Head gasket? E350 CDI C207

[star]

Looking at the top of the fuel filter I'd say the turbo seal or similar has been leaking for some time. ?

Definately a scam, oil has been poured over the engine and into tank.

 

[mioba]

I am in Nottingham - would love a look - pop over

 

[Cirrus]

Definately a scam, oil has been poured over the engine and into tank. View attachment 84847

Well that's got me mad.

No wonder he was insisting to my old man he would recover the car today or not at all.

I am in Nottingham - would love a look - pop over

PM me where abouts you are, I'm back on Monday

 

[LostKiwi]

P

I am in Nottingham - would love a look - pop over

Probably better for you to go to him rather than drive it if the cause isn't known.

 

[star]

I wouldn’t drive until oil is removed from header tank, it’ll spread all around the cooling system and will be a pain to clear it out.

 

[Cirrus]

I wouldn’t drive until oil is removed from header tank, it’ll spread all around the cooling system and will be a pain to clear it out.

Yes definitely. I'm going to have to flush the entire system now

 

[onefortheroad]

Definately a scam, oil has been poured over the engine and into tank. View attachment 84847

It does look that way , because the oil even looks clean on some components, so not from a dirty derv om642 .

 

[SL63 Mark]

I suspected Scam at post one. Seems all too common these days. Coincidence is too great. elderly gent, pushy buyer, suddenly oil everywhere on a clean car.

Distraction scam, sleight of hand. Easy con. Make sure your dad and car is safe, report to Police.

 

[Cirrus]

I suspected Scam at post one. Seems all too common these days. Coincidence is too great. elderly gent, pushy buyer, suddenly oil everywhere on a clean car.

Distraction scam, sleight of hand. Easy con. Make sure your dad and car is safe, report to Police.

Absolutely. Despite his insistence no one got past him I think it's sadly clear what's happened here.

 

[Srdl]

Ugh it does stink of foul play but my old man is adament they lifted the bonnet together.... However, I'm sure a dedicated scammer could get past an 80 year old, horrible as it is.

May well have had an accomplice who did it while your Dad was distracted by the other guy.

 

[Cirrus]

Just spoke to Roger at MercServe and you are all correct. It's definitely a scam as they've never had a head gasket on one of these OM642 engines.

They recommended putting a hose pipe into the reservoir tank and running so that the oil is floated out rather than remove the tank - fiddly job. Brake cleaner for the wider mess.

They've made a space on Thursday to check it over in shop. Top blokes as always.

 

[mioba]

Yes definitely. I'm going to have to flush the entire system now

make sure to use some
coolant system flush, use MB coolant - its 15 year - so due soon anyhow.

 

[bladecrazy]

could you not remove the header tank and clean it out, scammers !!

 

[Cirrus]

could you not remove the header tank and clean it out, scammers !!

Absolutely could do yes, but the lads at MercServe suggested this other technique first so will try that and see.

 

[alexanderfoti]

It looks to me like they have just chucked some oil over the Intake/fuel filter.

When they try and pull this, they love using old black oil and putting it in various places.

 

[Cirrus]

So, finally got back and sorted it. Short of the long is yes, it was 100% a scam.

The oil on the engine and in the coolant smelt like oil from a petrol engine, different from the oil inside the filler for example. I tried the hose method described by MercServe but it wasn't good enough, the inside of the tank was still oily so removed the reservoir and blasted it out with brake cleaner till it ran clear, then washed out out with detergent and finally rinsed clear with regular water.

While doing this I gave the coolant hoses a good squeeze to see if there was any evidence of oil having come through the lines - nothing at all - so the only way oil got in there was through the filler cap and not from a HG failure or cracked oil cooler.

After this the engine bay needed cleaning up.




The new seals for the PCV and the turbo from ebay weren't quite right, the PCV fit after a fight to the death (she's very tight) but the turbo seal was shorter and different so cleaned up the old one and refitted it for now.



Engine bay cleaned up and parts reassembled.



Topped up with coolant and taken for a test drive.
No faults or issues, just the smell of someone else's dirty oil burning off for the time being.

Ballache! Thanks again to everyone who chimed in to help, much appreciated.

I may well strip it down and replace the oil cooler and seals in the near future when I've got a clear 2 or 3 days seeing as the Internet tells me they will fail one day and there's bound to be oil that got further down.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Glad it worked out OK for you in the end, a lesson to us all when selling a car privately. The last car I sold privately the guy tried to short change me by £100 and tried to take the car without paying road tax online before he left - it’s a jungle out there unfortunately

 

[Blobcat]

Glad it worked out OK for you in the end, a lesson to us all when selling a car privately. The last car I sold privately the guy tried to short change me by £100 and tried to take the car without paying road tax online before he left - it’s a jungle out there unfortunately

Also remember to cancel your insurance before they drive off… otherwise if they have an accident it could be your insurance that gets claimed on (for 3rd party damages)

 

[mioba]

Glad you are sorted OP. wrt to doing the oil seals - if it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[daibevan]

Barstewards!!!!!
Glad you weren't caught. Sorry about all the agro it caused you.
Hanging is too good for them.