Though not really advisable but for the sake of clarification can you re fill to the brim and let us check again? This is because the full tank signal on the instrument cluster can be misleading....so please try to brim it up with fuel.

inze:

i just had its trip reset, would do another check. This is because, as at the time i went for a refill, its tank was displaying half-tank prior to re-fill and went up to full tank after refill.

smartchoice: Though not really advisable but for the sake of clarification can you re fill to the brim and let us check again? This is because the full tank signal on the instrument cluster can be misleading....so please try to brim it up with fuel.

Ofcourse, that's what I did when I refilled. 49litres filled it from the "presumed" half-tank until the point of gulping out.

Let us observe again

inze:

Ofcourse, that's what I did when I refilled. 49litres filled it from the "presumed" half-tank until the point of gulping out.

inze:

Funny enough, i went for a refill at "the supposed" half-tank.

It took 49litres to fill it up.

Whats ur take on this?

NB: Full tank usually takes about 63litres or thereabout

Have given up on how this fuel gauge thing works. The other day I decided 2 fill up to the brim from almost empty and it took over 65litr to fill up a 63litr tank(as stated on car manual).

The attendant was telling me its my reserve, have read tru my manual and have never seen a reserve tank stated aside the 63litr capacity.

As at yesterday at half tank (city driving) have cover abt 270km already tho have been very soft on the gas peddle which is somthing that is hard 2 do on a C230K.

So by my estimation one will require not less than 70litr from empty 2 actually fill-up. So its either our litre system is diff from theirs or we are been short-changed at the pumps.

au.hanson:


Amzdeal MS 509 OBD2 EOBD Code Scanner Reader Tool will be very good for your Benz. It is also very useful for other German cars like BMW and Audi etc from 96 model and above , then for below you could buy the New Mercedes Benz 38 Pin to 16 Pin OBD OBD2 Diagnostic Adapter Cable Connector and attached to it head to do the scanning as well.
Its about 47 dollars, shipment may cost you about 24k naira extra and the adapter for those who may need it for the older c class will cost about 11dollars

@ Hanson will this scanner and connector cable work for my w203 c240? i really need one.

Gee2728:

Have given up on how this fuel gauge thing works. The other day I decided 2 fill up to the brim from almost empty and it took over 65litr to fill up a 63litr tank(as stated on car manual).

The attendant was telling me its my reserve, have read tru my manual and have never seen a reserve tank stated aside the 63litr capacity.

As at yesterday at half tank (city driving) have cover abt 270km already tho have been very soft on the gas peddle which is somthing that is hard 2 do on a C230K.

So by my estimation one will require not less than 70litr from empty 2 actually fill-up. So its either our litre system is diff from theirs or we are been short-changed at the pumps.

Lol,

wait for it, this will shock you.

i had driven the full tank as previously updated and it got to the point below the reserve line. I visited mobil to have a refill and guess how many "litres" it took ?

71

At the point of refill i had done about 400km from full-tank (don't scream poor mpg yet) during which i had been in constant idling with AC on for a total sum of approximately 90mins or more in all. (This was as a result of my frequent visit to our driving license office at ojodu berger, a brother had to cool off the heat from the sun)

In all, i don't think i've been experiencing bad mpg, because i found out like Gee2728 said, the gas station i've been using previously was a big time cheat, noticed it when i re-filled from half tank and it took a whole "49litres" to get to brim. We really need to be mindful of this rip-off that goes unnoticed most times.

inze:

@smartchoice and all.

Pardon my long-silence, i've been busy since 1st Nov.

Anyway, i had her filled-up and trip reset, and now its at half-tank and i have got 211km on it.

Whats ur verdict on it?

@au.hanson

How ready do i need be for the scanner, hook a brother up na?

Guy, believe me or not , you have very little or nothing wrong with your car. If you did 211km on a half tank in Lagos, man your mpg is good no doubt.

