190E has oil in the water ?

[dles]

Hi - I'm new to the board and was wondering if someone could help?

My 1992 (110K miles) 190E has developed a problem, and oil is getting into the water. It appears in the expansion bottle but I took a few hoses off and its everywhere. Horrible brown sludge. I suspect head gasket, but did a compression test and all were 200psi.

Could it be a head gasket failure between the oil and water ways? Or could it be something else?

Obviously I would like to avoid head removal, but it's something I'm prepaired for having had the head of my old 405 diesel twice.

Strangely the oil only appears in the water, and no water seems to be getting into the oil (checked in oil filler and clean as a whistle).

Any views would be nice as appart from this the car is lovely.

Thanks

 

[jaymanek]

im stabbing here, but is there like an oil cooler pipe or something??

 

[GaryC]

Hello,

Sorry to tell u that......normally, oil in water is due to the blown head gasket, what u could do is to do a Compression test on each cylinder, then do a pressure test on the cooling system, and see whether there iare any thing go wrong....

hope this can help...

Gary!

 

[jack-n-gill]

head gasket???

dles!
As you think, I'd suspect the head gasket.
Looking at it logically, Oil pressure is usually much higher than coolant pressure, therefore, it is more likely that oil will be forced into the coolant tracks than vice-versa, if the gasket has let go between an oil way and the water jacket.
However, I've had experience of a Suzuki Vitara, all aluminium engine, which has a known fault in cracking the block between the water jacket and the sump at No.2 main bearing, thus leeching coolant into the sump, so it really could be anything.
You say there isn't water in the oil. Check the dipstick to see if there are any signs of rust on the stick itself, above oil level line,after the engine has been idle overnight. If there is any oxidation at all then there is water in the oil.
A tin of Holts Radweld in the coolant system may help as a temporary fix until you can get stuck into the (inevitable?) gasket replacement.
Keep a check on your oil level.
Hope this helps.

 

[grober]

Hi,
I have had 2 190e,s. Both had head gasket failures. :? One at 34,000 miles one at 110,000miles. This is quite a common problem with this engine. Renew the gasket asap, but make sure the head is not warped or it will fail again You might need to take it to a machine shop to get it skimmed. You might want to take the chance to renew the valve stem o-ring seals at the same time. The worst part of the cylinder head removal is the removal of the timing chain slide rail bearing bolts which require some sort of puller to remove them. good luck.

 

[Andy]

Hi

It is more than likely the headgasket. It will have deteriated due to lack of anti freeze changes. The anti corrosive properties have disappered over time. That the reason MB recommend changes every 2-3-4 years depending which service book you look at. You need to check the cylinder head for flatness, any marks around the cylinder head where the gaskets sits. Especially around number 4 cylinder. The surface of the block also needs checking.


We have had a few where the block is warped! If the cylinder head gasket is replaced & you have had the cyl head surfaced skimmed & it goes again in with 10k. Its more than likely the block.

By the way. Just because there wasn't a problem before.Does not necessarily means that you won't have a problem when you put it back together.

Sorry.


Good luck

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservercing.com

 

[jack-n-gill]

Andy Gayle

Anyone trying to contact Andy by using the link above should use this one instead. www.mercedesservicing.com

Sorry for treading on your toes Andy, but I tried the link and it's spelt incorrectly.

 

[Andy]

Thats the trouble with Mechanics. They can't spell!!!!!!!

Thanks for pointing it out.


Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com



PS. How embarassing. Can't spell my own website!!!

 

[Jeff T]

Is the car an automatic? If so it could be gearbox oil if the oil cooler in the bottom tank of the radiator has failed. It's unlikely but in my 25 years experience of most facets of the radiator trade, I have come across them.
I recently re-cored the radiator on my own 1990 190e (163k on the clock) and fitted a new oil cooler at the same time. Most oil coolers fitted in aftermarket radiators are made in China and are cheap and cheerful.
The only way to really check it is to remove the radiator and get the oil cooler tested by a radiator specialist.

Good luck

 

[television]

dles!
As you think, I'd suspect the head gasket.
Looking at it logically, Oil pressure is usually much higher than coolant pressure, therefore, it is more likely that oil will be forced into the coolant tracks than vice-versa, if the gasket has let go between an oil way and the water jacket.
However, I've had experience of a Suzuki Vitara, all aluminium engine, which has a known fault in cracking the block between the water jacket and the sump at No.2 main bearing, thus leeching coolant into the sump, so it really could be anything.
You say there isn't water in the oil. Check the dipstick to see if there are any signs of rust on the stick itself, above oil level line,after the engine has been idle overnight. If there is any oxidation at all then there is water in the oil.
A tin of Holts Radweld in the coolant system may help as a temporary fix until you can get stuck into the (inevitable?) gasket replacement.
Keep a check on your oil level.
Hope this helps.

To see if water is in the oil,there will be very small bubbles on the dip stick,and condensation/water drops inside the oil filler cap. Malcolm

 

[television]

Who long have you had the car ?,and was it like it when you bought it.Could it have had a new head gasket before you bought it, as no one cleans the water system.

I think I know what it could be, there is one high presure oil feed for the valve gear, this comes through the block to the head,there is normally an O ring fitted as a seal, the water jackets are not very far away. If the O ring broke it could let oil into the water. To see if this is feasable take a look at a new head gasket and you can see how far away the oil supply pipe is from the water holes.

If the water pump is cam driven it could be that.If The water pump is belt driven,it cant be that.

There is nothing else that I can think of. Malcolm

 

[television]

OIL in water

There is another thread going on the same thing, and it is head gasket.
Malcolm

 

[TheJim]

I had the exact same symptoms on mine- oil in coolant- I have the head off at the mo and the oil and water were mixing at the back near cylinder 4. This was by far the messiest part of the gasket. Hopefully my block is OK, now where did I leave my straight edge and feeler gauges.......

Good luck pal, I can sympathise!