arrrrrrrgh!

[Peter 300TE]

Bugger, I'm stuck and need some help fast. I only have five days left to fix the car and then I am mincemeat.

Trying to change the water pump after locating the source of coolant loss. (see leaks and groans). Have removed the radiator, fan, auxilary drive belt and just about eveything else in the vicinity of the pump however I am now getting a bit stuck.

How the heck do I get to the bolts holding the pump to the block. They appear to be hidden behind the inlet maifold. No surely I do not need to take that off as well after all its only a poor little water pump!

Any suggestions do I need a special tool or if I look at them sternly will they unscrew themselves?

Any suggestions would be greatly received especially by my children who think we are going away in it for easter (apart from the one which goes....you should have taken it to a garage....... as my wife has already used that one, constantly)

Cheers Peter

PS In despair I am going to hit the Stella

 

[Richard Moakes]

First check using mirrors and torch to see if you have normal bolts or 'allen' studs.

Second, if you have 13m bolts, order up a FLXM13 from SnapOn, trust me, it is the only way!

If you have allen studs, you will need a 1/4" drive ratchet, long extension bars and some 5 or 6mm 1/4" drive allen keys.

Make sure you have a new thermostat and seal, it makes sense to change these when you have it all apart.

Oh, make sure the new pump came with new small and large 'O' rings, you will need them when you put it all back together, and you did buy a genuine pump didn't you...? :roll:

This is a pig of a job, I have done it on M103 and M104 engines, and I didn't enjoy it either time!

Good Luck,

Richard
1989 W124 300E

 

[Orlando 300E]

Hello Buddy!
I'm just following your posts...
As I said before, I have changed almost everything in the cooling system -including the pump.

On the M103 (12 valve) engine Those 3 or 4 Allen bolts are a real soul destroyer after removing so much, but they do come out quite easily. I presume the 24 valve engine is similar. I did not need to remove the inlet manifold. I used a metric Allen key purchased at Halfords -you may need the ball end type; can not remeber if there is enough room on this job.
The Haynes manual gives a torque wrench figure for these bolts; you would have to have some very trick tools to do this- judge by hand!
Once you get the new pump in, your final challenge is remembering how all those other bits go back!!! :wink:

I agree with Richard, it?s a horrible job, but its V satisfying when you finally shut the bonnet.
Final note; bleed your cylinder head, a vertical bolt in the head to the right of the oil filler cap (well, it is on the M103 engine). I find a lot of air gets caught in there, for how long if you dont bleed -I dont know.
Good luck again, hope you beat the clock!
Orlando

PS Hit the Stella anyway!

 

[Peter 300TE]

ashamed

Sorry chaps thanks for the advice however its all back togeather now and heading for the dealers. I knew I had hit the brick wall when even with the lights and mirrors I could only find three bolts securing the pump.

So with head down low and a heavy heart I have had to admit defeat.

Never mind all is not lost though I have numerous scratches to both arms, oil embeded into my fingers and a thick ear where my wonderful wife clouted me for buying the thing in the first place.

 

[Richard Moakes]

Pity, you wouldn't believe the satisfaction in completing that job.

....and you were so close :cry:

Just remember, yes it is a Mercedes, it is better designed than just about any other car on the road, but all 10+ yr old cars have faults, you didn't buy a lemon.

My 1989 300E is on it's third pump at 120K, and my fathers 1995 E320 is on it's second. They just wear out, unless you start making them from unobtainium, (...is that what W123's are made of? :lol: ), you will end up replacing such parts occasionally.

Best of luck, hope the dealer is kind.

Regards,

Richard

1989 W124 300E

 

[Peter 300TE]

at £500 plus to have fitted at dealer I will be trying again

 

[Richard Moakes]

...and how much does the wife spend on clothes, shoes, hairdos etc...? :lol:

She should be grateful that you have the taste to drive such a nice car, and the courage to take it to bits.

Seriously though, do some searches on www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum plenty of people have posted step by step instructions on how to do this job. I read everything I could find for a couple of weeks before starting the job. It helped having a parts catalogue, official MB manuals etc..., those exploded diagrams tell a story when you can't see how it comes apart.

If you have 13mm hex head bolts then you MUST get the FLXM13 from SnapOn, they do next day mail order from their Webshop, it does cost £50, but it is a marvel of engineering.

A few months after I had done these pumps, I was visiting a local independent to have my tranmission fluid changed, he reckoned on doing the job in about 3-4 hours, and the secret was to remove the radiator to give extra room to work.

With the pump costing approx £120, and labour rates anywhere from £25 to £75 p/h, it's going to cost you to get it done for you.

If you don't feel confident, get Andy to do the job for you, Birmingham is not that far from Oxford.

Best of luck, it can be done.

Richard

1989 W124 300E