S-430 destroyed engine - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 10-24-2002, 09:42 PM

I thought that I would share an interesting problem with my S-430. It is a 2001 with 14,500 miles on it. My wife called me and told me it was running terribly and was making a very loud noise. We called the dealer and they told her to try to drive it in. It was so bad that we got them to flat bed it in. The verdict:
A washer or bolt had broken on one of the cam gears and it had destroyed the head and who knows what else. They are fixing it of course and I think they said it requires the removal of the engine to fix it all. It should be done in a week. I did hear that MB is quite interested in this major failure. It does imply a quality weakness or it could just be a flyer. Any comments, suggestions or words of consolation will be welcome...
Oh, the car is driven carefully and all the service is performed by MB on time...

blackmercedes · #2 10-24-2002, 11:19 PM

Could happen to ANY manufacturer. And does.

The V-8 in your car is a new design, and to date has proven to be very durable. I would not take this as any kind of indication of possible future engine problems.

#3 10-25-2002, 02:54 AM

Hudoff, who is your dealer? Millennium or Ray Catena? I have seen many 2000+ S500's and S430's with 100 to 150K, I can't be sure but I think they had original engines. I never heard of any issues with these engines.

daddiojiggy · #4 10-25-2002, 09:44 AM

aldedmon · #5 10-25-2002, 01:16 PM

On my 94 530iT BMW. One of the head studs stress fractured and the nut/threads got lodged between the cam and the head and killed the head. Ironically, the car still ran albeit like a dying diesel. It happened at low speed and I drove the car a few blocks trying to figure out what the noise was before fear of the enevitable finally made me stop/park. It was cheaper to replaced the engine with a used 53K mi motor($3K+$2K labor) than rebuild($10K+$3K labor). At 106K mi, I rolled the dice and 20K mi. later, it still runs like a top. Now I have no way of knowing if that thing was lying arpound under there for a day, a week or a year. But somehow it made its way over to the cam and caused the pistons to have a stroke(pun intended)

#6 11-06-2002, 07:54 PM

I finally got the car back and this is what they wrote on the service slip:

Remove &Replace all on L/side and R/side cylinder heads and pistons, timing chain guide tensioning and guide rails.

valve and valve seats all recondition.

replace all crank bearings.

14333 broke r/s crank shaft gear bolt find extra valve keeper between crankshaft and cam bridge ...d/a whole engine...
also find one extra valve keeper between right crankshaft and cam shaft bridge, find damage to both camshafts, replace oil pump. ...etc/...etc.
Looks like I got a new hand re-assembled engine. Is that good?
Well it's running quiet and seems to be OK. Can anyone guess what happened?
I think this was a $10,000 warranty job. Isn't it easier to just put in a new engine or is this some kind of training mission for the techs?
I really can't complain as I had a loaner car for two weeks and the thing seems fine at this stage...
IS this a quality problem?

#7 11-06-2002, 09:16 PM

It's bound to happen as mentioned earlier, no matter how good quality control is -- a mere numbers game.

You should ask the dealer or a regional rep what exactly caused the malady.

Back in the late 80's, when I was high school, a friend of the family purchased a 560 SEC, around $80,000+ at THAT time. A week or so after delivery, the motor "failed" and MB actually flew in a new motor from Germany and replaced it in a matter of days. Tuned out that some machine filings got into the bottom end and he spun a bearing -- if my memory serves me right.

Gilly · #8 11-06-2002, 11:10 PM

Ted:
Did that engine job you mentioned happen at Zimbricks? I think I heard about that.

Gilly

#9 11-06-2002, 11:38 PM

Hey Gilly,

This was is in Mpls and I think Sears Imports dealt with it, though it may have been Maplewood.

I'm sure every dealership has a tale to tell of this sort.

blackmercedes · #10 11-06-2002, 11:41 PM

Anyone know what a 4.3L V-8 runs for a crate motor? Must be WAY higher than $10K.

Hand done rebuilds can be as good as factory, no doubt. If you're leery, you might ask for an extended warranty since MB saved a bucket by not installing a whole new engine. They will probably say no, but if you don't ask...

P.E.Haiges · #11 11-06-2002, 11:50 PM

Off,

With that low mileage and so much engine damage, I would have demanded a new engine. Even though your engine failed due to quality control at the factory, I would have more faith in a factory replacement engine than one "assembled" in a dealer workshop.

If you have anymore trouble with the engine, I suggest you demand a replacement.

Looks like it cost MB more to fix your engine than it costs some manufacturers to build an entire car. I'm glad you didn't have to pay for the repair.

P E H

#12 02-02-2003, 10:19 PM

I thought i would keep everyone up to date. The car now has about 1500 miles on the rebuilt engine.I have to say everything was done well to this point. Everything looks and sounds normal under the hood. No oil use or leaks. Nothing seems to have been disturbed or damaged. At this point I'm very satisfied with the dealer rebuild. I will keep everyone informed if anything changes but my silence means that everything is just fine. The crew at Millennium motors did a good job. Let's wait and see.