W211 Worried off gearbox failure/coolant

daz10dazza

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Hi everyone, although not posted for a long time (car is running like a dream) I still continue to view this great forum, does make for some interesting reading.
As mentioned my car (E55 AMG) is running like a dream and has been, have no issues but there is one subject that is concerning me so please forgive my explanation - where I work next to me is an automatic gearbox specialist, he sees lots of E Classes with issues of coolant getting into the gearbox costing £000's to repair and keeps telling me to keep an eye on my car !!
First off all being a W211 will my car suffer with this known problem (believe its more common on the 320 ??
Secondly how do I know or check for a possible problem before something drastic happens later on ??
Can anyone explain what happens please, any help/info would be very much appreciated, thank you
 

television

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The Glycol saga :D:D This is a dead subject now, it was prominent a few years back and it affected some cars till the 31-09-2003.

It only affected some cars in the ranges and not all, if it has not happened as of yet I would not worry, the fault was on some Valeo rads where the crimping pierced the copper and allowed the engine coolant to get in the gearbox.

I do have a list of the cars and engines affected somewhere.
 
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daz10dazza

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Brill thanks for your reply television, I was wondering if there are any visual checks I can do ?? Cars now covered 63000, my neighbour who keeps mentioning this I'm not sure if he's just trying to worry me !!
Would be interested to hear more of your list covering cars/engines effected please. Thank you
 

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TV, list would be interesting to see, no doubt mine will be on it !
 
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daz10dazza

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Not due a service for about 3000 miles -
What do you replace it with, I mean is a different manufacturer used now for the rad ?? Thanks
 

television

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The valeo rad affected were up fixed after 30-09-2003

The 203 with engine 111,112,271,611,612.990, 646.
The 209 with engine 112,113,271,612
The 211 with engine 113,271,628,647,648

We have not had a faulty rad in a couple of years now and one must remember that any rad can fail no matter who made it
 
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daz10dazza

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Thanks TV, how do I know what engine no. I have ??
Do you think its a good idea to replace my rad to be on the safe side ??
 

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Thanks TV, how do I know what engine no. I have ??
Do you think its a good idea to replace my rad to be on the safe side ??

The 113 I think,, after all this time it cannot be a manufacturing fault, 10 years have passed by.

You could fit another and that could leak, there is just no way of knowing if it will or not.
 
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daz10dazza

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Fair comment, thank you very much for your help, it is greatly appreciated :D
 

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The slick way to avoid further worry is to detach the box coolant pipes from the rad connectors and join the 2 rad connectors together to close that circuit. Then source a simple air cooled oil cooler and mount it in front of the condenser (in the grille aperture), connecting the gearbox feed and return lines you disconnected earlier to it. Job done. You still have box cooling; you have very little box oil warming, which may be useful in very cold climates, but in UK and S France I have found no difference in box changeing behaviour. 40000 miles now (160,000 in total) and runs beautifully.
 

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The valeo rad affected were up fixed after 30-09-2003

The 203 with engine 111,112,271,611,612.990, 646.
The 209 with engine 112,113,271,612
The 211 with engine 113,271,628,647,648

We have not had a faulty rad in a couple of years now and one must remember that any rad can fail no matter who made it
TV, is this part of the chassis number?

The 203 with engine 111,112,271,611,612.990, 646
 

whitenemesis

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203 is part of the VIN and denotes the model. 111, 112 etc are part of the engine number
 

Xtractorfan

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A replacement radiator is much cheaper than a replacement gearbox and torque convertor.
 

television

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A replacement radiator is much cheaper than a replacement gearbox and torque convertor.

After 10 years for a manufacturing fault that did not affect all, a fluid change and rad fixed 95% of them
 
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daz10dazza

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I'm more confused now lol, agree that changing the rad may not make any difference, the car is used every single day and like TV has said after 10 years and no probs so maybe worth leaving alone, don't know
 

Pathfinder

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Since I joined the forum, I never even knew about this radiator problem. I must have missed any postings on it.

My chassis No. begins with WDB 203 0612 F044..... does this mean that I have this dodgy radiator?
 
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television

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A C240 means you have the 112 engine, and again why worry after all this time.

The symptoms are when leaking. A humming or droning when pulling lightly in top at engine RPM of between 1500 and 2500 rpm.
 

Pathfinder

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I won't worry but I will think about it often.
 
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