jimbo1763

Get it checked and then you will know. No sense in worrying unnecessarily. I think you would have other shifting issues if the fluid were too low.

JokerGT

I'm about to throw up. MB quoted me almost $8k to fix. I'm back at the dealership I bought it from to get out of this mess. It's not looking good. any advice on how to get out of this? I bought the vehicle as is, but was told it passed all inspections etc.

cMazara

I'm sure any shop can find where it's leaking from and replace the gasket... but yeah try and sort it out to whom you bought it for first.

JokerGT

the leaks are coming from the rear main seal and the oil cooler. go figure..

ktr

Labor intensive repairs.

S70Houston

2Agreed!!!!! But 8K, come on.
Not sure where Joker GT is located and if the labor prices are higher there, but I had my rear main seal replaced about 8 months ago at the MB Dealership for A LOT less than that.

Not sure what the car cost, but with 106k miles on a diesel, this car will last a long time if all repairs are properly taken care of.
If you like the car and the rest is in top shape, maybe worth investing the money and have it taken care of, as long as you are planning on keeping it for a while.

JokerGT

It's more than just the rear main seal. The oil cooler needs to be replaced and the suspension ball joints are going out in the front. Exact total is $7.5k.

I am not sure what to do. I am dropping off the car after work today and getting a loaner. The dealership told me they will try and fix the leak.. but it didn't sound very convincing on how great of a job they'll do.

MB told me I can keep driving it with no issues except for having a leak.

S70Houston

Did you take the car elsewhere to get a second or even third estimate of the cost?
If I would think a dealership doesn't sound convincing and would not give me the warm and cozy, I for sure WOULD NOT take my car there.
If these leaks are that bad, they surely did not develop just overnight. Did you not thoroughly inspect the car prior to your purchase? Did you not take it and have a PPI done?
If you got the car for a good deal, and like it, I would fix it and keep it. Who is going to purchase it with these leaks?

And IMO, a car should NEVER leak and the issue should be addressed.

Strigoi

Get some quotes from reliable indy shops. They will be cheaper than the dealer and probably do better work.

I know at my local dealership that a lot of the easier jobs go to the techs with the least experience. The son of the owner at the local indy I use put in some time at that dealership (he's working for his dad at the indy now). He's said to request certain techs at the dealer as a lot have no idea what they're doing.

N_Jay

How did they diagnose a rear main seal failure separate from a leaking oil cooler seals?

S70Houston

Interesting how JOKERGT is no longer responding to this thread, not providing any updates??????

kajtek1

Last time JOKERGT was on forum was 2 weeks ago.
There is a life beside Internet
Coming to diagnosis, I did avoid to experience it personally, but per my research the cooler leak will show up via valley drain hole, while rear seal will show at the bottom of the bell housing.
There are trick to everything, so don't take it for granted.
On my Powerstroke for example I had ATF showing on the back of engine valley.
Turn out the transmission main seal was leaking, but with no drain hole ATF was filling up the bell housing, where converter during driving was splashing it out via top holes.
Took me a while to figure it out, especially that ATF running down was washing all the dirt and look like motor oil.

JokerGT

Sorry, I have been really busy. I am driving a loaner right now. My e320 is at the dealership i bought it from. I dropped the car off on Friday. Yesterday(saturday) they said they found oil seeping from the hole in the back on the engine(guessing thats the oil drain hole for the oil cooler). They are investigating a fix and will be back with me on Monday. It looks like they are going to fix the oil cooler leak. I hope whoever is repairing the leak knows what they are doing. I did not buy the car from a MB dealership.

Also, MB called me the other day stating they will reduce the repair price from $7.5k to $6.5k(oil cooler replacement/rear main seal/front tie rod and control arm replacement).

The dealership my car is at right now stated they only found a leak from the drain hole(not from rear main seal) and stated the front suspension has no issues.

It'll save me a bunch of money if they at least repair the oil cooler leak successfully. I can replace the suspension if needed at a later time. They quoted me $1429(tie rod/control arm/alignment).

Regarding the rear main seal.. Ill have to wait and see if that is an issue as well or not. Not sure who to believe at this point.

At this point, I am going to try and get as much "repaired" from the dealership I bought it from before going down the route of indy shops/MB dealership and dropping money.

N_Jay

MB dealers are simply the most expensive way to get anything done. (True of most new car dealers)

They always have to use branded parts when OEM or aftermarket are available and appropriate.

They almost always use new when Remanufactured are available and appropriate.

They use full book rate when time saving procedures are well known.

They may assign work to a less than journeyman mechanic, and charge full retail labor rates.

Their rates are among the highest as well as their parts prices.

