I think this is the end of the line for me and Vixen - Head Gasket Failure

[vixen_w202]

Well guys, I've been off the grid/off the forum because I've had major issues with my Vixen. Some are minor, most are major. Unfortunately I've just put wayy too many miles and driven my car too hard than I probably should have. I have a fiancee that lives 2 hours away and I think since purchasing my car in May 2012 with 132k miles I've racked up all the way to 160k.

I was planning on a quiet Monday morning this week to do a transmission filter and fluid service on my car, when I fire up my car to go to the auto parts store and literally the thing I can tell is misfiring. I knew whatever was happening was over my head, so I called my local Mercedes indy mechanic. Limped far enough to get to my indy mechanic, my straight 6 literally sounds like a Subaru Boxer motor (not good) and is idling really rough.

Got an estimate. Get a call back by the end of the day. Car is spewing out coolant and oil into Cyl #6 and is also spewing it out into the pavement. It's got some other issues too, but this is the one I'm focusing on. Estimate from my specialist is 2400 bucks, which I can afford but is not financially sensible. Mechanic also stated that a valve job and possible resurfacing was necessary. Even tried a mechanic that moonlights, 1900 bucks.....shit.

The car runs and drives, but not for very long. I also just don't feel comfortable on my own to tackle this job without help.

If there is anyone local in the socal area that I could pay some and we could do it together so it's not so economically outrageous, great. I'm not afraid to wrench on this thing and do it myself, but I need some supervision or help so I do it right. I'm not sure if this belongs in the repairs sections, but I need advice. My parents are pressuring me to sell the car....but if I sell, the status of getting another car is unknown, and honestly I like my 202 a lot. Also I'm aware in it's semi-crippled state, I'd literally almost get nothing for it. I have too much emotional and financial time invested in it.

I just need advice on what to do. If I can save it from selling it to someone that's just going to part it out, I'd like to do that. Otherwise it's back to a bicycle and a bus pass. :/

[SD202]

I had my old white c280 since 2007 dumped thousands and thousands on head gasket repair, computers, controle modules, secondary air pump, etc. In the end reverse went out. sell the car buy another 202. for $2400 you could find a clean c280 and keep all your mods.

[vaspen]

u try ebay for price on a used motor ? ya may get lucky the compressor ones sell for 5-700$ I have no idea how much ur would be tho but its a thought

[RemoLexi]

I do those $1,000 for friends all day including parts / machine work and labor.

These are super gravy .

[vixen_w202]

I do those $1,000 for friends all day including parts / machine work and labor.

These are super gravy .

You have my interest Remo...I know you live in Cali but I forget where. If you want to tackle it, pm me with your phone number and maybe we can arrange something. 1k seems fair to me.

[Sulaco]

Happened to me in my 94 C280. Googled it, spent 2 weekends, $200, and some elbow grease but it was good as new. No valve job, no machining. Drove it another 100k before I sold it.

[RemoLexi]

I'm in Roseville CA, probably about 500 miles from you.

Send me a PM, I am too retarded and can't figure out how to do that with this mobile thing. I can reply easily

[vixen_w202]

UPDATE: Had a strong feeling the misfire was coming from the coilpacks and that the German Specialist I took it to was ripping me off. Called my best friend who is a hobbyist mechanic like me but more experienced....and after 20 minutes of tinkering around under the hood he said it's a bad coil pack on cyl #6. There is still a strong possibility there could be oil leaking from the head gasket, but for now just going to try and isolate one thing at a time.

[vaspen]

never goto a forin specialist .. lol its hard to find a fair mechanic ..(I know my spelling sucks lol mobile )

[SD202]

never goto a forin specialist .. lol its hard to find a fair mechanic ..(I know my spelling sucks lol mobile )

do you just ignore the spell checker? I simply dont understand how you can possibly spell such simple words incorrect all the time. Even if you're on a phone. it has spell check. turn that shit on or get it fixed , Its clearly not working.

[vixen_w202]

My friend is coming tomorrow to dig deeper into my 202.....wish me hope and luck.

[anf6789]

oil in coolant...coolant in oil... steam out exhaust...overheating. usually a blown headgasket. mine leaked oil into coolant.. not a big deal. i tackled the job myself with the help from some forum members. cars been running great. 3 coil packs, each control 2 cyls. a mis will also throw a code.

[Abbaso]

UPDATE: Had a strong feeling the misfire was coming from the coilpacks and that the German Specialist I took it to was ripping me off. Called my best friend who is a hobbyist mechanic like me but more experienced....and after 20 minutes of tinkering around under the hood he said it's a bad coil pack on cyl #6. There is still a strong possibility there could be oil leaking from the head gasket, but for now just going to try and isolate one thing at a time.
Why don't you try swopping coil packs over and if the miss fire moves over then you can be sure it is the coil pack. Or you could do a compression test and be sure.Good luck with the fix hope it is the coil pack and not a blown gasket

[vixen_w202]

bad news, did a compression test of my motor....85PSI across the board when it should be (I think) 150 PSI...also a bad coil pack and a bad wire....bad ring seals my friend said also. The good news was it wasn't a head gasket at all. Just low compression in the cylinders and a bad coil pack.My fears of a instrument cluster swapped 202 with super high miles is now confirmed. The car is driveable but it's my plan to sell sans some parts I want to keep and move onto something else. My friend said once we install the new coil pack and the new plug wires, it should be driveable until I sell but not to push it.

