Mercedes1988

Water leak behind engine
Hi guys

Need some guidance I have a c220 cdi just drove over 500 miles and no problems at all I get home leave the car and still no problem I went back out in the car and had my check coolant warning come up so went straight to a garage and topped up with water a few miles up the road and had same warning Come back I have located a leak behind the engine however I can't see what is exactly going on because of the transmission cover underneath the car can anyone put me in the right direction of what could be happening and how to tackle it? When looking underneath the car it appears to be coming from a pipe that is covered by the transmission cover looks to be a well hidden pipe as fast as I poor water in to header tank the faster it pours water out!
I don't have a ramp or where with all to have the Hight to take the transmission cover off or I would! I'm abit worried to drive to the car to a garage as do not want to over heat the engine any help guys would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Mercedes

marc hanna

The fact that it is an external leak is the better case scenario. If the garage isn't too far away you will probably be safe to drive it there. Take a jug or two of coolant with you and put the heater and fan on high, and drive it nicely. Keep your eye on the temperature gauge.

If you need to top up the coolant and the engine is hot, make sure it is running and slowly poor in the coolant. I would keep the reservoir cap off so it doesn't build pressure. Be very careful when trying to remove the cap when the engine is hot, because scalding hot coolant can spray out. Whenever I've had to do this, I take a big rag and loosen the cap ever so slightly until I hear it hiss, and then continue to ease the cap until all the pressure is relieved.

***If in doubt, get it towed!***

Mercedes1988

Thank you for your information I will now take the car to the garage tomorrow morning and will keep you posted I feel confident now to take the car to the garage I don't understand how this has happend could it have been due to a speed hump or pot hole in the road? I definitely seems to be coMing from underneath and behind the engine

Will await your reply
Best wishes Mercedes

Nanook

Are you sure it isn't the air conditioning condenser...which is normal..

Mercedes1988

Hi nanook

I don't think so as when i look under the car I can see water containing coolant dripping fast and as fast as i top the header tank up the water level drops very fast and I also get my check coolant warning msg appear on my dashboard I didn't know there was any water hoses at the back of the engine???? I have checked all hoses for radiator header tank top and bottom radiator hoses ect and everything is dry and seems to be in good order

Kindest regards
Mercedes

marc hanna

Nanook, I get what you're saying, he did mention that he was getting a recurring coolant low error and that it's coming out pretty fast.

Mercedes1988, if you're lucky it's just a blown hose or clamp, but these things can happen at anytime, for a number of reasons - maybe you had a mouse in there making a nest, maybe a the rubber was starting to rot, who knows . . . the coolant can be running down the engine from another location, so where it drips from isn't necessarily the source.

Mercedes1988

Very true Marc I hadn't thought of that I will as I say take the car to the garage and keep you all posted thank you very much for your time and help hopefully tomorrow we will find the route caurse

A massive thank you to everyone
Best warmest wishes and regards
Mercedes

Carsy

Driving one wheel up on a high curb can sometimes give you enough clearance to crawl underneath.

Otherwise you will just have to extract the death-adder out of your pocket & have it towed to a mechanic.

You are taking a huge risk driving it with a leak like that. It is just not worth it.

Let us know how you go .Good luck.

Mercedes1988

Carsy thank you I now have a mechanic coming to have a look with me so will keep you all posted hopefully we can locate the hose and have the car back in the road soon
Thank you all for your guidance I look forward to sharing the conclusion with

Kindest regards and best wishes
Mercedes

Mercedes1988

Hi all mechanic has had a look and definitely confirmed its a pipe and has advised to get to the garage! (Tuesday) but says it will be about a half hour job once all the under guards are off! Basically confirmed what we all knew but there it is so no further forward until Tuesday am afraid guys but as soon as I know which pipe it is I will let you all know
Kindest regards and warmest wishes
Mercedes

N/B
My names sake is certainly becoming a slight headache lol

Mercedes1988

Hey all quick update

My car is now at a garage hopefully being looked at today! Been doing abit more research and I am hopping it's just a pipe popped off due to the radiator being a valeo one
Will keep you posted
Kindest regards
Mercedes

Mercedes1988

Hi guys

Well the garage have charged £25 to tell me what I had told them on the phone there saying that they will need to strip the engine down to find the leak because it is indeed coming from behind the engine and they feel it's either the head or a hose but they can't see which one it is HELP guys I don't know what to do I feel at a complete loss tbh

Kindest regards
Mercedes

Carsy

You need more detail from the mechanic on what they need to remove to find the leak & a idea on cost to do so.

Is it a competent diesel workshop who know Mercedes?

Mercedes1988

Hi there carsy there a general garage they used to have a good reputation and they used to have great mechanics that were brilliant with mb but until now I didn't realise how down hill they had gone! I'm going to the garage tomorrow as he has quoted me £200 to strip down the engine! He said if it's a hose that has blown it will be cheaper but if it's the head I'm looking at £1000+ I understand all that but what I don't understand is he has said that they can't find the leak even know they have supposedly removed all the under guards that's when he said they would need to strip the engine down just to be able to find the leak! Carsy do you know if the transmission is water cooled? Also do you think it could be a freeze plug? It appeared to me that it was coming from transmission end but passenger side as that's where the manifold is!

Kindest regards
Mercedes- Ann

Carsy

The transmission oil goes to the radiator to be cooled.

I do not know whether there are plugs in the head.

Maybe better to receive a second opinion.

Mercedes1988

Guys dose anyone know if this model has core plugs? If so do you know where they are located?

Thanks guys
Mercedes- Ann

Mercedes1988

N/b core plugs in the block

Kindest wishes
Mercedes-Ann

Mercedes1988

As promised to keep you all posted!

The culprit is a blown core plug in the block guys what a relief to find out what the problem was I will let you know when the car has been sorted and I have her back

Thank you all for your kind support and guidance
Warmest blessings and best wishes
Mercedes - Ann

Carsy

Great news & thanks for the feed back.I hope it can be renewed easily.

I would be interested to know what the mechanic thinks on why this would happen.eg corrosion, over heating, freezing ?

This is an interesting article :-http://www.howacarworks.com/cooling-systems/replacing-core-plugs I know them as welch plugs.

marc hanna

That's good news. I assume it will be a fairly inexpensive fix. The coolant will probably be the most expensive part.

I would have them put a block heater in there instead of a new plug.

Mercedes1988

Hi guys I am waiting for the garage to call me back and I will find all this out and let you know and yes Marc abosolutly I believe that's what they are doing but I will keep you all posted

Kindest regards
Mercedes - Ann