[platinum2000]

Hello,
My '94 C220 has been driving well up to recently. It now has 330000Km's on it and I started noticing that it started to lunge forward when I'm parked at a red light, even with my foot on the brake.

The muffler fell off and instead of taking it to my regular MB mechanic, I took it to a nearby shop which was recommended to me by a good friend.
He replaced the muffler with an ugly aftermarket one, and I also had the oil and filter changed while I was there because it was overdue.
I don't know if it's related, but 2 days later, the lunging got significantly worse and the car started to shut off while driving to the point where I had to get it towed because it would turn off every minute.
I had it towed to my regular MB shop and he changed the ignition wires and Mass Air Flow sensor and some spark plugs. Now the car doesn't turn off while driving, but the lunging is extremely bad now to the point where it is embarassing when it severely lunges forward while I'm slowing down or when stopped, (or even while driving for that matter).
The other thing that I've noticed is that there is a foul smell coming from the car which is very noticeable to whoever is near...smells like the gas is not burning cleanly or properly...i think i find myself filling up much more often as well.

Any ideas? This car has been doing well for the longest time until just recently where it is embarassing when I'm stopped beside someone at a light and all of a sudden my car has spasms and keeps sputtering and lunging forward.

My mechanic advised that it isn't worth putting more money into the car to fix this problem...I don't know if it will be an expensive fix or if he isn't sure how to fix it?
Thank you for any help,
Sam.

 

[lovemyc280]

Sticking throttle linkage?

Faulty cruise control actuator?

Does it smell like raw gas, or rotten eggs? When the car is off/on or both?

Get a new mechanic.

 

[xvvvz]

I wonder if the mechanic disconnected/broke/knocked loose one of the O2 sensors, especially the second one on the exhaust system. If the odd smell is more like rotten eggs, then you have a problem with your catalytic converter. Either it is going bad or one of the engine sensors (MAF, O2, etc) is so out of whack that it is throwing the mixture off to the point the cat converter can't keep up (and will soon be ruined $$$). What codes is your car sending out? Go borrow a scanner for free from the auto parts store and find out.

 

[platinum2000]

Thanks for your quick feedback. I'm surprised the check engine light isn't on...considering how horrible the drive is and all...
The smell isn't like rotten eggs...it smells more like the inside of a dirty auto shop. When I picked it up, I thought it was just the smell of the shop that got into the car and it just needed airing out, but it's always there now when I'm driving or when the car is on. My friend was driving behind me on the weekend and he isn't aware of any problems I'm having with this car and he called me to ask me how come my car stinks so bad...and that's him driving behind me in his own car - that's how noticeable it is.
There isn't any black smoke or anything coming from the tailpipe or anything.

I'll see what I can have done about getting the codes pulled.
Anothing thing I remember...after the oil change, I added some Lucas Oil Stabilizer...i'm told that wouldn't have anything to do with it, but now I'm wondering, since the problems starting happening a day or two later. (The drive home from the oil change was very smooth and everything appeared normal that day).

------------
'94 C220
'85 E230 (Imported from Germany)
'84 190E

 

[platinum2000]

Hi,
I got the codes pulled...it said an O2 sensor was bad and I got it replaced.
The spark plugs are new
It also says that something is misfiring (can't remember what it was...)

Also, i mentioned before that there isn't any smoke, but i was wrong, there is lots of black smoke and the car is running very rich...i only get 300KM's on a full tank now!
It seems to be the MAF sensor as xvvvz mentioned, but the thing is that part is so expensive! I got quotes ranging from $600 to $900 for it....do you know if there is any place in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) where I can pick up a used one, or one cheaper?
Thanks!

 

[lovemyc280]

Buy one online for a couple hundred and install it yourself, it takes 10 seconds tops.

 

[platinum2000]

Thanks lovemyc280! I found one on eBay for $85US!
That's a HUGE difference in price compared to what I was given by the mechanics.

 

[lovemyc280]

You are welcome.

Buying parts of ebay makes me nervous, there is plenty of negative feedback on that to go around.

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