W210 E320cdi Nicht so rostfrei MOT PHALE

[HMC]

Hi all, got a problem with the 3.2 diesel in my 2001 Mercedes e class. There's 2 issues - they may or may not be connected. It seems to be running fine, BUT....

 

Firstly one of the injectors seems to be weeping fuel- it doesn't seem to be from where the injector goes into the head,but just above from the injector assembly itself. Could the whole thing have a split running along it? Secondly the sump oil level seems to be slowly rising which I assume is diesel getting into it. Could it be connected to the injector issue or is there something else such as a leaking fuel pump seal going on as well? Finally is this something a garage could look into and sort or should I be thinking of going to a diesel fuel injector specialist? Thanks for any input! I've decided not to use the car until sorted in case I wreck the bottom end or it "runs away" and blows up.

[Pete-M]

Cracked injectors are common on these. When the injector seal into the head fails it's normally clearly audible, and the oil level will rise.

 

If it's not got the black death yet now is the time to get the injector out and check it out.

[HMC]

This tired merc is off to an merc specialist tomorrow with the brief to investigate and sort the problem. That plus an MOT. Any guesses how expensive this is going to get?!

[panhard65]

I would recommend Electro diesel in Exeter. They are shit hot on these modern diesels, having the correct tools to remove the injectors and can overhaul them for sensible money.

[vaughant]

Around a G of your talking recon injectors etc, can be quite involved.

 

I ran/have run mine for years with it leaking, had caused black death but it's only visual, car still performs fine, well, until I fucked the immobiliser/flat battery and obtained a "start error" fault.

 

 

 

Great.

[Pete-M]

If you catch them quickly (before black death gets serious) the injectors are a piece of piss to remove. I've had the set out of mine a couple of times.

 

Make sure to use new stretch bolts when refitting though, if you reuse the old ones there's a serious chance of punching through the coolant channels in the head as there's bugger all meat between the injector bolt and coolant channel.

 

From memory, injector seals are about 50p each and the stretch bolts about £1 each from Mercedes.

[tooSavvy]

Make sure to use new stretch bolts when refitting though, if you reuse the old ones there's a serious chance of punching through the coolant channels in the head as there's bugger all meat between the injector bolt and coolant channel.

Shirley the A$ way wood B a washer under the bolt?

 

..... gotta to stretch twice*

 

 

*no warranty implied or given that the third time it WILL snap

 

 

TS

[HMC]

This went in for the MOT...

.

Ouch! I suspected the rear subframe mounting bushes were shot as certain types of pot holes would sent a thump through the back end, and whilst I was under replacing the spheres and bleeding the self levelling system last month, I saw the various rotting pipes. My tame indie says it's not too bad "for one of these" but that it makes sense to drop the rear subframe to do the bushes and to replace said rotten brake and suspension pipes whilst at it. The build process means they go in before the subframe and are nicely tucked under (over) it, if you follow me.

 

So it was very tempting to use this as a reason to bin the car, (I'd eyed up various replacements including an e430 estate- the poor mans e55) but basically they're all getting on now and famed for oxidising, so buying another is no guarantee of not having to face this next MOT either, so I've decided to bite the bullet. The key thing will be to hang onto it for a while (and go mad with rustproofing fluid) to offset the mounting costs, which of course I'm good* at doing.