If you want to perfect that you might as well buy a new injection system(actuator or throttle body) then you'll have a little improvement being that it is newer than the older one in your car, then you could be achieving something of about 250km in a half tank fuel or thereabout.

I track down the scanners as at yesterday to have pass custom clearance in Lagos. So , its already in Nigeria. I am expecting it soon in PH. Hopefully this week.

inze:

Funny enough, i went for a refill at "the supposed" half-tank. It took 49litres to fill it up. Whats ur take on this?

NB: Full tank usually takes about 63litres or thereabout

The full tank of that car is about 62 litres, i think you have been scam just like i told you earlier. Don't depend on the litres reading at the filling station. Find a reliable filling station and always calculate your mpg from there just like we discussed on phone. You can hardly find a perfect station in Nigeria, they all have almost adjusted their metres. Funny enough Govt. don't seems to check those things, though you can still find somehwere a bit better than others.
Your half tank should consume about 31 litres , anything less than that is scamming.

tommysparks: @ Hanson will this scanner and connector cable work for my w203 c240? i really need one.

Sure it will.Then for the w202, there is a 38 pin adapter that will adapt it to the odbII to do the scan

Finally a big apology to you guys cos i have been very very busy..i'm working on deadlines. I miss you greatly. The thread has been wonderful

au.hanson:


Guy, believe me or not , you have very little or nothing wrong with your car. If you did 211km on a half tank in Lagos, man your mpg is good no doubt.

If you want to perfect that you might as well buy a new injection system(actuator or throttle body) then you'll have a little improvement being that it is newer than the older one in your car, then you could be achieving something of about 250km in a half tank fuel or thereabout.

I track down the scanners as at yesterday to have pass custom clearance in Lagos. So , its already in Nigeria. I am expecting it soon in PH. Hopefully this week.



The full tank of that car is about 62 litres, i think you have been scam just like i told you earlier. Don't depend on the litres reading at the filling station. Find a reliable filling station and always calculate your mpg from there just like we discussed on phone. You can hardly find a perfect station in Nigeria, they all have almost adjusted their metres. Funny enough Govt. don't seems to check those things, though you can still find somehwere a bit better than others.
Your half tank should consume about 31 litres , anything less than that is scamming.



Sure it will.Then for the w202, there is a 38 pin adapter that will adapt it to the odbII to do the scan

Finally a big apology to you guys cos i have been very very busy..i'm working on deadlines. I miss you greatly. The thread has been wonderful

AU. HANSON IS D GUY!

Please house, permit my unusual approach, all protocol observe.

I have a benz c180 94 model far back home in Nigeria, to be precise in PH with my mum, just yesterday she told me that the car entered a limb mode while she was driving. She narrated that she entered one unusual road that was so terrible, in some instances she had to put off the ac as the car would attempt to enter a limb mode under hard maneuvering, then at a point she couldnt bear the heat and dust than to just keep the ac life throughout the rough terrain , but unfortunately the car finally entered a limb mode and nothing she did could revive the vehicle, it had to be finally towed back home after having run down the battery and affected the kick badly.

Initially the car would crank but remains very powerless, could not accelerate when engaged the gear, now it cant even remain in idling anymore

Someone is coming to install a new key and bendit, and i have caution her not to stress the new kick untill i come home at christmas hols if solution could not be offered.

House please help:Your input and wonderful expertrate is welcome here. Thanks in advance.

Also,according to her initially before this incidence, the engine use to have a little noticeable shaking when first crank in the morning as though the engine sitting were bad or the water pump, where you have the hydrualic fan was making some unusual sound as in rattling.

Shaking in the morning....check your fuel supply, FPR...is there fuel in that car? It may indicate that fuel is in the car but in reality the fuel sender unit may be acting up? Also what is the state of the engine....getting tired? If so check the Throttle valve for oil deposits flush it with probably a carb cleaner leave it to dry then couple and crank. Also how is your engine harness wire...expired? Is it Asian or European?...my humble addition.

