c250td
 

i have an 1997 c250 td, it has just started to overheat big time,
i am a taxi driver and had been driving for 4 hours and it started to loose power, when i looked at the gauge it was up at the red, i stopped for a while and then drove it home but it kept rising into the red, i am now fearful to drive it, as as soon as it heats up it goes up to red , does any one have any idea what would be causing this, and do you think i have done any damage by driving it home. there are 120,000 miles on car

the first
 

suspect is the thermostat. change that or at least take it out and test it. second suspect is the water pump. if the stat doesnt do it change the water pump. if it was a failing radiator it would have failed over time probably.

and as to damage. no way to tell. depends on how long it was hot and how hot it got. could be a warped head and blown head gasket or even a cracked head. running it even one block with it hot is not a good idea.

good luck. with any luck it might just be the stat.

tom w

is there much work in removing the stat