After I was turning the engine on and it warmed up it I was
giving a smell of engine coolant.

I replaced all rubber hoses one of which was broken.
Now I do not see any leaks, however after the enigne warms up I still get the smell of hot engine coolant . Where could this be leaking from additionally? IS the heater assembly pretty much leak proof? I assume that the radiator is not leaking.

mlrolin, Did you clean all the fluid that leaked out in the engine area, antifreeze smell can hang around, unless its washed off. And vapors can enter into the HVAC system.

TimReid

Yes I did with a power wash.
I am just wondering if the Germans designed the heater in such a way that it wont leak.
Maybe I should search for leaks in the engine itself?

I would defiently check for spills, and wait it out. See if the smell goes away or gets worse. How is your coolant level?

__________________
1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Does anyone have a pic of the heater assembly of a W124?
Are there any rubber hoses or gaskets there?

The coolant level is pretty much constant in the excess reservoir
at least.

For tracking down hard-to-find coolant leaks, the best bet is to get a pressure tester. The down side is they are about $75. You can get them at Sears or some auto parts stores. Often if you have a slow leak somewhere (like a clamp) you won't see any visible leaks or white residue, but once you pressurize the system while it is cold, the leak is usually obvious.

__________________
Steve
'93 400E

This sounds as a good option with the pressure tester,

also if the coolant level is too low~~ I would assume that due to

its

lower mass/ammount it would tend to boil or get closer to a

boiling point, thus it would work above its nominal

operating range and would evaporate easier through

any tiny holes in the hoses(if any are left). I guess I should have

added sufficient coolant after I replaced the hoses since my

coolant level now is actually below min but stable.

I kept smelling collant and stuff on my brothers car. I presurized it. On the back of a 560 you can see that there is a hose and it had a pin hole in it. and it was burning on the exhaust manafolds. Just presure test it. I have a napa pressure tester for coolant, maybe you can rent one from checker or autozone

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Yesterday, when I parked my car after driving, I noticed cooant dripping on the ground. It was coming from somehere from top of the engine oil reservoir. I removed the air filter, but did not find any wet spot. The expansion tank has sufficient water level. The water pump & thermostat feels dry.

Any help to solve this mystery leak will be appreciated. Thanks

Try a new reservoir cap from mercedes benz.

__________________
Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Benzidude, Your leak is probably coming from the fitting on the left rear of the cylinder head where the heater hose attaches. There is an o-ring that seals the fitting to the head.

__________________
Mercedes Benz Master Tech - Retired

Or you can rent the $75 gadget at Auto Zone or other mass-marketer for $75 and get it all back when you return it.

The pressure test will let you know where/if you have an external leak.

__________________
Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

RPM55,

Thanks for your advice. Iwill check this evening. By the way, in my car, the hose going to heater is located at rear of cylinder head near firewall on right side ( back of air filter) . I assume this is the same hose you mentioned in your reply.

Thanks