Burning Water / losing water W460
OK, so fixed my tappets but the 230GE engine is somehow losing water from the radiator
Noticed when stationary for a while that the temperature crept up and down again when moving and getting airflow. Topped up with about 2 litres of water and all fine again but the water is getting out somewhere, slowly.
Garage did a pressure test on the system and found no leaks. They flushed the radiator and the water was a little mucky. Now monitoring to see how much it loses and wondering how.
Possible head gasket? Is there a way to test for that?
Have you checked the little hole underneath the water pump? When water comes out here it's a warning that the bearing is in the process of failing in the pump.
There are tests available to check for head gasket leaks.
Head gasket leaks can be either a breach in the gasket from one or more cylinders into the coolant system eventually over pressurising the coolant system where one of the checks is to squeeze the top radiator hose and feel how over pressurised it is. One needs to be able to distinguish between normal pressure and over pressurising .
Using a block tester in such cases confirms ingress of combustion gases in the system which would show up in the changing of a dye colour added into the tester apparatus. The second method is to carefully sniff the gases hovering on top of the coolant level with an exhaust gas analyser such as used by MOT Testers and note the hydro-carbon level registering.
The other way head gaskets may leak is a breach between head gasket and an oil/coolant passage way. Here, oil either contaminates the coolant system or leaks externally from the between the block the cylinder head. Engine oil may become contaminated with water ingress turning the oil into a mousse.
Oil in coolant needs to be approached with some caution in particular where gearbox and engine oil coolers may be inbuilt into the coolant radiator as oil breach could be from these areas and not necessarily from the head gasket but I think in the case of the 230GE the coolant radiator is just that a coolant radiator.
Water loss from the water pump is possible and could be more difficult to identify as in some cases a water pump leaks can be self sealing in so far that coolant only leaks at certain temperatures during engine warm up and cool down, out side those temperatures the leak self seals. Look out for water stains as mentioned in the above thread from a hole underneath the water pump body. Or look in this area shortly after the engine either warms ups of cools down for water seepage.
Check your coolant level regularly and frequently on a cold engine!
Get a garage in the know to do a cylinder leakage test - basically it is shoving air in the cylinders and checking for where it leaks out. If as you suspect it is head gasket into coolant, the coolant system would be boiling it with the pressure leakage.
Heads only warp if over heated; many in the trade go for skimming the head to cover their backs but in all the years of my trade experience I have had only one head skimmed - on a Renault. Not saying yours may not be warped, but I suggest to check for its alignment before dashing to have the head skimmed. On G-Wagens it is the exhaust manifolds that warp and more likely on the split manifolds of the 280GE.
Hi, sounds like a total nightmare, I can see you are in Oxfordshire, there is a Merc specialist close to me in Northants, H A Lock, very old school but they only deal with Mercedes, the number is 01933 313077, if it's not too far you might want to give them a call
Broken Camshaft on a 230 is not impossible been there and done it. If it is the camshaft not the end of the world. I found a replacement at Eurocarparts. Had the head gasket changed head skimmed, new valves and guides and 6 years later all is still well on an engine that has done over 200K.
Now if it ascertained an engine is required then in my opinion it would be cheaper overall to fit in to yours a engine from a saloon if available. Note: An engine from a saloon would be of higher compression compares to those fitted to the G's in general.
To check, as you suspect the crankshaft bearings, then the sump can be dropped to check this out - need not be an engine out at this stage.
As far as diagnosis of the head is concerned, I still favor a cylinder leakage test and if need be an inspection with a borescope.
Should you be struggling to find a local garage then I know of a good one in Loughborough, East Midlands. PM me only if you are at a dead end.
No compression in No3 cylinder can mean that the valve/s is stuck open. Check the camshaft or chain is not broken. Knocking can mean that the piston is hitting the valves on the up strokes as the timing is out.
Refurbishing the engine?? try Crew Engines, tehy are MB experts on remanufacturing.
Can' t some one on here, offer an engine? Speak to Pete at Damas Mercedes, near Chesterfield , knows everything about MB engines, just make sure you know engine codes
Thank you for the up date.
Head skimming often is too a standand practice in my view and not always necessary, I re-iterate the industry has taken to this practice regardless just to cover themselves.
Rakesh
Have you contacted Pete at Damas Mercedes Chesterfield , he knows everything about MB engines, very likely all you will need to swap is sump and oil pump from your engine to a car spec 123?
Hi
Have been following your sorry tale
I don't have much mechanical knowledge but there is/was a 230ge engine and autobox for sale on the 'other' g site
it's in Ireland and condition unknown but it's cheap.
good luck
Not able to cut/paste link but if you go to the G-Wagen Register site you'll find it under parts for sale
Thanks for the insights.
Well its losing about a litre of water a day. Not seeing any drips but will check that water pump.
When warmed up, its very smoky and this doesn't bode well. More than just leaky valve stems methinks.
I am going to get the water test kit to be sure. If it is head gasket, that means disconnecting the exhaust manifold, and a lot more besides, and in addition, it could be worse - a warped head that needs skimming ?