Glyn M Ruck

Pleasure.

Moviela

I would not remove the thermostat, nor let it get dry by removing coolant. When you do that the moving parts of the thermostat quickly rust and it will not work right again. I don't know why the Germans can't make a thermostat that does not work if it becomes dry, or an oil sensor that does not leak.

The clip is held in place by the wings on the thermostat housing. you need to simply loosen the Torx bolts until the clip slides up. Notice the flange on the thermostat housing has a radius that allows you to pull out the temperature sensor without removing the thermostat housing. Very clever those Germans. If you get the sensor at the dealer, buy the clip too. That will insure you don't loose or break the original one.

Good luck.

Glyn M Ruck

+1^. All you need to do is loosen the Torx. You will loose a little bit of coolant changing the sensor.

DaODB

Well, went to the dealership and he wouldn't quote me on what he believes the cost of repair would be for a Coolant Temperature Sensor. He gave me the same ol' spiel about how they need to diagnose it before he tells me anything, yada yada.

I was dumb and forgot my VIN number to see how much parts would be, but I am about to head back up there.

Also, I have done mathematics on what the charges will be if I do end up taking it to a shop.

The independent Mercedes shop places their diagnostic fee on top of the service, so that is out of the picture.

I got a quote from a towing company, because all the mechanics have said I should not attempt to drive it. To take it to the Mercedes dealer, it will be $75. The diagnostic is $110, and they remove it if I get it serviced. If I don't get it fixed that's another $75 to bring the car back to my house, which is about $300 total without my car being fixed.

I called "John and Son's" mechanic shop, in which my brother acclaims them very greatly, and he said it will be $40 for a diagnostic. He also recommended a tow truck, but I live maybe a mile away from him, so I wouldn't expect it to be very high in price. I'm sure he'd let me keep the car there until I make any decisions after the diagnostic, because I have developed an owner-client relationship after taking it to him over the AC Compressor/Power Steering Pump whirring mystery.

I am just kind of nervous to take it to a mechanic that doesn't specialize in Mercedes, that is all. But if it really does end up being this Coolant Temperature Sensor, they should undoubtedly be able to do it, considering the simple instructions you gave me!

Glyn M Ruck

Anybody can change the sensor. Unless you have a damaged engine harness which is extremely unlikely you have to change the sensor. You have no temp gauge! plus the ECU uses that sensor for mixture enrichment. You could have more than one thing wrong but until you fix this you won't know.

Have you unplugged the sensor & cleaned the contacts?

DaODB

I have not yet. I still have to get a torx screw and some electric cleaner.

See the big what if for me is, that I may do this replacement and nothing happens and my car is still undriveable at my house. Or, I try to replace it and mess something else up like how this all begun from me just simply trying to clean the MAF sensor. I realize that the operation should be fairly simple, but it's just the fact I still have to get someone to taxi me around all over to pick up all of the items needed.

I did get priced $22 for a sensor, and $24 for coolant. Would I need to buy this much coolant if I will lose just a little bit?

EDIT: Also, is it really as simple as unplugging the old one and plugging in the new one? I'll spray it with some electrical cleaner, too.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes it is as simple as unplugging the old one & plugging in the new one.

I have owned a whole series of Opels/Holdens in my life as company cars that use Bosch fuel injection. Every one of them at some time in it's life has started running erratically, overfuelling & coughing clouds of black smoke out of the exhaust. In every case it has been the temperature sensor & the ECU thinking that the engine was cold & in need of mixture enrichment. At least Benz uses a 2 wire temp sensor. In the Opel case they use a 1 wire sensor & expect the engine manifold to make the circuit (earth). In the Opels it is a brass sensor screwed into an aluminium manifold. Brass in Aluminium catalyses corrosion so the sensor loses earth & does not work.

johnand

Can I suggest you add your location to your profile? Maybe some other forum member in your area can help you through your hesitation of changing the sensor yourself?

DaODB

Lol, I added my location now. Tallahassee, FL.

I have been convinced, so no worries there will be no more posts until I actually do this stinkin' thing.

johnand

Good Luck!

DaODB

Sadly, after most all of my day spent towards this... it did not work. I am going to make an appointment and just take it in. Lots of white smoke now, trouble starting... no idea what the heck is going on. I took some videos if it would help.

Saw a old car for about 1200 at a used lot.... maybe looking like my fit... lol

Glyn M Ruck

Does your temp gauge now work?

DaODB

Still does not. Could the wires possibly be out?

White smoke from the tail pipe seems to be turning up to be Head Gasket failures from what it appears on Google. Not a good sign at all. Even the Carbon Monoxide is odorless, I would say that the smell from the tail pipe has the same scent as any other car. Maybe a burnt plastic smell, which did appear sometimes while I first started the car in the mornings.

