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Boom !

bouncer

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Joined
Sep 20, 2007
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329
C200 w202
Stuck on the M55 This morning due to a Lorry shedding its load of carpets on the M6, car stood in standing / slow moving traffic for 50 mins. . . . Then BOOM, Very loud bang and the windscreen fills with white smoke. First thought I'd been hit by a missile.
Turns out the header tank on the radiator has exploded. Just my luck as soon as I'm at the side of the motorway the traffic starts moving. I make a distress call to Ian at 124 Works and within 15 mins I'm being removed off the motorway back to Ian's.
By the time I arrive at 124 Works Ian has ordered the radiator. He drops what he's doing and strips out the rad just as the new one arrives. Can't find a reason for the rad exploding. Ian did a pressure test on new rad with his fancy gear and its normal.
Take a look at the pictures . . . WOW. . . NO warning, NO warning lights on the dash, Engine temp gauge slightly above 90. . . but it has done this every time I have been in standing traffic for the last two years, cooling fan never cut in, but I think it only does that when it reaches 100 ?
No oil in the water, no water in the oil. water pump working, thermostat working. . . but radiator cap pressure release did not function.
Anybody got any clues.
So if your vehicle does the same. . . slightly raised temp in standing traffic, check your rad cap. . when its cold of course Car is 10 years old this year
Must say many many thanks to Ian and Co at 124 Works who were superb. . . service here is second to none every time I've had need.
Can't thank them or recommend them enough. :thumb:
sTeVe
 

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Now that's service. Shame he's too far away from me.

Must've made you jump! (Note to self: keep a pair of clean undercrackers in the glove box)
 
Made me jump i can tell you, i was shaking for 10 mins after.
Yep header cap didn't do its job.

sTeVe
 
If that's a plastic header tank, then the plastic may have weakened by ageing. Did Ian test your old pressure cap?
 
That type of Radiator are prone to failing in that fashion in the W202s.

My Dad's blew on his early W210 with that radatior during the MOT, the bonnet now has a radiator shape dented in.
 
If that's a plastic header tank, then the plastic may have weakened by ageing. Did Ian test your old pressure cap?

Still using the old cap :crazy: New one on order, picking it up today.:)
It also broke. . . snapped. . . nay shattered the brackets holding on the fan cover, so it will be going to Ian for that and the dash tells me its service time.

should i be looking to change the thermostat at the same time?


Got stuck in the rush hour traffic going home last night and the temp rose to 90 while in crawing traffic. Heart rate was a little faster all the way home. . . . . even though all was fine.

How long does it take to trust your car after it's let you down? :(

Feel a bit better knowing that its a common thing for that rad to that, hope that did a bit of a redesign for the replacements.


sTeVe
 
Last edited:
Still using the old cap :crazy: New one on order, picking it up today.:)
It also broke. . . snapped. . . nay shattered the brackets holding on the fan cover, so it will be going to Ian for that and the dash tells me its service time.

should i be looking to change the thermostat at the same time?


Got stuck in the rush hour traffic going home last night and the temp rose to 90 while in crawing traffic. Heart rate was a little faster all the way home. . . . . even though all was fine.
How long does it take to trust your car after it's let you down? :(
Feel a bit better knowing that its a common thing for that rad to that, hope that did a bit of a redesign for the replacements.


sTeVe


Sorry to hear about this but I did have a small chuckle at the parts I highlighted - If you're not living on the edge.....................

:D
 
Sorry to hear about this but I did have a small chuckle at the parts I highlighted - If you're not living on the edge.....................

:D

Hmmmmmm. . . . . :doh: guess i'm taking up too much room these days. :D

sTeVe
 

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