4 yrs and 15,000 miles ago restored a '70 250C incl total engine rebuild. Before rebuild garage floor suffered from small oil spots leaking from around front engine seal.

This annoying little Problem persists. is this just the nature of the 130.923 engine to leak a little around the front engine seal?

Don't know if this is common to the M130, but this is a common area to leak in many engines. Not too hard to fix, You have to pull the radiator for clearance and have an air impact wrench to get off the balancer bolt, and then have a balancer puller, etc.

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Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

Before you go to the trouble of the front seal, check around the chain tensioner on the right side of the engine, There is an O-ring seal there that dries out and allows oil to leak down the block and looks like a front crank seal leak.

I learned this the hard way with one of my cars - a couple hundred bucks for a front seal replacement that did not resolve the leak. Since then, most of the 130 engines I have worked on have had this leak.

It is an easy fix if you don't have AC, kind of a PITA if you do.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Chuck - I think I have the same problem (of course, as (bad) luck would have it - I have A/C). Where is the "O" located on the right side?

Thanks

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'70 280SE Cab. (111)

It is nestled under the water temperature housing.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

I think steam cleaning the engine first to find these leaks is probably the best idea. My mechanic claims the most likely source of the oil leaks are the valve cover gaskets but it seems more likely that it is coming either from the front seal or possibly this newly discovered "O' ring location.

Peter Kaufman

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'70 280SE Cab. (111)

I woul dalso reccomend one of those flourescent dye kit.. they do a pretty good job or showing all the numerous places oil leaks from.

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MB 72 250 M130.923 114.011 170k The Beauty

Having recently had my head off my M130 engine, I dismantled this very tensioner and found the O-ring was fresh and pliable so I put it back together. No leaks.

If you look smack under the thermostat housing you will find a giant bolt-head. This is the tensioner. It uses a spring to hold the chain taute (sp?), and I think the engine oil contributes a hydraulic pressure as well, hence the O-ring seal.

Oddly enough though, the valve covers don't really leak all that much. Just three bolts to hold down the cover and a reusable rubber gasket does the job. Amazing really. Must help to have a vertical engine.

__________________
Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

240 Ed has it right. Front of the head, right side. Well-concealed by the exhaust manifold and the AC. At least on a 114/130, you need to remove the compressor (believe it can stay hooked up) and the thermostat housing to get the tensioner off to replace the o-ring.

You should replace the short piece of hose that connects the thermostat housing to the head or block (don't remember). There is also a vent tube. The two banjo bolts that hold the tube and their washers should also be replaced, as well as the t-stat housing gasket.

A pretty satisfying "wrench" day.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe