400E 400E jerking/hesitation/power loss between 4000-6000 rpm

[frall]

hello lightdude95,

I think the main problem of your car is the ETA. The potentiometers inside the ETA are probably bad. I opened my ETA and cleaned everything. But this is not easy. Before this I had the same fault codes. With the help of HHT WIN it should be possible to check the ETA exactly or with the mercedes equipement in the attached jpg.

The other problem your car has is the wiring harness. There are two and you will need probably both of them new.

 

[lightdude95]

@Unavita The ignition key turns perfectly, doesn't feel worn at all either. If that's what you mean of course.

@frall The wiring harnesses are in really good shape from beginning to the end (I sliced them in several locations and checked the wire insulations). Of course I haven't opened the ETA to check the insides. As soon as the fuel line nightmate gets fixed, I'll take the car to another guy for a decent live readout.

 

[frall]

I can't believe your wiring harness is really without destruction. Somewhere between the components must be a wiring problem.
And it would be the one and only original wiring harness still in good shape. You have to look everywhere, not only in the visible areas, for wiring faults.

 

[gsxr]

The wiring harness must have been replaced already, if there is no insulation deteriorating. Lightdude can check the date code on the tag near the CAN box.

If the ETA has not been properly rebuilt by a competent shop (i.e., Don Roden / RFC Electronics), that is pretty high on the list.

 

[Unavita]

Perxactomundo guru! Not turning easily in the tumbler!

 

[Unavita]

Good info Gerry on the differences between the six cyl. and 8 cyl. models! There is a great deal of information out there stating that the 545 49 06 will work on everything from 107/126 to 124, 129 and 140 models all engines! Including M120 motors. Without the needed extra pin for the V8 and V12 I don't know how it is possible for it to work properly at all!

 

[Unavita]

Perxactomundo guru! Not turning easily in the tumbler!

I cleaned my key. Just the key. Fixed that issue. KISS!

 

[Unavita]

hello lightdude95,

I think the main problem of your car is the ETA. The potentiometers inside the ETA are probably bad. I opened my ETA and cleaned everything. But this is not easy. Before this I had the same fault codes. With the help of HHT WIN it should be possible to check the ETA exactly or with the mercedes equipement in the attached jpg.

The other problem your car has is the wiring harness. There are two and you will need probably both of them new.

That is so antiquated looking! I don't think I've seen anything like that laying around a dealership or anyplace aside from 2001 A Space Odyssey! LOL

 

[frall]

It is not older than the car and it works perfect! It is e.g. possible to make a diagose of the EZL. With HHT it is not possible to communicate with some Siemens EZL. The HHT System is not much younger.

 

[lightdude95]

Hello everyone, thought I'd give this thread an update:


So far I've been very busy renewing all the rear suspension/subframe/driveline parts, brake system is completely renewed all round (calipers rebuilt too) as well as a code readout once again. No significant codes popped up, not even from the ETA.

Next up is to install new diagnostic port contacts, hence I've read these corrode and short out and cause a lot of weird issues.

Another BIG thing on the list are the 4 upper most timing chain guides (two on top and two inside the "V"). I know that at least one of them is broken because I found pieces in the oil pan, and the pieces don't look like they come from the bottom two big ones or the one behind the PS pump, so luckily that can all stay in place. At the same time I'll replace the metal oiler tube o-rings (good thing they aren't the plastic ones). There is a short knocking sound during warm start up that goes away after a few seconds, which can be caused by chain slack due to broken guides and/or a worn tensioner (which I plan on replacing too). I'm gonna replace the oil check valve in the filter housing as well as that can cause knocking too. The sound is not rhythmic, which points to a loose chain rather than lifters. Doesn't sound like the cam advance mechanism rattle at all either. During all this the PCV tubes will need replacing too I'm guessing

If all that doesn't work (but it has to be done anyways), I'll send in the ETA for repair to a shop I know in Germany.

All in all, lots of work has been done, and even more needs to be done. I'll be travelling a lot for work (and leisure) this summer, so we'll see how far I can get before september. I'll keep this thread updated as soon as I get a breakthrough.


In the meantime, feast thine eyes upon this glorious new Brabus muffler I recently got from @Prometey :

 

[Prometey]

And need video with sound muffler

 

[lightdude95]

Hello everyone

It's my pleasure to announce that my quest has reached its conclusion. All I can say is: if your passenger exhaust cam pins at 25° btdc instead of 45°, you're gonna have a bad time lol.

Two chain guides inside the "V" were toast, but the chain itself had lots of stretch too, hence the 20° retard. No idea which previous, careless owner destroyed the chain so badly with only 160k km's on it...

Replaced the chain, the two guides inside the "V", upper two top guides and the tensioner. (Oiler tube o-rings as well, but that's beside the matter).

Passenger exhaust cam pinned dead on 45° btdc, and behold: full power up to redline.

My guess is that the ecu was flipping out because the cam sensor signal was so far behind the crank sensor signal.

Chain didn't jumped any teeth either, top of camshaft covers had no scoring marks and none of the cams was way off compared to others (drivers side cams were off 4 or 6°, which is a lot already in my opinion).

I would like to thank everyone for their help and advice on this forum, glad I found this place and won't be leaving soon hehe.

And thus, I hope I will help someone else with the info that I gathered during this period and on this thread.

Have a great weekend!
Sam