W124 CE Engine leak below near fan HELP!!!!!

[nikm80]

My Pride and Joy has developed a squeaking fan noise.

After a long run to London I had trouble starting it the next day sounding rough so i thought i would take a look at it.

I have attached pictures of before and after and found oil to be leaking just below the front engine fan, I think its the head gasket but im REALLY hoping its a simple enough fix.

before clean
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0470.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0471.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0473.jpg

After
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0473.jpg


This vehicle is my everyday car and has been serviced and regularly. I did have the fan belt snap on me a year ago after it was replaced the car worked as normal could it be because of that???

Your help and wisdom will be greatly appreciated!

 

[BillyW124]

looks as though it could well be the front timing chain cover leak. A common issue. If it is, the U gasket will need replacing. Not an overly labour intensive job, easier if the rad is removed though if that is the issue?

 

[millo777]

As Billy says, the timing cover gasket is the typical m104 front end leak. There are a few pretty good "how to" threads on the us forums which google will lead you to. I believe the key thing to check is that the timing chain doesn't get over tightened if you remove the upper chain guide, which can lead to idle problems.

Top tip from Ian Walker is to use vaseline to keep the U shaped gasket seated when you refit the timing chain cover.

 

[kth286]

The oil leak looks minimal at this stage.

Does car use oil - do you have to keep topping up - do a check over say 1000 miles ? If not using excessive quantity ignore for time being.

The squeaking noise is probably coming from idler pulley.

You need to remove poly belt and test each pulley in turn for smoothness and stiffness.

Make a diagram of the belt and pulleys before removal so you can refit correctly.

Now the puzzle of why it would not start following a long journey.

Perhaps an injector or two are leaking fuel into the combustion chamber in effect flooding the engine, and causing it to sound rough until excess fuel is cleared.

Or spark plugs are worn out.

Perhaps a change of plugs are in order and ensure correct plugs are used.

If unsure which plugs, then buy from dealer parts dept giving full VIN.

Cost approx. £2.30 each.

Important to use NON resistor plugs.

 

[nikm80]

Firstly Thank you for your quick response!

I started the car this morning it was juddering again so took it to my local mechanic he said it might be the sparks so went and got new ones. When i took the wires off i found the second spark plug, from the front, covered in coolant. For some weird reason all the others were bone dry.

I'm assuming its the head and the c gasket that you told me about that's caused it, am i right???

by the way BillyW124 love your 124 looks awesome!

 

[kth286]

there is a seal for each plug.

just needs the rocker cover removed to replace.

You sure it's not engine oil on the plug, because that is the usual case when those seals fail.

The dealer sells the rocker cover gasket set as a package.

 

[nikm80]

Definitely coolant the colour and smell gave it away didn't see any oil in it though . I cleaned it out with a cloth and put everything back together seems fine but don't want yo risk it.

If the rocker cover gasket had gone wouldn't that have oil in it instead of coolant ? Honestly I have no idea how the coolant got in there, it had no oil particles in it what so ever just coolant.

After cleaning and closing it up it did stop juddering seem to run fine but I can't risk pistons if it is head gasket.

 

[kth286]

was the plug tight ?

was the coolant coming up from the combustion chamber do you think ?
pointing to a blown head gasket from coolant path into cylinder ?

 

[nikm80]

I checked the plugs again today the were all tight and no liquid! however there was an oily dry residue in the spark plug hole and on the spark plug so i have cleaned the dirt and put it all back together seems to run fine so im going to drive it for a couple of days and see if anything happens.

i did run the car till it was warm to see if the rocker cover washer rings had gone but it was fine no leaks into the holes.

Is there a quick way to diagnose head gasket like compression test or something?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0475.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0476.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0477.jpg

I found the squeaking it was coming from the PAS. going to check the fluid and filter doesn't seem to leak from there so hopefully nothing to serious.

Thanks for your help kth286

 

[BillyW124]

you need somthing like this to test..


Draper 37442 Petrol Engine Compression Tester Part No: DCT1 | Draper 37442


http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/135943-compression-test-w124-m104.html

 

[ray_hennig]

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/63984571/IMAG0477.jpg

That looks like FR8DC plug, a resistor type. Best to fit non-resistor plugs as suggested further up.

RayH

 

[millo777]

To test the head gasket, you need a block tester

Universal Block tester | eBay

It's possible that the fluid around the spark plug was simply from an attempt at cleaning the engine bay, or a spillage when changing the coolant. The seals aorund the spark plug over are probably not wonderful after 20 years.

Just keep checking the plugs periodically to see if the problem happens again.

 

[nikm80]

Ok so i have done a comp test and here are the results:

starting from the front of the engine

1 = 10 bars
2 = 10 bars
3 = 11 bars
4 = 12 bars
5 = 12 bars
6 = 12 bars

I will pick a block test kit to be on the safe side thank you for that millo777
and yes i did notice the sparks are the wrong one so i will replace them @ray_hennig

Do the readings look ok????

I was thinking of sealing the oil leak = replace U gasket and check the rocker cover rings while im doing so and give it a full service and see how it goes.

I have been driving it on short journeys, seems to be fine no juddering.

 

[kth286]

Ok so i have done a comp test and here are the results:

starting from the front of the engine

1 = 10 bars
2 = 10 bars
3 = 11 bars
4 = 12 bars
5 = 12 bars
6 = 12 bars

I will pick a block test kit to be on the safe side thank you for that millo777
and yes i did notice the sparks are the wrong one so i will replace them @ray_hennig

Do the readings look ok????

I was thinking of sealing the oil leak = replace U gasket and check the rocker cover rings while im doing so and give it a full service and see how it goes.

I have been driving it on short journeys, seems to be fine no juddering.

Haynes manual quotes: ''12 bars (approx.)''

with maximum difference between cylinders of 1.5 bar.

There is a device that measures cylinder air pressure leakage over time, and is considered a more accurate test.

Also it will differentiate between leakage due to bore wear and poor valve sealing.

You could now also add a small spoon of oil into the bore and wait until the oil covers the piston top/rings and retest each cylinder in turn again.

If pressures have increased significantly, then ring/bore wear is present.