Which coolant for w201?

[Sp!ke]

I am going to do a coolant flush this week at the same time as changing the thermostat and was wondering which type of coolant I should put in. There seems to be two or three different types now that shouldnt be mixed.

My manual just referrs to Mercedes Coolant Sheet 310, 311, 325.1 whatever that means.

I was hoping to just pop down to halfords - does it really need the genuine MB stuff?

 

[jaymanek]

Blue. Any half decent stuff changed every 2 years is fine.

 

[Will]

Some points to note:

If you're changing the thermostat, be aware that the three fixing bolts may be seized, they can shear quite easily (steel bolts, alloy housing, twenty years of heat cycling etc).

The thermostat housing was originally made of plastic, which is likely to be brittle and prone to cracking now - again due to age, heat etc. MB now supply a metal housing to replace the earlier type. I strongly recommend you replace the plastic cover/housing if you're changing the stat and coolant

Don't forget to drain the system properly - not just emptying the radiator but by using the drain plug on the block. On the 8v M102 it's on the O/S, just under the exhaust manifold - IIRC it's 22mm or something like that. You'll be surprised at how much muck comes out with the coolant when you drain/flush the block properly.

If the coolant is very grubby, consider a flush with some citric acid first - might seem like overkill but having seen how furred up some of the waterways can get I would personally be tempted.

MB coolant isn't that expensive (£20 for a 5l can), but I'm sure there will be other stuff suitable from elsewhere. GSF do Fuchs coolant quite cheap I think.

Will

 

[SilverSaloon]

COMMA GREEN coolant is MB spec.