Quote:
Originally Posted by girlpower
I'm new to this forum. I need sound advice. I have a 1999 C230 Kompressor with 92K miles. I got a new head gasket last March 2008. The day after I got my car back, I had to return it because of the slight vehicle shaking when the car is on idle. And for me, it's most of the time since I drive on side streets. I've brought it back to my mechanic three times (which he kept at least 1 week at a time) and still the car has the same shaking problem. He swore that the car is fixed everytime I get it back. So finally, I gave up going to him, since he hasn't solve the car problem. I eventually went and paid $84 to get a diagnostic test at the MB dealer. And here are the following codes they found:
00110 Intake air temp sensor incomponent B2/5
P1519 Variable camshaft timing malfunction
Performed compression test on all cyl. Good 1:170 2:170 3:175 4:175 PSI
Sparkplugs Good
Checked found intermittent misfire on all cyl.
The dealer is asking $1700 for repair. Can anyone please tell me what to do. To top it off here are the recommended work that supposedly the car needs since it is close to 100K miles:
Motor mounts and Trans mounts
Flex Disc
Rear Brake Pads
Power steering shock
Trans service
Filter fuel
Will it be worth it to do all of the above work, or should I just move on and get another car? I do love this car that's why it's so hard to let go. How long will this car last me if I do all the work? How much more money will I have to spend in maintenance as my mileage increases? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Help! Thanks for reading my post.
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From what you wrote I am unable to tell what the $1700 is going to buy you. The temperature sender can't be more than a few bucks and you can do that yourself. It is a matter of removing the old one and installing the new one. No issues with leaks or the like if it was the coolant temperature sensor.
The camshaft timing is another story. No idea how that works or what the problem is to make it not work. Could be a few dollars.
All the other stuff is necessary, normal maintenance that you should do regularly. It is only a real burden when it is allowed to pile up like that. Much of it is again a do it yourself job. If you are not used to, or don't want to work on the car yourself, it still shouldn't be that expensive. The parts are not that bad. If the estimate is $1700 for everything, including fixing the camshaft timing and the sensor, you may not be getting a bad deal. Of course the more you do the lower the final cost will be.
I believe your vibration issue is the engine and transmission mounts - bum mounts get stiff as they collapse and don't attenuate as much and may actually increase their natural frequency high enough to start to coincide with the forcing frequencies of the engine at idle. Means the mounts do the wrong thing.
Good luck. If you like the car, keep it. There is no way a new car will cost you less than $1700 more than the car you have, unless you buy something significantly less substantial. Jim
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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles
Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)
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