W124 petrol turned into a diesel overnight?

[neilz]

The top one has a very worn interior, the second one has a failing suroof, the third is, I think, very expensive as I will spend under that getting my car done up but the fourth one actually looks very good (I would wonder about rust).

Thanks for looking them up, but I won't buy a replacement just yet as if the diesel-type sound is just carbon (it must have done tons of very short distance driving with the previous however many owners) I can get it flushed out (or cleaned manually if I win the lottery) and I can secure or remove the loose exhaust heat shielding if it is that (but won't removing it harm the car in some way? I'm sure it's there for a reason).

So far another suggestion has been something in the propshaft. Am I right in saying if it still makes the sound if being revved in neutral it's the heat-shielding or something in the engine and if it doesn't it's something round the propshaft?

 

[nick mercedes]

I was driving on the M3 back from Southampton when I noticed the engine got a bit louder, sounded like a 90s Transit a bit, and the oil low light was flashing every few seconds (running low but not out, phew), I went to the next service station (10 miles along...)

This is why your engine is noisy.

Buy a used engine (they're cheap) and throw this one away, it ran out of oil, that's why it's noisy.

There's no point in spending any money or time on this engine, they're even easy to fit.

 

[nick mercedes]

I hope costs drop, that £50 Halfords fuel service I'm hoping will work and will make the tapping go (apparently it needs decarbing and if the engine cleaner they use doesn't work I'll RedEx it until it does (smoking the whole of London up but whatever works!)), but that rattling is worrying me.

It's rattling and knocking because it got driven down the M3 with no oil in it.

No amount of Redex or trips to Halfords "decarbing" will cure it, your engine's f*cked, time for a new one.

 

[BillyW124]

..ok so if you dont want to get rid of the car then i agree with Nick, get rid of the engine and buy a doner replacement.

i think that would be the best solution to start with, anything else after that just 'roll with the punches' Lol

with regards to the heat sheild yes its used for i think keeping the down pipes warm to heat of the cat quicker.

im looking to get my whole system replaced front to back but debating 3 options.

stainless steel build
complete original, will cost the best part of 2000
or go for original decat pipes, which i believe is availabe for 124's but need to do more research and implications of emessions/MOT, that sort of thing.

anyway, so the bracket i was on bout in my previous post was the actual cause of the noise not the heat sheilds. And yes, as you mention when in neutral and you rev it makes a clattering noise.

the front down pipes and cat is one whole unit. it is on this unit that holds a bracket which mounts to the under body. My weld had come away and it was this that was bangaing against, i just removed the bracket. Don't worry though the exaust wont drop off, they are very solid.

 

[neilz]

Thanks for your input, Billy, I will look underneath at the state of the brackets and report back.

Nick, did you actually read my post. Under 10 miles at 50mph with low oil then it got filled up and hasn't leaked since. It made all these noises before then, the normal engine sound just got louder when the oil got low but is driving exactly how it did before the oil incident now.

If anyone can supply and fit a replacement engine at low cost I'll gladly accept but the way this is going I will have to get the current one repaired in steps (there's something about spending a little every now and then that I prefer to my wallet taking one huge hit)

 

[nick mercedes]

Nick, did you actually read my post. Under 10 miles at 50mph with low oil then it got filled up and hasn't leaked since. It made all these noises before then, the normal engine sound just got louder when the oil got low but is driving exactly how it did before the oil incident now.

This is like the dead parrot scetch...

Yes I read your post, you drove it up the motorway the oil light came on, the engine got very noisy, and you had to stop to put oil in it, now the top end rattles and the bottom end knocks.

You engine is not pining for the fjords or simply stunned, it's deceaced.

There's no point putting snake oil in it of entrusting it to Halfords, it's finished, you need a new one.

The one ray of light is that a good used engine will cost you less than £200.

HTH.

 

[BillyW124]

..u just need to take it to a reputable mechanic that will tell you plain and simple if its savable or needs a new one or even think its plain crazy doing anything. But at the end of the day whatever he says its your choice.

as mentioned by someone take a 70mile trip to portsmouth and see olly (blackc55) he will tell you straight up and give it a proper once over.

really is advisable to see someone about it Neil.

 

[neilz]

It's resting...

The rattling and knocking was there before!

If you can find me a used engine and someone who can fit it and give me a price then I'll consider it, but I can find none (this had a production span of what, 3 years in W124s?)

