Peek inside a Mercedes SLK 230 Kompressor

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Picked up one of these with 187,000 miles. It is running on two cylinders. The owners did not know anything about cars. History unknown. Body is clean, the interior is a wreck. On the phone they told me that it had an issue with sputtering that made accelerating more difficult.
eek.gif
I don't think they drove it around like that very long.


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Sounds like a Wheeler Dealer project. Ed China, where are you? Is this new sales technique? "Yes we own it, no we don't know a thing about it that might scare you off".
 
Good call HerrStig. Definitely a wheeler dealer project car. The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Sounds like a Wheeler Dealer project. Ed China, where are you? Is this new sales technique? "Yes we own it, no we don't know a thing about it that might scare you off".



+1
 
The previous owners were definitely uninformed. I knew that when I saw the Hillary bumper sticker.
whistle.gif
We will see what happens, cylinders 2 and 3 are the problem and they run off the same coil pack. A replacement should be here soon. I snagged it for $500, which is what they just paid for new tires. Should make a cool supercharged beater car if I get it running. Suspension is very tight and the brakes are new all around.


Originally Posted By: bbhero
Good call HerrStig. Definitely a wheeler dealer project car. The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


Toasted, with varnish?
 
Originally Posted By: Gasbuggy
The previous owners were definitely uninformed. I knew that when I saw the Hillary bumper sticker.
whistle.gif
We will see what happens, cylinders 2 and 3 are the problem and they run off the same coil pack. A replacement should be here soon. I snagged it for $500, which is what they just paid for new tires. Should make a cool supercharged beater car if I get it running. Suspension is very tight and the brakes are new all around.


Originally Posted By: bbhero
Good call HerrStig. Definitely a wheeler dealer project car. The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


Toasted, with varnish?


My son took a gamble on a 633CSI which turned out to be in better condition that we expected. Hope you have the same luck.
 
nothing through that filler hole indicates a failure. I see an appropriate amount of varnish for the age, no sludge, no visible (show the VW reel) galling of the cam surface. 2 missing cyls could easily be coil pack failures, possibly aggravated by worn plugs. I think this would be a really neat project to put back on the road as a small commuter!
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero
The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


No way you could know that by just peeking in the oil filler hole...

OP: Compression test?
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero
The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


Wait, WHAT?
Why?

Looks pretty good to me besides a little varnish.
 
Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: bbhero
The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


No way you could know that by just peeking in the oil filler hole...

OP: Compression test?



I may do one, it would be very easy. Plugs 2&3 (bosch) looked like they had about 20k on them, no oil or deposits (good sign). Ran a free carfax, I see a full trans replacement in the history. No complaints about that.
 
Originally Posted By: heynow
Originally Posted By: bbhero
The inside of that motor is toasted for sure.


Wait, WHAT?
Why?

Looks pretty good to me besides a little varnish.


Do supercharged engines tend to produce more varnish?
 
Check the engine wiring harness, the Germans use biodegradable insulation - heat and rodents destroy it. Also change the supercharger oil - Mercedes specified Mobil Jet Oil II, use that or it's BP equivalent. You can get the stuff online.
 
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