OM606 oil leak - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Parrot of Doom · #1 06-15-2009, 03:00 PM

(right hand drive)

I've got a reasonably serious (1 litre per 200-300 miles and a real mess on the road outside my house) oil leak at the front of the engine. It is from a pipe union with what I presume is an oil cooler on the front right of the engine bay, just behind the front right foglamp.

You can see it on the left pipe into that rad - a closer pic here:

Apologies for the low quality, lying on your back is never a great place to take pics!

Has anyone had a leak like this before, and is it possible to repair or replace the union without replacing the cooler? It only leaks when the engine is running. I'm presuming that undoing that pipe will dump the contents of the engine into a bucket?

While I'm at it, that other pipe is a rusty mess - anyone know what it contains?

Jeremy5848 · #2 06-15-2009, 03:41 PM

My 1996 E300D (W210, OM606NA) does not have anything like that on either side of the engine bay; I looked through both "doors" in the frontmost belly pan (access to change foglamp bulbs).

I thought the OM606 used an oil-to-coolant "oil cooler" but maybe it was changed for 1997 or maybe there is some requirement in RHD cars that necessitates the cooler you have.

Jeremy

nhdoc · #3 06-15-2009, 03:49 PM

I'm pretty sure my '98 has the same oil cooler. I know they do sell a repair union for the older style oil coolers but don't think that it is available for the W210. Best to call the parts department at the dealer and ask. I would be careful about driving it at all until it is fixed. It would not take very long to lose all of the oil if that came apart while you were driving.

Jeremy5848 · #4 06-15-2009, 03:58 PM

Confirmed from the FSM (DVD version) -- USA versions of the 1997 E300D have an oil-to-coolant cooler. Maybe they went to an oil-to-air cooler in 1998 and tried it out first in Europe and the UK in 1997.

FYI, my 1987 300D Turbo (W124, OM603) has an oil-to-air cooler like yours, left side of the engine bay, low down like your pictures.

TMAllison · #5 06-15-2009, 03:58 PM

Its also the left front.....not the right.

The description is always from the perspective of the driver.....remember your motor mount fiasco POD?

Parrot of Doom · #6 06-15-2009, 04:31 PM

Well the wheel makes it obvious

I doubt it'll fall apart, its just like a leaky household radiator.

I'm taking it to a friend's on wednesday to have a closer look. Worst case is that the oil cooler has to be replaced. Its better than what I was imagining before I found it, which was the crankshaft seal or oil pump

Parrot of Doom · #7 06-15-2009, 04:34 PM

That shows the setup that I have. The leak is between the cooler and the pipes joined to it in that diagram (not 14 and 11)

Jeremy5848 · #8 06-15-2009, 06:19 PM

Is this a turbodiesel? That would explain the extra oil cooling. AFAIK, all 1997 USA-versions of the 210 had the 606NA engine.

Matt L · #9 06-15-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

Is this a turbodiesel? That would explain the extra oil cooling. AFAIK, all 1997 USA-versions of the 210 had the 606NA engine.

That's correct. They got the whole ball of wax a year before us.

Matt L · #10 06-15-2009, 06:29 PM

It looks like it is leaking at the fitting, but I can't tell if it's running down the pipe to the fitting. If it is running down the pipe, you need a new hose assembly. If not, you still might need a new hose assembly, but you might try replacing any seals first.

Parrot of Doom · #11 06-15-2009, 06:44 PM

It isn't running down the pipe. It appears to be a common problem, a few other people have suffered with it. The most it will cost is about £200, so not a huge expense.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/69639-e300td-oil-cooler-leak-advice-please.html

Parrot of Doom · #12 06-18-2009, 03:48 PM

Well we removed the pipework, cleaned it up, and tightened it back up with PTFE on the threads. It got 5 miles down the road and unfixed itself in a fairly spectacular fashion, leaving an ugly narrow oil slick for half a mile on the road. I only noticed it when I looked in my rear view mirror.

So today I'm £220 poorer for a new rad, and tomorrow I'll be £280 poorer when the pipes arrive at MB. I'll have a nice shiny new oil cooler though, with lovely new pipes! £60 for pipes though FFS!

By the way, Herculean strength is required to remove those pipes from the radiator. Seriously, seek medical advice before you try it.

Jeremy5848 · #13 06-18-2009, 04:19 PM

Just one more item to keep in mind when trying to decide between NA and Turbo in the W210 cars. I don't imagine this is a frequent failure item, though, and if it were, would POD get "frequent failure miles" from BOAC?

TMAllison · #14 06-18-2009, 08:30 PM

POD lives on a small Island.....that must have something to do with some of the fun he encounters occasionally.

Jeremy5848 · #15 06-18-2009, 09:38 PM

Manchester is an island?