M-Class (W166) Produced 2012-2015

Turbo swap and didn't drain coolant. How to flush

Old May 16, 2021 | 05:26 PM
  #1  
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ML350 W166
Turbo swap and didn't drain coolant. How to flush

So, l have been following the post and gaining knowledge for a couple years now. Much respect to those who contribute straight gold on this forum.

I have a ml350 w166 2013 with 170,000km on the clock. My turbo went and was leaking oil.... I pulled the turbo out and the support pedestal. Like an idiot I didn't drain the coolant. Once I realized, I went to drain the coolant and opened the over flow reservoir. Gravity did the rest. Coolant came out and proceeded to go into the oil return port at the spot the pedestal bolts to.

I had already drained the oil. I have since drained the coolant. I have removed the oil cooler to do the seals.

My first question is. How can I flush all the water out of the oil before I put the new turbo in.

Second question, I had dpf. Swerl flap and egr deleted. Do I need to put the swerl flap motor back in. Both clips broke that conect it to the motor to the arm the controls the swerl flap. The swerl flaps are all good and move freely with no play on the arm linkage. Can I leave the motor off? should the port be open or closed with the delete. Thanks for your help in advance.


Last edited by James Simon; May 16, 2021 at 08:37 PM.
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Old May 16, 2021 | 09:03 PM
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Regarding oil, the only real way is to fill and drain the oil again and again until you have no water that shows up in the oil drain pan. A short drive between drains is a good idea. This will get oil circulating through all small passages to hopefully flush the water out.

I defer to others on the swirl flap question.
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Old May 16, 2021 | 09:41 PM
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Thanks for getting back to me. I was worried that would be the only way. If I put eveverything together, re filled with oil and pulled the fuel pump fuse then cranked it 10 seconds at a time 5 to 10 times would that circulate it enough. I'm afraid to start the new turbo with no oil and worse water. I know I should have drained the coolant first. So mad I didn't do it first. Thanks again for your help.
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Old Aug 17, 2021 | 05:56 PM
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w164
Drain coolant æ. Turbo swap w166

Originally Posted by James Simon
So, l have been following the post and gaining knowledge for a couple years now. Much respect to those who contribute straight gold on this forum.

I have a ml350 w166 2013 with 170,000km on the clock. My turbo went and was leaking oil.... I pulled the turbo out and the support pedestal. Like an idiot I didn't drain the coolant. Once I realized, I went to drain the coolant and opened the over flow reservoir. Gravity did the rest. Coolant came out and proceeded to go into the oil return port at the spot the pedestal bolts to.

I had already drained the oil. I have since drained the coolant. I have removed the oil cooler to do the seals.

My first question is. How can I flush all the water out of the oil before I put the new turbo in.

Second question, I had dpf. Swerl flap and egr deleted. Do I need to put the swerl flap motor back in. Both clips broke that conect it to the motor to the arm the controls the swerl flap. The swerl flaps are all good and move freely with no play on the arm linkage. Can I leave the motor off? should the port be open or closed with the delete. Thanks for your help in advance.
Hello, i have the same car, and same engine. Im planning to replace my turbo, by me self, like you😝 My dumb question is, why must we drain coolant before removing the turbo?? Why is that nessesary? I did not know that there was any coolant lines connected to the om642.826 turbocharger😇

Last edited by kkarb; Aug 18, 2021 at 03:02 AM.
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Old Aug 19, 2021 | 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by kkarb
Hello, i have the same car, and same engine. Im planning to replace my turbo, by me self, like you😝 My dumb question is, why must we drain coolant before removing the turbo?? Why is that nessesary? I did not know that there was any coolant lines connected to the om642.826 turbocharger😇
Hi there. On mine there is a hard steel line on the driver's side that connects to the intake bolted to the cylinder head and connects to the turbo. I think you may have to remove the heat shield off the turbo to see it. If you have the coolant line make sure you get new orings for it.

if you do have the coolant line going to it you want to drain the rad. The reason why is the turbo is mounted to a pedestal. The pedistal has 3 channels in it. One for oil into turbo. One for oil to return from turbo. One for coolant to return from turbo. When you un bolt the turbo from the pedestal if you don't drain the coolant and oil the coolant and oil will leak out of the turbo and mix together into your oil or coolant.

Under the front of the car, in front of the area kit you remove to drain the oil there is a small plastic cover that runs from wheel to wheel and connects to the bumper. Take that off and on the driver's side on the radiator there is a drain plug that turns (it took effort on mine). its a two stage drain you turn it and then it will stop. You must keep turning it and it will turn another 25 degrees. Once fully rotated I belive 180 degrees the coolant will come out of the little spout right by the *** you turned. Put a hose on that and grab something clean to catch the fluid. It can then be reused.

