v6 cdi engine problem

[Mackie78]

Hi Folks,

I have done some reading on the subject, but find I am not making much progress so have decided upon a post.

I have a w203 V6 cdi and am having a couple of problems with it.

The EML came on about 1 month ago (at which point my wife drove about 40 miles) and the car had also dropped into limp home mode. It was also doing some jumpy low down gear changes immediately prior to the light and since the light came on.

I took it to a garage we (my family and friends) have used for a few years. However the garage is not a Merc Specialist. He couldn't entirely diagnose the problem and tried cleaning the EGR valve but to no avail. He took it to a local Direct Injection Diesel specialist whom he knows. This specialist firm is quite well known locally and indeed the local MB indie uses him.

The Specialist thinks it is a problem with the swirl flaps (which I get an idea about from reading on here) although exactly what the problem is I am unsure. The upshot according to the specialist and Merc was a new inlet manifold, swirl flaps and motor/actuator were required plus some modification kit all of which are only availbale direct from the stealer and total £1400 + VAT. Labour was expected to be £4-500.

At the point the Diesel Specialist found this out, he stopped and reported back to the garage I use about the estimated costs. The guy at the garage let me know this and suggested I see if I could find out any cheaper/more specific alternatives online (I know him quite well and he knows my love of online forums). One suggestion was the blanking off of the swril fllaps which he had done on a BMW I6 Diesel I used to own.

So I am looking to the good people of MBClub for information/help.

Is this problem likely to be the problem relating to oil dripping into and damaging the 'Port Inlet Shut Off Motor'?

What fault codes are usually associated with the oil damaged motor issue and can they vary?

Have members had similar things happen they can enlighten me about?

Are there any ways of checking that the specialists diagnosis is correct/incorrect, before shelling out the £2k +VAT. I can scrape the money together but if it doesn't fix the issue I will be in trouble.

Are there any other common complications it could be and ways I can get the garage to check for these?

 

[davidjpowell]

Have a browse through this thread...

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/124538-e320cdi-woes.html

Oil drips from tubo onto Port Inlet shut off motor and destroys motor or the manifold gets gunked up, flap that the above motor moves siezes and destroys motor as I understand it.

Other than using indie rather than dealer not sure there is much saving to be done. I think *** on the above thread thought about removal of the flap and decided against it.

Good luck!

 

[st4]

The flaps can't be removed easily. Fault sounds like the inlet port shut off motor fault. The limp home and jerky changes are the exact symptoms. To cure the issue you need the new port motor and manifold and aye it's over a grands worth of work.

 

[Mackie78]

The flaps can't be removed easily. Fault sounds like the inlet port shut off motor fault. The limp home and jerky changes are the exact symptoms. To cure the issue you need the new port motor and manifold and aye it's over a grands worth of work.

Cheers Ste,

How much did it cost you for the work and is there any chance you can detail what was done, roughly speaking of course.

Just so I can relay it back to the garage, I don't want to pay £2400 (inc VAT) if there are some things/items that are non essential.

Why did you decide against swirl flap removal?

Thanks and sorry to hear of another having these problems

 

[Mackie78]

From further reading and for anyone who might suffer the same problem as others and myself:

There are two common causes for the Port Inlet Shut Off Motor to fail:


1 - Oil leaks from ‘turbo seal’ which ingresses into the inlet motor and cause it to fail


This fix usually just requires the inlet motor to be changed and the turbo seal replaced (modified seal)



2 - Blocked inlet manifold – soot/carbon coats the spindle of the swirl flaps house in the manifold which causes them to stick. Then the Port Inlet Shut Off Motor jams which in turn kills the motor.


The optimum recommendation is to replace the turbo seal (modified one), inlet manifold (modified one) and the inlet shut off motor.


Some people have had the inlet manifold cleaned which is labour intensive and caution should be exercised that this should only really be done if there are no signs of wear to the swirl/butterfly flaps and the manifold.


I've written this in the hope it helps others whose V6 CDIs suffer the same fate as mine. Feel free to correct me as this is only a synopsis of the threads I have read on this and other forums over the past 4 hours.


My problem appears to be the latter (2) and the guy who diagnosed it says Merc want £1,400+VAT for the parts including associated gaskets etc. Then a further 8-10 hours to carry out the work so it ain't cheap

 

[st4]

Cheers Ste,

How much did it cost you for the work and is there any chance you can detail what was done, roughly speaking of course.

Just so I can relay it back to the garage, I don't want to pay £2400 (inc VAT) if there are some things/items that are non essential.

Why did you decide against swirl flap removal?

Thanks and sorry to hear of another having these problems

To change the manifold, port motor and seals is not a £2400 job but a £2000 vat tops iirc. Id go elsewhere with the car.

My manifolds were deemed to be quite blocked and the linkages unrepairable. I'm on a modified manifold and a sealed up turbo...