Engine swap yesterday on my w202 C180

the old engine...on its way out

The new one

How is the car after installation? Considering the fact these engines can go as far as you want it, what do you think could have led to the engine failure? How much is the engine and how much did you spend altogether on installation?

Btw, can you "throw" me the Behr (see through telescopic eyes) thermostat in your old engine if it is still working fine?

You don enter am today. See how I dey bombard you with series of questions. Lol.

After installation temprature quite high because (I suspect) the mechanic did not adequately bleed the coolant system resulting in trapped bubbles. Movement is sharp cos I also just replaced the back suspension system in its entirety.

Cause of engine failure..my suspicion is that the wrong grades of engine has been used for an extended period of time prior to my ownership. Hence the car started smoking after a period of time.(months)

Got the engine for 40k without the compressor, installation 9k and transportation 7k from Apapa to Ekiti. Oil 8k Total quartz 9000 10w 40

Behr thermostat for the new engine unfortunate came with a broken waste pipe so I had switch to the old one. do you need one?

ziccoit: How is the car after installation? Considering the fact these engines can go as far as you want it, what do you think could have led to the engine failure? How much is the engine and how much did you spend altogether on installation?

Btw, can you "throw" me the Behr (see through telescopic eyes) thermostat in your old engine if it is still working fine?

You don enter am today. See how I dey bombard you with series of questions. Lol.

After installation temprature quite high because (I suspect) the mechanic did not adequately bleed the coolant system resulting in trapped bubbles. Movement is sharp cos I also just replaced the back suspension system in its entirety.

Cause of engine failure..my suspicion is that the wrong grades of engine has been used for an extended period of time prior to my ownership. Hence the car started smoking after a period of time.(months)

Got the engine for 40k without the compressor, installation 9k and transportation 7k from Apapa to Ekiti. Oil 8k Total quartz 9000 10w 40

Behr thermostat for the new engine unfortunate came with a broken waste pipe so I had switch to the old one. do you need one?

ziccoit: How is the car after installation? Considering the fact these engines can go as far as you want it, what do you think could have led to the engine failure? How much is the engine and how much did you spend altogether on installation?

Btw, can you "throw" me the Behr (see through telescopic eyes) thermostat in your old engine if it is still working fine?

You don enter am today. See how I dey bombard you with series of questions. Lol.

double posts.

smartchoice: After installation temprature quite high because (I suspect) the mechanic did not adequately bleed the coolant system resulting in trapped bubbles. Movement is sharp cos I also just replaced the back suspension system in its entirety.

Cause of engine failure..my suspicion is that the wrong grades of engine has been used for an extended period of time prior to my ownership. Hence the car started smoking after a period of time.(months)

Got the engine for 40k without the compressor, installation 9k and transportation 7k from Apapa to Ekiti. Oil 8k Total quartz 9000 10w 40

Behr thermostat for the new engine unfortunate came with a broken waste pipe so I had switch to the old one. do you need one?

Quite an adventure. Hope the temperature is now good. Yes o. I need Behr thermostat including the automatic A/C heater control unit compatible with W202 1997 C230. I will be happy if you can be of help. Though, Au.Hanson has offered to help with the AC control unit but, it seems his hands are full now. So, I wouldn't mind if you could be of help. My mail is (ziccoit at gmail dot com). Thanks chief.

@Smartchoice, we need you here pls

https://www.nairaland.com/520025/mercedes-benz-thread/44#20142610

smartchoice: After installation temprature quite high because (I suspect) the mechanic did not adequately bleed the coolant system resulting in trapped bubbles. Movement is sharp cos I also just replaced the back suspension system in its entirety.

Cause of engine failure..my suspicion is that the wrong grades of engine has been used for an extended period of time prior to my ownership. Hence the car started smoking after a period of time.(months)

Got the engine for 40k without the compressor, installation 9k and transportation 7k from Apapa to Ekiti. Oil 8k Total quartz 9000 10w 40

Behr thermostat for the new engine unfortunate came with a broken waste pipe so I had switch to the old one. do you need one?

