Belt snapped, water all over left front corner of engine bay

Jan 19, 2016 | 07:57 PM

downtownandy

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Joined: Jan 2014

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01 CLK 55

Belt snapped, water all over left front corner of engine bay

Was stuck in traffic here in Los Angeles on a street not a highway. Battery warning light came on and lost power steering. Had less than a half mile to the house. Traffic started moving and I got home, watching the temp gauge and everything else I could think of. As I pulled into the garage steam started coming from front left of car and I parked and turned it off. The front left of engine compartment, and only that part, is covered in water and coolant. Tried to find the source of the bust. Any ideas what might have spewed the water?

Last edited by downtownandy; Jan 19, 2016 at 08:03 PM.

Jan 20, 2016 | 10:59 AM

floridawriter

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Joined: Dec 2014

Posts: 391

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From: Orlando, FL

05 CLK55 AMG (1 of 247) Cubanitsilber designo series

Possibly boiling coolant escaping through the overflow tank.

Jan 20, 2016 | 01:06 PM

downtownandy

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01 CLK 55

Thanks. I am not super familiar with all the things on this car so I didn't know if there was somewhere that was designed to allow coolant to escape if the car started to overheat. Replacing the idler pulley (broke in this episode) and serpentine belt hopefully today. Fill 'er up with coolant and see how it goes.

Jan 20, 2016 | 05:19 PM

pjg

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Joined: Nov 2013

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From: Mass

2004 CLK55 AMG

Make sure all of the pulleys spin free on the waterpump, alt, AC compressor, etc.

Jan 23, 2016 | 09:46 PM

downtownandy

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01 CLK 55

So the idler pulley busted, which is probably what shredded the belt. Replaced the pulley, replaced the belt, poured water into the coolant reservoir and it started dripping from the front left of the car. I narrowed the leak down to a spot in the hard black plastic at the driver side of the radiator (see attached pic). Does this look like something I can just sand and put some epoxy on? Or is a full radiator replacement in order?

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