Car shredded SERP belt and coolant all over the place
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
Car shredded SERP belt and coolant all over the place
Don’t have time to look at it so going to Indy shop
lost convenience function suddenly with battery power down figured either battery or alternator maybe
two mins later steam, coolant loss and 120 degrees on gauge. Shredded belt everywhere. Love the car but by far most unreliable I have ever owned. We will see what Indy comes back with
just north of $10k in maintenance last 3 years or 40k miles. time just about up on this car for me would be happy getting $8k at this point
lost convenience function suddenly with battery power down figured either battery or alternator maybe
two mins later steam, coolant loss and 120 degrees on gauge. Shredded belt everywhere. Love the car but by far most unreliable I have ever owned. We will see what Indy comes back with
just north of $10k in maintenance last 3 years or 40k miles. time just about up on this car for me would be happy getting $8k at this point
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 329
Likes: 28
From: Virginia, USA
2005 c230
happened to me a few months ago at 94k on my 2006. My root cause? Water Pump pulley seized. Internal water pump seal gradually failed over time (I missed the symptoms during routine inspections) allowing grease to leak out of the internal bearing/coolant to seep in. Once the grease was contaminated, the bearings failed, the pump pulley seized, belt got hot due to friction as it slid across the water pump pulley, belt snapped, took out the pulley tensioner. Purchased pump/belt,tensioner from FCP euro, (all with lifetime warranty) and fixed myself over the course of a few days in my garage. The job doesnt take days...but for me, I had a backup car and took my time..hour here, hour there, etc.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 329
Likes: 28
From: Virginia, USA
2005 c230
also, cant blame the car. Any car at this age/this many miles, is going to have parts that will fail. Inspections are so key. Inspecting rivets around supercharger for cracks, inspecting pulleys for wobble, inspecting batteries to ensure they are in proper condition, inspecting water pumps for any sign at all of seepage, etc. Part of older car ownership.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 288
From: New Zealand
Sorry to hear, I see you have had a lot of issues lately. I think I would be fed up after going through your coilovers install only. These cars are not too bad in general but occasionally one just has issue after issue like my old CLK55. The transmission rebuild was the finally. My 1991 Toyota runs perfect on the original engine so these cars shouldn't have any issues in regards to age.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
I'm doing the labour myself
$10K over 40K miles is the killer
Just got the diagnosis, my idler pulley seized & shredded the serp belt, took out SC belt, busted another pulley, busted some rad hoses & took out radiator - shop wants $2.5K
Anyone interested in the car? $6K USD originally a Cali car
$10K over 40K miles is the killer
Just got the diagnosis, my idler pulley seized & shredded the serp belt, took out SC belt, busted another pulley, busted some rad hoses & took out radiator - shop wants $2.5K
Anyone interested in the car? $6K USD originally a Cali car
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 354
Likes: 32
04 E55 AMG
I just changed out my water pump and radiator it is like a total of 4 hours worth of work to do them both at the same time. You actually have to take off the pulleys anyway. Honestly it isn't that much work if you are willing to stick with it. I have 140k miles on my 04 E55 and have had to change out parts every year but it is what we signed up for with a 12+ year old car. Honestly it is around 1k a year to maintain these cars. You've already put a lot of money into the car you should just ride it out as there probably isn't much else that needs to be replaced.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: New Zealand
Bbirdwell's pulley trick will get you idlers depending on how wrecked the metal one is for $30. New belts $40 each, new rad $350? Hoses can't be much and you guys get very cheap fluids over there. Or buy a 5 piece or 3 piece pulley replacement kit. Still under $1k with some unscheduled fluid maintenance.
I can't say the job would enthuse me but it's not hard.
I can't say the job would enthuse me but it's not hard.
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
Bbirdwell's pulley trick will get you idlers depending on how wrecked the metal one is for $30. New belts $40 each, new rad $350? Hoses can't be much and you guys get very cheap fluids over there. Or buy a 5 piece or 3 piece pulley replacement kit. Still under $1k with some unscheduled fluid maintenance.
I can't say the job would enthuse me but it's not hard.
I can't say the job would enthuse me but it's not hard.
Figure if doing a rad, coolant & messing with pulleys that I might want to do water pump too?
Not sure what hoses yet have failed but if form fitted they are not cheap new
Problems are just grinding me down, anyways, getting it towed home tomorrow
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,428
Likes: 288
From: New Zealand
Do you have the orange or silver bearings? I know a few people have had issues with the silver ones prematurely failing.
I know how you feel, that's why I sold my last amg. I did a difficult coilover install as well, luckily didn't have airmatic as a complication.
I know how you feel, that's why I sold my last amg. I did a difficult coilover install as well, luckily didn't have airmatic as a complication.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
Got the car back, cleaned up a little
rad looks ok visibly
overflow almost full
upper drivers side rad hose spewed coolant when I took it off
any thoughts? Could the rad or hoses be busted if it’s holding coolant?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
weird thing with pulleys is they are all spinning ok
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2014
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2005 e55 AMG
Do not put new belt on to test. Check each pulley one by one. Does it rock a little back and forth? Any "rough" feeling when turning by hand ? Noise ...at all? If not the belt could have shredded just from age and started to come apart.
High pressure from no belt could have split the radiator somewhere you can't see so be careful. All in all this could be a quick fix so keep your head up buddy. Wish you where near me to take care of it.
High pressure from no belt could have split the radiator somewhere you can't see so be careful. All in all this could be a quick fix so keep your head up buddy. Wish you where near me to take care of it.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 609
Likes: 19
From: Ontario
2005 E55
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 354
Likes: 32
04 E55 AMG
The black circular piece in the center of the picture is the drain plug. if you want to drain the fluid remove the radiator reservoir cap to make it easier while draining.
Last edited by gjunon; Jul 12, 2018 at 09:54 PM. Reason: clarification