Smartchoice , i must confess i'm really impressed by the information about the engine cost and so on you open up here. Many would not conceal such. I am really astonished by the price. I dont really know how you guys make this magic happen, it really confirms what 'AU. Hanson' told me for those of you who have the eyes like you.

However, if i may ask, just curious, what is the temp. reading of the behr thermostat you remove from the follow come engine?
Also, under your hood, what is the stamped temp range for your car?

Reason for asking this is that, in my long elaborate private discussion with A. U. Hanson on phone, tho he is very busy at the moment {writing programmes and some serious IT deadlines delivery.. very skillful dude} He said that some of those engine for that model comes with 71 degrees thermostat, factory built, and that the allowable temperature range of those cars can been seen on the frame under the hood at the engine bay, but he wouldn't like to publish it on nairaland to avoid any contradiction with the fact of 87 degrees temp already understood overtime.

He also went a step further to enlighten me on the whaler thermostat thing and other spare parts in our local market, the information that has been lacking ever since, he said that those thermostat is not coming from America as popularly believed , but from china stamped whaler, a house hold name just to get marketed by the distributors, that no American themostat would go for 1000, 2000 naira in the market, because they cost in labour into production as against the Chinese that only produces the cost of technology as labour is very cheap overthere...Infact, i was convince by the logical explanation behind our importers going to China to imitate such product to cheapen the cost of these product to make it available at affordable price in our local market, hence no worries about high precision built for failure technically. If i doubt him, i should try importing whaler from the USA, then i will be astonished at the cost.

He also mention that the ownership of Benz abroad is quite different from what is obtainable here locally, because of this factor, and our patronage to the after market, what is popularly called the Belgium market-that this help bring down the cost of spare by more than 100 percent for Nigerians- that this is not the kind of information he should like to divulge here for integrity sake and industry standard sake. That those who knows it key into it for their benefit- that is why you could buy a full engine at such a cheap amount of 40k same amount wouldn't buy a water pump in my w203 Benz here in Miami

ziccoit:

I need Behr thermostat including the automatic A/C heater control unit compatible with W202 1997 C230. I will be happy if you can be of help. Though, Au.Hanson has offered to help with the AC control unit but, it seems his hands are full now. So, I wouldn't mind if you could be of help. My mail is (ziccoit at gmail dot com). Thanks chief.

Ziccoit, if i were you i would have given the available brand a chance, since they are so cheap, and observe it to see when it will actually fail, and let us know in nairaland.
When i confronted AU. Hanson , He actually confesses that its his benz 190 that has installed whaler brand thermostat for over 2 years now, that he is waiting to see when it will fail, but his c class whaler thermostat was actually installed early this year , the mixup that caused him so much embarrassment and misunderstanding in MB thread-that he is sure that those items aint coming from USA- you need to talk with this guy if he weren't busy then you would be so much informed. He is quite a very intelligent and easy going person but too busy...

prudence.smart:

He said that some of those engine for that model comes with 71 degrees thermostat, factory built, and that the allowable temperature range of those cars can been seen on the frame under the hood at the engine bay, but he wouldn't like to publish it on nairaland to avoid any contradiction with the fact of 87 degrees temp already understood overtime.

@Prudence.smart, you are telling me something here. You are, through Au.hanson, giving answer to one of my curiosities about this car. When I got my car, I checked through every parts I could locate making sure I know what each of them is called and how it functions. I also take note of every sticker and stamp all around the car. One of the sticker/stamp on the frame in the hood actually shows a thermometer with temperature ranging between 60-80*celcius! That got me thinking and curious. Now with what you stated above, I can say my car engine working temperature is between 60-80 degree Celsius.

The coolant temp gauge is always a little below 80 degree (around 78) with or without AC. I have been contemplating about changing my thermostat thinking the engine is running cold. Can we now say 78 is actually within the normal average for my car?

@prudence

Both Behr Thermostats are marked 87 Celsius

I just dey observe...

