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So in another thread I was mentioning that my leak free GL just started a leak at 78k miles. At ALXs suggestion I took off the intake and super cleaned the turbo inlet gasket and the little tube gasket right before it. There was a mist of oil in that area but no real leak could be seen . I buttoned that area back up and gave the underbelly a detail clean with brake cleaner to start watching from where oil may show up. Had the little lady drive it for two days and I had a good look under it today and I unfortunately see oil. It is dripping off the transmission oil cooler lines as they pass under the bell housing. I looked inside the rubber bell housing plug and it was clean and dry inside, so I do not think rear main seal.
If it is the oil cooler seals I cannot see any oil in the valley (under fuel filter), but it may be going out the back?
How much have others paid for this? How many hours on the MB book is this work call for? I am adventurous but I don't think I want to tackle the intake removal etc.!
Typically on the '07-'08s the oil cooler leak (really a seal leak between the cooler and the block) was only really apparent 'out the back' and is very difficult to spot unless it is really bad and oil is pouring off the back and over the top of the bell housing. I had THOUGHT they had it fixed by putting a new type of upgraded O-ring (oval) gasket in place. But maybe not!
Yours is the first I've heard of on a '11.
Turns out oil cooler seals = $2,300.00
also noted the motor mount arms are leaking the gray grease, $1,700.00 Parts only.
I am passing on the motor arms but gotta do the cooler seals. It is weird that the seals went within 2 months of going over to the new lighter oil from the 5/40 MB1. Using the 229.52 approved 5/30 Mercedes Branded oil now.
the seals have been leaking for a while, but not enough for your truck to mark its territory
the thinner oil just made the leak worse so you saw it on your driveway.
the engine mounts - get them done sooner rather than later as a misplaced engine/ tranny will put strange twists on the driveshaft resulting in some expensive bearings and other assorted reciprocating hardware fore and aft of the central diff failing sooner than it would normally.
btw, if you have a good tool set and are not afraid to get dirty i say you go for the seals. there are a few dyi on the subject and we are also here to help
the engine mounts on the v6 are easy, but better left to a competent garage/ dealer as they require some engine/ tranny finagling
Picked up the GL350 from dealer yesterday. Had cooler seals replaced and also asked them to replace the motor that actuates the intake butterfly's while everything was apart.
Alx, thanks for the suggestion on the motor mounts. They said it was the motor mount "arms" which the actual mounts attach to. They said the two parts are 1400.00? Not sure, I will shop around for the parts.
Hoping now I have replaced timing chain, alternator, oil cooler seals that I am good til 100k when I am going to replace all the air struts. Hope so anyway! Thanks for the input everyone....
Gotta keep the GL running for pulling my Airstream!
Me too... My 2011 GL 350 is currently at around 50,000 miles. Like Krusty, I also tow an Airstream with it.
CEL came on last week - pulled codes P2454 and P2454D which are indicative of a failed exhaust sensor that is related to the diesel particulate filter. I have an extended warranty, so dropped off at the dealership.
They called me to let me know that the engine oil cooler is also leaking and they will replace the seal.
I had just changed over to the new MB spec oil too...
Only other complaint is I continue to have a recurring problem with the truck where about once a month for the last two years where it drops into engine limp mode - no codes, no CEL - just a major loss of power - it feels like the turbo is disabled when this is going on. The dealer has been unable to diagnose or fix, even then I brought it in with the condition happening and they attached it to their equipment to see if they could figure it out. Turning the truck off and on again clears the condition. They basically said they don't know where to start, and they won't just replace everything.
I've never purchased an extended warranty before - thank goodness for this forum that made it clear that one is absolutely necessary for this truck, and also helped figure out how to get a great deal on it.
ddruker, good call on the extended warranty! When they have that intake off you should replacing the motor that runs the variable intake linkage. I think it was around 400 bucks but will save you going back in there maybe.
that's an odd issue with the limp mode. Hope they can get it figured out.
Had my gl back for just a few days when I started hearing a high pitched whine under acceleration. Took it back in, first they diagnosed an exhaust leak, so they installed a new down pipe and gasket, problem still not resolved so now they think the turbo bearings have gone bad so they are replacing the turbo. I asked the service manager if he thought the tech screwed up the oil cooler seal repair and caused the turbo to get starved for lubrication, he waived it off. Since I have extended warranty I don't really care - but your thoughts? Could the engine oil cooler repair end up with a damaged exhaust system and a damaged turbo bearing? Or maybe the bearings were already going and exhaust leak just let me hear it more obviously? Should I be digging into anything else? Thank goodness for the extended warranty, I can't imagine how much a new turbo charger would cost...
