Engine failure, what will I find?

[alexanderfitu]

Hi all

I have a 2003 CL55 AMG Kompressor with the M113 E55 engine in it. 99,000 miles.

It has had an oil consumption of approximately 1 L per 1500 miles when driven hard, for the past 10,000 miles.

My last oil analysis (approx 3000 miles ago) showed this:

Today, after a long drive the day previously, the engine started smoking like a chimney:





Lots of oil on the inlet valve on no 1 cylinder:



PCV system is clear on both heads and not showing much breathing at all. No breathing from oil filler or disptick tube.

Eventually it fouled no 1 plug and brought up a misfire code, this is what it looked like:



No 2 plug was rich but not oily:



Compression test on a warm engine on all 8 is:

1 - 155psi
2 - 165psi
3 - 160psi
4 - 175psi
5 - 160psi
6 - 175psi
7 - 175psi
8 - 175psi

I think that I possibly have a broken oil control ring on no 1, considering the compression is good. I have not done a leak down test yet. Thoughts?

 

[supton]

Is this a wet intake manifold? Sorry, not familar with the engine.

Maybe the wrist pin got loose and gouged the wall? Edit: wait, that'd likely ruin compression, nevermind.

 

[bullwinkle]

A WAG-possible blown head gasket or cracked head/block? That #1 cylinder is burning MAJOR amounts of oil-was it ever run hot? Definitely going to need torn down...

 

[alexanderfitu]

Originally Posted By: supton
Is this a wet intake manifold? Sorry, not familar with the engine.

Maybe the wrist pin got loose and gouged the wall? Edit: wait, that'd likely ruin compression, nevermind.


No its not, Im thinking the oil has come back into the inlet tanks when the valves where opened, and settled there.

 

[alexanderfitu]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
A WAG-possible blown head gasket or cracked head/block? That #1 cylinder is burning MAJOR amounts of oil-was it ever run hot? Definitely going to need torn down...


Yes its huge amounts of oil, 1 Liter in an hour or so of idling and diagnosing!

possibly cracked block or head, but would expect compression results to be down on that cylinder.

Not sure what WAG-possible means? Sorry.

Its never been run hot whilst I have had the vehicle, but I haven't owned it from new.

Planning to remove the heads shortly.

 

[Danno]

WAG = wild a$$ guess

 

[KrisZ]

I would take up Mercedes on the premise that this engine was hand built by a highly skilled professional, whose name is proudly displayed on the plaque.
I would give the guy an earful as there should be absolutely no reason for this engine to crock out at less than 100k miles.

 

[KGMtech]

Check to see if one of the fuel injectors is leaking pressure.

Does the exhaust smell of unburnt fuel? do you smell gas in the oil?

 

[HerrStig]

Real German "quality" that.

 

[nicrfe1370]

Alexander, in regards to the oil analysis report you showed us, which was from 3000 miles prior to this failure, iron was reading very high at 101. [If you haven't spent any time exploring the Used Oil Analysis section of this forum, you would learn a lot there.] The lab claimed that all numbers were within normal limits, but I don't believe that at all. Even with hard use and an extended oil change interval I would expect the number to be easily less than 30, and possibly less than 15. Aluminum was also what I would call notably elevated. In addition, I would say that the difference between the compression of the known bad cylinder and the best cylinders is a noteworthy difference. When the engine is torn down, I think you'll find that cylinder #1 is damaged, and probably all three rings are as well. In your original post, when you listed the cylinder numbers and their compressions, which cylinder numbers are in the same bank as #1? I think it might be possible that half of the motor is having a problem. I would definitely not drive the car or even run the motor until a reputable shop has given it their full diagnosis.

On the plus side, that picture of the intake ports you showed us is remarkable! It literally looks brand new, as though there were fewer than a thousand miles on the motor. How is this car able to keep the intakes so clean?

 

[shDK]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Real German "quality" that.


Because American engines never fail.

 

[440Magnum]

I think you'll find the #1 cylinder badly damaged, with either multiple broken rings and wall gouges, or something like a cracked piston. That low compression reading would be even LOWER if it weren't being bolstered by all the oil.

Stick a fork in it, its DONE.

 

[Oro_O]

Originally Posted By: nicrfe1370
iron was reading very high at 101. [If you haven't spent any time exploring the Used Oil Analysis section of this forum, you would learn a lot there.] The lab claimed that all numbers were within normal limits, but I don't believe that at all.


+1. That was the first thing I noticed. That is not normal wear levels.

Quote:
I would say that the difference between the compression of the known bad cylinder and the best cylinders is a noteworthy difference... I think it might be possible that half of the motor is having a problem. I would definitely not drive the car or even run the motor until a reputable shop has given it their full diagnosis.


1,3,5,7 - as you can see 1,3,5 are all off compared to the others.

 

[440Magnum]

One other possibility- how is the supercharger on that engine lubricated? Dedicated oil reservoir, or shared with the engine? If its shared with the engine and a seal went near one end of the blower, I could envision that it *might* mostly dump into a single cylinder. But I wouldn't expect the low compression, so I really think the engine itself has a problem.

 

[Astro14]

That's a ton of oil on those intake valves. It's got to be pouring out of a valve guide to pool up there. It's not coming from the cylinder or it wouldn't be on the intake side of the valve. I think you've got a head problem: worn valve guide or valve seal.

 

[DriveHard]

Originally Posted By: Astro14
That's a ton of oil on those intake valves. It's got to be pouring out of a valve guide to pool up there. It's not coming from the cylinder or it wouldn't be on the intake side of the valve. I think you've got a head problem: worn valve guide or valve seal.


This would be my vote and first area to attack if it were my car.

 

[meep]

I'm going to second damaged valve seal. that's a wet valve.

 

[asand1]

valve or blower seal for the oil in the intake port. cant say about the compression, maybe oil hydrolocked and broke the piston?

 

[Astro14]

No. 1 cylinder compression is off by a bit, but not broken piston terrible. I'm pretty certain that this blower has its own oil supply. Something like 750ml, so it's not the blower making the engine smoke or foul the plugs - it would have run dry by now.

http://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/368922-diy-supercharger-oil-refilling.html

The OP mentioned consumption, and I think that consumption is through a valve guide/seal.

I'll check WIS later, but I think you're going to have to pull the head to repair this...and when it's off, you'll be able to take a look at the cylinder walls.

Hopefully, they're in good shape. The rings might be a bit coked up from all that oil burning, and a piston soak might help bring number 1 back up.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: DriveHard
Originally Posted By: Astro14
That's a ton of oil on those intake valves. It's got to be pouring out of a valve guide to pool up there. It's not coming from the cylinder or it wouldn't be on the intake side of the valve. I think you've got a head problem: worn valve guide or valve seal.


This would be my vote and first area to attack if it were my car.


That's certainly possible, but reversion from the cylinder through the intake valve (very significant at part throttle) can easily put oil on top of the valves even if it comes from the rings. Combined with the low compression and sheer volume of oil, I doubt the valve guide hypothesis.