I replaced my radiator and all of the cooling hoses (except the short one from the water pump to the manifold). Following the Shops advice and procedures, there were a few bloody knuckles but it went as prescribed. I ran short on time and could not deal with the recommended thermostat replacement (especially since that 3rd bolt is in such a delightful location....) My problem now is that I filled the expansion tank, started the car with heater on, and the radiator idiot light came on. The car then proceeded to get hotter, hotter, etc. I checked the bottom hose between the radiator and the engine - cool as a cucumber. Level in the expansion tank did not go down as expected and there was no requirement to add fluid.

Is my thermostat frozen closed? Do I have an air bubble (not sure what that is exactly or how to deal with it)? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as this is my daily driver and I have been disabled for two days.

Thanks

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94 E500 (Silver/Black)

anytime the engine gets hot that quick and the lower radiator hose is cold----your thermostat is closed.

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David S Poole
European Performance
Dallas, TX
4696880422

"Fortune favors the prepared mind"
1987 Mercedes Benz 420SEL
1988 Mercedes Benz 300TE (With new evaporator)
2000 Mercedes Benz C280
http://www.w108.org/gallery/albums/A...1159.thumb.jpg

Thanks David.

Any idea why it is suddenly frozen? Is there any way to get it to open without replacing it?

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94 E500 (Silver/Black)

You've got an airlock, Steve. This is common when 119s are refilled. Air is either caught in the top of the radiator, the big hose at the top, or top of the block.

* make sure you refill through the balance tank and not the radiator lid
* fill, run the motor (short time), fill some more. It may take 3-4 cycles, just keep adding as the system soaks it up.
* Leave a little bit down, when it's flowing well, add the antifreeze. I suggest you use only Merc branded, my later model 140s use brown

It'll probably gurgle and bubble as the air gets flushed. Suggest you don't run the motor too long with no coolant (2-3 mins max)

Thanks for the air lock info, but let me expand. I filled the expansion tank and started the car - but nothing drained from the tank into the radiator like I thought it would. I then mad a bone head move (perhaps) and took the top radiator hose off and put some coolant in (about 1 pint). My thought was to prime the water pump. Sealed it all back up and got the same results.

Where do I go from here to undo the problem? I really do not want to take that ******* elbow hose off and mess with trying to get the mystery nut off to change the thermostat.

Thanks

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94 E500 (Silver/Black)

I don't really know, Steve. I'm sort of guessing now, but get whatever you've got out of the system by purging it, then do a normal fill through the balance tank. I'd say leave the little therm/connector hose alone, pull the big hose at the manifold, the little hose at the radiator (bottom), and run it for a few secs. You may want to hide around the corner cause it will throw scalding hot water all over the place. 60 secs max!

Let it cool again, seal it all up, make sure it's NOT hot, and start with water again in the overflow tank while it's running. Either measure it so you'll know how much it's absorbed, or wing it with a hose. When it stops going down (the tank will bubble and act up as you're adding water) I'd let it heat cycle then test it again while running - never let the motor run for more than 2-3 mins, allowing at least 30 mins for cool down. If you're comfortable it's full THEN add your AF by either siphoning a small amount out of the overflow, or not putting that much in to start with.

A big word of caution though - I'm sure you know this. That water coming off the motor is scalding HOT, well above boiling. Please be very careful with cooling systems - I've seen the aftermath of a radiator block cracking/bursting into someone’s chest. For this reason I just let the motor cool between fills so I'm never working with a hot motor. And I NEVER fool with the radiator cap. In fact I never take them off.

This is one of those scarier parts of this biz IMHO, I've always had some phobia about the heat a big V8 can produce