Snapped timing chain on CLK230K

[CraigBEDS]

My timing chain snapped. I hear this shouldnt happen? What is the damage likely to be? Is it worth investigating or should I just replace the engine? Would appreciate any advice on this one please..?

 

[Martindixon]

Well I could be bad your valves could have been open/down and the piston coming up to hit them! At the very least you will need a new chain so you just aswel take head off and have a look to see what it's actualy done befor you make the decision to get a new engine.

 

[donubenz]

Some engines are "safe" and some not, it also depends on conditions when the chain went.
Best bet is to turn crank by hand on front pulley and see if any resistance. A bent valve usually sticks in the head. If it turns freely you may be lucky so invest in a new chain and reset the cam/crank relationship, cross your fingers and strike her up.
Good luck,
Don

 

[Dieselman]

^ I don't think any Mercedes engines are non-interference engines, that's the preserve of lazy American engines.

 

[Ian B Walker]

Guaranteed that you will have valve damage (interference engine). You may also have some gouging of the cylinder head and pistons. Not always terminal though. When you take off the head check the valve stems too.

 

[Nicensleazy]

Hi Craig really sorry to hear about the timing chain and I do hope that any damage is of the most minimal nature.

As an owner of a W208 CLK230K I always thought that the chains were virtually unbreakable on these. What kind of mileage should one be looking for replacement of the chain. My CLK's done 94k and as far as I'm aware the timing chain wasn't part of the 90k service and when I checked on the 100k service schedule it's not mentioned there either.

Can one of the more knowledgeable amongst us advise on what is the recommended replacement interval as I'm slightly worried now!

 

[Martindixon]

Some say it should last the life of the engine but I would have it done at 100k

 

[Nicensleazy]

Some say it should last the life of the engine but I would have it done at 100k

Thanks in that case I'll start saving up!

 

[nick mercedes]

My timing chain snapped. I hear this shouldnt happen? What is the damage likely to be? Is it worth investigating or should I just replace the engine? Would appreciate any advice on this one please..?

Bent valves - find another used head or if cheap enough another engine, that said if you're mechanically minded just repalce the bent valves.

 

[ringway]

Hi Craig really sorry to hear about the timing chain and I do hope that any damage is of the most minimal nature.

As an owner of a W208 CLK230K I always thought that the chains were virtually unbreakable on these. What kind of mileage should one be looking for replacement of the chain. My CLK's done 94k and as far as I'm aware the timing chain wasn't part of the 90k service and when I checked on the 100k service schedule it's not mentioned there either.

Can one of the more knowledgeable amongst us advise on what is the recommended replacement interval as I'm slightly worried now!

I can remember asking the timing chain question at MB Macclesfield years ago.

MB: "It will last forever"
Me: "So it doesn't ever need checking or changing then?"
MB: "You can come back at 400,000 miles... If you really want to."

They were very bullish about the whole thing.

One thought was, if they could make money out of a customer checking/changing the chain, then they surely would do.

Another thought was, if they chain snapped, then they'd definitely make some money replacing the engine.

Another though was that MB possibly expect most of their cars to have rusted to powder form by the time a new chain would be needed.

I think I'll hang on for a few 100,000 miles and see how things are then.

 

[kth286]

If a chain snaps on that engine there is usually more to the situation than is being revealed.

Was work done to the engine prior to the chain snapping ?

 

[tim.100]

My timing chain snapped. I hear this shouldnt happen? What is the damage likely to be? Is it worth investigating or should I just replace the engine? Would appreciate any advice on this one please..?

Do you know the specification of your engine oil? Was it a low SAPS type?

 

[rf065]

Do you know the specification of your engine oil? Was it a low SAPS type?

Come on, whats the punch line?

Russ

 

[flango]

Not using fully synthetic oil by any chance, were you ?

 

[andy27168]

I have nearly 165,000 miles on my C230K (140,000 done by myself), it has always been serviced at the correct time, with semi-synthetic oil, I have no absolutely no intentions to replace the timing chain, I would however do it if the head had to come off for some reason.
As far as I have been aware a chain snap on one of these engines is very rare, almost unheard of.

 

[DITTRICH]

My c230k engine is on 156k miles and has always been serviced according to ASSYST. No-one has ever recommended that the chain should be changed. The head hasn't come off yet. However, with the variable service intervals specified by ASSYST, I have twice had to add 0.5 litre of oil when the interval has exceeded 12k miles. The engine is older and so the usage isn't much to worry about. As said before, it is a very rare occurence. Take the engine from another c230k.

 

[CraigBEDS]

It has done 110k miles, I have only had it a month, so unsure if head has been off. Has full MB service history, and heap of receipts. Can't see anything there tho.

 

[gtvlusso]

I have been told by several indies that timing chains only need checking if they rattle. And then it is usually just the tensioner or pulley/bearing that needs replacing.

very rare for them to let go, but when they do it is usually spectacular......Hopefully in the OP's case it is just a few valves and nothing more.

I think that BMW recommend a change at about 130k miles.....Again, I have never been told to change one on a BMW either!

 

[kth286]

It has done 110k miles, I have only had it a month, so unsure if head has been off. Has full MB service history, and heap of receipts. Can't see anything there tho.

see if receipts show a new timing chain tensioner.

there is a special technique to install a new one, and if not fiollowed can break the cam.

Who told you the chain has broken, and have you seen the broken chain for yourself ?

It maybe just the cam has broken - much easier repair.

 

[Will]

I would be inclined to agree that this is a rare occurence, but I can think of at least three 230K M111 engines on this forum that have suffered snapped chains so far (there's one CLK230 cab in the classifieds as a non-runner for this very reason)

I guess out of all of the M111 engines, the torquey 2.3 supercharged 230k is the most stressed of all.

The question of course is, why did it fail?

Will