See picture. I can't find coolant coming from anywhere higher up, it looks like it's coming from this big bolt (24mm) on the oil cooler. I thought it was a little too far back to be the water pump leaking, its seal is less than a month old and looks fine. What's this bolt, and is there a gasket or o-ring behind it? I can't find any reference to this bol on Clarks Garage or anywhere else.

I think I found the source of my oil 'leak.' I had the oil changed a couple of weeks ago, and the person that did it must've thought the filter wouldn't spill oil everywhere once it came off (it went all over!). They cleaned up some but I guess they didn't get all of it and the spots I saw on the driveway must've been old oil making its way down. I thought it was the lower balance shaft but the belts are 100% clean and there was no trace of oil anywhere in the belt cover (haven't checked behind yet). But the last time those seals were changed was probably the 12th of never so I might as well...

 

OIL COOLER!
the oil pressure sending unit screws into it.

 

This bolt is behind the casting the pressure sender is attached to - next to impossible to get a decent picture of. The area above it looks dry so my guess is that it isn't the seal that runs around the whole thing. I'm having problems pulling up the part number for whatever gasket goes there (if any). Anybody know what the number is? There are no signs of oil and coolant mixing anywhere so things look fine on the inside.

 

as much as I hate to.. I agree with Campeck.

Ok. I'm at a loss. What is Scuba Steve- I was thinking PeeWee's playhouse but I know thats not right.

 

This might help describe it: Paragon has a picture of the cooler housing - in the lower-right image there's the casting where the oil sending unit goes into and to the left of it a shorter casting where this large bolt goes. That's the one. I've searched all over and can find no leaks coming from anywhere other than right there. This thing bolts into the bottom of the oil cooler housing. Why there's a bolt there is a mystery to me... maybe it's to drain coolant from that part of the engine.

Btw, the name is from the movie Big Daddy.

 

figgers- one of the few I havent seen.. was that the plastic guy in the toilet?

Make sure the oil cooler seal isnt leaking. Pressure wash the engine bay and check again in a day or so, you'll find it.

 

He's the plastic action figure in red and yellow diving gear.

I have some degreaser that I'll try out tomorrow afternoon. If I can scare up something powdered I'll put a little around the area and give it a couple of days. Right now the car is up on ramps but it still drips slowly anyway, maybe a drop every hour or a little more. I'm just happy that it's not coming from the water pump!

 

Scuba steve you should have the cooling system pressure tested. Have the shop who would be doing the work (assuming its the cooler cooler gasket) look at it unless your doing the work yourself.

Don't use that green coolant when you have the cooling system apart. It'll eat up your alluminum engine parts and gaskets alive. Buy a couple of gallons of the OEM M-Benz coolant from a dealer. It's clear with a goldish hue.

 

worse comes to worse, throw some in UV DYE IN THE OIL. WORSE COMES TO WORSE-IT'LL BLEED OUT AND YOU CAN TRACK IT WITH AN UV LIGHT.

search for Aircraft oil dye.

 

OK, I now remember Scuba Steve/// Frankenstein?

 

I do all the work on the car (got out of grad school not long ago). Pressure testing would be nice though, I'd bet the leak would really show itself there. Maybe somewhere like Napa or Auto Zone has a tester they let people use? The antifreeze is Prestone Extended Life, I got it because whoever did the writeup at Clarks Garage uses it. In person it's either green or gold - depends on the light.

That's what the kid was calling himself for half the show. Steve is the action figure. Adam Sandler comes to the door to talk to the kid dressed like Scuba Steve, except he says he's Scuba Sam (Steve's dad).

 

Autozone, I use those tools all the time. for the pressure tester they have you dont need an adapter or anything! It works great, just dont put too much pressure or you will "find" lots of new leaks!

 

How much is too much - 10 or 15psi good? This is something they have for people to use like the alternator/starter stuff? The car isn't a daily driver and all that's off are the belt covers / accessory belts so a run over there tomorrow afternoon would be easy to do.

 

NOT A DAILY DRIVER??? OK I'm out..

 

Just pump until the needle drops back to zero.
Just joking.... By that time your floor would be full of coolant and in need of several new parts.


As you pump the tester you will feel resistance. As the resistance just starts to build look in that general area and you will see coolant leak out.