I did find an old sheet of the diagnostics a year ago when they replaced the valve gasket covers. Not sure if this would help me at all at the dealer considering the Head and Valves are different.

I am uploading a video soon to give you a visual

DaODB

The sound got messed up, but here

Glyn M Ruck

Then it looks as if there is a wire off somewhere or a break in the harness or a CANbus issue. Copious black/brown smoke is unburned fuel due to overfueling, blue smoke is burning oil & white smoke is usually steam from a cold start until warmed up or coolant from a head gasket leak. Has the black smoke now stopped?

The video says that "this video is private"

Please check fuses 48, 53 & 54 in the front SAM (fusebox)

Also check fuses 31, 52 & 57 (Technically it can't be fuse 52 or the car would not crank over) Check it anyway & is it's 15 amp uprate it to 20 amp to get another potential problem behind you.

Glyn M Ruck

OK I have watched your video you sent me. A lot of what I'm seeing at the tailpipe is steam. What happens when the engine is fully warmed up?

DaODB

I get nervous due to the mechanics advising me to not drive, so after I look outside, see the smoke, catch the vapors and get a headache, I usually turn it off

Should I take it for a ride around the back streets of town today? I have been stepping on the accelerator trying to warm it up a little bit while in drive, but the temperature gauge has not been moving. Furthermore, it took much effort to get the U Clip off, and I can't get it back in. The alternator (I believe) is/was blocking the way. Went to about 4 different stores, no one has torx screws. AutoZone didn't even know what a Torx screw was, and the dealership laughed at me! I was just going to attach it to my key ring with a note and leave it for the tow man to drop it off.

Glyn M Ruck

Sears always have Torx drivers. Please also take off the oil filler cap & tell me if their is a mayonnaise like scum built up under it. This could be the sign of a blown head gasket. Did the car run absolutely fine until you touched the MAF?

Glyn M Ruck

BTW - as long as the car has sufficient oil in it & coolant you can't do any harm taking it for a drive a couple of times around the block. But you must get that sensor clip back on before you do it. As the cooling system preasurises with rising temperature it will blow the sensor out without the clip.

That thing above the sensor that is probably getting in the way is the Auxilliary or excess air pump for emissions improvement at cold start.

DaODB

It was perfect. I drove all around Jacksonville with it, and even a 200 mile trip from Jacksonville to Tallahassee to get back here. The check engine went off intermittently in my 3 week stay in Jacksonville, twice to be exact, and I checked it out once at Pep Boys where the OBDII codes came back for P0172 and P0175. The day after, I remember turning my car on right before heading back to Tallahassee, and being happy that my check engine light was no longer on.

Just the day after all of this driving, I decided to try to clean the MAF sensor. All went well, until I turned the car back on.

The oil didn't seem to show any discoloration, maybe a little dirty. It was rather low though, and I did the measure on the display, and it said add 2 quarts.

Also checked the coolant, and didn't see any air bubbles, and didn't look like it was low at all.

Glyn M Ruck

OK. Then you are going to do no harm. Get that clip back on & take the car for a good run around the block. Make sure that the aircleaner is clipped down tight around the MAF.

Try running the car with this MAF plug plugged in first.

Then try running it with the MAF plug unplugged. This takes the ECU onto a default MAP where it ignores any MAF input. If the MAF is damaged the car should run better with it unplugged.

You don't have to remove the MAF to plug & unplug. I'm just using these pictures to help you.

Did the temperature gauge work before? I know on your model you had to select it so you would not look at it every day but you would have got a red screen warning if the car had overheated & the old temp sensor worked. At least you know you now have a good sensor.

DaODB

Hey all, I decided to take it to the dealer. This is what the results turned back from a diagnostic. Seems I really did F it up by myself!

Glyn M Ruck

So the MAF is history. Unplugging it & running on a default MAP would have told you that.

What is wrong with the TPS. Don't replace that until you replace the MAF. It might be fine.

Glyn M Ruck

Does the temp gauge work now?

DaODB

Yes it does! On the receipt, the details state that there was the old O-Ring still back in there. Must have been why I couldn't get that danged clip on. They did it for a small fee, though, and topped up the lost coolant.

I will definitely take the MAF out for the meantime until the new MAF comes in. That drive home was scary, and it was only 10 miles tops! I also believe that the MAF is causing the acceleration problem, so I will be only purchasing the MAF for the meantime.

I will probably be taking the MAF to the local mechanic, not just because I feel like an idiot after breaking it when trying to clean it, but to also clear out the codes. I know about the battery trick, but I suppose I want to do it the proper way.

You live and you learn... and I think my experience was that my head does not belong under a hood!! Thank you all for the help!