The exhaust leak could definitely be caused by the oil cooler repair as all of the intake and inter cooler charge pipe have to come off. My worry on the oil cooler job is cleanliness when this job is performed. You essentially have 4 oil ports open and any trash can get down in there. I have been following this engine since 2007 and I have had three of them, turbo problems are not common at all.
I feel your pain though. I heard a strange "groan" from the front left suspension today for the first time. Sounded like a bad ball joint noise, gotta have a look.
I too have a groan on the front left suspension but not during suspension cycling but under braking. I was eyeing up the large rubber isolators at each end of the lower A-arm.
A groan from the front under deceleration is usually the front diff. Change the diff oil and pray. It sounds from the left because the diff is offset to the left.
Got my GL350 back yesterday. They went in to replace the turbocharger, and when they were disassembling they found more exhaust components that had not been re-installed correctly when they replaced the engine oil cooler seals last week - I think on the EGR side this time, after they had already identified the tech screwed up on the exhaust downpipe earlier in the week. So turns out the loud whining noise I was hearing was not a bad turbo bearing, just the highly trained Mercedes technician failed to properly do his job right in the first place...
Makes me laugh kind of - there are so many folks that say "how can you possibly work on this truck yourself (ok they always call it a car, but that's another rant of mine) - it takes a highly trained German mastermind." Guess they are not so perfect either.
We picked up our 2012 GL350 in May with 78k miles. Just got the bad news during the 88k service that the oil cooler seals are leaking. Quote from the stealer was $2600, willing to discount to $2200.
I'm having an Indy do the work for $1200.
Sucks they just replaced all the oil since that gets changed during the service. My quote showed 16 hours of labor for the job.
I just replaced the rear pads and rotors as well as bled the brakes today. New fuel filter will go during the oil seal replacement.
Overall we've been happy with it but this oil leak was a heart breaker.
I had a 2009 Ml320 with all the oil leaks at 50K miles and resolved by the dealer .... Currently I have a 2012 Gl350 with only 24K miles on it, so no oil leaks yet ... and I am not happy to hear that people are still having these issues. I had read this problem was fixed by a new o-ring formulation for the late 2010 V6 diesels. There was mention about getting an extended warranty on the cheap. Can you let me know what was done to get this deal / offer?
Makes me laugh kind of - there are so many folks that say "how can you possibly work on this truck yourself (ok they always call it a car, but that's another rant of mine) - it takes a highly trained German mastermind." Guess they are not so perfect either.
Cracks me up too, I hate bringing any of my vehicles to any dealer. Mostly DIY.
My 2012 GL 350 has 47,800 miles and noticed a drop of oil on the garage floor the other day. While my son was napping I put it up in the air and dropped the pan. OP, did yours look anything like this?
Looking back towards the rear of the vehicle
Driver's side (USA) looking up towards the turbo.
Driver's side (USA) just above front drive shaft.
I have 2200 miles left on the warranty so it's going in Tuesday. Funny thing was that I really was under there trying to find a "clunk" in the front passenger side but I can't make anything budge. They're going to have to find that too while it's in there. This leak is significant enough that the belly pan was fairly full, but not bad enough that the dipstick is showing much of a decrease in volume. It looks to me like the oil came down the transmission bell housing from the driver's side but the oil up has baked off or gravity pulled it down and it collected where there isn't as much heat. I cleaned it off really well so the techs should be able to get a good look at it.
I've never bought an extended warranty before but this dog has me tempted...
My 2012 GL 350 has 47,800 miles and noticed a drop of oil on the garage floor the other day. While my son was napping I put it up in the air and dropped the pan. OP, did yours look anything like this?
Looking back towards the rear of the vehicle
Driver's side (USA) looking up towards the turbo.
Driver's side (USA) just above front drive shaft.
I have 2200 miles left on the warranty so it's going in Tuesday. Funny thing was that I really was under there trying to find a "clunk" in the front passenger side but I can't make anything budge. They're going to have to find that too while it's in there. This leak is significant enough that the belly pan was fairly full, but not bad enough that the dipstick is showing much of a decrease in volume. It looks to me like the oil came down the transmission bell housing from the driver's side but the oil up has baked off or gravity pulled it down and it collected where there isn't as much heat. I cleaned it off really well so the techs should be able to get a good look at it.
I've never bought an extended warranty before but this dog has me tempted...
FWIW I would have left it for the tech to see, but nonetheless it's a significant leak.
Sak, mine was not quite that oily, but it was definitely coming down the side of the bell housing. At first I thought it was the rear main but I popped out the drain plug rubber plug on the trans and it was bone dry on the bell housing interior.
Sure enough it was my oil cooler. They will replace the plastic noise suppressing belly pan if it is oil soaked. Dude, I never bought a extended warranty either but I wish I had. I truly love the truck and MB construction but mine seems to be "tender".....
When I bought it I had the intention to go to 300k, we will see!!
08-16-2015, 11:21 PM
