Engine Coolant Light and then no power

[munga]

Hi All

Got a query regarding my '02 ML270 CDI. The other day while driving the engine coolant warning light came on and the engine had no power. Or more correctly said wouldn't let me rev over 2000rpm. Checked the coolant level and all was at the correct level. I would have expected if the head gasket had blown there would be some extra heat or some unusual engine sounds.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the motor and the computer has put the engine into "limp mode"?

After checking all I could I took it into mercedes to have it checked out. I am fearing a bit of a ghost hunt and suggestions to replace everything etc. The best the service agent could come up with was "have you changed the coolant recently, as it is green and "ours" is blue..." I havn't changed the coolant recently and got thinking could the coolant be an issue? It doesn't seem plausible but what if it is just old and needs replacing?

Any thoughts?

-munga

[Andrew]

Try removing the negative terminal of the battery and then replacing it. This may just reset something.

It sounds like a sensor somewhere that has raised a false alarm but MB should find that in a jiffy by lookiing up the fault history.

[munga]

Just for feedback. The problem has been localised to the intake manifold and associated motor. It seems to be a common problem on the 270cdi motor.

As with all things on the modern Mercedes everything is made of plastic. Turns out the flaps in the inlet manifold break and the motor that moves the flaps tend to seize. They found a blown fuse for this motor. On the quote they have offered to replace the intake manifold. Total bill to replace the manifold and motor is in the region of 15k including 3k labour.

The joys of modern motoring...

[Andrew]

Wow - bad luck. That is serious cash.

[munga]

Doing some digging around it can be that the linkage can get disconnected due vibration and leads to a cheap fix. Knowing my luck it is going to be the whole hog.

I am getting a quote from another mechanic (non-merc agent) so let's see what his quote is. The manifold is almost 7k alone and the actuator is about 3k. Labour is 3k and looking on the other forums it seems that this job is quite a bit![at]#.

Will let you know how things go...

[Pete460332]

Well its at least cheaper than the exhaust manifold of a VW T5. They also have a common problem but with them its the Exhaust manifold.

Just for info my 300D can run without the following
1. Exhaust manifold ( will be noisy )
2. Inlet manifold ( not recommended as you have no air filtration
3. Alternator faulty - engine does not need electricity to run
4. Can even run on paraffin or veggie oil
Your modern G's / ML's can't do that
Peter

[munga]

Well its at least cheaper than the exhaust manifold of a VW T5. They also have a common problem but with them its the Exhaust manifold.

Just for info my 300D can run without the following
1. Exhaust manifold ( will be noisy )
2. Inlet manifold ( not recommended as you have no air filtration
3. Alternator faulty - engine does not need electricity to run
4. Can even run on paraffin or veggie oil
Your modern G's / ML's can't do that
Peter

Now you are just bragging...

[Andrew]

Now you are just bragging...

Yes but its true!

Except that he did not tell you that it is called a "Calendarwagen" because the speedo is marked in days.

[munga]

Just to let all know that the ML270CDI is back on the road (after a lot of money and time). Turns out the intake manifold and actuator needed reaplcing.

Also a fuse had shorted by some engine coolant leaking onto the crankshaft sensor which also supples power to MAF, exhaust pressure sensor and some others. These showed up from the merc diagnostic. 18.99 for the fuse and about 1000 bucks in labour tracing the fault plus about 80 bucks in "consumables".

[Robert]

Ek het soortgelyke probleem op W163 ML270CDi met engine coolant liggie wat brand, maar water vlak is reg, die waaier hardloop volspoed en die temperatuur registreer nie. Enige advies waar ek kan kyk?

Dankie
Robert