E270 CDI 2003 Gearbox

[Mercgaz]

Hi,

I have tried to see if I have the valeo radiator but cannot see easily. I have seen a behr sticker on a panel near the radiator.

So can someone point me in the right direction to get a answer?

Also could someone give me answer on the symptons and how bad woukd they ve to notice of glycol problem should I have the valeo radiator?

My gearbox seems okay, the car does jolt on the odd occasion when moving past 20mph. Yesterday had the geometry done the mechanic looked underbeath and said no oil leaks etc "very clean".

Thanks for any help you can offer

Gareth

 

[Deleted member 37751]

The Behr sticker you see is for the intercooler.

Does the car still jolt when its warm?

 

[Mercgaz]

On the odd occasion in low speed / revs. If I put more pressure on revs it will not do it.

 

[grober]

If you take the car to an MB dealer they should be able to tell from the chassis number whether your car is one that's effected. It may have been changed already of course?

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/44503-changing-w203-radiator.html

lots more info if you do a search.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/41764-official-test-proceedure-valeo-radiator-issue.html

 

[Mercgaz]

Thank you - have mercedes released a list of effected vehicles. Tried doing the vin search but cannot make sense of it.

 

[grober]

You will find the official MB pdf in post #18 Transmission Problem - Page 2 - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum Do not worry that your 211 271722 ***model is not listed --- its a North American notice and the 271 engine was not imported to America. In case you can't access the pdf here's a pic the radiator with the red arrows is the potentially faulty one.

 

[Mercgaz]

Thanks make. Funny just taken it for a little drive and nothing at all. I.was more easier on throttle. Maybe if you put too much pressure it jumps a gear. This does happen normally going up a hill.

 

[Mercgaz]

Sorry still cannot work out what radiator I have with vin or looking at radiator itself. Could someone describe what the good radiator looks like in, lamens terms?

The lines on front go across rather than down.... Does this help?

Sorry not very technical minded

 

[Mercgaz]

How does the fluid l leak, if I t as ke the bottom panel off under the car willa liquid be dripping etc?

 

[Mercgaz]

Any ideas

 

[SL300-24]

No the liquid does not leak out of the car. The water and gearbox oil use the same radiator but are section of within the rad. This should mean that they cannot contaminate each other. Unfortunately the radiators in some cases are faulty and do not seperate the fluids, allowing the water to get into the gearbox fluid which results in torque converter and gearbox issues.

 

[flt.eng]

Hi. There has been an awfull lot of previous threads concerning this problem, but I will try & help. The original problem was a faulty production batch of Valeo rads. Fitted mainly to w211s between 02 & 04. The main rad has an integral section for oil cooling in both the Behr & Valeo rads, but the problem only effected certain Valeo rads where glycol coolant was leaking internally & contaminating the gearbox oil. Which could eventually wreck the G/B.
The main problem to this was that there was no obvious & easy way of identifing the type of rad. that was fitted or being aware of a potential problem in the first place. Until serious G/B faults appeared & M.B. did'nt want to know unless it happend under the quarantee period.
If you have A/C the condenser rad. sits behind the main rad. so any stickers you see from the top refer to this one. The only sure way is to remove the cross member which sits over the ( Valeo or Behr ) & should have an ident label. I understand this label could be on the bottom of the rad. & so you would have to raise the car & take the under engine shield off. The main visual differance between these rads. is the side crimping the Valeo has castellated crimping & the Behr has wavey cimping (see grobers links ) I found on my car ( 03 w211 E320 ) that I could just make out the type of crimping by shining a torch from the front at the left & right sides of the rad you can just make out the type of crimping. Fingers X
Disregared the type of crimping on the rear rad.
I hope this will be of use to you. Best of luck

 

[Mercgaz]

Thank you for the answers much appreciated. So is the crimping the face of the radiator or the sides?

However considering it is a 03 and done 82000 miles is it reasonable to say if it had this problem it would have surfaced with previous owners?

I today called mercedes uk talked to them about the faukt. The lady acknowledged the faukt was present but said my vin was not on the effected list. Should I believe that?

 

[Mercgaz]

Also on occasion I have noticed when mainly in cruise control the rev counter goes up and sligtly when holding on a certain spead. The roads are quite bumpy wounder if that would it?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

If the problem seems to happen more when you're going uphill, you might need your auto transmission fluid topping up/replacing.

 

[Mercgaz]

Which could explain the slight jolt at around 20mph .........

 

[Mercgaz]

Thank you all for the comments I saved for years up until 24 to get a car like I have "pride and joy" just frightened if something like valeo happens. Trouple is I am not technical minded at all. I dont know what is ment when you guys say crimping etc.

 

[grober]

Thank you for the answers much appreciated. So is the crimping the face of the radiator or the sides?

However considering it is a 03 and done 82000 miles is it reasonable to say if it had this problem it would have surfaced with previous owners?

I today called mercedes uk talked to them about the faukt. The lady acknowledged the faukt was present but said my vin was not on the effected list. Should I believe that?

This is encouraging news but the only safe way is to obtain "ground truth parameters" as the spy satellite guys will tell you. You need to get someone to visually check the radiator for you if you don't feel up to the task. Show them the pictures and pdf to help.You are in the "time zone" for this and there is anecdotal evidence of isolated later cars suffering although they may have had accident damaged radiators [ not the fault related ] replaced with faulty spares stock??? the crimping is were the light silver metallic lugs at the side of the radiator clip onto the black plastic body of the radiator [ indicated by the red arrows] crimping is where two surfaces [ sometimes alike materials sometimes different ]are squeezed/sealed together permanently by crushing them together by force such that they deform slightly and can't easily come apart.

 

[Mercgaz]

Than you - yes sounds okay surprised she acknowledged have asked for her to confirm in email. Nothing yet but will push again.

 

[Mercgaz]

Our friends at Mercedes have responded by email, not exactky the answer she gave me on the telephone.

I have replied asking for them to confirm will not have part of the faulty radiator batch.

See below :

Mercedes-Benz Model: E-ClassE 270 CDI
Chassis No: WDB2110162A335745

Thank you for contacting the Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V.
With regards to your telephone call of the 5th March 2012, we can advise you that after confirming with Our Technical Specialists, and as advised on the telephone, there were no safety recalls on this vehicle relating to the leaked coolant into the gearbox.
Should you have any further requirements please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely
Deanne Lord
Customer Service
Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V.
Gaetano Martinolaan 10
NL-6229 GS Maastricht, the Netherlands