Drove the new E350 CDI Coupe

[JohnDeere8530]

I would be really grateful if you could compare the sound ofyours with the sound file on My Troubled E350CDI Sport Coupe

Thank you

I have listened to it, it does sound a bit like one of my tractors ! I have not noticed this on my car yet, only slight diesel noise when cold on tick over under load.

How did you record your sound, presumably with bonnet up and mic within a foot of engine ?

If you reply I will then listen to mine again in the same manner as you have done. My build date was 20/11 by the way, I wonder if there is any difference in my version compared to yours either software or injector wise ?

 

[steve_acp]

I have listened to it, it does sound a bit like one of my tractors ! I have not noticed this on my car yet, only slight diesel noise when cold on tick over under load.

How did you record your sound, presumably with bonnet up and mic within a foot of engine ?

If you reply I will then listen to mine again in the same manner as you have done. My build date was 20/11 by the way, I wonder if there is any difference in my version compared to yours either software or injector wise ?

Thanks very much!

Mine was a launch car, picked up 19th June. Sound is recorded IN THE CAR by the gear shift using an iPhone. I am glad that you don't hear it, that gives me hope!

 

[JohnDeere8530]

have an iphone will try tomorrow.

Been out tonight, revving the car driving & stationary you can barely tell its a diesel, as I said at tickover cold is more noticable, but not intrusive (with doors open).

I suggest you take your car back to a dealer that has a newly arrived demo e350. Ask him to sit in yours, then do the same in the new car, if as I suspect there is a difference I would then ask him to a) sort it, b) change it c) all your money back.

 

[steve_acp]

have an iphone will try tomorrow.

Been out tonight, revving the car driving & stationary you can barely tell its a diesel, as I said at tickover cold is more noticable, but not intrusive (with doors open).

I suggest you take your car back to a dealer that has a newly arrived demo e350. Ask him to sit in yours, then do the same in the new car, if as I suspect there is a difference I would then ask him to a) sort it, b) change it c) all your money back.

Thanks again, thats exactly where we are at the moment. unfortunately, the demo, a 59 plate is EXACTLY the same as mine. I will se if they have a new car in the showroom we can start up.

 

[Mactech]

I have owned 3 Mercedes V6 diesels for the very reason that they are refined as you found with the CLS. I understand that amongst the changes between 320 and 350 CDI’s are injectors and ECU mapping. I have driven both the 230bhp version of the 350 engine (in an E Coupe) and the 270bhp version (in the CLS Grand edition) and both were very quiet.
In the strive for better efficiency it is common (pun intended!) to raise the rail pressure to get a finer, more accurate spray pattern from the injectors. This also requires a shorter duration squirt but allows the timing to be more precise.
Having a little experience in this area I would speculate that your car has injector chatter. This is when the injector resonates when asked to perform very quickly at high rail pressures. This is unlikely to show on the diagnostic tests.
Mention this to most dealers and you will be faced with a blank stare, but the solution to the issue is likely to be in a new set of injectors or re-mapping the ECU. I will leave you to speculate on the more likely outcome.
Have you found the economy better in the E Coupe than the CLS?

 

[steve_acp]

Having a little experience in this area I would speculate that your car has injector chatter. This is when the injector resonates when asked to perform very quickly at high rail pressures. This is unlikely to show on the diagnostic tests.
Mention this to most dealers and you will be faced with a blank stare, but the solution to the issue is likely to be in a new set of injectors or re-mapping the ECU. I will leave you to speculate on the more likely outcome.
Have you found the economy better in the E Coupe than the CLS?

Thank you for your comments

Economy is similar to CLS day to day, but better on long high speed run.

The car is in the dealer now for an ecu update, and some "tests on the injectors that they have to send to mercedes". If their latest attempt fails, do you think I should insist on a complete new set of injectors from the same batch? Do you think the chatter is related to the very rough running when cold. Are there any questions you think I should ask the dealer about their work?

Thanks again

 

[Mactech]

Thank you for your comments

Economy is similar to CLS day to day, but better on long high speed

The car is in the dealer now for an ecu update, and some "tests on the injectors that they have to send to mercedes". If their latest attempt fails, do you think I should insist on a complete new set of injectors from the same batch? Do you think the chatter is related to the very rough running when cold. Are there any questions you think I should ask the dealer about their work?

Thanks again

The E Coupe has lower drag than the CLS and may account for the difference.

I can only speculate on the actual problem, but unfortunatly the dealers seem to have even less idea and just tend to change modules until the problem does or does not go away. You really need to insist they get someone in the German technical dept. involved as problem goes deeper than just a 'service' issue which is what I have found Mercedes GB capable of.

 

[steve_acp]

Just heard from the service manager, apparently, they have been back to merc techs in UK and Germany, and have loaded a new ECU update, and calibrated it to the injectors. He is saying that the car is much quieter. I will collect it when it is fully cold later today, and will be comparing it to a brand new one just delivered, along with the service manager.

He knew that the temp car has the same problems, that is "their next project"
Would have been nice to know that!

I will report back later, I still have a feeling that the journey hasn't ended.

 

[w124coupe]

Just heard from the service manager, apparently, they have been back to merc techs in UK and Germany, and have loaded a new ECU update, and calibrated it to the injectors. He is saying that the car is much quieter. I will collect it when it is fully cold later today, and will be comparing it to a brand new one just delivered, along with the service manager.

He knew that the temp car has the same problems, that is "their next project"
Would have been nice to know that!

