let me know every and any thing about this situation.

1994 C280 is the vehicle.

It looks like a 2000 though b/c I have everything new on it, from tires and rims, all the way down to the wood trim. I'm just ready to drive the darn thing and I can't now until I get this crap taken care of. I'm a 23 yr old Law Student, I can't handle this.

I'm going to breakdown..... :(

Fix it !!
It'll run as good as it looks. ;)

bring a Civil suit against Mercedes for pain and suffering ,will be good practise and just to get rid of you they might pay for new head gasket and a wax job.........
William Rogers......

cameron indoor
 

Sorry for the bad news. If it is indeed leaking Anti freeze then the head gasket is most likely the issue. However, there is also the small chance you have a cracked block or head. At least have the head inspected when you do the head gasket and check it in case it is warped. Anti freeze when it burns usually burns a white smoke or steam and you will often see it in the oil sump or oil the AF resevoir.
I would also recommend getting it fixed. But if you are not comfortable doing it yourself get and indy to do it at least you get a warranty. JoeP(a member here) is in raleigh and a friend of mine has a shop called 'the foriegn service' on 70 between raleigh and durham.

good luck and break out the credit card
m

Hate to see you lose your first case , but that is a longer shot than the Lottery.....

Dear Duke1law:

1994-1995 c280's have a terrible problem with leaking head gaskets. Replacing head gaskets will cost at least $1000.

I was fortunate enough not to buy a 1995 c280 and decided to get a 1994 c220 (no head gasket problem), but now its transmission is dead at 123 Kmiles. I think if Mercedes were able to sell 1 million cars per year in the US, countless class-action lawsuits (triggered by people like YOU :-) would make Mercedes go bankrupt in no time flat.

As M.B. DOC said in some previous post: "Mercedes dropped their ad"s "Engineered like no other in the world" in the early 90's."

Recent Mercedes cars have a reliability rating of 1980's Huyndai Excel IMHO :-(

Eric

Mhingram, can you please get me his name and phone number?

It's definitely the coolant leaking in there b/c all I saw was a white smoke and I could smell the stuff myself. I think you guys have definitely confirmed my problem.

I'm a college student and I'm simply trying to get this done as cheap as possible. There's no way in hades I'm taking it to LEITH MERCEDES for this. I like LEITH and they're great people, but they'd rip my arm off with this job.

Email me the info. if you don't want to post it here.

Duke1Law@netscape.net

God bless you guys. This board has been so helpful. I can't wait to post some w/out having to always need help. I don't think many of us expected so many Mercedes-related problems until the car reaches high miles. This thing is just nearing 100, so this should not be happening now. Neither should I have had to have replaced the darn water pump. At least that's done now though.

By the way, I have a BRAND NEW starter for this same vehicle (works on the 94 and 95 models) that cost $230.57.

My friend that works for Mercedes educated me and we learned that my car did not need a starter, so I bought this thing from Mercedes (still in the box w/ receipt) for nothing. They won't take it back because "Sir, it's an electrical part and we don't accept returns on electrical parts." :mad:

Anyway, if anyone needs a brand new starter, the part number is: 004-151-70-01-88 and I'll take pretty much anything for it; I just don't like having crap laying around and not using it.

Of course I'll include a copy of the receipt as well, for verification. Ordered from Mercedes, so it's Mercedes, not aftermarket. Still in the box.

OK Duke1, take a deep breath and repeat after me..."it's only money, it's only money". Life teaches us lessons. What have you learned from this?

First, you don't spend money on cosmetics until the car is mechanicaly sound.

Second, you don't buy a Mercedes until you've had a competent tech check it out first.

Third, only buy parts from a dealer when there is no other alternative. Click on Parts Shop above for all you part needs.

The good, no great news is, you have a MB tech who is willing to moonlite for you. That's going to save you a TON of money. Treat that guy like gold!

$600 to fix a bad head gasket is pretty darn cheap. If you can muster the cash, fix it and you should be fine.

BTW, you might put your starter on ebay. Also, tell the stealer you'll pay a 20% re-stocking fee. Those greedy b@stards never turn down money.

It'll be OK, and remember, "it's only money"

Had an old Datsun once that always started in SoCal, but would give problems ski trips in the winter. Starter was the problem. Moral is not all starter problems are immediately evident. What I would do in your shoes is install the paid-for starter, and sell your old one as 'used but good' on e-bay. The difference in price you get will not be nearly a much as the difference in value to you.

Steve

Mr. Bill thanks.

You sound like a father; one I've never had.

Steve, thanks a lot. You know what, since I've "souped-up" everything else on the car, as people say, putting a new part on it surely won't do any harm. You're exactly right. Putting that starter on there will simply save me from having to deal with it 30-40,000 miles from now. Or whenever they act up on these models.

I appreciate this help guys. I'm going to call my friend right now and tell him that yes, I am willing to let him fix it for $600. You guys are right: I need to treat this guy like gold, lol!! LEITH says it'll be a minimum of like $1400 there.

Thanks Duke,

You listen better than my own kids! Does that mean you are smarter? If you attend Duke University...the answer is, YES! LOL!

Once the head gasket is fixed, I think you'll be OK. Just remember, there's always something that could be done on any 10 year old car. Try and keep a $500-$1000 emergency fund for repairs.

Soon, you'll forget the disappointment and enjoy what owning your first Mercedes is all about.

It's time for you to discover e-bay.. A great outlet for all of the stuff you have laying around that has value, but is difficult to find a buyer.. If you really want to sell it cheap.. I might buy it from you, and re-sell it.. You can also post in the sale forum on this site..

94 C280 is a road rocket! Fun car to drive, but my sister-in-law passed on it, they bought an 86 300SDL instead.

Go for the head gasket -- I think you want the Elring one (there are several versions, get the latest one, they are better).

Try to stay within 10 mph of the speed limit, especially if it is red.....

Peter

Relax man, I know your friend and he does good work. If you want a second opinion before he does it, lemme know.


I tell folks all the time, let us worry about the car, thats our job.


(first rule of effective managment, intelligent delagation)


Joe

Thanks Joe.

I apologize for being so sensitive about this, but please understand I've been hosed a lot in the past, so I have trust issues that will need time --and persistent quality service from a service company-- to heal.

It's like telling a battered woman to suddenly trust all men. :(