I've replaced both Camshaft Sensors and the Crank Position Sensor. Car turns over, but runs extremely rough, backfires lightly, and dies. Its throwing a right Camshaft Sensor fault. That shouldn't be (will explain below). Can anyone think of a vaccum tube or wire I might have jarred loose that is giving me this trouble. I've check everything that can be seen. No signs of any disconnect.

Back Story: Got a darn nice '01 CL600 that was hard to start. On about the 10th try, it started. Had a blast driving it home. OBD codes indicated the Camshaft Sensors and Crank Position Sensors were in need of replacement, which would possibly explain the hard starting. I replaced the two Camshaft Sensors, and the car started right up. The Crank Position Sensor was still throwing a code. Went back a week later, and the car would not crank, at all. AARGH! Figuring that the Crank Position Sensor had breathed its last and was locking-up the car, I replaced that. Still wouldn't start. I brought in a mobile mechanic with some Mercedes experience, and he said it was the starter. So .... Today I had him replace the Starter and the car cranks! It even starts for a few brief seconds, but it runs extremely rough, backfires lightly, then dies. Codes being thrown are for (again) the right side Camshaft sensor.

Retrospective .... The V12 ran quite nicely with those two new Camshaft sensors (a couple weeks ago) before the Starter and Crank Position Sensor were replaced. So ... what did my big-fat-fingers accidentally unhook that is now messing up the timing on this beast and blaming it on the Camshaft Sensor? I've checked the Camshaft connector and all the visible vacuum hoses. It all looks as it should.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

OK. Fixed this problem. Big, thick Vacuum Pipe on the right side was cracked. Replaced. Now on to my next issue (See my next post).