Long story short. Drain the coolant. Save yourself hassles and a bunch of oil. I have changed the oil 3 times and I still have a bit of coolant in it. Not a lot though.

Good luck and happy renching. One last thing get a set of stubby ratchet gear reaches. I found on Amazon for like 50$ will save you hours knocking between the firewall and turbo on the egr elbow clamp.
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Old Aug 19, 2021 | 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by James Simon
Hi there. On mine there is a hard steel line on the driver's side that connects to the intake bolted to the cylinder head and connects to the turbo. I think you may have to remove the heat shield off the turbo to see it. If you have the coolant line make sure you get new orings for it.

if you do have the coolant line going to it you want to drain the rad. The reason why is the turbo is mounted to a pedestal. The pedistal has 3 channels in it. One for oil into turbo. One for oil to return from turbo. One for coolant to return from turbo. When you un bolt the turbo from the pedestal if you don't drain the coolant and oil the coolant and oil will leak out of the turbo and mix together into your oil or coolant.

Under the front of the car, in front of the area kit you remove to drain the oil there is a small plastic cover that runs from wheel to wheel and connects to the bumper. Take that off and on the driver's side on the radiator there is a drain plug that turns (it took effort on mine). its a two stage drain you turn it and then it will stop. You must keep turning it and it will turn another 25 degrees. Once fully rotated I belive 180 degrees the coolant will come out of the little spout right by the *** you turned. Put a hose on that and grab something clean to catch the fluid. It can then be reused.

Long story short. Drain the coolant. Save yourself hassles and a bunch of oil. I have changed the oil 3 times and I still have a bit of coolant in it. Not a lot though.

Good luck and happy renching. One last thing get a set of stubby ratchet gear reaches. I found on Amazon for like 50$ will save you hours knocking between the firewall and turbo on the egr elbow clamp.

Thanks I have seen it, i also have the hard metal water line Thank you so much, i did not know that it was coolant there, before i read it her in this thread Thanks again

The reason i have to remove the turbo is that the oil cooler seals was replaced 1 year ago, at the same time i did a swirlflap delete.However, after e few months i got a new oil drip, this time right side of rear engine. After very much investigation (endoscope) the leak was finaly located to the pedestall. Its leaking between pedestall and turbo, and also seem to leek between pedestall and engine block.I sucpect the pedestall gaskets was not replaced when the oil cooler job was done




Last edited by kkarb; Aug 19, 2021 at 04:25 PM.
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Old Aug 25, 2021 | 03:34 AM
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w164
I got it done I redefined, the job was to big for my private garage Local workshop / indy (Not dealer) did the job. The local workshop has worked on mb since 1980`s. They removed the turbo, replaced under and over pedestal gaskets, exhaust gaskets, from manifolds, main exhaust outlet, egr elbow, green o-ring from turbo outlet pipe, turbu inlet seal and breather seal (the red ones) and also the o-ring for the smal water pipe. Not at the turbo side, only manifold side. Turbo removed without remove this small pipe from turbo.Not sure how the drained the coolant, but the engine oil was swapped when i picked the car up.

Total cost: 4 hour work, 90 USD pr hour = 360 USD
Gaskets (All): 120 USD.
For some reason i have not paid for the engine oil..
T
otal cost 480 USD, i dont think that was to much. And im happy for the job is done

Regards
Norway

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Old Aug 25, 2021 | 08:23 AM
  #8  
James Simon's Avatar
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From: Ontario Canada
ML350 W166
Originally Posted by kkarb
I got it done I redefined, the job was to big for my private garage Local workshop / indy (Not dealer) did the job. The local workshop has worked on mb since 1980`s. They removed the turbo, replaced under and over pedestal gaskets, exhaust gaskets, from manifolds, main exhaust outlet, egr elbow, green o-ring from turbo outlet pipe, turbu inlet seal and breather seal (the red ones) and also the o-ring for the smal water pipe. Not at the turbo side, only manifold side. Turbo removed without remove this small pipe from turbo.Not sure how the drained the coolant, but the engine oil was swapped when i picked the car up.

Total cost: 4 hour work, 90 USD pr hour = 360 USD
Gaskets (All): 120 USD.
For some reason i have not paid for the engine oil..
T
otal cost 480 USD, i dont think that was to much. And im happy for the job is done

Regards
Norway
Congrats! That is a great price. Took me a day to swap everything including oil cooler. Glad you have a good shop by you and your good to go! Happy driving!
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