Girly Question

[cardsnapper]

Okay guys, I'm a girl and not a mechanic so go easy on me! Took my '81 380 sl for a spin yesterday. Only about a 10 mile cruise around town. About a mile from my house I noticed a faint smell...the one you get when a radiator hose bursts....steamy, sweet. Look at the temp guage, it was right around 90. So I thought maybe it was another car and went on home. Pulled in the driveway and low and behold it was leaking fluid from the bottom at a faucet turned on pace!! The leak was coming from towards the rear of the engine, right in the center. There's some sort of plate there with a little hole that the fluid was coming out of. Checked the coolant level in the tank...empty! stuck a pan under the car to catch some of the fluid it's antifreeze with oil in it. Let it sit overnight, Cuz it was dark when I got home, went out this morning the coolant level in the tank was back to just a little below the fill line. The oil could be from run off the engine, the car does burn oil at a very slow pace, you only get a whif of burning oil very seldom and I never have to add between changes. What should I look for? I will take it to a mechanic, but I'm new to the town I live in and don't know the local benz mechanic. Just want to get an idea of what to expect. Thanks guys!!!!

[stevebfl]

I'm guessing that you have a leak into the valley of the motor. All manner of stuff winds up there and if the level of 'stuff" gets too high it comes out a hole and drains down the backside of the motor.

A pressure test should show the culprit. Since this ought to be easy, it might be a good time to establish your new relationship with a trusted technician/shop. Ask a couple MB owners who they use. Look at the parking lot in a few shops. There better be a predominance of MBs there, if you wish a real professional.

[suginami]

Hemet?

Man, I'm not sure there is a Mercedes specialist in Hemet....

[stevebfl]

I been thinking about that since I first read the post. Who could forget a name like Hemet and I remember it. So I looked around figuring if I knew it I had to know someone there and I just figured it out. I actually know him fairly well. I have talked to him a couple times and know of him from articles he writes in trade magazines. He will know someone, if he isn't the one.

Hemet, California
Phil's Auto Clinic
General Automotive Service
Phil Fournier, Owner/Technician

He doesn't specialize in MBs but in this case he would be totally competent AND I would presume he knows the best man for the job where ever that might be in that area. Tell him I said Hi.

He is the principled, knowledgable, type technician one could use for anything. What he doesn't know, he knows how to deal with. He'll call me

[MikeTangas]

I'll bet he knows Tom Mace in Temecula. Good guy, his shop works on MB's and BMW's plus a couple other euro cars. Can't recall the name of the shop offhand, and I'm a few thousand miles from home or I'd list a number.

[cmac2012]

Originally Posted by stevebfl

He doesn't specialize in MBs but in this case he would be totally competent AND I would presume he knows the best man for the job where ever that might be in that area. Tell him I said Hi.

He is the principled, knowledgable, type technician one could use for anything. What he doesn't know, he knows how to deal with. He'll call me

Dude, you ARE the man. BTW, do you have any idea what the winning lotto numbers will be in the next drawing out here?

[lnkprksoldier]

the numbers are 2,7,19,26,37 and the mega is 12. trust me on this one. don't forget to split the money with me

[cmac2012]

You're on....

[cardsnapper]

Well guys,thanks for all the mechanic info! I totally lucked out this time....it was a bad hose!!! YES!!!! No mechanic needed. But , to stevebfl...how weird, I live not even a block away from Phil's auto clinic and and never even thought about taking my car there, but it's nice to know about a good mechanic. Temecula isn't too far either so I would consider going to "tom's Shop". Thanks again and oh yeah... Good luck on the lotto!! Ha Ha