Am I missing something?

[frostbite]

The front end of my C43 AMG's engine, my first look under the cover.... what was here and why might it have been removed? Was it the Professor with the spanner in the library?

 

[Dieselman]

Nope. That bracket is for the cold start air pump, often known as the Smog pump. Not fitted to cars outside the US.

 

[frostbite]

Nope. That bracket is for the cold start air pump, often known as the Smog pump. Not fitted to cars outside the US.

Interesting... as you can see there are plugs there and that brown cable and there's that stub of a cut rubber pipe on another bit just behind the top of the bracket. Still if it doesn't need it, no point in worrying.

 

[grober]

Its for the secondary air smog injection pump[ electric] A0001403785 for emission control in certain markets. DM beat me to it.
98-06 MERCEDES Secondary Air Injection Smog Pump 0580000011 A0001403785

 

[John Jones Jr]

Interesting... as you can see there are plugs there and that brown cable and there's that stub of a cut rubber pipe on another bit just behind the top of the bracket. Still if it doesn't need it, no point in worrying.

I can clearly see what you mean. Is it the original engine or was the car imported from a R/h/d market that required an air pump?

 

[grober]

Here is a diagram of the associated parts. My guess its a standard wiring loom + front casting common to all markets with the smog pump and associated parts only fitted when required.

 

[John Jones Jr]

It looks like bracket #11 is fitted and the loom and associated parts ( junction box, vacuum pipe etc?) look very untidy in the Op's photo. I sure understand why the Op's asking even if the car leaves the factory as per his photo.

 

[rorf]

Strange, my 2000 SL V6 does not have the air pump but my 2001 CLK V6 does, and they were both imported from Germany to South Africa. Of interest the SL only has oxygen sensors before the primary catalysts.

 

[frostbite]

I can clearly see what you mean. Is it the original engine or was the car imported from a R/h/d market that required an air pump?

Car has comprehensive history and I had it fully HPI checked. No evidence of import or a new engine in all the receipts and documents I have.