Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Good times, good times....

Check engine light started flashing hotly at me, pannnniiiiic! Luckily it was just a little plastic valve in the ventilation system

OK so this might sound like a joke since I've very openly detailed how much money this car just cost me to fix but since it is ULEZ exempt I thought somebody might be interested.

While it's probably not the most expensive part that can go wrong, it's a pretty expensive part - the high pressure fuel pump has been replaced, as have the injectors, another set of pretty expensive parts. This means the likelihood you're going to have a big bill like that again in the near future are pretty low.

2013 Mercedes E300 BLUETEC Hybrid
2.1 Diesel + electric motor
Saloon
148k miles - mostly motorway
1 previous owner but this was a family member
Full service history, all apart from the most recent were at Mercedes, the most recent was at a Mercedes specialist.
It's incredibly economical in terms of MPG, it'll get close to 1,000 miles from a 60L tank on the motorway and 600-800 in mixed use.
Very relaxing to drive, auto, cruise control, TRIGGER WARNING heated electric seats, climate control, bluetooth, parking sensors.
Reeks of Golf Club.
It's roomy inside, can pack loads in the boot, but frustratingly you cannot fit a bike in the boot at any angle. Even with the wheels off.

I'm asking for an LFGSS friendly price of £6k.

Message me any questions.

I don't have any good pics of it because I never got round to taking any but here's a couple to give you an idea of what it looks like. It's got a black leather interior and I'll take better pics at the weekend.

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Just so you know I'm not taking the piss here, the cheapest one that sold recently sold at £6,800 on eBay, so it's over 10% saving on the £7k I'm going to list it at.

that looks like a great price

ULEZ exempt

r u sure?

.

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Daimler to produce axial flux motor in Berlin.

New DMF kit including clutch and it’s fairly hilarious how stark the difference is, even just on the short drive from the garage back to my house. No more juddering!

Diff oil replaced, but the right oil for the gearbox wasn’t available so he didn’t bother (and he repeated that it is lifetime, and the engines only on 87k). Fuel filter replaced - which is just as well as the old one was mounted backwards, which is remarkable considering the massive arrow on it.

£760 all in, which doesn’t feel too savage. Not having to attempt any of it myself is particularly good value tho.

Now on to the next issue - I get a bit of white smoke when accelerating. Only a bit, even once engine’s warm - what are the usual points of call?
Injectors? Turbo/breather?
I assume it’s not glow plugs (although the relay needs replacing I think) as it happens when engine is at temp.
@Fixedwheelnut - where would you start your investigation? After throwing the cash at the DMF, I’m quite keen to get it all running right.
Edit: although with a full set of injectors costing £800, I’d been keen to check the other avenues first!

Love this channel

Black smoke would be over fuelling before the turbo comes on boost, white smoke suggests something else, which I struggle to guess. Interesting!

My mate assures me that a bit of smoke under hard acceleration is normal for an old diesel - his knowledge of engines allows him to be a bit more relaxed about these things.
“The best cure is to stop scrutinising it so hard”

Oil going down at all? Had similar symptoms on two x types and it was bad valve seals iirc

I've had valve stem seals fail/failing before and that's a blue/grey smoke though.

Ah yes, my bad.

I've got one of the cheap injector leak off test kits you can have for postage nef, if you want to investigate

White smoke is usually steam.

If the car has been sitting it's just water from condensation in the exhaust being heated up and evaporated.

If it has not, then the head gasket may be on its way out and letting water into the cylinders.

new pope.

a bit of smoke under hard acceleration is normal for an old diesel - his knowledge of engines allows him to be a bit more relaxed about these things.

Which is why they should never have been built.

Ha, would rep.

I’d have mayo on the oil cap if there was coolant in the oil/head gasket failure tho right?

Meh, it’s Friday. I’ll worry about it some other time.

Just keep an eye on the coolant level maybe.

Not necessarily. If the HG has failed and is allowing oil and water to mix you'll get mayo. If it's just letting coolant into the combustion chamber but not the oil galleries you'll get white smoke but no mayo.

Is this in the current damp climate.

Have had cars that used to mayo the oil cap as the engines just from condensation from short trips never clearing the moisture.

Injectors do wear and spray patterns alter over time.

Were the X type diesels?