Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Vintage Mercedes Forum

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-04-2003, 03:44 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
300 SEL problems problems. Crap!!!!

Well crap!!!!!! Picked up the 300 4.5 today with new exhaust system. Runs great, but hot as hell running about 210F (had my gauge marks off) as I though I was running about 195. Now all this happened when I had a TIMEVALVUE system put on my car which was not designed for it. But the car does not seem to be running to hot, not red line, and if you drive it for a while it runs about 200 (the mark below the red line bout 1/4 inch down). Everything has been checked, new thermostate, new cap, checked the cluch, fan the electric fan ect. What culd have happend. My Mechanic and I are both stumped. He suggest that the backpressure from the TIMEVALVE may have CASUSED A HEADGASKET problem. But no oil in water or anything. Crap!!! I've had this beautiful car for 5 months and have had the pleasure of it for about 2 of thoses. Pain in the Ass, this simply should not happen. Any suggestions?????

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-04-2003, 07:13 PM
Tomguy's Avatar
Vintage Moderator
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: near Scranton, PA
Posts: 5,407
A headgasket problem would make it run like crap, and make you lose oil and/or antifreeze and/or compression.

Put the original exhaust on. If it runs cooler, your new exhaust still isn't right. I suspect that the most since you said after the timevalve, when you went back to the original, it ran cooler.
__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-04-2003, 09:02 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 8,150
Lots of things can make it run hot -- bad head gasket (coolant will have fizzy bubbles in it), clogged rad (what condition was it in when drained?) bad thermostat, or the wrong type (must be OEM, the aftermarkets almost never have the bypass shutoff flap on them, or it's wrong-- and sometimes a new one out of the box won't work), ignition timing off (late, set with the vac off rather than on the retard diaphram), too lean mixture, etc.

And, you can also have a bad guage!! Engine may be fine, only the temp gauge reads high. Use an infared thermometer to check.

If you've drained the cooling system, open up the heater hose with the long pipe on it -- right side -- and let all the air out. Underfilled rad acts just like yours does!

Peter
__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-04-2003, 11:48 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
Peter, you say the right side, do you mean the passengers side? Big long hose on the Drivers side? Its been drained, flushed ect. I will try to "let the air out". How do I do that? Let it run?

Tomguy, I just can't keep putting exhaust on this thing, this is the second one, but all the power is there so I don't think that the problem. There is no great backpressure on the engine.

This just came out of no where, The suspension is fixed and is working great, the car runs well fun to drive ect ect. Crap!!!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-05-2003, 08:23 AM
Tomguy's Avatar
Vintage Moderator
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: near Scranton, PA
Posts: 5,407
If your aux fan turns on, then the gauge works and the engine IS running hot.
__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-05-2003, 08:53 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
Tomguy, fan comes on and it is running hot. Went by the food store last nite and got a kitchen "instant Read Thermometer" nice little gaget that runs up to 375 degrees. Took the cap off the car set the termo inside radiator and watched it clime!! I have been reading under SEARCH on this thread and have found the "burping" suggetion that Peter has proposed I'm not really sure how to employ method yet. Some suggest that you pour collant and water through upper raidator hose, but I think Peter has a better way, if you can run air out of the heater hose, kind of like bleeding the breaks I think. If it is not air in the Engine I'm thinking it may be the water pump. One thing that I am going to check is if the boddom is cooler that the top rad hose. It should be clear that I'm not much of a mech. I have not been under the hood of a car in 20 years. I saw this girl and just wanted to put my arms around her.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-05-2003, 09:49 AM
jas2wa's Avatar
3point5
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 548
Do you think it is just coincidental that your hot running problem happened at the same time as your new exhaust? I am curious about this, as I am (or was...) planning to do the identical Timevalve system on my 4.5

It must truly just be coincidental timing, no?

What do you think of the timevalve system overall, assuming it is not causing your heat problem?

Cheers,

JAS
__________________
94 E320
71 350SL
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-05-2003, 01:52 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
Timevalve lists a system for a 300SEL 4.5. That said, that is not what they sent me. I understand my car, a 72 has a different cam than the later 4.5s, not sure about your 73 but think yours is the same production run as mine. Running about 20 or more horsepower. I had hugh problems as soon as I put Timevalve on, no power and overheating. I could have patched the muffler and not missed a lick but I like the right way. Now I have a local "custom system" using my old upper pipes. Great power, still runs hot though.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-05-2003, 03:23 PM
jas2wa's Avatar
3point5
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 548
Yeah, my car would have the same engine as yours, the hotter cam 4.5 w/o cats.
Interesting that Timevalve screwed that up- did you send it back to them?

I too need some major exhaust work, and would much prefer to "do it right" as you say, with full stainless, but I worry now about plunking down the bucks for an incorrect fitment-

You're still having the temp problem- is there still restriction in the exhaust you're running now?

Maybe I'll just go to a speed shop and have some big ass pipes custom fabricated....

Naw, I'd much rather have her running stock, but not restricted in any way.

I'd be curious to hear other early 4.5 owners' exhaust experiences-

Cheers,

JAS
__________________
94 E320
71 350SL
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-05-2003, 09:04 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Evansville, Indiana
Posts: 8,150
The usual problem with air is bad heater core circulation and consequent lack of heat, but I suppose you could also get airlocking at the thermostat. To bleed, you just open up the heater hose connection at the heater end of the pipe and bleed the air out while adding coolant to the rad to keep it full. A hassle because of the lack of room with the hood not opening far enough.

Tobst:

Make SURE you have good water circulation! If the impeller of the water pump is bad, or someone overtightened the water pump belts and pull it forward, you won't get decent circulation, and the engine gets HOT. Check the bottom of the rad when hot -- if it isn't too hot to hold your hand on, you have poor circulation. A thermostat that has failed will do this too, and remember, you can get a bad one (or the wrong one) in the box new....

I don't believe the overheating and the exhaust are related.

Peter
__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-05-2003, 11:10 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
Thanks Peter, I will take your good advice. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-08-2003, 09:34 AM
jas2wa's Avatar
3point5
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 548
I have to agree with psfred, I don't think the exhaust and overheating issues are related, merely coincidental- keep us posted-

-JAS
__________________
94 E320
71 350SL
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-08-2003, 10:05 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
No, but I am sure that the exhaust was the problem that started the overheating. I'm trying to figure if excessive backpressure could have damaged my water pump.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-08-2003, 01:12 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 187
I'm dealing nbow with a backpressure issue on a 4.5 M117. Something obstructing muffler or cat. Loses power on strong acceleration, not moderate acceleration.

My cooling system stays cool (80c mark or just higher). But because of backpressure, I have excess engine bay heat (not engine heat, though) on left/driver side, where bad cat is. Exhaust is backing up, I think.

How would I know if this has or will cause head gasket problem?
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-08-2003, 02:19 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 439
Blown headgasket? Oil in your water. I do not know what your obstruction could be but sould to me like something blocking your exzaust gases. May be in your cat or pipe have caved. Go for the heat. Sounds like to already have located it.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page