[1984babybenz]

I’ve been thinking my catalytic converter has been going bad since it started rattling this weekend. I was driving today and the rattling got worse. I also noticed a slight loss of power. The transmission would have to downshift just to stay at speed on a slight hill where normally it would have no problem.

After going up a fairly big hill I started smelling something burning and found it to be the catalytic converter smoking. Not the smoke you expect with a diesel

So, so far the bad symptoms are rattling, loss of power, and smoking.

Since I was close to home I decided to drive the rest of the way. Bad idea. I was coming down a big hill and went to brake and my foot went to the floor. I had to downshift and pull the emergency brake to slow down. I ended getting it back in my parking spot safely so I’m incredibly happy.

Could the catalytic converter being bad cause me to have no brakes? I have never had trouble with them before. Pads are pretty new and look great. I recently replaced and bleed the fluid about 6 months ago and the pedal has felt firm and great. When I rev the engine pretty high just sitting there the brakes seem to work fine.

Since the brakes are vacuum boosted, could the lack of engine power cause them not to work?

Sorry for the long post. My heart is still beating fast at the moment

 

[sranjesuper]

vacuum brakes?

 

[sranjesuper]

did you check your fluid reservoir for brake oil? you bled them before but is there any fluid in there now?

 

[1984babybenz]

I thought there was some vacuum tied into the brakes. Maybe I'm just crazy.

The fluid level is fine. Never changed.

I just had the car out for a test drive in the parking lot and the brakes worked, but not as well as normal.

 

[MBeige]

I could be wrong but did the W201 diesels have a catalytic converter?

Check the vacuum pump on the engine and make sure it still pulls vacuum. The brakes are vacuum assisted so if something is rattling (hopefully not the vacuum pump exploding its bearings inside the engine ) and you have brake failure it's probably vacuum related.

You did not mention if the pedal went all the way down, so it seems like the master cylinder is fine. Remove the main vacuum hose from the brake booster and inspect whether the booster has any brake fluid. Any fluid inside and it most likely will have to be replaced.

As a test, pump the brakes when the engine is OFF. It should get hard. Start the engine as you normally would while stepping on the brake. If the brakes become soft you have vacuum assist (how much will depend on the reading you get). If not then it's a vacuum assist issue.

At this point check the simple things first - vacuum hose, booster fluid, etc. Did it shut down properly?

 

[1984babybenz]

I don't think they originally came with cats, but the stupid guys at the place I got my car inspected said I needed one to pass. $400 down the drain… This was back before I found benzworld and started doing all of the work on my cars myself:thumbsup:

The pedal went most of the way, if not all of the way down.

The brakes become firm after pressing them with the car off, and become softer when the car starts. They seem to work now, but still not as good as before.

The car starts up a little rough, but shuts down completely normal.

I'll check the vacuum on Thursday since I have a major test to study for.

 

[MBeige]

Sounds like it's not a vacuum issue but more of a master cylinder issue since the pedal went almost all the way down.

As mentioned check the booster for brake fluid. A leak in the MC could allow fluid to leak into the booster. It may not be much so it might not reflect in the reservoir. Speaking of which, are BOTH front and rear compartments in the reservoir full? The rear compartment is responsible for the brake fluid on the front calipers, while the front reservoir is responsible for the brake fluid on the rear calipers.

Does it take considerably more effort to stop the vehicle? By that I mean more right foot application/force to get the brakes to work?

 

[1984babybenz]

The brakes seem fine now. I had it out for another test drive and they feel like normal. I may have to push my foot down a little further to stop the car, but it is hardly noticeable.

I'm wondering if the problem only happened because the car was hot (100C, I was in traffic)?

The fluid is full in both compartments, but I haven't yet had a chance to check if there is any in the booster. How would I go about doing this?

I did notice that the fluid seems darker than usual. It looks almost black now.

Tomorrow I'm cutting off the cat so we will see if that helps anything.

 

[d1giPhux]

Hey.. when you cut off your cat on your 190E.. please take some pictures. I've been having a HELL of a time trying to figure out how to cut mine off on my 85 190E. Would be interesting to see if your setup is the same as mine or not. Here is the thread I started:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w201-190-class/1608642-190e-need-help-removing-cat.html

Thank you!

 

[Benznoob26]

I'd assume the brakes/cat being a coincidence. Try to pump the brakes up when the cars off. after a pump or 2 the pedal should stop and literally be impossible to push down. Having a bad catalytic convertor is a pretty big deal though and needs to be fixed. Im not familiar w. wv/md emissions but you could likely just take it off, hallow it out, and reinstall it and be fine.

 

[1984babybenz]

Well the catalytic converter is off and the brakes are working fine. No fluid loss and none in the booster.

I'm deleting the cat and just replacing it with a straight pipe since it didn't have one to begin with.
I called the manufacturer about the cat the shop put on the car for inspection and they said it was not for diesels. $400 I'm going to get back from the shop! (well, better get)

I do have a few questions before I go back to the shop to get my money back.
~Did any 1984 190Ds come with catalytic converters from the factory?
~There is a sticker on my door that says "non catalyst", does this mean I don't need a catalytic converter?

Thanks for the help again guys!

 

[crs82]

"Non-catalyst" does indeed mean that no catalytic converter was fitted or required. Hopefully you can get your money back from the shop, or at the least, sell it to the recyclers or someone else on the forum and recoup some of your money.
You seriously need to get the inspectors name that "required" you to fit a converter and turn them in to the state. They have a checklist of required equipment and if the catalytic converter was not on the list...that is fraud. Especially if the shop that does the inspection was also the shop that put on the CC.
Do you even need an inspection with a diesel in your state?

 

[crs82]

Just did a little research. West Va. has no emission testing and Maryland exempts diesels altogether. What inspection requires a catalytic converter?

 

[Josh]

Crooked bastards, since when did the east coast become Kalifornia (no offense to anyone who lives there)?

That person needs to absolutely reported. Who knows how many others have fallen victim to that.

 

[1984babybenz]

The inspection was done in Maryland before I really new a decent amount about cars, so I was just trusting the guys word. I'm deffinatly going to go back to the shop this weekend and demand my money back. If they don't give it back, well then time to go to the BBB.

I still have the original inspection certificate back in Maryland, so I'll see who required me to get it.

Thanks again guys!

 

[crs82]

Make sure you get your money back first...and then report those guys to the state: NO MATTER WHAT ELSE. What they did was flat-out fraud and they need to be punished. Think of how many other people they may have defrauded and if that were your mother, daughter, wife, what you would think if someone did that to them. $400 is a lot of money; no matter who you are.
Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[1984babybenz]

I got my money back!!

After getting documentation from the catalytic converter manufacturer, MBUSA, and the Maryland State Police, I was able to prove that my diesel did not need one and was therefore entitled to a full refund.

Got a check today, so now I need to treat my car to something nice.

 

[crs82]

Good for you. Hopefully the state will look into the crooked shop that sold it to you. They knew what they were doing.
Are you going to treat the car to a $400 surprise?

 

[1984babybenz]

Maybe not all of the $400
I'm in college, I need all the money I can get!

But her birthday is comming up in a month, so I need to buy something.

 

[MBeige]

Maybe not all of the $400
I'm in college, I need all the money I can get!

But her birthday is comming up in a month, so I need to buy something.

What do you have in mind?