Mercedes C220 CDI – AdBlue and Performance

Can a little Mercedes C220 CDI hide some extra power from you? Yes – it can and it does. It hides at least +50HP and +60Nm of torque.

Small diesel engines have traditionally been the staple of VW, but Mercedes has their own answer now. Their small, efficient and well-rounded 2200CC diesel unit can be found in the W205 C220 CDI (or C250 CDI as it’s known in Europe) – the same power plant is spread between a few different shapes.

When you get to drive one, you get a feeling that it’s nice. However there are no other words that come to mind. Just…nice. Not exciting, not quick. Just…nice. The sort of feeling you get from a plain rice cracker – it lacks a topping. Any topping!

Let’s take a look at the Mercedes C220 CDI we had in the workshop. This car got delivered as a non-runner after sitting for two years outside. The poor rice cracker grew some mould and became home for little spider family.

Why AdBlue Doesn’t Work…

One of the major issues with cars that are equipped with the AdBlue additive system? – The fluid is highly corrosive and dries out. Dried out AdBlue turns into strong crystallized mesh. In turn, this jams the AdBlue tank level sensor, and because the sensor is a non-serviceable item welded to the tank itself, the repair is usually north of $6,000+GST. As an option, we can switch it off and the car will not have it any longer.