This will not result in any reduction in engine temperature unless the block is seriously contaminated with scale. If this is the situation, the "vinegar smelling stuff" isn't going to do a damn thing other than enriching the pockets of the seller. A full citric acid cleaning is required, a procedure that is well documented on here.

Furthermore, there is absolutely no reason to run the engine during the flushing procedure.

And what do you think the "vinegar-smelling stuff is"? It's citric acid flush, and unless you still want the coolaid and/or green stuff in your heater, you will run the engine with the heater on full blast.

__________________
1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

It's your vehicle.

Do what you want.

But, for everybody else, the water pressure from a garden hose (typical 70 psi) will easily exceed the pressure that is developed by running the water pump.

Furthermore, if you believe that the "vinegar smelling stuff" will do the desired descaling of the block with the concentration that you get in the bottle...........you're seriously mistaken. The FSM has no reference to any bottle of "vinegar smelling stuff".

Further, the worst case scenario is that the pink and green residual stuff that is still lurking in places like heater and heater hoses, will bond together, and you'll have a real mess. Every truck-driver knows, not to let the pink and green stuff get mixed together, no matter how slight the quantities. That's the reason for picking up the Prestone Flush Kit (with the vinegar smelling stuff), and giving it a good flush, and backflush, before changing to any other coolant. The only way you'll get the heater core flushed is to have the car running, with the heater turned on full blast!!!

__________________
1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

That is a factually incorrect statement and ignores the physics of water pressure available from a municipal water system.

Has it occurred to YOU that said drop in op temp was probably due to the faulty mix of coolant to water that was in the car before you put in the Zerex G-05 mix?

The difference between conventional coolant formulations and the Zerex (or Mercedes dealer) variety has to do with chemical composition with regard to the aluminum head. It has nothing to do with whether the coolant does its job or not....

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Well, the Zerex G-05, or the "Mercedes" coolant, is the one recommended. Right now I'm running the green stuff, as the last mechanic was unable to find G-05 (in rural Minnesota) when replacing the radiator. He flushed and backflushed the system and used a 50/50 mix. However, when in the great white North (Fargo, Twin Cities, etc.), I usually request a 70/30 mix. Pink coolant is especially made for cars/trucks with lots of aluminum (especially the head) parts. The newer trucks (after '04) are dedicated "pink." But one thing every trucker has learned, pink and green together are a terrible mix, guaranteeing overheating and clogging over time. If one hasn't learned it from personal experience, we have benefitted from seeing it happen to someone else's truck. Have not used the pink in any of my MBZs, or my truck (N-14+ Cummins Engine). When I brought my car down for Peter Hedary to work on, he got rid of the green and replaced it with G-o5 and I immediately noticed a drop in temp. Go Figure. I do prefer to run cooler though.

__________________
1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

Regarding purging air, the original post, on a 617 engine there is a small tube that runs from the top of the water pump to the high spot of the head. If the top banjo is slacked off air trapped in the head will vent from that banjo fitting. temp should settle down immediately. it worked for me. The Easy Fix

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1984 300SD turbo 126
"My true love"

God made me an atheist and who am I to question His wisdom

Are you doing this with the engine running and the cooling system pressurized?

How do you get in there?

If the engine is not running, are you doing it immediately after shutdown?

The rising coolant level, when filling, should provide all the pressure needed to force air out.

Since I'm chasing the same gremlin on the SD, I figured I'd give it a try.

RE bleeding air from the head.
I do it with the engine off. The fan is to close to be in there when running.
I have also had results when filling through the top rad hose.

__________________
1984 300SD turbo 126
"My true love"

God made me an atheist and who am I to question His wisdom

Thanks.

I'll give it a try.

I gave my 19 yearold son my beloved 82 300TD. He recently put dex 3 transmisson fluid in the radiator fill tank! What should I flush it with? Should I replace thermostat and radiator cap. Radiator fluid looks like texas tea. temp reading in red....

Transmission fluid does a pretty good job of running downhill. I would open the radiator and block drains and let drain for a while, then flush with some Dawn and water a couple of times.