W124 300TE - Just Gone BANG - HELP!!!!

[LostThePlot]

Hi Folks,

Just been dropped off by the flatbed after my car's pulley belt let go in a big way on the M3.

Coolant everwhere, and a shredded belt under the bonnet.

Too dark to see but seems I've either shredded a coolant hose, or it's damaged the rad, as there was a fair mix of coolant on the flatbed when it was dropped off.

Questions
1) I assume the engine SHOULD be OK
2) Is fitting a new belt quite straightforward, or is a special tensioner required?
3) As thi has happened is there anything I shoud lcheck while undertaking the rpelacment of the belt?

Thanks

NOw, off to have a large drink and moap about the house..

 

[television]

The chances hopefully will only be the water pump broken up, we have had 3 this last few months, that's why the belt broke, it may have damaged the rad but impossible to say,and you will see that in the morning. If the rad is damaged, then a local firm can re core it. Re the rest of the details wait till morning, do not think it will be the Idler, but who knows at this stage

Sorry to hear about it and good luck.

malcolm

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

Had this happen to my van while under warranty. The hardest part would have been routing the new belt if I had been doing it myself as it goes round about 5 pulleys(crank, alternator, water pump, aircon and powersteering pump), 2 idler pulleys and a springloaded tensioner pulley. As soon as it was replaced I was out with pen and paper making a note of which way it ran. Luckily it didn't do other damage.

In my case one of the tensioner pulleys had seized (mercedes had steamed the engine during a previous warranty job and I reckon that caused it). When you replace the belt, check any idler/tensioner pulleys for roughness and if in any doubt change them or just change them anyway if you want peace of mind. Your coolant could perhaps be coming from the waterpump? if that has failed and seized it could perhaps leak and I seem to remember something about some mercs having plastic impellors in the water pump which can detach and break up. On the other hand it could indeed be damage to a hose or heaven forbid, the radiator.

 

[Stircrazy]

If I was you I would go and get Haynes Manual No 3253 ISBN 1 85960 253 3.

There are different marks to line up when fitting and tensioning the belt depending on different models.

Even the order how the belt feeds round the pulleys is not obvious looking from the top.

Or if you are experienced in this sort of job you could just wing it!

 

[Stircrazy]

Yes the water pumps do chuck it too!

Mine went a couple of weeks ago and started leaking like a mad thing.

Altough cavitated when pumping steam when water all ran out!

Toally U/S! But did not seize so belt intact.

 

[Sprint'n'Go]

There are different marks to line up when fitting and tensioning the belt depending on different models!

I thought all mercedes ran timing chains rather than belt and external anciliary belts shouldn't need timing although I must admit I am not familiar with the model in question.

 

[Stircrazy]

They are not timing marks, they are for tensioning the belt.

It has so many runs you can't just twist the longest run at the midpoint to check.

 

[Stircrazy]

In my case one of the tensioner pulleys had seized (mercedes had steamed the engine during a previous warranty job and I reckon that caused it.

Just wondering Sprint, why do you think the steam clean made a pulley seize?

 

[Blobcat]

I would hazard a guess at the grease being blown out of the bearings. Very common on bikes, well the japanese don't use grease anyway it makes a mess in their nice clean factories.

 

[Stircrazy]

Well I have never steamcleaned a bike in my life!

Very common?

grease blown out by steam?

 

[Blobcat]

notchy head bearings (excluding the landings from wheelies) and wheel bearings all fail on bikes partly due to cleaning and partly due to the lack of grease in the first place.

Steam melts the grease it then gets blown out. Similar to boat trailers, the brakes/wheels are hot when they get reversed into the water the wheel bearing grease then gets washed out and your wheel falls off on the drive home.

 

[Stircrazy]

Ah well you will buy modern bikes!

That's mass production for you and the Japanese invented it!

Having said that I have been HONDA fan for many years.