W203 C220 Cdi Issues When Cold

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buzzc1989

New Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2015
Messages
16
Car
2004 C220 Cdi Auto
Morning all,

I have been having issues with my car only when it's cold up until about 50 to 60+ c engine temp.

When starting from cold I let it idle for a minute or so then drive away. After about 50 meters the car will jump or surge forward multiple times in each gear. Even when cruising in each gear the RPM needle sort of bounces up and down a couple hundred RPM. As I'm coming to a stop it feels like the car stays in the engaged gear then there's a faint clunk and then a grinding sound like a rumble strip feeling and sound. As I go to pull away there seems to be a delay before the gear is engaged then the car will lunge forward and almost seem like it will stall.

I've read about multiple things that will cause these symptoms but I just can't find enough info to pin point the problem.

So a few days ago I ordered a dip stick and received it yesterday. This morning I checked the fluid level while cold, after cycling through the gears a few times and with the car idling I checked the level and was shocked!

I found that while the fluid was cold the level comes up almost to where it should be when the fluid is 80c. Could this be the cause of my problems when the car is cold. I haven't checked when the fluid is up to temperature but it's obvious it will be too high!

Even when the car is warm it just doesn't feel like how I imagine a Mercedes would feel to drive, it seems to shift through each gear but it's not smooth it kind of lunges a little as it changes gear. But doesn't lunge while cruising and doesn't hold the gear when stopping although it does feel like it still wants to pull when coming to a stop and makes me feel like I need to apply more brake pressure.

Any help is greatly appreciated, I know I'll need to drain out some fluid immediately but I won't have time until the weekend. I should add that the gearbox was serviced about 6 months ago and the thermostat was replaced and I don't for the life of me remember whether the car didn't feel right before it or not as I wasn't using it much. Then it was off the road for a couple weeks, because the starter motor packed up.

Thanks, James
 
Incorrect fluid +\- needs addressing as soon as possible. Check as follows:

Car at running temp. ( 15 minute drive)
Cycle through all gears while stationary and level. Select Neutral. Engine and handbrake on. Check level.
Suck out any excess

Make sure you have the correct dip stick for your model and it is fully home. Also make sure you are dipping the ATF and not the engine (some have not done so).

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK
 
Thanks for the reply Bruce. I hope I was, it's the tube on the offside I dipped. It has the small black cap with the red pin that has to be broken and pushed in to be removed right? I've got the dipstick in the car so will check it tomorrow when I get to work.

Even as a cold reading it's way to high so I can only guess it's bad either way, it just seems strange that it seems to run fine when warm when I'm lead to believe the moving parts will cause "foaming" and aerate the fluid. Would it still cause the same when cold hence giving the symptoms I have?

I'm really not sure but I'm hoping that getting the fluid to the correct level will fix the issues, I thought that there might not be enough fluid before I checked to be causing those symptoms but it was the opposite.
 
James

I would say that getting the correct warm level will remove this from the equation. Is the fluid cherry in colour with no burnt smell? Ideally it should be. If in doubt? I would suck it all out and replace with fresh stuff.

You need to get this sorted to enable further diagnosis if required. Hopefully not.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK
 
On the kitchen paper the fluid had a yellowish red hue to it like a light orange colour. It didn't really smell burnt and seemed clean.

When I engage D and hold the car with the brake there's a loud tapping noise that isn't as loud when the car is in P or N, or as I slowly move off, I'm hoping that it's the flex plate (may be broken/cracked/warped) because the starter misses the teeth sometimes and I have to manually crank the engine a quarter turn to start it. It makes a similar sound when I start the car (slapping noise) to what it does when I engage D or R, I have a replacement to go on. I don't suppose you know if theres a way to change it without removing the gearbox completely do you?
 
Are you certain the gearbox has the correct ATF? My brother had this when he bought his S203 last year-checked the ATF and it was a yellow-orange, same colour as some of the non-approved ATF. MB approved ATF is red and goes to a red-brown over time with use.
 
If your ATF level is good you may need to check that there is no atf leak at your electrical connector at the side of the transmission, this can give spurious signals to the transmission ecu.
Last place for issues, if the others don't give a fix will be conductor plate which means dropping transmission sump and valve body?

But do an ATF fluid flush first with good quality ATF of the required spec.
 
I think that's the plan Joe and thanks for bringing that to light cws196, considering the fluid isn't that old and doesn't seem to have darkened as I would expect after some age. I think the best thing for me to do is completely drain the gearbox and TC and fill with the correct fluid. That way I can fill to the correct level at the same time. If its not a fix then I will have to leave it with MB I guess.

I was sitting yesterday thinking about all the "servicable" parts I changed. One was the thermostat which needed doing when I purchased the car. That was the first thing I changed, and don't remember the car bucking the few days I had it before I changed it, I remember having the sensor replaced as I first thought it might be causing the rough running but there was no change. Could it be that I got 2 bad sensors or just a dodgy thermostat causing weird electrical signals and the car thinks it's warm when it's not? It was half the price of the original part.. It's a possibility I guess.
 

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