However, you do get a nationwide warranty and sometimes an OK cup of coffee.

JokerGT

I agree. I am OCD, so I want everything working correctly.

I did inspect the vehicle and everything checked out. I bought it froim a large leadership and they had told me it passed their 100 point inspection and anything they found was addressed and fixed. On the service slip it did say oil leak and that it had been fixed. When I was looking at the car and driving it I did not see oil drip and I did ask them and they said gasket have been replaced and leak is fixed. Few days later I found oil in my garage... Took it back and it appears they are taking care of it.. after speaking to the manager.

The famous dealer quote form the manager after I told him about the issues the car is having: "The car is 10 years old.. old cars will leak here and there."

kajtek1

Owners who don't DIY often wonder why oil cooler job is so expensive, since the cooler can be bought for $140.
I found that picture of short block.
The aluminium thing at the bottom of the valley is oil cooler. Now go to your engine as see how much stuff you have to remove to get there.
When you have the job done, recheck all around. My car had oil cooler done before I bought it at a dealer.
I found the intercooler hose was kinked badly in the past and had cracks in it. Evidently mechanic did not take 2 minutes to remove the hose for other jobs and simply kinked it outside. Those hoses retail close to $200

JokerGT

Hahaha yeah... I really enjoy going to the MB dealership.. the amg room with akll the limited rare vehicles beign sold... the servcie is excellent, the facility is top of the line.. it's like the Taj Mahal of dealerships.. pizza, drinks, cookies, etc... but in the end youre paying for everything.

JokerGT

Trust me I know. I usually do everything myself. BUT, since I just bought the car, and am a little scared of all the electronics.. I will have the stealership take care as much as they are willing to do. In the end.. I will do the rest. I did find some really nice DIY with step by step pictures regarding replacing the oil cooler and all the many gaskets to get there.. but I think it takes a couple of weeks.

N_Jay

Worse than that. It is not the $140 cooler that leaks, it is the $8 gasket.

MY GL 320 was "diagnosed" with a cooler leak.

After my oil filler cap worked loose and made quite a mess, I replaced it (Since I was told they should never be able to work loose.)
My "obvious" oil cooler leak seems to have mysteriously gone away.

I wonder how many have been told they have an oil cooler leak because of a bad cap, or spilled oil from topping up?

I have been told, if the oil cap has ever been accidently put on crooked where only one ear is under the lip, it must be replaced.

kajtek1

How far you will go with repair is another story.
I don't blame professionals that after $1000 on labor, they don't replace $8 gasket, but prone to leak cooler for $140.
It would suck to replace single gasket only and a month, or 2 later the other will start leaking.
Same with CV joints $40 boots replacement that dealers "don't do" but they will gladly replace $1400 axle.
But look at it from positive side. Thanks to such politics, we can buy very nice cars for small fraction of original cost and drive them for pennies.. or $8.

N_Jay

Has anyone found an actual leaking cooler and not just failed gaskets?

kajtek1

Nobody plays with small parts anymore, so don't expect professionals replacing gaskets
I am old enough to have records of replacing alternator brushes only, water pump bearing/seal, starter bushings or single engine valve that failed.
Now parts are getting cheap, while labor outrageous, so on $1000 job nobody is going to take their chances for $100.
You have low compression on single cylinder, the only quote will be on engine rebuild.

N_Jay

The question, I would have is; Which would you trust more.

A tested (used) oil cooler with 100K miles on it.

Or,

An untested (new) cooler with zero history?

Of course the answer is different if the cooler is a part people have seen fail.

JokerGT

Ok.. so the dealership called me and they said they will replace the o rings for the oil cooler for $1k. I called our local indy shop and they said they'll do the job for $3k including everything. They said that this issue will never stop because there are top many areas where it can leak from. They stated the turbo gasket will eventually start leaking etc...

I think I will spend the $1k at the dealer, but get everything replaced as far as gaskets and o rings. Does anyone have all the part numbers and what to replace while in there?

I want to make sure everything that will fail is replaced. And anything that needs to be cleaned is cleaned.

any advice?

N_Jay

There are different places where DIFFERENT leaks occur.

$1K for the cooler gasket seems to be a good price. 10 Hrs ate $100 or 16 Hrs at $62.50.

Turbo gasket is a whole different story, almost no labor (beyond a normal service with oil, fuel and air filter change.

The number one cause of a leak there is the mechanic screwing up when he puts the intake back on after an air filter change.

I don't know of any other common leaks.

So get it at the dealer, add in a normal Oil, Fuel, and air filter change, (~$250) and ask for a new turbo-intake gasket (about $25) and really should not be any extra labor (but it is a dealer so bend over for an extra 1/2 hour)