313 2013 2.1 Sprinter Coolant Leak

[Doc.]

Hi all.

Daughter's Van playing up again.
It still has a couple of Fault Codes showing (see https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/...t-fault-codes-2013-313-sprinter-l3-h3.199741/ ), but it was still driveable . . . was!

It's now sprung a Coolant Leak, and I'm not familiar enough with the Component Locations to take a guess as to the culprit.
L/H side of Engine, it's dripping down from somewhere above the Engine Mount, onto the Intercooler Hose.
Can't see anything wet high up, so I think it's fairly close to the Eng Mount, above it, and slightly behind from the look of it.

I'll need to get it home from her place, so I can take a better look at it, especially behind the Wheel Arch Liners.

Any clues as to likely locations/components from the description?

Thanks as always.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Common locations on this engine, in order.

water pump (not yours)
Fuel filter housing seal, where it goes into the head (likely to be yours, updated part available from MB)
EGR cooler brackets (that crack where people have done things incorrectly.
Thermostat housing.

 

[Doc.]

Thanks Alexander.
EGR has not been touched in the (almost) 3yrs She's had it, so I'm guessing it's not going to be that.

Fuel Filter Housing and Thermostat Housing, are they both in that general area?

This one I presume?


Is there a diagram somewhere showing the Engine Component Locations?
I've searched a fair bit, with no luck.
Would be handy for future issues.

 

[Doc.]

OK.
You were spot-on Alexander.



As you can see, part of the Inner Lip has broken away. F**k knows why, Seal had folded into the resulting gap slightly, hence the Leak.

What an absolute pain to remove that was, so many Pipes/Hoses/Connectors/Brackets/Clips etc etc to remove, makes me determined to never own any vehicle less than 20yrs old or so . . .


Intake Housing is pretty gunked-up, is that to be expected, or does it point to an Oil Leak somewhere?



Throttle Plate itself is fairly clean, just a bit of Oily/Grimy deposit on one side.

EDIT When searching for the Part Number (A6512001056), it's showing two different Types.
Both look to be indentical, other than the number of Bolts at the Seal Flange area.

Mine has two Bolts, but some sites are showing a 3-Bolt Flange, like so . . .



Can this Part be used, with the 3rd Bolt picking up on one of the Manifold Bolt Positions?

 

[Doc.]

I hope I never meet a car/van designer.
I can't afford to go to Prison for 10+ yrs for Grievous Bodily Harm . . .


I need to seal these two surfaces together, shall I specify a Paper Gasket that just about anyone can knock up for pennies?
Nah, I'll make it a one-time-use pressed Alloy part that costs £10+.

Ah, A Rubber Hose, well proven and dirt-cheap Jubilee Clips for the ends?
Nah, I'll devise a ridiculously complex Wire Puzzle that will take a trained Octopus to remove, and I'll position them so they can't be reached from above or below.

Hmm, another part to seal, shall I use a 50p O-Ring?
Nah, I'll make it a specially formed shape so it'll cost upwards of £15.

 

[Doc.]

OK.
Almost all finished now.
I stripped off the EGR Assembly, back to the Joint behind the Engine, cleaned everything up, reassembled.
Removed the DPF, Blanked the aft end, and the Sensor/Hose Ports, and treated it to a 5 litre dose of Wynn's DPF Cleaner, left it overnight.
Flushed it through, but was only getting a Trickle through, both directions, no amount of flushing would improve it.
Gave it another overnight soak with another 5 litres of Wynn's.
Much better, flowed fairly well in the 'normal' direction, took a while to flow properly in the reverse direction, but got there in the end.

Also took a look at the PCV Valve Diaphragm, as there was a lot of Oil over the lower Intercooler Hose, and in the Intake Manifold and Hoses.
Diaphragm is fine though, clean and flexible, no damage, so where is all the Oil coming from I wonder?

Is there anything else that can go wrong with the PCV System?

I'm tempted to modify it so it goes into a Catch-Tank instead of into the Turbo Inlet Pipe.