Hi, i bought a C230 coupe last year with 32Kand after 13K the light"check engine" came and the car started sheiking....i took the car to a MB dealer and the fisrt time they adjust camshaft, the second time and after 1 week of service they replaced valves,camshafts, and engine head! They said that i had clay on the engine and the reason: maybe the previous owner used non premium gasoline......this is possible to cause this huge service on the car?
MG

 

Yes.

My wife went through three sets of valves! She PROMISED she was not using cheap gas, so we were looking for other potential causes for burning valves such as air leaks or cracks in castings etc. The THIRD time the engine was taken apart we sent the intakes to an aircraft testing and certification facility to have the parts zygloed, dye penetrated, and ultrasonic tested for cracks etc. Most folks wouldnot goto such extreme, but I was BENT and DETERMINED to get to the bottom of the problem. $600.00 later, no cracks found. I gave-up, sold the car to a friend not running, who took it to other mechanics. He called back a couple of weeks later and told me the tank was full of low grade fuel. She finally confessed.

High octane fuel is required because your car's engine design is based on a high compression formula, for extra power. High octane fuel remains stable in your engine under thes conditions. Low octane typically pre-detonates early before the valves are completely closed, causing them to burn around the edges. There are cars, which use a lower compression ratio, and can run on low grade gas, which have LESS power, but Mercedes is not one of them. Its in the owners manual, and in the gas cap cover; what else can be done?

Blue