 

[neilz]

I will be charged for just having it looked at and with my local indy that charge is something like a £200 minimum charge. I would rather know what's wrong first before I start emptying my wallet on it

 

[BillyW124]

I will be charged for just having it looked at and with my local indy that charge is something like a £200 minimum charge. I would rather know what's wrong first before I start emptying my wallet on it

Exactly, you need to know whats up with it first before you shell out some dosh on it all.

Have a word with him mate, there's no harm, drop him a PM. Very helpful chap and straight up.

and 200 bags is a bit steep, i know we're londoners but i guess its better than your local Barry

 

[neilz]

The thing is, I know this sounds like I'm penny pinching, but I want to know what's wrong without paying as I want to know where I stand with the car and just how much I'll learn to hate it however many hundreds or thousands in repairs later!

Well, I shouldn't say that, I love the car otherwise I would just scrap it

 

[BillyW124]

im sure theres a lot of cheaper places that will do this for you.

 

[neilz]

So you think there's a garage out there that'll tell me what's wrong for nothing? Please tell me where it is, I'll become a regular! Seriously, if you know of one that would be very very useful!

 

[BillyW124]

So you think there's a garage out there that'll tell me what's wrong for nothing? Please tell me where it is, I'll become a regular! Seriously, if you know of one that would be very very useful!

im not saying they will do it for free, but wont charge 2bills to have a look at!

where have you looked for an engine?

have you tried merc specialist breakers?

you have the likes of:

Prestige all parts
Drondsfields
A1 Merc centre
MSL centre

google them and enquire, or sign up to Parts Gateway

 

[BillyW124]

you can lift the engine out this for example:

1993 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS E220 2dr Auto Coupe

but you obviously have to diagnose how good it is when you view etc, but 124's priced like this come and go on the regular, most of them would still be in good nick i suspect.

I think you have been unlucky

 

[neilz]

That engine has done almost 25k more than mine and I'd have nowhere to put the car! If I was to replace the engine I would need a garage it could be delivered to (an engine not a car) and fitted in, any rough estimates for that?

 

[BillyW124]

That engine has done almost 25k more than mine and I'd have nowhere to put the car! If I was to replace the engine I would need a garage it could be delivered to (an engine not a car) and fitted in, any rough estimates for that?

that was just an example and cost of buying one like that if you cant find an engine.. but yes i would be looking for less milage ones.

its all about planning it really, first look for garages, tell them your plan, if they are ok with it then start your search. In all honesty you are far better buying a whole car as a doner because that way you have ALL the bits you need. whats to say if you source an engine there might be bits missing, then you'll really wish you hadn't bothered.

Couldnt tell you prices, remember london rates Vs out of london.

This whole issue now with your motor requires logical thinking.

Another member Ian B walker is worth having a chat with too, 124works. i'm pretty sure that he would be able to source you an engine. He might even have one lying around in his yard somewhere.

get out there talk to ppl get advice, and get cracking

 

[GP801]

I know this has been said before but you really need someone who knows these cars to look at it. Give Olly at PCS a ring. Discuss what you need. I cant imagine its going to cost £200. These are guys who changed a C43 engine for a 55 engine in 1 day! Believe me they will not rip you off. At least then you will know where you stand. As above Ian Walker is another alternative but he is much further away from you.

 

[nick mercedes]

It's resting...

The rattling and knocking was there before!

If you can find me a used engine and someone who can fit it and give me a price then I'll consider it, but I can find none (this had a production span of what, 3 years in W124s?)

Here's your engine:

Mercedes C220 Manual 'N' | eBay UK

And I know a man (in Surrey so not a million miles away) who will fit it for £300.

Problem solved.

 

[neilz]

Well, my "beloved" mobile seemed to record a very exaggerated version of the standard raspy engine noise at idle and hardly any of the tapping. The very poorly recorded video (I'm not too great with videoing, even holding the phone still was obviously not my forté) is linked to below:

IMG_0024.mp4 video by neilz2 - Photobucket

It's very short as I had just got home and remembered I promised to record the sound. Tomorrow I'll be toying with my phone until I can actually get a decent recording of the sound. In the meantime, anything you can hear in that rushed, terrible video that isn't normal? The tapping is very faint in the video but is very pronounced in reality so I need to record that better.

A better video (sorry for wind sound)

IMG_0031.mp4 video by neilz2 - Photobucket

Well, on my laptop the sounds came out very well, you need to put your computer up to full volume but they show the raspiness and ticking rather well. As for the scraping sound, I must contact Olly but someone here may know what causes the tapping after long journeys? On short journeys it doesn't make any tapping sound but driving from London to Surrey it does tap rather badly. It's not happening all the time in other words, only when the engine is warmed up I guess, or after a long journey .