2.5-16 RUF Engine No power

[London-16V]

Dear Friends,

I hope you dont mind me writing in English, but my German is not so good.

I have a W201 16v. I had the engine rebuilt a few years ago, and even after the rebuild the performance was not satisfactory.

There just seems to be be a lack of power across the rev range. I did a compression test and i was getting just over 12 bar on all 4 cylinders. My W201 2.0 seems quicker!
There is also a metallic rattle noise...all the heatshields are tight. I have no CAT.

I also noticed my 16v takes several cranks to start.

Can anyone please give me an idea as to what the problem is? I spoke to a few garages and they said they need to rebuild the whole engine.

Thanks!

[Cloudini]

Hey, No worries about the english, my german also is not that great.
Compression is good ? timing still good ? valve clearance still good ? slightly off seems to have noticeable effect ? alto i have never experianced that.
fuel filter dirty maby ? wich feeds the intake less fuel, poor injectors maby ? if the basic engine itself is good/ good compression, timing good, valve clearance good (off the record, intake/exhaust camshaft knockers still pointy and not rounded flat?) the engine itself should be fine, it has to be something additionally, fuel or ignition wise...

another of the record one: i just finished my engine rebuild 2 weeks ago wich ive done myself, it was pretty nerve wracking to do the first start

[London-16V]

Hi Cloudini,

Amazing that you were able to rebuild your own engine...! i wish i could do that!

Since the rebuild i think i have done 5000km...I have not checked the timing or valve clearances. Fuel filter was replaced 10000km ago (2006)
Injectors were replaced in 2006 too.

Please see pictures of camshaft rockers. Are these ok?

https://ibb.co/hBS74k
https://ibb.co/cLYQqQ
https://ibb.co/dFLS4k

[Cloudini]

Its as im watching my own engine haha, same engine stand too

Yes, the camshafts look perfect !, does the engine Sound Different aswell when you notice the lack of power ?
example: 1 cilinder falling away, or do you think all 4 keep working ?

Cheers
Wesley

[London-16V]

Hi Wesley,

The engine sounds 'hollow' if that makes sense. It does not sound like a powerful engine.
Full throttle, revs rising but not equal acceleration or speed.

All 4 are working, because if one was not working the car would misfire?

Its a real mystery!

[Cloudini]

1 broken sparkplug will make the engine sound unhealty and the engine will be shaking more in the engine mounts,
misfiring would sound with explosions and bangs from the exhaust (fuel that is pouring into the exhaust lateron getting ignited,

let the car idle and lift a sparkplug cap on all 4 cylinders, one by one (one of and listen to the car, back on top of the spark plug) and keep checking all 4 cyl's if 1 of the cyl's makes the car sound no different than there is 1 broken sparkplug/cap/cable or distributor.. ATTENTION: BE CAREFUL DOING THIS, IT CAN HURT REALLY BAD !!! if the spark goes true you're body, so use a tool with rubber ends or i dont know wear rubber cleaning gloves or something.

this is just for checking the ignition part.

for testing fuel pressure you need special tools i quess..

oil pressure is still good ? oil level also still good ?, unfortunatly im not living any close otherwise i would come by and listen to the car, drink a good english cup of thea and move on again haha, there is too much water between England and Holland.
i can only advise to meet up with a specialised dealer who has a little name working on these cars, i would not easly bring my 16V to a arround the corner pitstop service kind of garage, but a mercedes classic one, they also have an old Mercedes diagnostic computer to check everything oldschool wise !.