(Since posting this, I've now found the leak, it's at the hose connection at bottom of the radiator . Will do another posting to see how to fix it; I'm sure I'll just have to replace the hose..........)

here's the original posting..........

A while back, someone said that the underside belly pan (the big plastic thing that keeps rainwater from getting onto your engine), is nothing more than a useless diaper to keep a few oil spills off your driveway. I thought, man, what a nut. To me, an oil or other car liquid spot means "potential trouble coming, fix it now before it blows".

Anyways, I have a leak, the spot is on my driveway, coming from the
air cleaner side (passenger side toward the front) of the car. I haven't looked closely at it yet, but this is now day 2 of a leak, the spot is maybe 3" around, and when you put your fingers on it, it's clear but oily. I'll look at it more closely in a while, but you know how elusive finding those leaks can be. The leak is on the driveway, sort of about where the air cleaner would be, or maybe more underneath the headlight area.

I've ruled out oil because the oil from a diesel would be pitch black. I guess it could be power steering fluid, but what would it be doing over there? I know the reservoir is on the driver's side, and so are the hoses, upper and lower.

If it were antifreeze, wouldn't it be green? I guess some are orange. If it were diesel fuel, it'd smell like, ...well, diesel fuel, but it doesn't. Brake fluid? My fluid level seemed fine. I did have my brakes done about 2 weeks ago, rotors and all.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jeff 1991 300d, 116k

Sounds like coolant to me. Have you tasted it? Is it sweet? If you have not tasted it then don't. Watch your coolant level and see if you are losing any. Could be leaking from the water pump weep hole.

__________________
Jim

No, don't think I'll be tasting any coolant. It is deadly. Poison. A lady here in Atlanta killed her husband and 2 years later, her boyfriend with anti-freeze in their coffee. Only takes drinking maybe 1/8 cup of it perhaps. Little here, little there, then one day you don't wake up.

I'll check the coolant level, VISUALLY, but not orally!

jeff

The plastic shield under the engine and transmission is for airflow. It helps keep drag down, keeps the engine cleaner, and helps the car to maintain proper operating temperature in the engine compartment. It is also there to keep the sound level down. This from M-B engineers back in the '80s, they were very proud of the performance of the new diesels.

If you don't want the shields, send them to me, I'll pay for shipping.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

As an experiment, you might want to try removing the belly pan(s) for awhile to see if you can localize the leak. There are a lot of car fluids that, in a thin layer, will look clear and feel oily. Be careful removing the pans, there may be more of your leak in them.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Yes, the belly pans are an important part of the car. Its most important job is probably keeping rainwater off your electrical components. The low drag coefficient is a minor issue; my mpg is the same with or without from what I've seen. As for noise, I don't think it does much. I need the back half of one if you do find one, mine got toasted.

Thanks,

Jeff