[quote author=smartchoice]w202 c280 is available post your email


pls send me the manual for W202 C280
thanks

hmmmm

aikerism: I just dey observe...

[quote author=thug][/quote]

email?

smartchoice: @prudence

Both Behr Thermostats are marked 87 Celsius

Oh thanks!

What about the sticker under your hood? what is the temp range there?

Hello gurus in the house. I would like to know the cost of an auto trans gearbox for a W202. Thanks.

ziccoit:

@Prudence.smart, you are telling me something here. You are, through Au.hanson, giving answer to one of my curiosities about this car. When I got my car, I checked through every parts I could locate making sure I know what each of them is called and how it functions. I also take note of every sticker and stamp all around the car. One of the sticker/stamp on the frame in the hood actually shows a thermometer with temperature ranging between 60-80*celcius! That got me thinking and curious. Now with what you stated above, I can say my car engine working temperature is between 60-80 degree Celsius.

The coolant temp gauge is always a little below 80 degree (around 78) with or without AC. I have been contemplating about changing my thermostat thinking the engine is running cold. Can we now say 78 is actually within the normal average for my car?

Ok, Ziccoit, i see, your car must have come from one of the hot zone like Indonesia, Texas, North American countries etc.

I am going to be very practical here with the locality concern rather than following industry theory blindly.

Many would tell you that even if the temperature rises through 87 to 120 etc , there's no problem..that is even written all over internet, but i will tell you that there is a problem. Definitely if my car rises to 110, the ecu will shutdown my engine to prevent damage and it will not start untill the temperature false below 98 degrees celcius(it has happen to me recently for like 2 times in this season in a go and stop traffic) this same car will behave differently in the temperate zone,or during wet season and morning hrs. That is to say that the atmospheric temperature of a place has a lot to play too..it has a lot of effect on the car as well. I have to be very logical here.

In Ph, now a days, it is common to have as high as28 to 32 degrees Celsius of temp for several days, and is very common for your fan to be blasting at full swing in the go and stop traffic full time and with your temp to be over 100 degrees. Even if you had a 71 degrees thermostat installed, in this situation, it wouldn't take up to 1hr in a go and stop traffic for it to rise to 100, and not up to 20 min for it to reach 100 too with an 87degrees installed thermostat. If the vehicle is run this way on a daily basis, you would start frying your head gasket gradually , it will only take a matter of time for the result to appear(i am talking from experience, my benz 190 is the experimental scape goat here, i use to go to and from work from GRA to Choba daily and that is about 8 miles distance if i am not mistaken). Two times i have blown the head gasket untill i switch over to 71 degrees thermostat and installed a bigger fan, since then , no more blowing of head gasket. But that wouldn't have happen if it were not a daily affair, and i would have still believe this popular theory till date. Atmospheric temperature of the place and traffic too matters in this aspect of thermostat choice in relation to your radiator size, electrical fans and the thermostat range. I welcome any contrary view, but i wont shy away from this practical experience to impress anybody.

Alternatively, you could still overcome this with this same 87 degrees thermostat if you have bigger stronger fans and radiator installed other than the one the came with the car, then you will still protect and preserve this theory.

The range of 60 to 80 you saw is the recommended range for your car, if you go below it you will have thick carbon blown through your exhaust pipe(wasting fuel and clogging your catalytic converters and 02 sensors), meaning your car is running rich and might be shaking too.

If you stay within that range , your car will run normal(it wouldn't run rich and would not shake), try it and see. It will mix proper proportionate amount of fuel and air for burning and protect your head gasket too as well,because there is always the tendency for it to run higher than that at a stop and go traffic in our territory. If your range fall within these (60-80),running 78, isn't bad, definitely if you are in for some times in a go and stop traffic you would always run above 80, no doubt about that, but it wouldn't be so bad as to expose your head gasket to danger. But if you are always running above this range in this kind of weather then sorry because over time the result will come to play, you wont escape it, unless you dont drive that much.

