Should i be worried? (W211 glycol issue)

[Zed82]

Hi guys.

I had my 500 in for change of cooling system, cooling lines and converter in january 2011 at a Mercedes dealership because of the glycol issue.

Yesterday I took a look at the crimping of the radiator and to my surprise, the only thing I could see is tooth-shaped crimping like on the pic below. I could only see the crimping on the left side while facing the engine. It was also just as dirty and did not look like it had been changed 9 months ago. I could not see any wavecrimping at all.

The odd thing is that I felt a slight vibration this summer after driving hard on the german autobahn from the drivetrain while performing stop-and-go upwards a steep hill. That was also the only time i experienced these vibrations after the repair in January.

I will post a pic of this later today but I thought that I should ask you guys already. ‘

1. Could I have seen the crimping of something else like the AC condenser?
2. What is the easiest way to really be sure that I have a new rad? (they sure did charge me for a new one)

Borrowed this pic, i hope it´s ok.

 

[flt.eng]

The front one is the A/C condensor. Look down, from the back & you should be able to see the type of crimping, down the sides. You can see quite clearly on my E320 (03). But I'm still not 100% sure which rad I have. As although the crimping is wavey. It is not a continuous wave. But has a slot in the bottom of the wave. I understand That the only sure way, is to find a label. Which can either be on the top or bottom of the rad. This means taking the top cross support off. I do'nt know about seeing from underneath. I have also read, that on modified rads. There is a round white sticker. I have one, but it's on the condensor. Which also has the same type of crimping. Very confusing. I assume your garage did a filter & atf change when they changed the rad?

 

[Alex Crow]

If you have a new rad (lets assume you do), it will probably be a valeo anyway, which is fine now as they have fixed the production faults that caused the issues.

If you were looking at the front one then yes, it was the aircon rad anyway........

 

[Zed82]

The front one is the A/C condensor. Look down, from the back & you should be able to see the type of crimping, down the sides. You can see quite clearly on my E320 (03). But I'm still not 100% sure which rad I have. As although the crimping is wavey. It is not a continuous wave. But has a slot in the bottom of the wave. I understand That the only sure way, is to find a label. Which can either be on the top or bottom of the rad. This means taking the top cross support off. I do'nt know about seeing from underneath. I have also read, that on modified rads. There is a round white sticker. I have one, but it's on the condensor. Which also has the same type of crimping. Very confusing. I assume your garage did a filter & atf change when they changed the rad?

Thanks!

Actually, i was looking at the back and down the sides (in front of the drive belt) and I could only see the tooth crimping on the left side and it was going all the way down. The right side is too covered up.

I assume that the AC condensor is in front of the radiator and closest to the bumper?

The work was done at a Mercedes authorized shop. According to the receipt they changed the radiator, cooling lines, converter, rear main seal, and flushed the tranny. I assume that the filter is changed too.

 

[Zed82]

If you have a new rad (lets assume you do), it will probably be a valeo anyway, which is fine now as they have fixed the production faults that caused the issues.

If you were looking at the front one then yes, it was the aircon rad anyway........

Do they still carry Valeo? I thought that it was only Behr nowdays. Anyway, the crimping didn´t look nothing like new. I have driven about 10000 miles after the repair.

 

[Alex Crow]

Do they still carry Valeo? I thought that it was only Behr nowdays. Anyway, the crimping didn´t look nothing like new. I have driven about 10000 miles after the repair.

As has been said, we cannot be sure what you are looking at - aircon rad or engine rad. A picture would help obviously, or you could always go back to the garage and ask....

Yes, Valeo still being supplied to replace Valeo, as I said no problems with later ones as the simple production defect was remedied.

 

[Zed82]

As has been said, we cannot be sure what you are looking at - aircon rad or engine rad. A picture would help obviously, or you could always go back to the garage and ask....

Yes, Valeo still being supplied to replace Valeo, as I said no problems with later ones as the simple production defect was remedied.

Ok, thanks.

I´ll get back to you with a picture later today.

One more question though, do the new Valeos also have tooth style crimping?

 

[flt.eng]

Ok, thanks.

I´ll get back to you with a picture later today.

One more question though, do the new Valeos also have tooth style crimping?

The trouble is with all the pictures you see. They are taken 90 degs. out.
The crimping runs vertically,in situ. I understand. As I said previously, If it is a modified rad. There should be a white sticker.
If what you say, has been carried out. It must be a G/B or T/c problem.
This could have happend, prior to rad. change. Changing the rad./atf. & filter. Dos'nt fix any previous G/Box damage. I just hope this is not the case

 

[flt.eng]

What prompted you in the first place, to have the work done. Did you already have G/Box problems. & was it established, that you had a Valeo rad. If so the above would definately apply.

