Water pump going out? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

winmutt · #1 12-04-2006, 04:08 PM

How do you know your water pump is shot? Wifes car (80 300TD) has been overheating for a while now and it just started making a nasty metal on metal noise on startup. I hope its not a blown piston ring. Do I need to replace the timing chain at the same time?

kerry · #2 12-04-2006, 04:44 PM

Water pump and timing chain are unnrelated so no need to replace both. If it's bad enough to make a noise, you can usually feel a bad bearing by grasping the fan and seeing if there is any play in the shaft.
There are other possibilities for high temperature than just the water pump. Is the coolant level correct?

winmutt · #3 12-04-2006, 05:08 PM

Should be. The temp thing has been ongoing. The wifey said the car made a real bad sound on startup and then proceeded to overheat at every stop. I will take a looksies tonight.

Hit Man X · #4 12-04-2006, 05:28 PM

Coolant full?

Fan clutch working?

Thermostat bad?

Only time I'd have a bad water pump, it leaks everywhere.

Timing chain could be an issue, toss a new spring in the tensioner. It's about $3.

rrgrassi · #5 12-04-2006, 05:37 PM

I had one make noise on a chevy, but not leak. Funny how the bearing was letting go, but the seals still held. At first I thought is was a bad fan clutch since the fan wobbled. Found the bad w/p while replacing the fan clutch. Fan clutch and wp were bad on that one.

winmutt · #6 12-05-2006, 02:41 PM

Ding ding ding we have a winner. How much coolant goes in total? She was 3 liters short give or take. I topped it off with water and it started and seemed to run fine. Going to drop coolant and do thermostat when I get home to make sure we don't have a cracked radiator in AM.

SootyPast · #7 12-05-2006, 04:29 PM

Where did the coolant go?

winmutt · #8 12-05-2006, 10:45 PM

Success! I feel like a fool. Overheating, no heat.... Just low on coolant. I came home tonight, flushed the radiator (green stuff), replaced the thermostat and took a test drive. The car is def idling better and when I came home from a quick jaunt on the highway, I let it idle for a good 10 minutes. This would have sent the temp sky high normally but it never went above 95. And in the freeway the heat in the car was unbearable. Hurray!

JimmyL · #9 12-05-2006, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SootyPast

Where did the coolant go?

I don't think an '80 model has an overflow tank, so it can just spit it out the tube. My 240 does a little.
Can an overflow bottle be added to these models that don't have one, or is there something different about the radiator on those with an overflow.....

Glad you got it fixed, btw.....

Mustang_man298 · #10 12-06-2006, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I don't think an '80 model has an overflow tank, so it can just spit it out the tube. My 240 does a little.
Can an overflow bottle be added to these models that don't have one, or is there something different about the radiator on those with an overflow.....

My 80 just has the spitter tube.
There is nothing different about the radiators, you can go to the local auto parts and get a generic add on recovery tank, or maybe find one in a wrecking yard that would fit from a newer car. JC whitney might even have them. Just stick the spitter tube on it and off you go.

t walgamuth · #11 12-06-2006, 06:40 AM

the cars with the expansion tank have a nipple on the rad for the hose to the tank. and no cap on the rad, (right?)

so you wont get the same effect adding a tank to a non tank equipped car unless you change the rad too.

try a new rad cap. it may just be pushing it out.

with that volumn though you must have a leak.

tom w

Ara T. · #12 12-06-2006, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

the cars with the expansion tank have a nipple on the rad for the hose to the tank. and no cap on the rad, (right?)

tom w

He speaketh the truth.

vstech · #13 12-06-2006, 08:22 AM

Truth indeed, however, the cars without the EX tank have the overflow tube that will easily drop into another tank for overflow recovery. not the same as a true expansion tank, but better than dumping all that antifreeze on the ground.
Wally World has a pretty good overflow tank kit in their auto section for around 5.00.
John

OMEGAMAN · #14 12-06-2006, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang_man298

My 80 just has the spitter tube.
There is nothing different about the radiators, you can go to the local auto parts and get a generic add on recovery tank, or maybe find one in a wrecking yard that would fit from a newer car. JC whitney might even have them. Just stick the spitter tube on it and off you go.

Whats wrong with a beer can? If you do this you need a radiator cap with an upper rubber seal as well as a lower seal so it will draw fluid from your beer can back in to the radiator.

winmutt · #15 12-06-2006, 05:54 PM

I am fairly certain that I was the source of the missing fluids. I don't remember topping off after changing the servo.............