W210 "tappet Noise"
 

Hi, Folks,

I have a 2002 E320 with 56,000 miles on the clock. Beginning a few weeks ago, I noticed a rattling sound on cold start ups that faded almost away after about one minute of run time. I recharged my air conditioner thinking that the noise might be coming from a failing compressor. The noise did not go away and seems to have become more pronounced over the last week or so.

The local dealer says that I have some "tappet noise", that some of these cars get it and some don't and that it is not bad enough to fix. My questions for the forum are:

1. Could i really be experiencing tappet noise on a $50,000 automobile with only 56,000 miles in it?

2. If so, is this a common problem with this engine?

3. What could be causing it?

4. Should i have it fixed now before it gets worse?

5. What recource do I haved with Mercedes? This car has just come of warranty.

please let me know your thoughts and advice.

Thanks,

Steve

Number 1 cause of engines noises on any engine is lack of oil changes..if you are following the FSS on that car & only changing the oil every 12K-15K miles then THAT is the most likely problem..oil isn't that good!

Start out with a can of flush & have the oil changed..sludge is common on FSS engines!

Steve, are you using Mobil 1 0W40 in your engine? How often do you change the oil and filter?

My daughter's CLK320 is doing the same thing. I diagnosed it to be the cat - the ceramic coming apart inside. The independent tech who works on the car told me this is very common, and a known problem on these cars, and since it's emission-related, Mercedes will replace the cats under warranty - even after the vehicle warranty has expired. The cats are right under the cylinder heads, so it sounds a lot like a valve-related noise.:)

Thanks to all for your input
 

Thanks, MB Doc, Fred & Harry.

I've had 10,000 mile oil changes done by the dealer using Synthetic 0-W40. My usage is almost entirely on the highway at 70 mph. The car is in the shop now for another oil change. I hope things are improved. The cat issue is intriguing. I will call the dealer and ask him to check.

Thanks again for your support. I hope to hear more good advice from the forum.

Cheers,

Steve

Are you SURE it's a lifter noise? I see lots of 112 and 113 engines with carbon knock issues. The colder the weather, the worse the noise. Before you spend big money why don't you run a few tankfuls of gas with Techron, or better yet, try GM Top Engine Cleaner. The latter will require removal of the spark plugs.

I noticed the same thing on my M113
 

There is some kind of lifter-type ticking noise there. Fortunately the hood insulation is good enough that I only hear it when I open the hood.

Question: what's the best oil sludge flush? Is there an MB part, or is the Pep Boys Special good enough?

Also, since Chevron/Texaco ceded this territory to other oil comapnies, Techron is off the list. Any other alternatives for top end cleaning not requiring the removal of 16 plugs?

Thinking you'd only need to pull 1 out for every cylinder, 8.
Gilly

Yes, it is lifter noise. My '01 E55 had it, my '01 E320 has it, and my wife's '04 SLK32 has it. Oil in all has been Mobil 1 0W-40 synthetic and has been changed at 6K mi. Hard to believe but unless I purchased three cars with defective lifters it seems to be the nature of the M112 and M113 engines in my experience. Mark

You can just maybe unplug the plug you are leaving in, or easier yet just unplug the primary ignition leads from the coils??

Steve, as far as I know catalytic converters are under warranty for 8 years or 80,000 miles whichever comes first. If that's the problem insist that MBUSA pick up the full tab. You may want to consider oil and filter changes every 7,500 miles.

W210 Tappet Noise
 

I own a 1998 E320 since new. The car had tappet noise from the day I bought it when the car was cold. I never addressed the condition with Mercedes since it would stop within 5 seconds after startup. This is indicative of slightly leaky lifters. It now has 62,000 miles and no longer makes any noise. ???? I use synthetic oil and don't tend to change it very often (twice a year)

As a former mechanic I would never recommend engine flush as it tends to get rid of the good desposits as well as the bad. Casuing significantly more issues than you have today. Things may have changed, but from my perspective I would never do this. Hope this helps.