joderest
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2018
- Messages
- 1,286
- Reaction score
- 813
- Your Mercedes
- ML270 2003
Hi all.
Daughters Mini had a very bad oil leak, sump covered in oil after about 10 miles driving. Thought it was the sump leaking, but turned out to be a really stupidly designed location of the oil filter housing. It is located behind the catalytic converter, front of engine, and is a known oil leak. Garage wanted £700 from Daughter to fit new seal !!!!, WOW.
So, long process cut short, Thursday, on the drive, jack up front, axel stands under car. Wheels off, both front wheel arch liners out (not an easy job, putting them back harder !) both front wing black trims off ( there is a bolt under them which needs to be removed) Then, front bumper off, headlights released, Radiator support bracket un bolted, any wires attached to the support released, Front subframe to front support unbolted, whole lot moved forward about 10cm. Thats the easy bit out of the way, disconnect exhaust at flexy pipe (angle grinder took care of the rusted nut and bolt) unbolt heat shields then remove top O2 sensor and disconnect lower one , unbolt and remove exhaust manifold along with the catalytic converter. Then the oil filter housing can be seen, clear up all the oil, then four bolts takes off the housing, replace the £10 rubber seal, then put the whole lot back together again !!!
Whilst i was there, new aux belt fitted (how the old one was staying together was beyond me ) and also fitted a new air con condenser, as old one falling apart ( hence why she had no air con for nearly two years). Total time spent 12 hours (i am getting slow in my old age) total for parts £200 (which includes condenser and a gas recharge, exhaust manifold gaskets, new oil, oil filter, aux belt, coolant and spark plugs.
My point is, its a pig of a job, its not only Mercedes that are a bit difficult.
Daughters Mini had a very bad oil leak, sump covered in oil after about 10 miles driving. Thought it was the sump leaking, but turned out to be a really stupidly designed location of the oil filter housing. It is located behind the catalytic converter, front of engine, and is a known oil leak. Garage wanted £700 from Daughter to fit new seal !!!!, WOW.
So, long process cut short, Thursday, on the drive, jack up front, axel stands under car. Wheels off, both front wheel arch liners out (not an easy job, putting them back harder !) both front wing black trims off ( there is a bolt under them which needs to be removed) Then, front bumper off, headlights released, Radiator support bracket un bolted, any wires attached to the support released, Front subframe to front support unbolted, whole lot moved forward about 10cm. Thats the easy bit out of the way, disconnect exhaust at flexy pipe (angle grinder took care of the rusted nut and bolt) unbolt heat shields then remove top O2 sensor and disconnect lower one , unbolt and remove exhaust manifold along with the catalytic converter. Then the oil filter housing can be seen, clear up all the oil, then four bolts takes off the housing, replace the £10 rubber seal, then put the whole lot back together again !!!
Whilst i was there, new aux belt fitted (how the old one was staying together was beyond me ) and also fitted a new air con condenser, as old one falling apart ( hence why she had no air con for nearly two years). Total time spent 12 hours (i am getting slow in my old age) total for parts £200 (which includes condenser and a gas recharge, exhaust manifold gaskets, new oil, oil filter, aux belt, coolant and spark plugs.
My point is, its a pig of a job, its not only Mercedes that are a bit difficult.
