08 Mercedes c class timing chain replacement.

carsfan2

Anybody know if a 08 Mercedes c180kompresser auto with 55000 km up should require a new chain. Car running absolutely fine but main dealer recommended replacement chain.
Not sure if they're trying it on or whether it's really required.
Any info appreciated.

scannerd

yes have an 09 same engine, that had to have chain done at 60k - poor design, stretches and puts timing out, engine light will come on with a cam position code, was 800 but done under warranty.

If your not getting engine light then only rational would be they think it has stretched a bit which can cause more damage to the sprockets in the long run - then you would be looking at a lot more costly repair.

spiggotpaddy

carsfan2 wrote: »

Anybody know if a 08 Mercedes c180kompresser auto with 55000 km up should require a new chain. Car running absolutely fine but main dealer recommended replacement chain.
Not sure if they're trying it on or whether it's really required.
Any info appreciated.

They are a well-known fault but 55000km seems very low to change it.
Most need doing between 130k and 160k.
Maybe yours was running low on oil for a while, which would speed up wear.
I changed mine at 160 000km but I had to change the sprockets as well.
Maybe you're better safe than sorry because they really are an awful design.

carsfan2

Car has full service history with local merc garage and issue was never mentioned before. Car appears to be running perfectly. Garage said may have to do something with the gearbox at the same time. They said if this is required then will be about 2.5k to do it all.
Considering the low mileage and fact car runs fine I am sceptical. I know it's a nine year old car but 55000 km seems really low mileage to need this amount of work.

spiggotpaddy

It makes you wonder if the dealer is fishing. What's wrong with the gearbox? You would expect any car to do a little over 30k miles without gearbox trouble. FFS a bicycle could do 30k miles on a gear set.
The chain and tensioner set is about €200 in Michael Moore's. You could get a good indy to do it for a fraction of the price, their are no special tools needed and is fairly straightforward.

carsfan2

I agree. It's my elderly parents second car so they tend to be led by the garage but I think I will bring it to an independent garage for a check.

bazz26

I wouldn't be getting a main dealer to do any work on a 9 year old car unless there was goodwill from the manufacturer involved to make it worth while.

I'd also want further clarification from the dealer around whether these are just standard by the book recommendations from the manufacturer or is there actually something specifically wrong with the chain and gearbox.

MercMad

The dealer will always recommend a chain and tensioner replacement on these M271 engined cars because if they fail somebody will need €5.5k to fix it and they dont want to be stuck with that.

The engine is not a truly awful design, but the components used are of inferior quality than previous engines, a simplex instead of a duplex chain.

As the guys said, buy the parts are get an indy to do it, its about 4 hours job max.

I don't know what the gearbox issue may be, though they suffer from oil ingress into the electrical connector for the ECU on right side but the connector plug is about €10 to buy and about 10 minutes to change on a lift.

carsfan2

Thank so for the advice lads.
I have told them to steer clear of the main dealer for years with that car and to bring it to a good independent garage. I think they will now.
Even though the car is symptom free, I suppose they should get the chain done in light of the cars age?

MercMad

carsfan2 wrote: »

Thank so for the advice lads.
I have told them to steer clear of the main dealer for years with that car and to bring it to a good independent garage. I think they will now.
Even though the car is symptom free, I suppose they should get the chain done in light of the cars age?

......its kind of early to be honest but the issue is they give up without warning, usually as you crank the car. Sometimes you can hear a slight rattle for a while before but its not massively noticeable.

Best advice is bring it to a mechanic you know and trust for his opinnion.

Toyotafanboi

To be fair I doubt the dealers are lying.

One benefit that it's hard to appreciate when they are looking for money to repair is that dealers know weaknesses in specific models that indys often won't cop and you will get an opportunity to nip an issue in the bud before you're on a flatbed with it.

The Merc technician has probably seen countless quantities of that engine with the chain in various states of degradation as they are prone to premature failure and can tell that yours is dicky and is giving you a forewarning to do it, whereas an Indy may not have even picked up on the issue.

I would find out the extent of the repairs and get an exact quote from them. There is little to be said for repairing with them, but if the car has a full history with Merc and they plan on keeping the car another few years I would certainly consider using the dealer.