 

[Zed82]

What prompted you in the first place, to have the work done. Did you already have G/Box problems. & was it established, that you had a Valeo rad. If so the above would definately apply.

I´m not sure i´m following you on your previous post.

The reason I had the work done was because the car was jerking and vibrating at constant speeds just as other people have experienced with their cars.

A glycol test was made at Mercedes-Benz dealership which confirmed contamination but not so bad that the tranny needed replacement. Tranny shifts well and doesn´t skip a beat.

The small jerks I felt this summer was an isolated event after driving the car VERY hard for 2000 miles straight and coming to a steep hill upwards with stop and go driving. I have never felt it since.

They charged me for a new radiator according to the receipt. The question is: was it really replaced??

 

[flt.eng]

So I understand, all you are trying to find out. Is if the rad. was really changed. I must admit the crimps on my rad (03) look as new.
As said before. Modified Valeo rads. were fitted, after 04 & were perfectly ok. These rads. would still have the castellated crimping. as your picture shows. It comes down to how much you trust your garage. Without any evidence (seeing the old rad. would have helped) Do you have any reason not to. Did the garage put you in the picture. About the Valeo rads. Or was it that you had read about it. Like I have
I would think, your problem is fixed. The small glitch you had in the summer, can happen to all auto G/Box's. Nothing is perfection.

 

[Zed82]

So I understand, all you are trying to find out. Is if the rad. was really changed. I must admit the crimps on my rad (03) look as new.
As said before. Modified Valeo rads. were fitted, after 04 & were perfectly ok. These rads. would still have the castellated crimping. as your picture shows. It comes down to how much you trust your garage. Without any evidence (seeing the old rad. would have helped) Do you have any reason not to. Did the garage put you in the picture. About the Valeo rads. Or was it that you had read about it. Like I have
I would think, your problem is fixed. The small glitch you had in the summer, can happen to all auto G/Box's. Nothing is perfection.

Thanks again. Here is a mediocre picture of my rad viewed from the engine cover, you can see the engine fan. The rad behind looks new?

According to the receipt part no. of the new rad is A2115003102. I googled this part number and it seems that this partnumber indicates a new modified Valeo radiator that might have the same crimping?

 

[Zed82]

Ok, now it´s all clear to me. According to Valeo themselves and this link:

Spare Parts - Automotive Spare Parts - Automotive Post Equipment Solutions - - Product Catalog - Valeo Service Export (Export - EN)

Click on web catalogue and search by "vehicles". Then choose the MB E500 272.070 and select "cooling system".

The radiator that comes out has the correct OE part no. A2115003102.

This means that even new modified radiators can have the same tooth crimping.

 

[Alex Crow]

As has been said, we cannot be sure what you are looking at - aircon rad or engine rad. A picture would help obviously, or you could always go back to the garage and ask....

Yes, Valeo still being supplied to replace Valeo, as I said no problems with later ones as the simple production defect was remedied.

Thanks for the picture...............2x thoughts.

1. It looks pretty new to me, cleaner than rad cowling certainly.
2. FORGET the crimping! Crimping is not a problem, just a way of checking the brand of rad fitted, as I said before, the newer Valeo are fine and no problems.

For other readers, there is no Behr equivalent anyway, go with the newer Valeo.

 

[flt.eng]

Looks new to me. Bye the way, what was your mileage

 

[Zed82]

Thanks for the picture...............2x thoughts.

1. It looks pretty new to me, cleaner than rad cowling certainly.
2. FORGET the crimping! Crimping is not a problem, just a way of checking the brand of rad fitted, as I said before, the newer Valeo are fine and no problems.

For other readers, there is no Behr equivalent anyway, go with the newer Valeo.

Yeah, i´m glad we got it all sorted out. I guess this thread can be of help to others who like me were confident in that Behr was the only correct option.

 

[Zed82]

Looks new to me. Bye the way, what was your mileage

140.000km (87000 miles).

The glycol repair in January 2011 was done at 125.000km.

 

[BlackC55]

It is very likely to be a torque converter issue. The S does not suffer from a glycol issue because of the seperate oil cooler.

New ones from MB are £1000 ish plus vat.

A decent re-furbed unit will be £400

Allow 5.5 hours labour plus fluids to fit.