I have a drip

[StevenN]

Hi Folks

I have trouble again.
My E220CDI W210 has started to leave a wet patch during the day.

I have noticed that I am loosing coolant right at the front of the car.
I have only had chance to look under the bonet at the back of the rad but all looks dry.
I know it's coolant as the level in the expansion tank has fallen a little.
I am hoping its just a leaking hose or drain plug.

can anybody give me any pointers on where to look first?
And what I need to move to get access?

Many thanks

Steve

 

[IanT]

I used to have one that had the same fault, I'm not sure if the radiators are weak or it's a common problem, but what had happened to mine was the end caps were leaking where the horizontal channels come out from them across the radiator.

It was more noticeable when cold but on a cold day you'd see a small amount of steam from the drivers side of the radiator. Mine was a very slow leak that left a few spots on the ground, so I replaced the rad. Not a hard job, I was lucky and managed to source a good second hand radiator so it wasn't even expensive.

Ian.

 

[Bellow]

I know it's coolant as the level in the expansion tank has fallen a little.

Best not to just assume. Identify the leaking fluid, not least as coolant loss is possible without leaking externally.

And could be something else entirely. Dip a finger in it and taste it on the end of your tongue. If it's sweet, it'll be coolant.

I must of course issue the statuatory anti freeze is poisonous, etc,etc warning, but I'm assuming you will spit it out immediately. Never swallow!

 

[Olivier]

I had the same on the E , it was the water pump on its way out.

 

[corned]

I think the best way forward is to get under there and remove the engine undertray(s). This is the only way you will be able to look properly for the source of the problem.

Bear in mind that with the undertray in place the leak may be travelling along that, and may not originate from right at the front at all!

 

[jefrs]

Beware if you have a combined radiator and gearbox oil cooler.
You must not get water in the gearbox!

For this reason I would not recommend K-Seal unless you have bypassed the oil cooler or have a separate oil cooler.

I lost a Volvo slush box to a leaking combined radiator. The repair included a discrete oil cooler for the rebuild.

 

[StevenN]

Today I got chance for a feel around the hoses checking for leaking pipes.

All felt dry where I could feel.
The water was dripping from the radiator area between the undertray and the bumper.
The engine block and undertray were bone dry
I will have to get underneath and remove the tray for a better look.

If someone could give me a brief run down on how to get the thin out I would be grateful

Steve

 

[Smiley]

It may not be easy to see where the leak is coming from. If it is the water pump it may be a small drip - or even none at all - and then later especially after the engine has been run it may leak a small amount of coolant and then dry up. The best way to be sure is to remove the under tray and then pressurise the cooling system a little - it will soon show you the leak. Sounds like it may well be the water pump. Not the end of the world - £100 ish from MB.

 

[tmaoahthfte]

Had a leak on my 210 a while ago that turned out to be the drain plug loosening off. It seems to be crumbling a bit round the outer edge, no idea how you would change it though as the actual plug will not unscrew all the way out of the rad. Just tightened it up and it's been ok since then.

 

[StevenN]

Can you tell me where the drain plug is on the rad?
Had another look under the bonet this morning. The Crossmember looked wet under the hoses on the left.

Ta

Steve

I should be able to get underneath over the next few days.

 

[jefrs]

Normally just pull the lower hose off to drain the rad.

The rad will come out quite easily if you have a degree in origami. You have a different model however. Find and remove and catch the spring clips holding the shroud around the main fan. Now lift the shroud out, yes it does come out on a 210. Actually it may be easier to just push it towards the engine and lift the rad out, in which case you will have to remove hoses, it is hooked and clipped in too. (I had the fan belt destroy the water pump et al)

If you have a combined rad/oil cooler then don't even think about repairing it (we used to solder them) or bodging with Radweld. Best to fit separate rads, if not then test the new one.

 

[StevenN]

Hi Jefrs

Its not leaking ATF so why should't I use radweld?

Just asking but it's still a question of where the water is leaking from. I will not know till I get underneath and have a proper look.

Thanks for the info.
I will have to look for the fixing clips and have a fiddle.

Cheers

Steve

 

[StevenN]

Just re-read jefrs's post.
Do I read correctly that the rad will come out by just undoing hoses and unclipping?
I don't have to remove the bumper or any other tricky body panels or grills?

Steve

 

[StevenN]

The car has not dripped today?
we still have coolant in the bottle
lets hope its a hose?


Steve

 

[Smiley]

I bet it is the water pump - they seem to be erratic - lose half the expansion tank one day then no loss for a week. Just get it pressurised and you will find the problem in 2 minutes instead of spending hours and days with a torch; been there done that.

 

[50pence]

hi all, im quite new to the forum, and new to mercedes, i have a c180 classic '02, recently my dash is showing check coolant, and to day when i parked up, my car was leaking roughly from the middle, say where the gear box is instead of the rad, front end......any ideas? could it be rad, pipes? ive noticed the throttle seems a bit stiff aswell, dunno if this is another issue

 

[LTD]

hi all, im quite new to the forum, and new to mercedes, i have a c180 classic '02, recently my dash is showing check coolant, and to day when i parked up, my car was leaking roughly from the middle, say where the gear box is instead of the rad, front end......any ideas? could it be rad, pipes? ive noticed the throttle seems a bit stiff aswell, dunno if this is another issue

Probably an aircon drain. Baffles most new Mercedes owners at first.

 

[50pence]

when i put heating on, theres a srong smell of coolant, from the location of the dripping, could it be transmission fluid? is my model old enough that i can check with a dipstick? is the check coolant flash on dash meen the coolant in the engine or the transmission fluid that acts like a coolant?

 

[Smiley]

The coolant light means that the engine coolant is low so it needs to be topped up and the source of the leak fixed.
If you can smell coolant in the car and you have a leak under the middle of the car AND you are losing coolant (light on) then it is most likely a heater matrix problem in the car - BUT it could be a leaking water pump or rad and the coolant is running back along the car. It could also be headgasket but the coolant is more likely to be burned off by the heat of the block if it is an external leak so you would be less likely to get a drip. It does not sound like it is anything to do with the ATF or the fluid level.

 

[Smiley]

Just to add that the auto trans fluid is cooled by the same coolant that cools the engine - but the ATF is routed via the bottom of the rad rather than routing the coolant round the auto box if that makes sense.