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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / December 2005Rad leak
1981 380SEL 116,000 miles. I have a rad leak that only leaks sometimes. My temp guage in dash will sometimes shoot into the red, but always comes back down. Has been recommended to me to try BAR'S leak stop as a TEMPORARY fix until I can replace the rad...now does anyone have any experience with these rads? If I were to use this product, does it just go into the overflow resevoir? Asking because I don't see any other cap that allows you to put anything in the radiator. Derek, It sounds like a leaky radiator is just one of (and the least of) your problems - and that you also have a plugged radiator since you stated that the temperature sometimes goes into the red zone. Adding a leak stop might actually make the problem worse. Your best bet is to spring for a new radiator (probably around $200-$300USD) as soon as possible as extreme temperatures can hurt your engine. Josh >1981 380SEL 116,000 miles. I have a rad leak that only leaks sometimes. My >temp guage in dash will sometimes shoot into the red, but always comes back >down. That doesn't really sound like a leak, unless you've actually noticed the coolant going away. Are you sure you don't have a problem with the thermostat, or the sender/gauge? Do you smell coolant? >>1981 380SEL 116,000 miles. I have a rad leak that only leaks sometimes. My >>temp guage in dash will sometimes shoot into the red, but always comes back [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >problem with the thermostat, or the sender/gauge? Do you smell >coolant? Back to you guys...No, I don't smell coolant, and there are no real physical signs of overheating other than the guage itself, however what bothers me is every once in a while there is a slow drip of coolant coming from somewhere on the radiator itself. It will do this until you drive it again, and then not again until next time - anywhere from a couple days to weeks. I had a friend take a look at it who is a little more mechanically inclined than myself and he seemed to think that it was having trouble circulating the coolant. Is there any way of me checking for a blocked rad in the meantime? Or even a way to flush it out? Sounda like the coolant overflow is ejecting those random leak... the overflow tube will be routed near your radiator on the passenger side... just trace it from the radiator cap... the one faces to the battery. As for your cooling problem... it is probably bugs that clogged the radiator fins. When engine is cold... take a garden hose or air hose and shoot it from inside the engine compartment out toward the bumper... get as much pressure and area as possible. I had this problem when I had my 380SE... I changed the thermostat like 3 times and still no change... I believe it is due to the thermostat... they way they made it now as compared to back then. I only changed the thermostat as a preventive measure and got this stupid momentary to 100 degree C and then fall right back down. I even changed the radiator and still the same thing. It is the thermostat design. |
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