I believe what i have stated here is well understood and not to contradict.. i didnt want to bring it here, if not for the request, because some people might misunderstood it all. Infact, my benz c180 carries 87 degrees, this is one of the reason why i dnt like driving it that much around this season(this hot harmattan, because the temperature rise in stop and go traffic in the day in PH always keep me worried) but my 190 that is installed 71 degrees

AU you're safe as Trac does not come visiting....

Thank you Au.hanson for the extensive write up. I definitely got and understood the message. I will keep to the factory installed thermostat. I don't think the one presently in there has failed yet. The electric radiator fan that stay on at high speed as soon as engine starts may have something to do with CCU which I am going to change as soon as I get one. It has to do with the faulty CCU because I noticed the fan didn't kick on with the engine on three occasions. This shouldn't have happened; had it been the wiring had been tampered with. The faulty CCU could not be recognized by ECU making the fan runs in emergency mode.

smartchoice: AU you're safe as Trac does not come visiting....

Lol

ziccoit: Thank you Au.hanson for the extensive write up. I definitely got and understood the message. I will keep to the factory installed thermostat. I don't think the one presently in there has failed yet. The electric radiator fan that stay on at high speed as soon as engine starts may have something to do with CCU which I am going to change as soon as I get one. It has to do with the faulty CCU because I noticed the fan didn't kick on with the engine on three occasions. This shouldn't have happened; had it been the wiring had been tampered with. The faulty CCU could not be recognized by ECU making the fan runs in emergency mode.

I think so too, else you should be hitting above 80 in a normal day after driving despite the fact that you have 71 degrees thermostat in there. Its abnormal for the fan at factory level to just kick in as soon as your vehicle is crank. Have you scan to see if you could have any info to that, you should have something like P0481 or p0493 or thereabout..cant really remember, but i have scan this for a close friend in his honda accord. You will need a good electrical person to have a look at it probably the type you could contact from an MB service centre under a private arrangement.

Alternatively, you could test the wires linking to and from the cooling fan and to the fan module with a multimeter to test for their resistances and also to check for any bridging, and rewire same as appropriate..that was what i did for prudence around the messy coil wires, the resistances actually fail below 0.03 threshold and i suspected bridging somewhere too, with that i had to rewire the entire units neatly..so it may not be the ccu that is faulty. So after doing that, if things dosen't still work well you could then replace the ccu. A good logical thinking and sensible electrician should know how to go about this, dont take someone that will want to by pass the system and rewire what he knows. Pick from a service centre or you could do it alone if you know how to handle a multimeter and couple ends of wire connectors

au.hanson:


I think so too, else you should be hitting above 180 in a normal day after driving despite the fact that you have 71 degrees thermostat in there. Its abnormal for the fan at factory level to just kick in as soon as your vehicle is crank. Have you scan to see if you could have any info to that, you should have something like P0481 or p0493 or thereabout..cant really remember, but i have scan this for a close friend in his honda accord. You will need a good electrical person to have a look at it probably the type you could contact from an MB service centre under a private arrangement.

Alternatively, you could test the wires linking to and from the cooling fan and to the fan module with a multimeter to test for their resistances and also to check for any bridging, and rewire same as appropriate..that was what i did for prudence around the messy coil wires, the resistances actually fail below 0.03 threshold and i suspected bridging somewhere too, with that i had to rewire the entire units neatly..so it may not be the ccu that is faulty. So after doing that, if things dosen't still work well you could then replace the ccu. A good logical thinking and sensible electrician should know how to go about this, dont take someone that will want to by pass the system and rewire what he knows. Pick from a service centre or you could do it alone if you know how to handle a multimeter and couple ends of wire connectors

Thanks au.hanson, I will look into what you said.


Meanwhile, the CCU is actually faulty. The unit is as good as not functioning. The display is gone. The buttons are not working. When the car came, it was wired to a component the rewire called "flash" to make the ac work. I have to ask them to reverse the wiring "work", knowing fully well the CCU is bad. I don't want them to spoil my AC system.

Thanks.