116 normal operating temp - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ptoro01 · #1 05-27-2004, 02:00 PM

What is the normal operating temp for a 450sel, I am running it in about 80 degree weather and it always seems to run between 200F and 215F. Is that normal? I have changed the coolant, thermostat and the auxiliary fan work, and the fan clutch does too. I personally think its too warm but give me your insights. I am also taking a cross country trip tomorrow so I hope it wont have temp problems.

Thanks,

Peter

Tomguy · #2 05-27-2004, 04:32 PM

My gauge is at 175 on the highways all the time. It goes up at times in traffic. Max is about 190. If I let it sit in the parking lot it might get a hair above 190 but quickly cools off.

This is a closed system on your 450 right? Probably has air in it, you need to "Burp" the air out of your system so that it doesn't run so high. Some members suggest pulling the top rad hose and plugging the rad hole, then using a garden hose as far down into the hose as possible to prime it.

ptoro01 · #3 05-30-2004, 07:26 PM

Hey,

I just finished a cross country trip in the 450sel. It ran great and cool when it was nice outside. When it warmed up a little, I had to keep from speeding too much.

Whats the outside temperature for your 175 degrees normal highway temp. I was running it at mid 60's and it ran a tad over 175.

Thanks,
Peter

cth350 · #4 05-30-2004, 10:08 PM

sounds like it's one of four things...

- Faulty radiator
- Faulty water pump
- Faulty aux fan wiring
- faulty gauge wiring

You can calibrate the gauge by watching the rise and dip when the thermostat opens.

Of course, there's poor ignition timing and all that.

-CTH

Tomguy · #5 05-30-2004, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ptoro01
Whats the outside temperature for your 175 degrees normal highway temp.

At 20°F (takes a while to get there) and at 85°F, highway temps on mine are always at 175. Traffic temps sometimes approach (NEVER reach) the line above it (210 I assume) but my temp on the highways rarely climbs at all above the 175 mark, and when it does, only when I'm running it VERY hard, and when it's hot out.

ptoro01 · #6 05-30-2004, 11:02 PM

So we recently finished a rigourous timing chain rework through which we had to fish out most of the upper guide rail. The rail had no more than a third left of it. We put back a new tensioner and upper rails and couldnt change the chain because we were in a time constraint. The strech doesnt seem more than 7 degrees but its easy to miscalculate by a few. Hopefully the timing chain changes and the worries are over for another 100 000 miles. Timing seems much better than before and the engine still seems a little higher than what it is supposed to be. It is usually running 210 ish most of the time especially in the city.

What are the steps I should take towards solving this issue.

Thanks for all the insight.

Peter

ptoro01 · #7 05-31-2004, 08:04 PM

Alright, driving out in toronto in stop and go traffic it took about 20 min for the car to get dangerously close to overheating. It was just a hair before the red line on the temp guage, and something has to stop. I had to stop and let the engine cool off and its no more than 35 degrees out here right now. I recently change most of the coolant, and while changing out the rest of it while pulling the thermostat, which was broken some more green coolant came out. The new yellowish coolant was the new stuff I put back in it.

The aux fan comes on right before the needle hits the white line a mm before it hits red. I have no idea what to do and it freaks me out that city driving, my engine might as well explode cause it cooks itself so quick.

Help help help, what do i do from here.

Peter.

Tomguy · #8 05-31-2004, 09:07 PM

Do NOT drive your car if it gets that hot (And I thought MY car got warm)...

If your water pump isn't dead, then either you have VERY low coolant, VERY blocked rad/coolant passages, or you put the thermostat in backwards. I can't imagine why else it would get so damn hot! Even with a bad fan clutch, mine doesn't get that hot in traffic!

Drain all of your coolant. Pull your block drain plugs (1 on each side, from underneath, either 6mm allen or (19mm?) hex bolts). If nothing comes out when you pull the plugs, poke a screwdriver in the holes until it does. Then take your thermostat out and put the housing back together (with it out). Open your heater levers on full. Close all the drains up, put 2 bottles of flush in, then fill it with water, and run it until it gets to op temp. If it gets too hot while idling, drive it on the highway or something. Run it at least 10 mins with this stuff in. DO NOT let the temp get above the 210 mark, if it does, IMMEDIATLEY do whatever is needed to cool it ASAP (park it and shut it off if needed).

Then drain that out (including the block again) and put clean water in, and repeat that. Repeat with clean water until it comes out clear. Then drain and refill it with coolant, and put the thermostat back in.

ptoro01 · #9 05-31-2004, 10:15 PM

How do I check the waterpump from being dead? then replacing it shouldnt be all that of an issue. The time when I flushed it, I couldnt find the drain plugs for the block and just figured that with water running through a few times it should just flush out but apparently it didnt. I also did use the coolant flush chemical but couldnt see any rust out in the drained coolant.

I will try to find a place to work on it somewhere around here. Now that im in toronto, I have a single space in an underground garage. I will try my best to figure it out without having to go to someone.

I will try to get all that done in the next couple of days. Driving it at high temps was freaking me out and traffic moved a while inch and a half in 10 min. I ended up running the aux fan with the engine off for a while after that. It was wierd since outside was very cold and it shouldnt have heated that high.

Something somewhere is most def cloged up and it needs to be fixed.

Thanks for all your input.

Peter

Tomguy · #10 05-31-2004, 10:18 PM

The top rad hose is the outlet hose. If nothing comes out of it when your car is that hot, it's a bad pump or the thermostat is in wrong.
Usually bad pumps will leak, from my experience, but I can imagine one being bad and not leaking, just being eaten away at by corrosion.

ptoro01 · #11 05-31-2004, 10:21 PM

So i should turn my engine on with that rad hose handing off from there. I have noticed before that that hose was really filled up after the car ran and then it emptied. Could that just been pressure from the system from heat and all?

Also is there anyone out there in toronto who knows a good place with fair prices for tranny fluid and maybe the coolant thing if I cant figure it out from a space limitation.

Thanks bunch so far, it helped much,

Peter

Tomguy · #12 05-31-2004, 11:07 PM

I wouldnt start it... just take the hose off, plug the rad up, and turn the key with the ignition wire off the coil or distributor, and see how much (if any) coolant comes out in 5 seconds.

ptoro01 · #13 06-01-2004, 01:34 PM

Hey,
I checked the water pump this morning by unplugging the upper hose and then checking how much if anything came out and nope, it was dry. Could I have a huge air bubble in the system which would prevent anything from coming out or most like the waterpump has died.

Yesterday it suddenly jumped way high up in temp, almost 40 degrees all of a sudden. Could that have been when it died on me.

While testing the pump also, the aux tank didnt get less fluid in it while I was turning the engine for almost 15 seconds.

Thanks,
Peter

Tomguy · #14 06-01-2004, 05:47 PM

Stuff a garden hose as far down it as you can and keep it there until bubbles stop coming out. Then check the flow.

ptoro01 · #15 06-01-2004, 07:42 PM

Hey,

I filled the system from the top to get rid of air and now tried to check how much comes out of the system but none did. Is that an indicator that the pump has gone.

If its the pump, I will check on how to replace it myself, I saw one on eas for 50 and I will install that. Is there any special knowledge I need to replace one of those on an m117?

thanks,
Peter