That's blown it.

[turnipsock]

Earlier this week, the coolant hose split between the block and heater matrix. I replaced this and took the chance to put in some Barr's Flush. I drove into town and back without any hint of over heating.

When I got home I switched off the engine and let it cool. I then went back to drain the system and when I loosend the radiator cap, I could hear water running out from somewhere.

It appears to be coming from the vicinity of the water pump. Could the Barr's Flush have damaged some seal in that area?

I need to get the water pump out and this doesn't look very easy. It's on the 320CE. Do I need to remove the injectors rail and the inlet manifold to get at the pump? It makes it a big job.

 

[Richard Moakes]

No need to remove injectors and inlet, but its a big job.

You need to move the power steering pump and belt tensioner out of the way, and then 'roll' the water pump away from the block.

Assuming you can remove the 4 bolts holding it to the block which is very tricky :-(

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

The four bolts look almost impossible to get out. I 've already taken the belt and the fan off already but it still looks tricky.

 

[turnipsock]

I spent a couple hours today on this an I'm not much further forward. I've unbolted the power steering pump but I can still only see the two top bolts on the water pump.

The only allen keys I can get onto the bolts is a 6mm allen key on a 1/4" drive.

 

[Richard Moakes]

You need a collection of 1/4 drive extension bars to reach it, along with a certain amount of good luck.

The earlier cars used 13mm bolts, and Snap-on makes a specific tool for this called FLXM13, not sure if they make one for the hex drive fitted to later cars.

I did say it was tricky ;-)

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[Richard Moakes]

This is the part for the 13m bolts

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...13&group_id=1328&supersede=&store=uk&tool=all

On my fathers car, which is the same as yours, i.e. M104 engine, we found that with an appropriate set of extensions, and a 3/8 drive hex key, we could reach all four bolts, but some had to be accessed from below and behind the water pump.

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

I have good selection of 1/4" drive extensions, but not many 3/8". I'll see what hellfords has to offer on the way home tonight.

I'm also confused about which water pump to buy on the Europarts site, though I haven't checked it with my engine number.

If I had a new pump, I would have a better idea as to what is going on.

 

[Richard Moakes]

Having done this job twice, once on an M104 and once on an M103, I can tell you it isn't a simple job.

Make sure whatever pump you get has the sealing o-ring between the pump and engine block in the box, one of mine didn't.

I decided on OEM parts from MB, given the difficulty of the job, genuine and hopefully reliable parts, seemed the way to go.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

I was thinking about getting the MB part, only to be sure I had the correct part and I wouldn't want have to go through the whole job again with a suspect part. I can replace the belt and some other bits at the same time.

Two bolts out now and I'm sure I can get a third out, even though the allan bolt is rounded.

The one I can't at is in behind the belt tensioner, did you have to take the tensioner out?

 

[Richard Moakes]

I am afraid the tensioner has to come out as well. Good time to check it and perhaps replace it, pay great attention to procedure when putting it back, getting the pointer wrong can lead to a busted tensioner.

The tensioner has a support arm which bolts into the timing cover, it is a thin pressed bit of metal, make sure you seal the bolt with something like hylomar when you put it all back, otherwise it will leak oil.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

The tensioner came out easy enough and the pump is out at last. I blocked off the hole that goes onto the block and filled up the pump, it's the pump seal for sure that is the problem.

£140 for a recon pump from the dealer though. This casts up another dilema. The replacement of the seal doesn't look that difficult, the only special tool required is to pull the impeller of the shaft.

Has anybody attemped to repair the pump themselves? Is there a kit of it?

 

[Richard Moakes]

Congrats on getting it out, it's one of the more interesting jobs on a W124 ;-)

I did wonder about the seal, but don't have the technology to change it, so will be interested to hear if you find a way to do it.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

I took the backplate off for a look, before I took it to the dealers. It looked an even simpler job then but I didn't risk it as my car has been off the road for a week already. It would be worth getting one from the scrapies to see if it was possible though.

I went for the more expensive pump from the dealers as I don't want to have to do this job again in a hurry. I also ordered up some new bolts and seals.

 

[turnipsock]

Got the pump now. It's got all the seals and stuff you need included.

I'm starting to put it all back together now. I don't think this will take very long.

I'm about to refit the belt tensioner (external damper type) and don't know what the plastic arrow is all about. Where should this be set to point before fitting it back onto the car?

I have a triangular mark, should the pointer be set to the offside or nearside limit?

(I was also buying some front brake pads, the dealer gave me 30% of these as they had to many in stock "If you know anybody else that needs these..." he said)

 

[turnipsock]

It's a thing of great beauty.

 

[MondeoMan]

It is - that should be in Tate Modern.

 

[Richard Moakes]

The pointer measures the 'tension' in the tensioner.

You will have noticed the pivot point is actually just a big rubber bush, and the front bolt just locks it into place when the tension has been set. All adjustment is done via the hollow bolt from the top.

When you have refitted the tensioner, the pointer on the plastic part must be lined up with the bottom of he sloping triangle on the metal part, you should be able to move the plastic bit so that it is in the right starting place.

As you apply tension to the belt using the hollow bolt, the pointer will move along the slope until it reaches the top, go no further than that, any further can wrench the rubber and destroy the tensioner.

Even if you do this right, there is always a risk that the rubber tensioner will break, they sometimes do, and your only option is a replacement.

Make sure you get the bolts and washers the right way round for the little hydraulic damper that is attached to the tensioner, you wouldn't believe how much they can rattle if the rubber bushes in the rings at each end get damaged.

Good Luck,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

I noticed that the hollow thing was right at the end of the adjustment when I took it off. I went to get a new belt as a precaution, however the dealer didn't have a belt this long and thought it had come from another source.

I have the Diavia A/C fitted but I would have thought it would still use an MB belt. I'll ask the dealer what the biggest belt is they have tonight.

It's rained here since Sunday so I haven't had much chance to work on this.

 

[Richard Moakes]

Dealer is pulling your chain!

Whether Diavia or genuine, the belt length will be the same.

Perhaps an incorrectly sized belt was fitted to the car already? Would explain the tensioner being at it's max adjustment.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[turnipsock]

I thought that the belt should be the same, but when the dealer checked the belts they had, nothing was as long as mine.

I got a slightly shorter one today, but it's just a too short. I've fitted the old belt for now. The numbers on the invoice MA011 997 86 92 030380

One other thing I noticed was some of the abrasive stuff that I used to flush the system was still in the elbow of the radiator. The first thing I'll have to do is flush the system to get rid of that.