W211 E320 CDI Coolant Loss Mystery

Keep it, or not?

  • Let the supplying dealer have it back and find the fault and repair it, it is worth it

    Votes: 4 44.4%
  • Give the car back, it is a lemon and will never be right...

    Votes: 5 55.6%

  • Total voters
    9

MotardMan

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1995 E320T, S124, W124, Sportline
All,

We have had the car home for a week or less, some of that time it has been in the airport car park so not driven much. However, it has wanted over 5 litres of coolant adding in that time!

I cannot see a leak anywhere, and the coolant has been on before (in my first week of ownership actually). However, it now needs a top up of a half litre or so every 70 miles. There are no signs of a leak that I can see, and no steam from the underbonnet in this cold snap to indicate the coolant is escaping. No Mayo or butter on the oil filler cap.

I know the Valeo rads give trouble, but how do you ID one? I am gettinmg very, very, very fed up now as I have the car for only about two weeks of driving since I bought the thing in July! The rest of the time it has been in indies and stealers. The supplying dealer wants to collect it and I'd like to be able to tell him to keep the car and give my cash back, or leave him with a definitive list of items to work through at the MB stealer who has just had to for the ECU and fan replacement, plus the lower front arm replacement for the MOT. Prior to this it has had starter motor, Parktroinc repairs, thermostat and a full D+ service. The car is now like triggers broom and I don't want it to go on forever like this.

As I brought the coolant loss issue up early on in my ownership whilst the warranty was still good, will this work and any remedial steps required to fix it be honoured I wonder? Tempted to blow it back at him quoting "not fit for purpose"..
 

television

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That is a lot of water, and not any valeo problem, if there is no water under the car from a leak, then it must be going in the engine, there is nowhere else.

I can see the car going back
 
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MotardMan

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That is a lot of water, and not any valeo problem, if there is no water under the car from a leak, then it must be going in the engine, there is nowhere else.

I can see the car going back

No dipstick on these though, so I cannot even check to see if the sump is now full of coolant....
 

television

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You could unscrew the oil filter cap to see if any water bubbles
 
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MotardMan

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Engine off presumably?
 

television

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I would say yes unless you fancy an oil bath ;):D leave the car 10 mins after turning off
 
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MotardMan

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Is this unprecedented I wonder? The car runs high 90's on the temp gauge, but it would take a cracked block or cyl head to leak that much coolant, surely?

Where the heck is it going?
 

television

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I agree that it a lot,,but where is it going, it needs some more input from others
 

malcolm E53 AMG

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I had the coolant loss problem on the IL6 and added K-Seal which sorted it. I put the coolant loss down to the O-rings used around the EGR, water pump or a mild steel coolant pipe that runs at the back of the engine which corrodes. There was no evidence of coolant loss anywhere.

This occured years ago and K-Seal proved to be every bit as effective as the publicity blurb suggested without gunking up the coolant system.

Hope this helps!

By the way I'd keep the car sounds like you've sorted most of the probs.
 

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Thanks Malcolm,, I am a believer in Kseal and have used it in my V70R with perfect results
 
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MotardMan

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K Seal, not heard of that, but currently Googling it. Thanks Gentlemen, I really want to keep the car if possible...
 

television

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K Seal, not heard of that, but currently Googling it. Thanks Gentlemen, I really want to keep the car if possible...

It is good and the best one,,,, I would rather remove a top hose and pour it in rather than the top up tank
 
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MotardMan

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I had the coolant loss problem on the IL6 and added K-Seal which sorted it. I put the coolant loss down to the O-rings used around the EGR, water pump or a mild steel coolant pipe that runs at the back of the engine which corrodes. There was no evidence of coolant loss anywhere.

This occured years ago and K-Seal proved to be every bit as effective as the publicity blurb suggested without gunking up the coolant system.

Hope this helps!

By the way I'd keep the car sounds like you've sorted most of the probs.

I am having a really hard time believing that I can have put 5 litres of coolant in the car and there is no sign of it pouring out somewhere. Where can that amount of fluid go to? I guess you never found the cause. It is a worry.

I'll try the K-Seal and see how it goes from there. Thanks for the encouragement, appreciated.
 

Rockall

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My daughters 300d multivalve starting using coolant recently. Crawled all over it, checked heater, lifted mats - couldn't find a single drop anywhere - rad bone dry on the outside, gearbox fluid level constant, checked everything possible - and I am supposed to be the mechanical one!!

Took it to local garage to pressure test cooling system - 30 seconds later - nice steady stream coming out of the rad, which was drying immediately due to the heat and thus leaving no visible signs and only leaked with engine running. Euro 30 second hand rad from local breaker nearby - half an hour labour and that was four weeks ago. Car perfect and clocking big mileage - only difference is that car heater does not seem to get up to temp properly - next task!!!
Why is it that modern boyfriends know absolutely nothing about cars, finding the bonnet pull requires a degree in mechanical engineering and everything is back to Dad:)
 
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MotardMan

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  • #15
A pressure test was suggested by the supplying dealer. In fact, after this morning I reckon that would be a very good idea as there appears to be some fluid in the undertray! It could be that the car has been stranding in the rain for 3 days and the fluid is rain water, I'm oddly hopeful that it is coolant though. It is on the LHS of the tray as you peer in standing in front of the car though I am aware it could have run out of the engine and simply pooled where I can see it. It was not streaming though, even thogh it was only 6 degrees at 0730.

Where is the water pump on this IL6? Could it be a faulty/leaking pump?
 

television

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Always top right, I thank I can safely say that, the big top hose from the rad goes to it
 
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MotardMan

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  • #17
Fixed!

The dealer found a hose on the back of the expansion bottle had a clip that failed. This shot coolant into the space under the wiper mechanism which you cannot see. Clip replaced and so far, 2000 trouble free miles.

What a relief, and what a journey.

Thank you for all of the help and advice.
 
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MotardMan

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  • #18
Quick update. Car has not used any coolant at all since the clip was replaced. Job jobbed.
 

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