There are several potential issues with the car, and I need input on how to present them to the tech tomorrow in the most "strategic" fashion. One thing I know how I will present is the trans issue, whch I am simply looking for feedback on as far as a cause. There has been ongoing funny-ness with the 722.6, for example slipping a lot in first. The conductor plate was swapped and fluid/filter changed, but no change in behavior, then all of a sudden, 2 months later, it stops slipping in first except on rare occasions, and instead there is additional harshness from 1-2, 2-3, WOT downshifts from 5-2 and 4-2 produce a LOT of lag, tach all the way to 6k with probably 2-3 (1-1000, 2-1000, 3-1000) secs of waiting before it is in 2nd and accelerating. So, this is exactly what I plan to tell the tech, but do you think it's electronic or mechanical?

Things I need to know how to present. The car feels a lot looser than at 60k when I bought it. It has 75k now. I know this is not a 3-series, but I seem to be unable to stay in a lane on the highway, like I'm commanding a cruise vessel. There is a lot more up and down undulation going over surface irregularities, but I've never heard of MB shocks going this early. I can only get an inch or so of play at top dead-center, but if I rotate the steering wheel even a quarter turn, at that point I can easily produce 3 inches of play, AND I can hear clunking sounds somewhere in the steering gear or column when I hit resistance again. What is this?

The motor continues to "choke," dropping to 200 rpm and then immediately recovering, only after driving off and then stopping a short distance later, before the car has warmed up. It will cycle like this repeatedly, almost rhythmically, until I get going again. A sidenote is that it stops this "cycling" earlier now that the ambient temps have dropped for the season. There seems to be a direct correlation between ambient temp and this behavior.

Next, a slight but obvious rattle has developed under the hood, and all I can think is timing chain or tensioner. You can hear it with windows up when idling, when there is silence in the cabin. It's not a heinous noise by any means, but it's new and I'm concerned.

Finally, the dealer uses Rotella T dino, 15w40. I bought some in June from Sam's because it was a steal. I change oil every 5k regardless. The best indie in town says he either uses Castrol 20w50 or Mobil 1 15w50 year round, regardless of season. He advised I switch to the Mobil 1. I'm inclined to as well simply because of the better flow at low ambient temp, for cranking. I know the dealer will use 0w40 unless I buy my own. Should I just stick with the Rotella?

I guess all the techs are at work, lol.

I can't speak to all of the issues, but the wandering/wallowing is obviously suspension related, and I would have a tech look at the suspension, including the links in the rear. It sounds like your shocks may be worn as well, 75k seems rather early, but we have two W202's in our family and both are around 100k-120k and their shocks are starting to go. (By comparison, one of our W124s went to around 180k before the struts/shocks were replaced, and another one is at 267k with the original rear shocks).

The rattle may be the belt tensioner damper (or the damper bushing). Look under the hood for a shock absorber-like device by the accessory belt. With the engine running (watch out for the fan blades!) see if damper rattles at the upper attachment point.

This is Starmark car, right? I can't believe they're still jerking you around on that transmission! You've done what you need to do. Now it's on MBUSA and their dealer network to fix it (and that other stuff). I'd give them a print out of your list and tell them to BLOODY FIX IT.

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Michael

1988 300 SL (5 Speed)
1994 E320 Wagon
1997 C230

Thanks for the comments. I had a worsening vibration, which apparently coincided with the new rattle. It was indeed the accessory belt tensioner, so that was replaced as was the damper. However, I still have a vibration above 50-60. The tires have been balanced before with no change, so maybe the Continentals just suck THAT BAD. They are only 15k miles old and I hate to buy new ones right now though. As for the "looseness," the shop foreman seems to think it could be alignment. I don't feel the car pulling, but there is more play in the steering wheel than in other cars I have owned, and it may not be noticeable. In other cars I have owned when it WAS out of alignment, they did exhibit poorer handling characteristics, so hopefully this isn't a line of BS. The foreman also says if there was a steering problem, the rack would be leaking. As for the trans, he says they took a fluid sample last time prior to changing it, and there was no metal in the trans and the fluid was totally clean. Interestingly, he also says the only failure point is the conductor plate, which has been replaced, and that "you can pour motor oil in these transmissions and you can't kill them. lol. FYI, the #1 indie shop in town said they have had fewer problems with the 722.6 than they expected. Both sources agree that the 4cyl cars almost never cause enough stress to kill these transmissions, as it is designed for everything up to the V12. My optimism like to say at 75k, if it was defective, it would have been dead years ago. Either way, the indie will be getting my car at 90k for service, at which time I'll have them comb over it for anything they recommend MBUSA replace.

IMHO Continentals are pretty good, at least for what you pay for them. The vibration could be any number of things, including improper tire balancing - not all places can do this right, or well enough to satisfy picky drivers (same goes for alignments). A way to check this is to swap/rotate tires and see if the vibration changes.

The car is in the shop again for a trans issue ( selector module? ) and I FINALLY got them to find the issue on the steering. I personally demonstarted it to the svc advisor and a tech. Thankfully, the svc advisor asked if I had any wallowing on the highway to which I replied yes! I thought these cars just wallow; they aren't BMWs anyway. Apparently though, the steering wheel play and wallowing are to be corrected with a new steering gearset. If that is the issue, then I have lived with this for 25k miles, since purchase, thinking it was just the way a standard-suspension Benz was. I even put new wheels and tires on it thinking it was that. Anyhow, is it normal for these to wear like that? It's exhibited the behavior since at least 61k; and I've never heard of anyone replacing one on a 202 here.

I agree with Anthonyb on the Continental tires. I put them on my 95 E420 and have no complaints. the only thing I notice is a subdued whine at lower speeds but as they wear it gets less and less.

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95 E420 ( 76K) SOLD
85 380SE(125k)
95 SL500(72k)

Is it normal for the steering gearset to wear like that? It's exhibited the behavior since at least 61k; and I've never heard of anyone replacing one on a 202 here

This thread is a few months old. If you solved the problem please let us know!! Anyway, my car had the same symptoms and it was the inner joints on the drag/center link. Have to replace the thing as a unit. Solved that problem. Now if I could solve all the OTHER problems!!

Mike

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

Well, the steering box was replaced and it seemed to help initially, but there is still some play in the wheel, and there is a clunking noise when I hit resistance in the wheel. So, I think 2/3 of teh problem is solved, and I am going to do what I can to get the center link and maybe tie rods replaced.

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL