w124 coupe temperature problem

[slav4o1]

hello guys,
i am new to the forum and i am about to buy a W124 coupe 230CE 1991. there is one thing that concerns me - the temperature stays in the cold and rises only where there is traffic. Is that simply just the termostat? the guy is a friend so he said he got it up to 120 degrees few times , would that bent the CH? as i had previous experience with a BM with head problems.. thanks in advance

 

[jaymanek]

it should stay at between 80-95 degrees once warmed up... you may have a thermostat or fan issue...

 

[Ade B]

I'd check:

thermostat
viscous fan (if it has one)
radiator
cylinder head gasket
water pump

Are you running AC?

I'd also start with a coolant flush to see what comes out. Based on my experience if it heats up in traffic its likely to be fan related.

Good luck.

Ade

 

[vijilants]

hello guys,
i am new to the forum and i am about to buy a W124 coupe 230CE 1991. there is one thing that concerns me - the temperature stays in the cold and rises only where there is traffic. Is that simply just the termostat? the guy is a friend so he said he got it up to 120 degrees few times , would that bent the CH? as i had previous experience with a BM with head problems.. thanks in advance

Go for the cheapest option first - Check the fan. If OK change the thermostat.

 

[slav4o1]

ok guys as i expected i hope its only 1 little thing but it might turn out to be the HG personally would you buy it for a 1k with those issues the rest of the car is vgc. seats are not worn, ripped, with recent replacement of the front wings at 145k? thanks

 

[jaymanek]

why HG? doesnt make sense to me

 

[Dieselman]

Because the O-p says the temp has been upto 120c a couple of times, so he is concerned.
120c shouldn't be a problem so the gasket should be alright. Run the engine with the header tank cap off and watch for bubbles and check the inside of that cap and the oil filler cap for mayonnaise.
The original problem is the thermostat is toast, just flush the system and change the stat. It's worth checking the viscous fan is working well as well though but I'm sure that isn't the problem here.

 

[Ade B]

For £13.50 + VAT and a gasket he can replace the thermostat with an MB one. If he is a mate, perhaps you could ask him to do this and see if it solves the problem.


Ade

 

[slav4o1]

thanks to all , mercs as i have heard are quite tough so I think too that few times at 120c wont bent the head. i had an E39 and they really do overheat easy.
how easy is to change the thermostat DIY? is it easy to get to it?

 

[Ade B]

thanks to all , mercs as i have heard are quite tough so I think too that few times at 120c wont bent the head. i had an E39 and they really do overheat easy.
how easy is to change the thermostat DIY? is it easy to get to it?

dead easy on a 6 cylinder car as its right at the front of the engine, 3 bolts.

Not sure on a four but I suspect similar.

Ade

 

[slav4o1]

right so i assume i will buy it off him , how about 1k sounds fair? it is with the old engine 2.3 not the newer 2.2. What are the major differences and what is the power output on the 2.3 - 150hp or 136 as I found various things on the net?

 

[grober]

The 230 is the old single cam 8valve engine with 136 bhp ---from the factory gate! the 220 is a twin cam 16valve engine with 150bhp --better breathing gives more bhp.
The single cam engines are more prone to blow CHG's than the twin cam engines but they aren't immune either. The 230 has a simpler mechanically based fuel injection system and conventional ignition with a distributor etc so are usually an easier DIY proposition.
I would try an overhaul of the cooling system starting with the thermostat and a check that the cooling fan is working. Remember that to get someone who knows what they are doing to change the CHG is going to cost £500-600 the parts are cheap but lots of labour involved especially if the head needs stripped for planing flat. Its easy to change the thermostat- just follow the radiator top hose back to the cylinder head. Be careful if the engine has a plastic thermostat cap they have been known to split! Often MB thermostats come prefitted in an aluminium housing assembly now but whether this applies to the single cam 230 engine I don't know.

 

[andy_k]

the thermostat is pretty easy to get at but the four cylinder engines do seem a little prone to running hot, especially when sitting in traffic.

I'm not sure, but I think the standard thermostat opens at 105 C and that's about the same temp as when the fans engage

If it's a viscous fan you should check the coupling is working - use a carrot

No, seriously, use a carrot. when the engine is hot and the fan is spinning try and stop it using the carrot, if the coupling is knackered the carrot will stop the fan, if the coupling is OK you'll get shredded carrot and a graphic illustration of why you shouldn't use your fingers to test a fan

If it's an electric fan, then make sure it is switching on with the temp sensor

Andy

 

[slav4o1]

right i have inspected the car but still havent bought it: the fan barely rotates and i stopped it with my hands. reved it a bit but no change. how much would that cost average? thermostat he said he tested it and it was fine. antifreeze is really green so I wouldnt be surpriced if this is the original antifreeze..
block is covered with oil underneath the exhaust manifold its quite a bit of it. the car was topped up with 700grams for the last 5000miles. he said might be from the gasket on the exhaust manifold if the piston rings are gone and do not make enough compression?! on the otherside of the block is oily too so the gaskets of the intake manifold? if the rubber things on the valves have worn out? we cant really tell unless inspected really .. i have to make up my mind

 

[andy_k]

sounds to me like you have a viscous fan coupling that has failed

 

[LastMinute]

I'm pretty sure the M102 in the 230CE has an electromagnetic clutch on the cooling fan, not a viscous coupling.

 

[grober]

Sounds as if the cam cover gasket is leaking. If the oil leak is below the inlet or exhaust manifolds its from the cylinder head gasket above it the cam cover gasket. Sometimes people don't renew them if the cover is off. item 44 here http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.413&CT=M&cat=504&SID=01&SGR=075&SGN=08
The valve stem seals are known to go hard and leak oil into the combustion chambers- gives blue smoke on the overrun. With the right equipment they can be changed without removing the cylinder head. If the engine is very worn then combustion gases can leak past the piston rings into the crankcase causing it pressurise. You can test this by removing the oil filler cap when the engine is running-if you get lots of oil vapour+gases coming out that's a good indicator of engine bore wear.

 

[slav4o1]

really helpful grober thank you for the ultra-rapid response. i should definetely stay away from it. I tested it removed the oil cap when it was running it was definetely blowing out but nothing visible gas-wise. otherwise oil was splashing everywhere pretty much.
yes its below the inlet and exhaust manifolds so it must be HG. how come the oil gets there doh? worn piston rings? (secondary effect of crankcase being pressurised maybe?)
no smoke at all from the engine , how much money would fixing the fan cost? half an hour labour + parts = 50 quid?

 

[grober]

If its the electromagnetic clutch type its usually the thermal switch on the head about £30 AFAIK. If its a viscous coupled fan it may just need a careful cleaning of the area round the central bi metal strip-lots of wd40 and a toothbrush. If the central coupling has gone its a more expensive part 11 here http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...GM=717.413&CT=M&cat=504&SID=20&SGR=030&SGN=02