C180 1.8 CGi Cam Chain and Tensioner

[SteveBless]

Please could someone help me with the Removal and fitting of cam chain and adjuster on the 2011 C180 CGi my wife has. It has done 46000 miles and has developed the dreaded rattle on startup and twice has not started on the first turn of the key. I have been in touch with a local Mercedes dealer who by the way was a nice chap. He said because my car has had two owners, my wife being the second. Mercedes would not even consider any form of help for the problem we have. Two years out of manufacturers warranty is too long in his opinion, and I tend to go along with that.
So I am very handy spanners as I actually owned a garage a number of years ago so I would like to do the repair myself.
First thing is I would buy a workshop manual to help me do the job but I only have macs at home and at work and the manuals are only windows based, so I can not read them.
Next thing is I have heard that the cam adjuster has been modifies and so has the chain. So do I get genuine Merc parts or do I go for Febi Bilstein. The Febi parts I take it are copies of the original parts and not any modified Merc parts. But the Mec parts have failed and maybe could fail again.
I think I am very confident in changing the chain, but the tensioner I find a little baffling. Also is it OK to use the split link supplied with the chain to join it. All the old Mers used to have the chains joined this way. Can anyone give me details of how I should go about changing the adjuster and guides please. Do I have to take the lower part of the cam cover front off to do this?.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[grober]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/88500-complete-m271-engine-thread-revised-updated.html

You may need to renew the sprockets as well as the chain chain guides and tensioner?

Is there a way to check timing chain with tearing engine apart? - MBWorld.org Forums

 

[SteveBless]

Yes I know. I will inspect everything before assembly.
The parts that I am not sure how to inspect are the Cam adjustors for the variable valve timing.

 

[Ricks Cafe]

Are you sure the cam chain etc is the actual problem? I ask because my car has 3 times the mileage of yours and it`s just a bit rattly on v cold mornings but thats about all. Maybe get the opinion of a good indie?

Car Mechanics magazine did a cam chain rebuild a few years ago which I would guess you would still be able to order a back copy.

 

[SteveBless]

Are you sure the cam chain etc is the actual problem? I ask because my car has 3 times the mileage of yours and it`s just a bit rattly on v cold mornings but thats about all. Maybe get the opinion of a good indie?

Car Mechanics magazine did a cam chain rebuild a few years ago which I would guess you would still be able to order a back copy.

Yes I have taken it to a good indie as you call them.
It is the cam chain. The more you speak to people in the trade the more common the problem seams to be. I have just got the complete kit to replace the chain and adjuster. The adjuster housing is also in the kit along with new guides. The chain is a duplex chain type, and is completely different to the original chains that were fitted. That tells you something surely. The reason I am changing the chain is to prevent it snapping. Not all Mercs suffer this problem, but some do and ours is one of them. I think it was more common on the supercharger/Kompressor cars, but thats because there was a good few more than the model we own. The Turbo models will be a problem in the future believe me, as mine is now. You say yours rattles a bit on cold mornings, that's fine if you can put up with it, but I am not putting up with ours making the noise it does. Drives me nuts. Cheers for the info on the mag though, I will try and track one down. It will be the Komressor engine though, I would have thought.

 

[ernie]

Yes I have taken it to a good indie as you call them.
It is the cam chain. The more you speak to people in the trade the more common the problem seams to be. I have just got the complete kit to replace the chain and adjuster. The adjuster housing is also in the kit along with new guides. The chain is a duplex chain type, and is completely different to the original chains that were fitted. That tells you something surely. The reason I am changing the chain is to prevent it snapping. Not all Mercs suffer this problem, but some do and ours is one of them. I think it was more common on the supercharger/Kompressor cars, but thats because there was a good few more than the model we own. The Turbo models will be a problem in the future believe me, as mine is now. You say yours rattles a bit on cold mornings, that's fine if you can put up with it, but I am not putting up with ours making the noise it does. Drives me nuts. Cheers for the info on the mag though, I will try and track one down. It will be the Komressor engine though, I would have thought.

You said that the chain is 'a Duplex Chain Type'? Would that not also require replacing the sprockets which are designed for a Simplex chain? Or maybe those come as part of the kit?

