About my coolant & waterworks!

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Jane270ML

Active Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
326
Location
Leeds/Harrogate
Car
ML 270 Cdi
Hi everyone, hope someone can answer this for me...

To start with, the car is a 2004 ML270 CDI with full service history from same Indy for last 6-7 years, before I bought it recently.

I'm preparing myself to change the thermostat - thanks for all the hints, tips & photo's from previous threads about this, very helpful.

To be on the safe side I went to my local MB dealer for some coolant for topping up.
The colour of the coolant he offered me was blue, and yet, that in my car is yellow/orange. He said this is all they've ever stocked.

If by chance I lose a load of fluid whilst changing the stat, will I have to replace the whole 12 litres with the blue stuff - surely it can't be mixed?
Or on the other hand - should it be blue anyway?

Regards, Jane
 
At that age I would probably aim to change it all anyway. That way you can be sure that it is clean and at the right concentration.

Alternatively, the blue one offered would do for topping up. Colour is more about the make and not type of the fluid.
 
I think MB service advice is to change the coolant every 2 years so you may as well kill two birds with one stone
 
They used to use red... It was common, now they have changed to blue completely.
 
I know they advise changing brake fluid after two years but I thought coolant was good for 10 years?

In the mid 90's at least (according to the 129 service book), the schedule is for brake fluid every 2, coolant every 3.
 
I know they advise changing brake fluid after two years but I thought coolant was good for 10 years?

^Coolant on a 2004 car would be change every 10 years(2007> it's 15 years).
 
Okay everyone, many thanks for the advice so far, as usual on the forum, a very interesting selection of responses- looks like I'll be going for the blue stuff.

One further thing - will it be sufficient for me to set the heater to HOT then remove the lower radiator hose to drain the system then a flush before refilling?

J
 
Okay everyone, many thanks for the advice so far, as usual on the forum, a very interesting selection of responses- looks like I'll be going for the blue stuff.

One further thing - will it be sufficient for me to set the heater to HOT then remove the lower radiator hose to drain the system then a flush before refilling?

J

Yes, that should do it.
 
Also worth noting that I found the best way to bleed the system is to leave cap of the tank and with engine running, heaters set to hot on max, squeeze the top hose until hot air comes out of the vents and the coolant level stops dropping.
 
You need to drain the block via the block drain.
 

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