Hi,

I have another issue and hope someone can help. Last weekend I replaced the radiator of my 2003 (Model '04) E55, because it still had the failing Valeo radiator and I confirmed coolant in the ATF The car was pretty much dealer serviced and has a quite long maintenance history, so I was wondering why the radiator was never replaced. But anyways. So I replaced the radiator and while on it I also replaced the IC pump to the upgraded 010. After refilling the system I did all to bleed the system. I connected a clear hose to the bleeder nipple and into the coolant reservoir. I hooked up the IC pump to 12V until the biggest bubbles were gone. Then I ran the engine a bit with heater on high with IC pump running. I did it with clamped hose and without. Turned the engine off and ran the IC pump alone for a while again. Then took it for a drive with the heater on high (after disconnecting the clear hose and connected IC pump and closed coolant reservoir). And then tried bleeding it again with running engine and the clear hose from the bleeding thing to the coolant reservoir, BUT I still have tiny bubbles coming out. They just don't stop! What am I doing wrong here? in the YT videos and guides they say the bubbles stop after about 10 - 15 minutes.

Since it is a high pressure system, there can't be a leak where it sucks air or can it?

Even after hours of bleeding it still looks like in the video.


Any ideas?

 

apologies as i don't have an answer to your question but do you know what your build date was? i've got an early '04 as well and wondering if i could have the faulty radiator. does anyone know the cut off date or easy way to tell?

 

"According to Mercedes Benz Star Bulletin #P-B 27.55/50f, dated March 24, 2006, there is a problem with Valeo radiators up to production date 9/2003"

from here:

https://www.benzworld.org/threads/ho...iator.1536801/

And

"The valeo rad affected were up fixed after 30-09-2003

The 203 with engine 111,112,271,611,612.990, 646.
The 209 with engine 112,113,271,612
The 211 with engine 113,271,628,647,648

We have not had a faulty rad in a couple of years now and one must remember that any rad can fail no matter who made it"

from here:

https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/i...oolant.119451/

 

My E55 was delivered 2003-09-05. So it must have been built before that and since the bad radiator was applied until 09/2003 the chance was pretty high, that mine (still??) had one if those. I bought coolant test strips and tested my ATF and confirmed, that there was indeed coolant in the ATF (it was at the maximum that this test strip showed. IIRC it showed up to 6%, but I'm not 100% sure right now). After I removed the radiator I also found the Valeo sticker on it...

I was a little concerned about the condition of my transmission and torque converter, because I read, that they suffer from coolant in the ATF so I also did a Transmission service and ATF flush after changing the radiator. When I saw the ATF, that came out of my transmisison, I was REALLY concerned. It was very, very dark. Almost black. But I thought it didn't smell burned. Don't know. It seems the ATF was never changed in 130k miles! So I wasn't sure, if I really wanted to do the flush, since I read that sometimes only the floating particles are all what keeps the transmission working. But I wanted the coolant to be out of the system and clean(er) ATF. After the 3rd flush (of 3 Liters each) the ATF, that came out of my transmission still looked as dirty as what comes out on the first drain on the youtube videos I watched. But I didn't want to go any further. I think my trans really suffered already... Maybe I'll do another ATF change by dropping the pan in about 5k miles or so. I don't think I'd do another flush though... Or what do you guys think?
To cut a long story short: after I refilled my transmission to the correct level, it shifts really really nice! Very smooth. And a lot better, than before! So far I haven't pushed her hard, because my oil cooler lines are leaking and I need to replace them asap, but for not spirited city driving the transmission works great... I have (had and still have) that shuddering when driving slow (maybe 20 to 30mph?) in a high(er) gear though. So I think the torque converter isn't 100% anymore. But otherwise no shifting problems!

I was really shocked after the first short test drive. I had so bad trans slipping, that I thought my nightmare came true and the trans is completely worn out and is dead after the flush. Well it turned out, even though I went through the gears while the car was parked, and the fluid level was fine (when I checked the standing car), that after driving it, it was missing ATF! Filled it up to the correct level and it drives and shifts great! No slipping at all. After driving for a few days I'll check the trans adaption and timings and see how (or if) they changed...

But back to my initial problem: why doesn't my cooling system stop bubbling? Can it suck air somewhere without leaking coolant?? I thought it was a high pressure system, when hot. So shouldn't it be also leaking, if it'd suck air somewhere? What can I do? The car doesn't overheat during normal city driving (even in traffic)... Can I drive like this without damaging anything?

 

Do several atf oil changes insteed of flushing over a period of time, it's safer than a flush.

 

When you are taking the cap off the bleeder fitting do you have the cap off of the reservoir? If so you will allow air to get sucked into the IC tubing every time you do it, which may be way you always see bubbles?

With expansion tank cap on and sealed take off bleeder cap and put hose on.
Pinch the hose
Take expansion tank cap off
put end of hose in expansion tank (actually in coolant)
unpinch hose
turn on IC pump
Bleed until no bubbles (I've also jacked up the passenger side of my car while doing this to raise the IC outlet, and hx outlet, not sure if it actually helps or not but if you have a big bubble trapped some where it might)
shut pump off
pinch hose
take out of tank and put tank cap on (try not to let air back into the bleed fitting while you're doing this)
Take hose off and put bleed fitting cap on



I'm assuming auto scroll got you lol? If not, you should read this thread a little more thoroughly before responding.

 

Drive it for a week and then bleed the intercooler circuit again.

 

OK, thanks. I'll do that and then I'll try this:


Thank you both