I will report back later, I still have a feeling that the journey hasn't ended.

Make sure they leave it overnight to go properly cold before you go and try it!

 

[JohnDeere8530]

saying that mine is slightly rattly when cold, you can tell it is a diesel, however when revving when cold this diesel noise seems to retreat so much so you have a job to tell it is a diesel.

When driving it about, thrashing it or going slow, you cannot tell its a diesel apart from the bucket loads of torque.

I would keep trying your garage and find a car that has just been delivered and compare that to yours. As I said my car build date was 20/11 and was delivered on the 3/12, and I can say there is nothing wrong with this engine. So aim to test it on a car delivered/made after these dates

 

[steve_acp]

I just go back from the dealer, and what a difference! I feel like I am in a Mercedes again. Slight diesel noise when cold on tick over, but nothing like the tractor noise you hear in the sound file. The 1500-2000 rpm chatter is completely gone. It may be my imagination, but the car feels even torquier than before! Running warm is very refined.

I sat down for a long chat with the service manager, apparently there have been a few examples like this, Mercedes techs in Germany have been working on it. They have updated the ECU, and entered parameters for each injector. I have to monitor , and listen for changes, and send regular feedback. Hopefully this is the end.

I started up a brand new e350 in the showroom, and it sounded identical.

Thank you all for your comments and insight, it has been a long 6 months waiting for this to be fixed.

 

[Mactech]

Excellent result!

I'm glad you are happy in a Mercedes again and that my speculation was not too far out

 

[JohnDeere8530]

good, I'm glad, it was worth persevering with it. So you are saying the new 350 in the showroom sounds exactly like yours now ?

On another note, being pendantic, if you tilt a seat forward and look in the rear passenger footwells you will see the glide rail that the bottom of the seatbelt fixes to. Does your one have a plastic trim around the bottom half where the mounting bolts for this rail are? For a £40k car having 4 large bolts and washers on view in the cabin looks awful. It almost seems if a bit of trim is missing. I've had cars worth less than half this money and they all have trim around these bolts

 

[steve_acp]

Excellent result!

I'm glad you are happy in a Mercedes again and that my speculation was not too far out

You were bang on!
Thanks again

Steve

 

[yachtman]

I just go back from the dealer, and what a difference! I feel like I am in a Mercedes again. Slight diesel noise when cold on tick over, but nothing like the tractor noise you hear in the sound file. The 1500-2000 rpm chatter is completely gone. It may be my imagination, but the car feels even torquier than before! Running warm is very refined.

I sat down for a long chat with the service manager, apparently there have been a few examples like this, Mercedes techs in Germany have been working on it. They have updated the ECU, and entered parameters for each injector. I have to monitor , and listen for changes, and send regular feedback. Hopefully this is the end.

I started up a brand new e350 in the showroom, and it sounded identical.

Thank you all for your comments and insight, it has been a long 6 months waiting for this to be fixed.

Glad to hear you have had a good result. I would now run the car for as long as possible without filling up, just incase the improvement is part due to a special fuel additive, or different fuel that you normally buy contributes to a change.

 

[garystu1965]

Really pleased it's fixed. I've just played that WAV file and it made a black cab sound like a S500 !

Worst sound I've ever heard. I've also driven and 535d, C320 CDI, A6 3.0 TDI and they were all refined. The A6 particularly so and the C320 was not far behind and didn't even sound like a diesel at all.

Good result there - it's a beautiful motor.

 

[steve_acp]

good, I'm glad, it was worth persevering with it. So you are saying the new 350 in the showroom sounds exactly like yours now ?

On another note, being pendantic, if you tilt a seat forward and look in the rear passenger footwells you will see the glide rail that the bottom of the seatbelt fixes to. Does your one have a plastic trim around the bottom half where the mounting bolts for this rail are? For a £40k car having 4 large bolts and washers on view in the cabin looks awful. It almost seems if a bit of trim is missing. I've had cars worth less than half this money and they all have trim around these bolts

Yes, still noisier the Jag, but that is a much bigger car, more room to insulate the engine. The noise now has an even beat, without the roughness, and a sweeter on acceleration, with no pinking / chatter. When warm , it is very refined.

The bolts are there yes. I have to say, the plastics also dont look as good as the previous generation eclass and cls. I also miss the ambient lighting on these models.

Other thinks to check are:

That the rubber gasket that seals the windows instead of the b pillar doesn't twist / dog ear at the top.

The LED parking sensor array in the rear roof lining on mine was hanging out after 2 days. It did click into place. Other than that, and the noise, everything else has been great. No rattles, and very little wind and road noise.

Did you go for the dynamic handling / sport button? That really changes the characteristics of the car.

Steve

 

[johny5_uk]

Steve, out of interest could you record your car now and upload to your web page please?

 

[steve_acp]

Steve, out of interest could you record your car now and upload to your web page please?

Great idea, The new web page is loading up as we speak, so you might need to give it a few minutes.

I used same conditions, car from cold. Have a listen to both and let me have your comments.

I am very happy, at last!

http://web.me.com/steve_clark/E350_CDi_Sport_Coupe_Engine_Noise_Problem_Blog/Welcome.html

 

[JohnDeere8530]

not listened to the file yet, but am now noticing (with door open) that on idle the engine distinctly sounds like a diesel (funny that !), the characteristic diesel chatter is evident. However get to around 1000rpm and above, then this sound disappears completely right through the rev range.

Is yours like this ?

ps just listened now, yours sounds much like mine