84 380sl start up noise
 

hello all

have had the 84 for 3mo / the weather is cooling in this area -i have a noise on start up - sounds something like a loose belt - seems to come from compressor / water pump belt area - goes away aft @ 3 or 5min with a click/ as if something has switched on / maybe the thermostat kicking in?

the car has 99k / have been taught about the timing chain and rails / will be having that checked next wk

question / is the noise a cold weather start noise? / doesn t exist when the car is warm /is this a normal warm up noise common on these cars during cold weathe start-ups?

past owner changed the oil at 2k intervals

i have put 300 mi on car since i bought it / the oil is still clean as new oil change / without any visual oil loss

thanks in advance

j littletrees

Hum...

Being in Texas, I've yet to experience the cold start conditions this season. However, your condition begs for more information... Did you have this noise in the summer? Maybe you just did not "hear" it since you are a new owner...

I'd thing there should be NO discernable difference in the winter start-up other than it should take longer to get to operating temperature than in the summer..

Not sure if your car has the AIR pump or not, the AIR pump only runs a couple minute upon cold start-up. Next time you start up on a cold engine, get out and look in the engine bay and watch the electro-clutch pulleys (if AIR pump equipped, you'd have two one for A/C the other for the pump). Could be the AIR pump is noisy or needs a new belt.

84 380sl engine noise on start up /cold temp
 

thanks guys

saw the mechanic / friday / who has worked on the car for the past 12 yrs

he told me the noise is the air pump and is working as it should

he put a new air pump in 4mo ago / he said it didn t really need one only new belts / which he changed as well

he said if the car sneezed the last owner had it fixed


MikeTangas / u hit the nail on the head

again thanks people / i'm new to the mercedes / the engine is much different from anything i have ever owned

nothing like the old english cars

does ride similar to the volvo p1800s i had

jim