Rear prop shaft split; oil leak

[zena123]

My C220d (reg 2018) came back from ‘B’ service at dealership with two issues that I need to get sorted:

"Rear prop shaft coupling has a small split, cost : £322.20 "

"Slight oil leak from Engine Oil Sump, cost : £790.56 "

Re: the prop shaft: A friend’s garage put the car on their ramp & couldn’t find the split. (They did find a slight indentation that they say is cosmetic & probably caused during manufacturing.)

Re: sump leak: they found no evidence of a leak (shone torches round engine, but didn’t remove the front engine undertray) & told me to monitor oil level - which seems stable over 2 months. But I have only had a few 70-mile runs, other driving is short, urban.

Question 1: Is the sump leak charge reasonable?

Question 2: Can anyone recommend an MB Indie (Herts/Beds/N. London area) that would check these 2 things out.

My friend’s garage isn’t impressed by the dealership’s findings & I’d like a garage that does ‘Star’.

 

[optimusprime]

Zena123 I can see your in London ,, but the Z in your profile picture is not very fitting right now .As you know there is conflict going on in the Ukraine . And Russia is dishing out missiles and bombs , to those poor people killing them and maiming them And all Russian military vehicles have this Z on them .I would think about it .

 

[E55BOF]

 

[Bellow]

Zena123 I can see your in London ,, but the Z in your profile picture is not very fitting right now .As you know there is conflict going on in the Ukraine . And Russia is dishing out missiles and bombs , to those poor people killing them and maiming them And all Russian military vehicles have this Z on them .I would think about it .

It's allocated to the members username initial in the absence of an avatar being submitted. It's a Z - not a swastika.
Do you propose shortening our available alphabet to 25 letters on account of Putin's behaviour?

 

[BlackC55]

My C220d (reg 2018) came back from ‘B’ service at dealership with two issues that I need to get sorted:

"Rear prop shaft coupling has a small split, cost : £322.20 "

"Slight oil leak from Engine Oil Sump, cost : £790.56 "

Re: the prop shaft: A friend’s garage put the car on their ramp & couldn’t find the split. (They did find a slight indentation that they say is cosmetic & probably caused during manufacturing.)

Re: sump leak: they found no evidence of a leak (shone torches round engine, but didn’t remove the front engine undertray) & told me to monitor oil level - which seems stable over 2 months. But I have only had a few 70-mile runs, other driving is short, urban.

Question 1: Is the sump leak charge reasonable?

Question 2: Can anyone recommend an MB Indie (Herts/Beds/N. London area) that would check these 2 things out.

My friend’s garage isn’t impressed by the dealership’s findings & I’d like a garage that does ‘Star’.

I would certainly get a second opinion on this. If its a slight split then check it next service. If its a slight leak then monitor it.

 

[zena123]

Optimusprime .... have been thinking about it - for the reasons you suggest - ... just need to work out how to change it. Thoughts are with those in Ukraine - not that that is much use to them !

 

[zena123]

Thank you Black C55, will ring Prestige tomorrow ...

 

[mioba]

Zena123 I can see your in London ,, but the Z in your profile picture is not very fitting right now .As you know there is conflict going on in the Ukraine . And Russia is dishing out missiles and bombs , to those poor people killing them and maiming them And all Russian military vehicles have this Z on them .I would think about it .

Easy.... The profile pic is just a first letter of the persons name.

 

[mioba]

A slight split boot can be replaced and repacked. If corrosion and wear has set in then it needs replacing - on some cars just the joint can be replaced. its amazing how expensive mb shafts are in comparison to other makes.

As for the sump, depends whats causing the leak. Probably a gasket,

Bear in mind MB labour charges are silly.

You are on the right track with sourcing an indy for non service work (assuming MB service is just to maintain mobilo/other obligation).

 

[optimusprime]

I thought later on that Z was put on there automatic after i posted . It is easy to change that letter Z . But it means nothing, i can see that now .

 

[zena123]

Optimus: No offence taken, as I was of your mind anyway. However, I've tried changing the pic ... may have to log out first before it takes effect. Your next post will then be asking if I'm trying to subvert this forum by changing it to a gardening forum !!

 

[zena123]

Thanks Mioba, you're correct: ... in this case, it's breakdown assistance (formerly Mobilo ?) that I want to maintain till end of 2022 & also until
I find an Indie that is reliable etc., that access the diagnostics & update the ESS.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Zena . Maybe they are using the wrong terminology and your mechanic is looking for damage in the wrong place . They might be referring to the driveshaft coupling. Number 300 on here . They do split , but not usually on a car as 'new' as yours.

 

[zena123]

Yay ! Booked into Prestige ... on Fri 1st April (couldn't avoid that date, as they are so booked up) ! Hope WW3 hasn't broken out by then : [a serious comment !]

 

[zena123]

PetrolPete: Tx ... tbh, I was a bit uneasy about both garages' opinions & am seeking peace-of-mind by taking it to Horndean. - I have printed out your diagram & will take it with me to Prestige (it'll save them time in explaining stuff after they've examined the car). Some years ago I read contributors' comments about Olly's reliability etc, & feel I am in safe hands with them. This is a brilliant Forum !

 

[zena123]

RESULT !! & Update to my OP: Having booked the car into Prestige Car Service, Horndean, for a second opinion (as suggested on here !), Ollie & Josh examined the sump & rear prop shaft coupling. Result: no oil leak & no split in the coupling. Advice from this forum + trip to Portsmouth has given me peace of mind & ALSO saved me £1,112.00, (minus diesel cost for 212 mile round-trip). Mega thanks to PCS Horndean, who also let me take photos - of the under-tray (not a drop of oil to be seen) & of the prop shaft coupling. They also did a EML diagnostic (EML was 'on'), & gave me a print-out showing 'electrical fault (open circuit) in NOx sensor 2, cylinder bank 1' with a list of software updates to take to the dealership tomorrow. So this story will continue .... Meantime, thanks also to Pauline, who runs the office, seems to know a lot about cars & is a brilliant communicator of complicated stuff !

 

[E55BOF]

The lesson from this is don't go to main dealers unless you have to; a good indie is invariably cheaper, usually much cheaper, and stands or falls by their service and honesty in a way a main dealer just doesn't.

 

[leef44]

RESULT !! & Update to my OP: Having booked the car into Prestige Car Service, Horndean, for a second opinion (as suggested on here !), Ollie & Josh examined the sump & rear prop shaft coupling. Result: no oil leak & no split in the coupling. Advice from this forum + trip to Portsmouth has given me peace of mind & ALSO saved me £1,112.00, (minus diesel cost for 212 mile round-trip). Mega thanks to PCS Horndean, who also let me take photos - of the under-tray (not a drop of oil to be seen) & of the prop shaft coupling. They also did a EML diagnostic (EML was 'on'), & gave me a print-out showing 'electrical fault (open circuit) in NOx sensor 2, cylinder bank 1' with a list of software updates to take to the dealership tomorrow. So this story will continue .... Meantime, thanks also to Pauline, who runs the office, seems to know a lot about cars & is a brilliant communicator of complicated stuff !

That's great news!

They are a great bunch down there. Ollie's saved me hundreds over the years. It's worth checking out Benz on the Green if you can make it. Meet up with some other like-minded Mercedes Benz owners and support the charity which they are sponsoring as a way of saying thank you.

Unfortunately I can't make it this year due to house move.

 

[zena123]

Tx leef44, I googled Benz on the Green & it's now in my diary.
Tx E55BOF: it's also a question of finding a good Indie ... think I've found mine !