Changing my intercooler

jbond1978

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I have a C250 TD from 98 with a leaky intercooler that has to be changed, as the car is intermittently without turbo power.

Could this be a DIY job? In the Haynes manual it says 'medium difficulty', but it also says that it involves removing the front bumper, and removing the radiator, which again involves removing cooling fan, clamping off ATF cooling hoses, draining the coolant reservoir, etc! :shock:

I'm not troubled by removing the front bumper, but removing the radiator and playing around with ATF hoses is a bit more worrying, not mentioning the difficulties of removing the cooling fan.

Does anyone have a diagram of the intercooler, and its immediate surroundings? Any tips or tricks?

A repair at MB would cost 580£, but if I can do it myself it is 150£ as I just bought an intercooler at that price... 580-150=430£, and I could really use those money for something else ;)

Best regards, Jens
 
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oigle

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I have a C250 TD from 98 with a leaky intercooler that has to be changed, as the car is intermittently without turbo power.

Could this be a DIY job? In the Haynes manual it says 'medium difficulty', but it also says that it involves removing the front bumper, and removing the radiator, which again involves removing cooling fan, clamping off ATF cooling hoses, draining the coolant reservoir, etc! :shock:

I'm not troubled by removing the front bumper, but removing the radiator and playing around with ATF hoses is a bit more worrying, not mentioning the difficulties of removing the cooling fan.

Does anyone have a diagram of the intercooler, and its immediate surroundings? Any tips or tricks?

A repair at MB would cost 580£, but if I can do it myself it is 150£ as I just bought an intercooler at that price... 580-150=430£, and I could really use those money for something else ;)

Best regards, Jens

I am surprised that you would be getting "intermittent" power loss from a leaking intercooler. Suggest that it should be a constant loss if the intercooler is at fault. Maybe you should consider that something else may be contributing to your intermittent power loss.
Can't help with the intercooler exchange as don't have that model.
 

octanejunkie

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I would expect consistent power loss too. Also failed intercoolers also often make a rushing noise from the leaky area. :?:
 
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jbond1978

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The car was diagnosed with a leak yesterday by MB.

Fault codes were:
P1479 Ansaugsdruck- oder Ladedruckregelung
P1630 Fahrberechtigungssignal

Also the mechanics told me, that they had pressurized the system, and they could hear the leak in the upper right side of the intercooler.

The error, as I experience it, is that when under pressure (speeds above approximately 70mph) the car goes into a sort of limp mode with no turbo. This continues even when slowing down. When restarting the car, limp mode goes away. At times there has been a blowing or rushing sound when accelerating hard.

After the test, driving away from the dealer, it had powerloss right from the beginning of the drive (almost as if they had blown a hole in the air system by doing the test?) - but today it behaved nicely.

Best regards, Jens
 
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oigle

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You most definitely have other problems. Don't know codes. Maybe one of the techies may be able to tell you what they mean. Could be a problem with the MAF sensor possibly.
Once you get those other issues sorted, maybe the intercooler leak may only be a minor problem - possibly could repair same rather than replace. Be earier and cheaper if you can get at it in place.
 
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jbond1978

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Thank you Oigle.

My car does not have a MAF, but a MAP (manifold air pressure) sensor - which can't be cleaned(?).

P1470 is 'Intake or pressure boost pressure control'.
P1630 is 'Drive authorization signal'.

What I'm going to do tomorrow:
- Change oil (Castrol Magnatec 10w 40) + oil filter
- Clean out EGR valve
- Check and perhaps clean out pipes next to EGR valve
- Change intercooler (as I do have a replacement)
- Check pipes around intercooler
- Check air filter
- Change fuel filter
- Perhaps check ATF level, if I'm so lucky to be allowed to buy a dipstick from local dealer.

It's going to be a fun day! :D

Any other P1470-relevant ideas for checking/cleaning while I'm at it?
 
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oigle

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Looks like a fun day for you. I am not an expert by any means on your model and was only generalising re your intermittent power loss. The fact that one of your codes relates to a manifold pressure malfunction could indicate a failure of your pressure sensor.
Really, I'm talking through my hat. Be much better if someone with more specific knowledge of your model were to contribute to this post ... any takers, guys??
 
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jbond1978

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Just an update on my 'fun' day with my car:

- Intercooler change: Nope! definitely not a straightforward DIY project. Radiator + fans must be removed.
- Oil change: No such thing. Could not get the oil plug to turn :mad:
- Fuel filter change: Done! Easy when you (after calling a friend) know, that it must be topped with diesel before change.
- EGR valve: had no time left. Must be done another day.

Going to visit an indie tomorrow - hoping that he can rescue my car.
 

oigle

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Oops!!!

**** happens sometimes. Get him to check out what else might be causing your intermittent performance loss too. Pretty sure it isn't a leaking intercooler.
 
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jbond1978

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Update: This evening the intercooler was changed... it involved changing freon in the AC, among other fun things.

I have been driving around in it, and the operation seems to have solved the issues I had - now I have no limp mode, a smoothly accelerating engine, and plenty of power ! I am happy ...so far.
 
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claicerrig

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I had a similar problem on my C220Cdi caused be a leaking Intercooler .

What happened on mine was the driver`s side end cap moved ever so slightly from the matrix allowing pressure to vent under acceleration every so often .
The only way i found it was by sealing the ends of the pipes with a rubber inner tube and jubilee clips and at the other sealing it with more inner tube with the inflation valve attached .
Pummped in approx 5-10psi of air with a bike pump and sprayed everything with soapy water and watched for bubbles . It was only when jiggling the pipes that i found the end cap moving and losing air pressure

Changed the intercooler and the problem was solved
 

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