c32amg problem

[c32andy]

hi
ive owned my c32 for 3yrs i luv it but its cost me a fortune, recently the headgaskets were done and now its losing water and the mechanic still doesnt know why can any one help...theres no visable leaks

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Have you noticed any problems with the smoothness of the transmission?

Possibly losing the coolant into the transmission oil - they're both cooled in the radiator. Try searching for Valeo or Glycol and you'll see it's fairly common.

 

[c32andy]

to be honest the transmission is rough between 20mph and 45mph it seems to stay in a high gear ive heard of this radiator problem mine is a 51plate ....what should i tell my mechanic to look for and where....thx for the reply its really doing my nut

 

[grober]

There's a chemical test for glycol [antifreeze] in the transmission fluid that can be done by your MB dealer or independent and possibly radiator/ autotrans specialists?

 

[momomo]

Being a 51 plate yes it may well be affected. The easiest thing to check first is the radiator. If its a Valeo radiator you should get the mechanic to carry out a glycol contamination test as these radiators were the faulty type which allowed coolant into the gearbox contaminating the ATF with glycol.

If hes not familiar with this problem i would suggest taking it to someone who is familiar and experienced with rectifying this problem. I say this because if there has been a contamination, parts within the gearbox may need to replaced and you dont want to replace the fluid, change the radiator etc. etc. and then afterwards find that the gearbox needs to come out again as it still does not drive right.

 

[c32andy]

ok thx i mean i have owned this car three years and love it but everything has gone wrong with it...when i had it back from having the head done it was great then i noticed smoke comin g out the bonnet so i stopped and opened the bonnet and noticed oil water meyo substance by the air box i thought the head had gone again but the mechanic said it was a split hose but since i had it back the engine is rough as nails and its still losing coolent

 

[momomo]

Why did you need to have the head done? I havent heard of any c32 amgs ever needing to have their head done. Split hoses is quite common but nothing major.

The glycol problem is very very common and well known, if your mechanic has never suggested or recommended you testing for the contamination you should take it to a specialist who knows cars like these.

 

[c32andy]

i had it done because the coolent had oil in and the oil was like meyo so even though it wasnt showing when pressure tested logic meant it must have gone put it this way mb had it three wks and couldnt tell me why it had these symptoms...so i had it done and now it loses coolent

 

[momomo]

Oh ok. I would start with the glycol test as nothing else is obviously visible as being the source of the coolant loss. It has to be going somewhere.

 

[c32andy]

thanks i will let u know the outcome

 

[Will]

Did you find where/which head gasket had actually been leaking and failed?

I hate to say it but from all the symptoms and info so far I'd be more suspecting the failed radiator/auto box cooler issue already mentioned, never heard of head gaskets failing on the 3.2 engine but I guess anything's possible.

It's going to be worthwhile taking this for a second opinion at a knowledgable and trusted specialist I feel, and will probably save you money in the long run.

Will

 

[Adam230K]

This would be the first time i've heard a gasket fail on any mercedes v6 to be honest. But what you're describing does sound like the radiator/gearbox issue that plagues C32's.

 

[c32andy]

so are u sayin the coolent got contaminated because of the radiotor prob then and not the heads

 

[momomo]

Yes, thats why i was asking you why you had the head done, as i mentioned above i've never heard of any head gasket issues on the 3.2 engine. It certainly sounds like the radiator/gearbox issue.

 

[c32andy]

Yes, thats why i was asking you why you had the head done, as i mentioned above i've never heard of any head gasket issues on the 3.2 engine. It certainly sounds like the radiator/gearbox issue.

Well to conclude yes the head gasket had gone and the car still lost coolent...after 12months of not knowing y ...i took it to a mer engineers in crewe and they found that piston 56 were shiny as if coolent was passing, so they concluded that the head wasnt done right so i will let u know when i get it back

 

[momomo]

Wow, its been a very long time! I presumed this was sorted and that why you never came back. Good to see you following up, even after al this time.

Glad you are making progress, lets hope it is the gasket and its done properly this time.