Trouble with M119 engine on R129

[ArtT]

I’ve read your board for a while and found that you guys wrote a lot of good info here. I’m having trouble with my R129 M119.972 AMG SL60.
The car was running fine until around 3 months ago. When started it wouldn’t run normally, it’s vibrating and when put into D, it stopped. The mechanic that I used since I bought this car last year thought that the timing chain tensioner was broken and causing some timing chain guides broke. He needed to take the engine out and he has replaced many parts as well as cleaning up the engine. After 2 months of repairing and waiting for parts, the engine was put back to the car today. However, when he started the engine, look like the same problem persisted. It couldn’t run normally.

There are some errors that I’ve got from the ECU as attached.

What could be the cause of the problem?

 

[nocfn]

Did he clear the codes and these popped up.... can you drive it at temp or is it just a mess warming up in the shop?

 

[ArtT]

I’m not sure about the code whether he cleared it and they popped up? The car can’t drive at the moment. When he started, the engine ran and then stopped right now.

 

[gsxr]

ASR code 30 is usually a phantom code, fix the root cause and this will go away.

The EFP (E-GAS) codes are of more concern, particularly code 182. Not sure what is going on there but if you clear all codes and that one keeps coming back, focus on this one.

Also, the lack of communication with the EZL is odd... is the shop using a Chinese SDS? Some of those Chinese multiplexers are unable to communicate with the EZL. Check EZL codes with a blink-code reader, there may be codes present and you need to view/clear EZL codes as well.

Do you have a spare E-GAS and LH module from another M119 with LH injection? They can be from a different chassis or displacement, for testing purposes. I'd swap modules for grins to see what happens.

 

[nocfn]

You ae in good hands with GSXR!

 

[ArtT]

Thanks for the advise, I will talk to the shop with these info today.

 

[ArtT]

Today, the mechanics rechecking the timing of the engine as it was backfired when started yesterday.
I talked a mechanic who checked the code yesterday, he said he couldn’t clear the existing error. He’s waiting the mechanic side to finish the job and will recheck.

He has another LH to test but no spare E-Gas.

 

[gsxr]

If a spare EZL is available, that wouldn't hurt either, especially if you are unable to communicate with it to check/clear codes.

 

[ArtT]

The mech finished up the timing and ensured me that the timing is in correct setting. However when starting the car, it chugged for a few seconds and died. Fired it again and the engine was idle hunting and then wouldn't do anything but chug and died. Is this sounds like EZL problem?

The mech couldn’t find a loaner for EZL. Any one has EZL for sale? BTW, I’m in Bangkok, Thailand.

This is the EZL in my car.

 

[gsxr]

Most EZL failures result either in the engine running on 4 cylinders (one coil/distributor), or it won't start/run at all (completely dead). I'm not yet convinced your EZL is at fault. Also, your EZL is a newer, late-datecode (probably circa 2000-2004) unit. The next step in troubleshooting would be to watch live data from the EZL as it's hunting at idle RPM.

You can use a loaner EZL that is a different part number, for testing purposes, if it's from a 5.0L engine. Be careful buying used ones, most sellers have not tested theirs and can't guarantee if the unit is good or not. And, shipping to Thailand might take 2-4 weeks or longer. I'd try to get more data (or a loaner/test EZL) before shelling out for a replacement just yet.

 

[maw1124]

@gsxr are you thinking LH or fuel pumps? From the symptoms I think the latter but from the codes I think the former (or perhaps even NSS) But those are guesses.

OP, has the fuel pressure been checked at the rail?

maw

 

[gerryvz]

As said, a bad EZL will either NOT allow the engine to start at all (which is what happens with a bad EZL about 80% of the time), or it will allow only one-half of the engine to run (only 4 cylinders, running roughly, and you will smell a lot of un-burned gasoline in the exhaust ... but the engine WILL run and the car will be driveable).

I had this second situation (running on 4 cylinders) happen with my EZL, and you can drive the car, but it is very slow until you gain some speed, and then the engine runs pretty normally. But it sounds and feels rough, particularly at low speeds and idle.

To me it does not sound like your EZL is the problem, so I would look at other components based on the codes that you have.

I have a bunch of questions:

1) Has your upper wiring harness been replaced with a newer one with the updated/non-biodegradable wiring?

2) Has your ETA been replaced with a newer one with the updated/non-biodegradable external and internal wiring?

As said, I would try to delete the codes, and then start the car and try to drive it (or at least run it) and see what codes come back. You don't know which of those codes are older.

3) What is the physical condition of the ignition components? Particularly the caps/rotors, coils, and the insulators behind the caps/rotors?

4) What is the condition of the fuel pumps (are BOTH of them working properly)? Fuel filter? As mentioned, can you measure fuel pressure at the fuel rail using the provided port to do this? If so what is the fuel pressure being delivered?

5) What is the condition of the MAF (which should be shown in live data on the STAR SDS)?

 

[gsxr]

+1 to all of the above. Start ruling out the easy stuff: fuel pressure at the rail as @maw mentioned, status of upper harness & ETA along with ignition components, etc. Live data from the LH may help a little, even if you can't access live data from the EZL.

 

[ArtT]

Here's the my answer:

To me it does not sound like your EZL is the problem, so I would look at other components based on the codes that you have.

I have a bunch of questions:

1) Has your upper wiring harness been replaced with a newer one with the updated/non-biodegradable wiring?

Yes, the date code wiring harness is 2001 per attached files.

2) Has your ETA been replaced with a newer one with the updated/non-biodegradable external and internal wiring?

I'm not sure but it looks original, I'll check later today with the mech.

As said, I would try to delete the codes, and then start the car and try to drive it (or at least run it) and see what codes come back. You don't know which of those codes are older.

The mech said he couldn't delete the old code when the original EZL is installed. The mech borrowed another EZL but different#: 61 32, he said he could cleared the code when this EZL installed but the borrowed one was bad when he tested outside the car. So, he and his team is transfix on the EZL now, trying to find the same p/n and will test it, even I told them about your suggestions.

3) What is the physical condition of the ignition components? Particularly the caps/rotors, coils, and the insulators behind the caps/rotors?

All have been replaced in the past couple of weeks in the garage. Caps/rotors, insulators about 6 months ago, & spark plugs wires last week.

4) What is the condition of the fuel pumps (are BOTH of them working properly)? Fuel filter? As mentioned, can you measure fuel pressure at the fuel rail using the provided port to do this? If so what is the fuel pressure being delivered?

The fuel pressure from the gauge is 48 psi/3.4 kg/cm2

5) What is the condition of the MAF (which should be shown in live data on the STAR SDS)?

Will need to check on this?

Parts for R129 M119 are quite hard to find here, they couldn't find MAF and ETA that will work with my car. He only could find the ones from W140 right now. So, part searching is in process.