I guess this is my informal goodbye, as while I love the w202 chasis...it's just economically senseless for me to own another right now. Probably going to find something else moddable but cheaper to own. Painful, but necessary with my income.

[Vetruck]

No way you can have an major loss of cylinder pressure across all 6 cylinders evenly at aprox 85. The gauge is wrong

[Sulaco]

vetruck is correct. That's impossible.

[Vetruck]

...also, if you have coolant mixing into the crankcase oil the oil will look like a milk shake. Does it?

As long as the motor read equal on all cylinders the motor is good as for the head gasket concern if the oil also look good.

[Vetruck]

Brian (Vixen), in order for a cylinder to loose major compression, you wither need to have a piston ring break (would make noise and also very possibly sieze the motor) or you would have ALOT of ring gap from worn rings but would still read at least over about 110 even if severely worn

[vaspen]

Lol I'm sorry sd202 I have a beta HTC. One there is still kinks in the keyboard and I don't catch it mostly
But I won't kid you my grammar is bad just bear with it plz , I'm trying my best to typ properly for you guys to understand my
Chicken scratch spelling the (tccoa.com and dsmtunners.com were serious grammer
Nazis and I could never get help but you guys are diffrent :) and I'm not calling you a grammer Nazi I'm just letting you know
Bear with me it may get ugly at times but I'm trying

[vixen_w202]

...also, if you have coolant mixing into the crankcase oil the oil will look like a milk shake. Does it?

As long as the motor read equal on all cylinders the motor is good as for the head gasket concern if the oil also look good.

No oil in coolant. Check

No coolant in oil. Check.

There is still that leak from the rear main seal, perhaps that was where the oil leak was coming from.

At this point, I'm really confused as to where the problem is. All I know is the motor is not running healthy at all.

[Abbaso]

If the motor isn't smoking. Replace the coil pack and lead.

[Vetruck]

If the motor isn't smoking. Replace the coil pack and lead.

Yes- and since I am fairly local to Brian, I can conform we have had some very hot and humid weather the last month+ whioch will account for old electronical parts going haywire in the extreme heat.

[vixen_w202]

Yes- and since I am fairly local to Brian, I can conform we have had some very hot and humid weather the last month+ whioch will account for old electronical parts going haywire in the extreme heat.

Vetruck was correct. A coil pack went bad and after replacing it, it was fine.

[vixen_w202]

And I got royally screwed I just found out. Checked the carfax since I figured others would check too (read my classifieds post). The first two owners put almost 300k on the motor, followed by 2 counts of mileage fraud by two other owners....the 156k I'm reading on the odo is a f*cking lie.

Good luck to myself selling this damn thing.

[RemoLexi]

85psi on all 6 cyl means your friend doesn't know how to do a comp test.

And no, it's does not mean there is a problem with piston rings ect as Vetruck said, it simply means compression is low, it could be burnt valve which is far more common then anything south of the cylinderhead.

Hate to break it to you, but even with 300k plus you are far over reacting. Yes you probably need a headgasket and a full valve job at this point, but the 104 NEVER had oil consumption or loss of compression from faulty or worn rings. Those are 'American car problems'.

[vixen_w202]

Remo, if it's not too late, check your PM's. Left you my cell. Call me if it's convenient. Thanks!

[vixen_w202]

Ya know, I'd be willing to rebuild the motor....might consider it. Have local friends who could help me too.

[94c220]

What vixen how's the car so far still need help

[C43inNC]

Fuck selling it dude. 2 Grand ain't worth it. You can get a personal loan for 2 grand and give it to your rents, keep the car, and then get the new car.

[Sulaco]

You were super happy with the car for a long time while you were unaware of how many miles it had on it. To me, that's the definition of a great car.

Keep it. It's worth far more to you to keep it around than the tiny sum of cash you'd get if you sold it. I mean, in the very LEAST it's a reliable back-up transportation. Shit, if I were near to you, I'd hand you that cash myself and take it home! I put nearly 300k on a 1994 C280 myself and the only reason I got rid of it was because I had a baby and couldn't afford to completely restore my interior (headliner, all carpets, complete stereo system) and I had just picked up a 99 C43 AMG (with 238,000 miles on it, mind you).

If you love the car, then keep it. Miles mean NOTHING on a good car. And double what remolexi said: M104's simply don't eat oil. Few people even have experience rebuilding these engines for a reason: they scarcely need a rebuild.

And honestly, if I was going to rebuild, I'd yank the motor and go ahead and jump on a lite turbo setup. Maybe like 7 or 8 lbs of boost, good for prolly 325 HP or so? Enough to make the car WAY more fun, but still utilizing legendary m104 durability and lifespan.

[SD202]

keep it I already regret selling my M104 powered 202 for only $800 even with all the issues it was still a running car. point a to b, never failed.

[94c220]

I got 94 c220 w202 and I know it not a v8 or inline 6 amg but truly I love w202's greatest cars ever made hands so don't make a mistake and sell it I live in the 818 I'll drive to where you at and help you fix your car as long as it takes