Black Death - how long can it go on for?

[laiitgu]

My 2011 E350 Coupe is on 240,000 miles.
It drives like new, has full power, starts very fast and clean, no hesitation ever, steady idle. It drives like the day it was new.

However, I've had black death since 150,000 miles so for the last 90,000 miles its been building up.
It's now spread over the air intake but car still runs like a dream.
At 240,000 miles is it worth dealing with this? The car can only be worth about £2000 now. When can I expect this to seriously effect the running?

 

[clk320x]

Blimey, why wouldn’t you have resealed the injectors when you first noticed this? Would have literally cost peanuts.

 

[carat 3.6]

When can I expect this to seriously effect the running?

The problem you have is that none of the sensors or components buried in that mess can be accessed anymore, so a £20 sensor will write the car off. Well done.

 

[markjay]

The black sludge outside the engine should be the least of your worries... having the same thing covering the valve stems, camshafts and timing gear is the bigger issue here.

 

[ALFAitalia]

The black sludge outside the engine should be the least of your worries... having the same thing covering the valve stems, camshafts and timing gear is the bigger issue here.

That nothing to do with Black Death....his oil could be sparkling clean and the engine internals spotless.....and still have black death.

Mad to have let it get that far.....must have no sense of smell either as I could smell the exhaust fumes in the car with just one slightly puffing injector on my old 5 pot 270...not good for your health at all.

 

[zipdip]

Wow looking at the pictures thats the worse I have ever seen,as Markjay said its the insides that will finish your car

 

[ALFAitalia]

What's BD got to do with the engine inners? Sludge forms inside engine if you don't change the oil. BD forms from leaks from around the injectors and wont affect the interior at all!!

 

[markjay]

That nothing to do with Black Death....his oil could be sparkling clean and the engine internals spotless.....and still have black death.

Why would you expect the oil inside the engine to be any different to the oil outside?

 

[whitenemesis]

Why would you expect the oil inside the engine to be any different to the oil outside?

I thought black death to be carbon build-up due to leaking injectors not oil leakage?

 

[E55BOF]

Why would you expect the oil inside the engine to be any different to the oil outside?

Because it's on the inside, and changed regularly. It's only whatever leaks out that can solidify and form the Black Death.

Black Sludge and Black Death are two entirely different things (or three if you count Bubonic Plague...).

 

[markjay]

I thought black death to be carbon build-up due to leaking injectors not oil leakage?

My understanding of Diesel 'black death' is when engine oil trunks to sludge and clogs up the top part of the engine.

It happens when the engine oil is if poor quality, the wrong type, left in the engine for too long, or gets contaminated with fuel (Diesel oil) as result of leaking injectors.

 

[ChipChop]

Be interested to know if the 'chuffing' noise from the leaky injector(s) seals has stopped after 90,000 miles of driving? Resealed themselves yet?

Wonder why Mercedes decided to ditch screw in injectors for the CDi engines? Worked just tickety boo on the indirect injection million mile diesel engines they used to make.

 

[AP211]

My understanding of Diesel 'black death' is when engine oil trunks to sludge and clogs up the top part of the engine.

It happens when the engine oil is if poor quality, the wrong type, left in the engine for too long, or gets contaminated with fuel (Diesel oil).

It's from faulty fuel injector seals that leak over time if left untouched. The sludge tells you nothing about how healthy the internals are or aren't.

Mercedes CDI Black Death

Another CDI engined Mercedes with the 'Black Death' in our workshop today. What does the term “ Black Death ” mean on Mercedes vehicles? Due in part to poo...

www.mercedesserviceandrepair.co.uk

 

[DaveE320CDI]

My understanding of Diesel 'black death' is when engine oil trunks to sludge and clogs up the top part of the engine.

It happens when the engine oil is if poor quality, the wrong type, left in the engine for too long, or gets contaminated with fuel (Diesel oil) as result of leaking injectors.

No you could have a engine thats got perfectly clean oil inside and engine internals spotless! black death occurs on the compression stroke forcing the unburnt fuel past the injector seals as alfalitalia already said

 

[ALFAitalia]

My understanding of Diesel 'black death' is when engine oil trunks to sludge and clogs up the top part of the engine.

It happens when the engine oil is if poor quality, the wrong type, left in the engine for too long, or gets contaminated with fuel (Diesel oil) as result of leaking injectors.

Nope....not close. Its when the injectors leak derv and the heat of the engine bakes it like tar on the cylinder head.....nothing to do with the lube oil.

 

[Fastcar155]

Nope....not close. Its when the injectors leak derv and the heat of the engine bakes it like tar on the cylinder head.....nothing to do with the lube oil.

I have learnt something today

 

[toteimerced]

Not had air filters for a while then.

 

[markjay]

Nope....not close. Its when the injectors leak derv and the heat of the engine bakes it like tar on the cylinder head.....nothing to do with the lube oil.

I stand corrected.

 

[laiitgu]

Thanks for commenting everyone, I didn't get any notifications. It's interesting to see the discussion on black sludge v black death.
The oil in my car is as clean a whistle (well as clean as diesel oil can be!)

I think some people are thinking it's wet oil over the air filter housing but it's not, it's a sticky build up of carbon that goes all the way underneath.

I initially had the exhaust fumes in cabin which was how I found out but there was hardly any build up. Then for ages there was no further build up then about 6 months later I pull back the engine cover and see all that. which was a surprise.

I believe it's two cylinders that are leaking, and it's not so much a chuffing noise as a ticking noise on the injectors.

My cars are workhorses so I know your all aghast at the state of it but as long as it still goes is my only concern.

It's on 240,000 miles. I can't ask for anything more. I think it's a testimony to the quality of the OM642 engine, just a shame they weren't better seals to start with.

 

[Petrol Pete]

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