For your info, the MB Indys on here and in the other forums have reported a number of examples of CGi engines requiring top end work at absurdly low mileages.

Ernie

 

[rorf]

46000 miles and a duplex chain is worn, or tensioner warn - something not right here. Maybe the engine oil was never changed in the last 6 years.

I have my doubts that you have a chain problem - it is something else.

These high tech? engines need a diagnostic test first to see what codes are coming up.

 

[BlackC55]

Its very likely to be worn cam gears. We have done loads of them recently.

If you need any pointers give us a call on 02392570123 and speak to Graham or Jack as they usually do them.

 

[SteveBless]

You said that the chain is 'a Duplex Chain Type'? Would that not also require replacing the sprockets which are designed for a Simplex chain? Or maybe those come as part of the kit?

For your info, the MB Indys on here and in the other forums have reported a number of examples of CGi engines requiring top end work at absurdly low mileages.

Ernie

It looks similar to a duplex chain. Not sure if it actually is. One thing for sure is that it is very different to the original chains that were fitted. I will inspect the sprockets when the top end cam cover is off. There is only one sprocket design for these engines so I am sure the chain is going to be ok.

 

[jaymanek]

3rd one this year for us

Its a simplex chain not duplex.

We buy this kit:

Mercedes M271 Kompressor C180 Timing Gear Camshaft Adjuster -COMPLETE REPAIR KIT | eBay

 

[jaymanek]

p.s. you dont get split links. They have to be peened once in position. We have a chain link tool for this. Motorcycle ones work ok and are more readily available.

 

[SteveBless]

46000 miles and a duplex chain is worn, or tensioner warn - something not right here. Maybe the engine oil was never changed in the last 6 years.

I have my doubts that you have a chain problem - it is something else.

These high tech? engines need a diagnostic test first to see what codes are coming up.

You could well be correct about the engine oil. After all it has had the full MB services from new. We all know for fact that not all MB garages do the actual work that is required by them. In fact I am going to cancel our service contract and just do the servicing myself from now on as we are keeping the car a while. Car is just 5 years old and I can't believe it has this problem either. It could well be something else but this cam kit is the cheapest way to see if its the chain and tensioner. The problem could be the cam gears and that is really costly, as are the sprockets if they are worn.

 

[SteveBless]

p.s. you dont get split links. They have to be peened once in position. We have a chain link tool for this. Motorcycle ones work ok and are more readily available.

Yes I bought a tool to do the link. The split link is for feeding it through if the cover is in place and only the top cover is removed. One thing I don't know though is why some links are a brass colour on my new chain. I am sure someone on this forum would know though. Its a Febi chain kit.

 

[SteveBless]

3rd one this year for us

Its a simplex chain not duplex.

We buy this kit:

Mercedes M271 Kompressor C180 Timing Gear Camshaft Adjuster -COMPLETE REPAIR KIT | eBay

Just had a look at your link. That's not what my chain looks like. My car is a turbo engine and not the Kompressor like the kit in your link.

 

[SteveBless]

This is my new chain. As you can see its a bit different to the normal chain.

 

[190]

View attachment 61383This is my new chain. As you can see its a bit different to the normal chain.

That's an inverted tooth chain. There was another thread recently about those chains. They were fitted to some later M271 engines. Presumably the design was change with a view to improvement.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/218366-m274-vs-m271.html

 

[190]

3rd one this year for us

Its a simplex chain not duplex.

We buy this kit:

Mercedes M271 Kompressor C180 Timing Gear Camshaft Adjuster -COMPLETE REPAIR KIT | eBay

I noticed that kit is not suitable for my 2009 C180k BE with 1.6L M271.910

Do you know why that is ?

It would be nice if that's because my engine doesn't suffer the timing chain problem. I suppose that's a bucket full of wishful thinking on my part.

 

[ernie]

"I was quite thankful that the 1.6L version of the M271 in my C180K BE doesn't have balance shafts at all which seemed the best solution to the problem."

The above is a quote from another thread which might...just might be your answer.


Ernie

 

[190]

Thanks Ernie, that was me with the quote. I know I don't have balance shafts so although it's one less thing to worry about, I don't think it affects the timing chain problems as I believe they are driven by a separate chain.

 

[ernie]

Sorry, didn't notice that!

Ernie