Weird noise coming from the engine bay!!! E320 CDi (V6) Est

[Beardz]

Driving home from work tonight sitting at the lights and could hear an ominous noise coming from what turned out to be from my car!!

It is a strange rattling/squealing noise which fades in and out a bit like a belt or something similar. it got gradually worse over the couple of mile it took to get home and was so noisy people in the street were staring, which is most embarrasing when you are sitting in a bloody great merc estate!

Strangely there was no loss of power and the engine pulled as smoothly as ever and there are no warning lights flashing on the dash, so what could it be?

I want to take it over to H A Lock tomorrow but it is not that short a journey and am concerned about potential blowups/breakdown

Anyone have any ideas?

This is my first merc and i love it bits but i am gutted that i might have bought a pig in a poke (not the first problem i have listed on this site)

 

[corned]

I'd try a process of elimination.

Try running the car on your drive/wherever and switch off various bits of kit. In particular, completely switch off the air conditioning and see if the noise remains - air con compressor? Then switch off as much electrical kit as possible - alternator?

Failing that, get your ear under the bonnet and have a good listen.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[st4]

Was going to say a bearing, they do fail on that engine. However it would not be smooth at all and quite noisy.

 

[Beardz]

Have already switched off the heater/aircon so not that.

Other than lights no other electrics were switched on (I think)

Have had my head under the bonnet and cannot pin point where it is coming from. Would timing chains make a noise (reminded me of fan belts ish)

Would there be a occasional clicking noise with the alternator?

I am really rubbish at mechanics. I look under the bonnet & go yep thats an engine!

I worry about the turbo due to a previous issue i mentioned in a post a while ago

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engi...got-w211-e-class-auto-gearbox-problems-6.html

Although i have to say it hasn't done it for a while and i did a 100 mile round trip to loughborough and back today with no issues

 

[Beardz]

Took the car to HA Lock this morning and he seems to think the noise is coming from the alternator belt and the alternator.
I have it booked in for Thurs so fingers crossed it will be sorted then.
Any ideas what the damage might be if the alternator needs replacing?

 

[Dave Jones]

Not exactly sure of the cost on your car (you could always pop on to eurocarparts.com, pop your registration number in and that'll give you a good idea on the price of the part, allow for 2 hours labour on top). I had the alternator replaced on my W208 a couple of weeks back, it had been squeeking and clicking for a while and finally stopped charging the battery. The alternator was £190 and they charged me £60 to fit it. HTH

 

[Beardz]

To add further to my woes the car decided to empty itself of all its coolant on the way home from work!

I've looked under the bonnet to see if there is a hose come loose but cannot see anything obvious.

I need to get it over to H A Lock 15 miles away in the morning just toppping it up with water and taking a big bottle of water is probably not recommended right?

 

[camerafodder]

Makes me wonder if the noise was related to a failing water pump, causing the belt to drag.

 

[Beardz]

Are they located close to each other on the bottom left of the engine as you look at it (o/side)?

That is where the water appears to be coming from.

 

[Smiley]

Normally a water pump would gradually get worse and you would have more warning - losing a little coolant to start. They dont normally make much of a noise apart from bearing squealing. The noise would be more likely to be an air con compressor or alternator or belt tensioner. Maybe the belt has come off and the car has overheated = coolant pressurised and forced out?.
If the alternator is water cooled then it may have failed in a big way and tipped the coolant out?
Hard to say without seeing it. Sorry to say it will be more than £100 to fix it though.

 

[Beardz]

AA called out this morning and confirmed that the water pump is shot.

Ended up being towed 15 miles to garage whereby i was told the AA guy should not have towed me so far and now may have damaged my gearbox!!

So it looks like i could need a new alternator + associated belts + waterpump and anything to go with it and finally i could find out that i have lunched my gearbox in the tow over!

I can honestly say i am not a happy bunny!

My faith is in Albert at H A Lock who i am told is a genius with Mercs. I just hope his prices are reasonable or this could be my first and last three pointed star.

 

[Smiley]

Did the AA guy just tow it along the road - really it should have gone on a transporter or had the rear wheels raised off the ground.
To protect yourself I would write a letter to the AA pointing out the advice from the MB dealer.
Seems an odd coincidence that the alternator and the water pump should have failed at the exact same time. I am afraid it is not going to be a very cheap repair wherever you were to go. Both the alternator and the water pump are on exchange price bases at MB. The water pump is likely to be a "reasonable" price at about £100 but the alternator may be a complete rip off compared with a price from Bosch. If you are at a MB main dealer then you may be a bit stuck with paying the MB price - worth asking them first. The alternator replacement could be undertaken by any competent mechanic does not need to be MB. Check the prices out. May save you a couple of hundred pounds by having the water pump replaced at MB and the alternator elsewhere.

 

[Beardz]

yep dragged me 15 miles down dual carriageway at 30-35mph!

Would never use a MB dealership unless last resport.

H A Lock was recommended to me as being a really good indie garage. He sounds knowledgable and has even given me a W124 as a courtesy car (i was expecting a corsa at best not a future classic).

It all boils down to the damage that has been caused and the cost to put it right.

When i bought the car we were not in the economic times we are now and paying for these sort or repairs wasn't so much of any issue.

 

[Smiley]

Not good for the transmission at all. Take a look in your owners handbook and it should say not to do this.
Letter to AA to warn them that they may be getting a bill.

 

[camerafodder]

If there is damage to your gearbox then the AA will be responsible. The AA guy should have known better.

In a previous post you mentioned that the alternator 'might' be damaged. With any luck it will just be the waterpump.

 

[Beardz]

fingers crossed you might be right.

 

[Beardz]

Looks like it is just going to be the waterpump and the alternator is ok.
Apparently MB insisted that there wasn't a pump in the whole of the uk or Germany available but H A Lock managed to get me one
Hope to get it back on Monday

 

[Beardz]

Good news the car is back on the road!!

I just need to keep an eye/ear on the gearbox.

I am writing to the AA to advise that if the box goes bang they are responsible, but for how long? 6 months a year?

I have to say I am more than happy with the service from H A Lock they provided me with a good courtesy car and their costs are more than reasonable. I will definately use them again for any other work/servicing the car needs.

 

[camerafodder]

Good news the car is back on the road!!

I just need to keep an eye/ear on the gearbox.

I am writing to the AA to advise that if the box goes bang they are responsible, but for how long? 6 months a year?

I have to say I am more than happy with the service from H A Lock they provided me with a good courtesy car and their costs are more than reasonable. I will definately use them again for any other work/servicing the car needs.

Great news. I would construct the letter to the AA in such a way that you will hold them liable for any future damage to the gearbox that can reasonably be blamed on the towing episode no matter how long it takes to manifest itself. Give them the option of paying for the replacement of your box now to alleviate them of any future liability.

 

[Beardz]

Good call. I need to get my thinking/best letter writing head now!