steam from vents (sorry if this is the wrong forum)

[dynamo_degs]

happy new year people.
i just did a 1500mile round trip in my 2003 e320cdi and whilst doing the last 5 miles the computer came up check coolant level.
i checked the level and i had to put in 1 liter to fill it to maximum mark.
went out this morning and when i turned on the heater steam came out of all the vents front and rear. i take it that its the heater matrix that has gone ?
there was also a very strong sweet smell in the car.
is this a massive job to do and does any one have a guide for doing it. hopefully degs

 

[190mad]

Sounds like it could be a heater matrix unfortunately. Very uncommon but possible. Expense? I'd say a full dash out job like a c-class, about 13 hours ish

 

[dynamo_degs]

is there anywhere i could get instructions for takeing out the dash

 

[sinewave]

Someone post that speeded up Youtube film of some Hero Mechanic removing and refitting a Heater Box assembly!


That'll scare him ****less!

 

[219]

I've done it in a W201 190E - that was a full dash out job which took a full day , following instructions in the Haynes manual .

The W203 is in some ways more complex , having twin airbags and air-con to be wary of .

The good news is that , having just looked , the W 203 Haynes manual suggests that only the centre console needs to be stripped out .

The not so good news is that the air-con system needs to be evacuated of refrigerant before removing the heater matrix .

While they can sometimes be found lacking , the W203 Haynes manual has a step by step guide to this job illustrated with photographs , so would probably be a good investment in your case .

 

[buccal]

Des,

You may need to give Olly a call i reckon.

Alex

 

[Tinkerer]

^^ Just what I was thinking

 

[dynamo_degs]

Started at half ten. 4 hours but can't figure out how to disconnect the 2 silver air con hoses and there are 2 black rubber pipes that seam to have a metal coil running through the inside of the pipes going I think to a drain either side of the transmission tunnel.

 

[dynamo_degs]

Just to confirm it is a w211 e320cdi

 

[Auto-mobile]

Have you removed the hoses that go through the bulkhead under the wiper mechanism? The drain hoses that go down by the transmission are purely for drainage and should just come out of the tunnel.

 

[sinewave]

Too late to take it to Olli now!


Ya a braver man than me OP!

 

[dynamo_degs]

Spotted the hoses under the wiper motor will give it another go tomorrow to dark outside now.
Never been one to shy away from getting my hands dirty ( I love the smell of oil and grease in the morning)

 

[dynamo_degs]

car rebuilt i found a pinhole leak in the matrix (few) 6 hours to strip 8 hours to re build ( due to having missed a wire and haveing to strip half of it again)

£118 for matrix from mercedes. pritty chuffed saved myself a furtune

 

[Dieselman]

You did fantastically well there.

Well done.

Any chance of stripping it again and taking some photo's.

 

[190mad]

Brilliant job taken on. Well done

 

[dynamo_degs]

No photos I'm afraid there were just to many bolts to try and remember