Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power

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Wed 9 Mar 2022 10:40
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

I have a 2001 CLK automatic which I have owned for over 16 years. It is in fantastic condition but has been expensive to maintain over the years.

I no longer use Mercedes dealerships for servicing and repairs .

The car has been losing power lately. I put some petrol in at an independent petrol retailer, and the mechanic I now use thinks the fuel might have been contaminated. The fuel filter has been changed as a precaution. I ran the fuel tank nearly dry and filled up with BP super unleaded, but it hasn’t made much difference

There are not warning lights or codes to go by. Before this problem arose, the car went like stink, but now I hesitate to overtake and going up long hills the engine is reviving away. It tends to hold onto higher gears, and has to be kicked down to get it to accelerate better. Other times it will hold onto a gear and I have to lift my right foot to allow the auto box to change up.

The engine air filter has also been changed, but the old one was pretty clean. Not long ago new spark plugs were fitted. Could this be a MAF sensor problem or maybe the crank shaft sensor? I am in a process of elimination right now. The supercharger seems to be working OK?

Many thanks for any advice or information.

Edited by Speedbird 747 on 09/03/2022 at 10:41

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Wed 9 Mar 2022 10:52
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

My other question is whether I should replace the timing chain as the car has 106,000 miles on the clock. I don’t have any noise to indicate a problem. The car is over serviced.

A friend of mine had a C class with the same engine. She went to start it and the chain went. The Mercedes dealership wanted £2600 to repair it.

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Wed 9 Mar 2022 11:23
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - elekie&a/c doctor
A w208 model (4 cyl) will have the M111 engine which is very durable and generally do not suffer timing chain issues . The C class, W203 from around 2002 will be fitted with the M271 engine . Completely different and do suffer timing chain problems . Lack of power on your car is usually a fault with the Maf sensor . Crank sensor will cause a non start . The diagnostic system is unlikely to flag this as a fault .
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Wed 9 Mar 2022 13:30
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

Many thanks for your reply.

I do suspect the MAF sensor and it has not been changed in all the time I have owned the car. The official Mercedes part is very expensive, but Bosch do one for around £90. Would that be OK?

Is there anything else I should do with this car as preventative maintenance? I have rear suspension overhauled, new discs and pads all round. The plug leads are original though.

Many thanks.

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Wed 9 Mar 2022 14:27
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - elekie&a/c doctor
I’d go with a Bosch sensor , but make sure it’s a genuine part . Lots of fakes around in Bosch boxes . I quite like the w208 model , as it still retains some of its MB efficiency and simplicity of engineering. I wouldn’t worry about the ht leads . ( if I recall , it’s 2 coils and 2 leads ) . Not much else to worry about other than the dreaded tin worm which usually kills these off .
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Wed 9 Mar 2022 14:37
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - bathtub tom
now I hesitate to overtake and going up long hills the engine is reviving away. It tends to hold onto higher gears, and has to be kicked down to get it to accelerate better. Other times it will hold onto a gear and I have to lift my right foot to allow the auto box to change up.

Have you checked the level and condition of the ATF and has it ever been changed?

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Wed 9 Mar 2022 16:22
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

Yes. It has been changed three times in the last ten years. The last time two years ago, but it hasn’t done much mileage. Seems to change fine and fuel consumption has not been affected.

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Thu 10 Mar 2022 15:55
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

Phew! A new MAF sensor from Mercedes is £352.80 inc VAT.

I spoke to the service manager at a Mercedes dealership, and he said that ordinary garages will struggle to detect the problem, as the software they use only goes so far. Whereas with Mercedes Star system it can go deeper into the cars software to identify a problem.

However he said they would need the car two days and the Labour rate is £178 per hour! So I probably wouldn’t get any change out of £700 taking it there.

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Thu 10 Mar 2022 16:37
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - elekie&a/c doctor
Might as well go into the dealer with your hands up . I think I would take a punt at a new Bosch maf and save the £600 .
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Sat 19 Mar 2022 08:21
Mercedes CLK 2001 model year. - Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor W208 loss of power - Speedbird 747

You were right.

The garage put in a Bosch MAF sensor, cleaned the throttle body, and the car was transformed. Goes better than ever. For a 200 Kompressor it is remarkably quick.

Total cost £205 inc vat.

Edited by Speedbird 747 on 19/03/2022 at 08:22

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