W124 Radiator leak (photo)

[don78]

Hope you can help a newb with a leak.....

After a run the radiator leaks (drips) from the left bottom corner at rear edge (if standing in front of car looking back). It seems strange to me because it's intermittent, sometimes about a pint will drip out other times nothing?

From the photo it could be the join between the finned aluminium radiator section and plastic side panel (some corrosion evident)... any ideas, is it going to be expensive or do you reckon a course of rad-seal will cure it?

 

[franey]

Hi there.

Looks like you need a new rad!!

My experience of leaky rads, when you drive the car and it warms up, the system pressurises. This will force water out.
Depending on the weather (temperature) and how you have been driving the car will determine how much will leak out.
Also, you need to check to see if you have problems with the head gasket.
Is there a white residue when you remove the oil filler cap?

Parts for these are not too dear.
Also I notice the auto box cooling pipes look to be quite corroded, I would replace these at the same time, again not too dear and you need to remove one end anyway when you change the rad.
Don't fall into the trap of using rad seal or similar, this will help block the heater matrix.
If a job is worth doing.............
Hope this helps.

 

[recycled]

rad seal will be temporary.
it should be bought out and welded. it is not too expensive or you could just get a replacement from the scrappy

 

[recycled]

yes i do have a gasket problem too. mine is leaking down the side of the engine into the floor. going on for quite a while now just can not be bothered to sort it out.

 

[television]

I would try some Rad seal first it must be worth it, there are firms that rebuild


As said above some of the other pipes could do with a little attention

 

[recycled]

rad seal will help yes i agree and check the clamps are also tight as well

 

[janner]

Is it leaking from the rad or the hose? I see there is a cable tie as well as a jubilee clip on there! Maybe it just needs a new hose, jubilee clip and a cleanup?
Don't use radweld, just fix it properly. If the car dumps all the coolant and you don't spot it in time you could blow the gearbox as well as the engine.
Also, make sure you use genuine MB anti-freeze. The cheap stuff is no good and could give you problems later on.

 

[don78]

Hi there.

Looks like you need a new rad!!

My experience of leaky rads, when you drive the car and it warms up, the system pressurises. This will force water out.
Depending on the weather (temperature) and how you have been driving the car will determine how much will leak out.
Also, you need to check to see if you have problems with the head gasket.
Is there a white residue when you remove the oil filler cap?

Parts for these are not too dear.
Also I notice the auto box cooling pipes look to be quite corroded, I would replace these at the same time, again not too dear and you need to remove one end anyway when you change the rad.
Don't fall into the trap of using rad seal or similar, this will help block the heater matrix.
If a job is worth doing.............
Hope this helps.

Thanks, no white mayo under oil filler cap or signs of oil in the coolant.... there is a bit of oil on the outside of the block at the front of the car but no drips to the floor.

I take it the auto-box cooling pipe is the smaller one connected to the radiator, just above the large diameter pipe?

 

[don78]

Is it leaking from the rad or the hose? I see there is a cable tie as well as a jubilee clip on there! Maybe it just needs a new hose, jubilee clip and a cleanup?
Don't use radweld, just fix it properly. If the car dumps all the coolant and you don't spot it in time you could blow the gearbox as well as the engine.
Also, make sure you use genuine MB anti-freeze. The cheap stuff is no good and could give you problems later on.

I gave the jubilee a 1/2 turn this morning but i don't think it was leaking from the join..... will keep an eye on it.

Think i'll also give the rad-weld a miss, it's only really a temporary fix, plus if it can cause other knock on problems with the dreaded heater matrix....

Looks like a trip to the local Merc indy.

Thanks for the fast and informative replies by the way

 

[BlackC55]

Just get a new rad. they are not that expensive. I got one for an S-class (220) for £115 the other week.

 

[BlackC55]

Hope you can help a newb with a leak.....

After a run the radiator leaks (drips) from the left bottom corner at rear edge (if standing in front of car looking back). It seems strange to me because it's intermittent, sometimes about a pint will drip out other times nothing?

From the photo it could be the join between the finned aluminium radiator section and plastic side panel (some corrosion evident)... any ideas, is it going to be expensive or do you reckon a course of rad-seal will cure it?

Don't use rad seal. Please. It does no good to the rest of the engine.

Oh and love the cable tie!!

 

[television]

Just some rad info as this post is running. If you have any green corrosion anywhere on the rad this is an indication that the rad is not grounded. The Thatcham repair center found that many body shops did not ground the rads after a repair.

 

[recycled]

try bar leaks instead of rad weld but as others have said, any area exposed to air, e.g heater matric may get blocked as well.

 

[franey]

......yes you can get the rad rebuilt, but it's just as cheap for a new one!!

If you are struggling for cash, Mr Television has loads of spare now he has ditched smoking the Cigars.

Also, if you try to repair the rad yourself, how long will it last? It will only let you down one day when you really do not want it to, like going to catch a plane or something like that.

The leak is just your car saying 'fix me properly please' or I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.....!!!

 

[Classic C200]

Just an observation!

Looking at the photo it would appear that the Jubilee clip is maybe in the wrong place for an effective seal! It appears to be on the raised flanged part of the Rad outlet when it should be where the Cable Tie Is (Whats that for anyway?)

Just try a new hose clip in the right place and see if that cures the leak, before spending out too much!

Nothing to loose

 

[Sorry Pete]

Yeah, new rad it sounds like to me, they're £95 from GSF Car parts.

And I would also change those autobox cooler pipes. Mine were changed when I went for a service/MOT at George Fraser's (merc indie) as a preventative measure; £25 pipe, cf £1200 reconditioned gearbox.

Btw, I'm not going to George again, it was my first time, and though he's a great chap, the grease monkey doing the work overfilled the engine oil, by a LOT.

 

[Sorry Pete]

Oh, hold the phone ClassicC200, that's a good point!

 

[94mattda]

Hello.... i had quite a bad leak on my 190e radiator when i had one.... i use to carry a tube of superglue with me.... worked for a while and then at traffic lights on day it blew and a 3 meter spurt of water shot across the edestian crossing...... was hilarious............ think a new one cost me about £90 from German and Sweedish...

 

[recycled]

is there any relationship between mattda and gina.?

 

[94mattda]

what do you eman lol