290 GTD running hot(ter) urgent advice needed!
As usual, some promblems/question arise moments before leaving on a big trip. This is the case now, I am packed and ready to leave fo an offroad trip trough Croatia. Takes me 1400km of highway to get there.
The temperature of my G is usually between 85 degrees celcius (opening temp of thermostat) and 90 degrees. When I push it to 120 km/h or higher it might hit 100 degrees and drop down to 90 again when I slow down to around 110 km/h.
Lately It runs a bit higher when I'm on the highway and when I go 110 km/h (my prefered cruising speed for this vehicle) it is around or just below 100 degrees celcius.
The red zone on the gauge starts only at 120 degrees celcius, but that seems ridiculous? I have no time for big repairs, so shoud I worrie driving around 95 / 100 degrees all day.
What I did:
- I drained the coolant fluid and replaced it.
- I replaced the themostat.
Did I do something wrong?
I just filled up the coolant when engine was cold, ran the car until it was hot. Checked coolant level. Now I couls add a liter or so...ran for about 200km. Coolant level stays nicely on maximum. I checked the hoses on top and bottom of radiator and I know the thermostat opens...I can also see the coolant moving around when I look in the radiator with running engine so the pump seems to work fine too. I can find no leaks.
What can I check?
And most of all, can my engine cope with 95/100 degrees celcius!!!!
Thank you very much!
Geoffrey
Hello Geoffrey,
Carefully check for cold spots on your radiator after a good run in your vehicle. If there are any, get the radiator re-cored or replace the radiator. Have the gearbox oil level checked out, has it and the filters been renewed (circa 70,000 miles)?
Check on viscous coupling if it has one, with the engine hot and revving the engine the fan should blast air and you would hear the gush of the fan.
For emergency conditions turn the heater matrix to hot; doing this, will the coolant temperature drop down?
If you have A/conditioning and if it is turned on, does switching off, the a/c help reduce the coolant temp.? Do the a/c fans work?
Cheers,
Sound advice above...most likely the fan viscous coupling...wd also check belt tensioner and idler operation...unlikely to be rad unless run w/out a/freeze in a hard water area [harpic is best to flush ha ha]...if very high mileage could be head gasket warning [also unlikely]
Good luck with the trip - worst case scenario ?? you will be in 602 fix it land but DONT cook it plse...
Hi Geoff,
Behind the viscous coupling is a disc with little tags all the way around it. To lock the fan 'on' permanently, bend one of these tags into the coupling and then fan will be locked 'on'. Your fuel consumption will rise a touch, but it will save the engine from cooking its self.
Sounds like you will need a viscous coupling.
Cheers,
Hi G,
Had exactly the same problem as you describe it in 40 degrees Athens a few years ago in my 3l petrol G. It was the viscous coupling. How to check if it is working:
1. Run the engine until the engine is warm (in your case above 85 degrees).
2. Stop the engine, open the bonnet quickly and try to rotate the fan by hand.
If the fan rotates freely, your viscous coupling is gone.
It is an easy fix: order a new coupling, buy the appropriate fan spanner (or a very narrow large adjustable spanner). Unscrew the viscous coupling (these are invariably reverse-threaded by the way, so turn the spanner the 'wrong way' to loosen it). Unbolt the fan from the old unit, bolt it on to the new unit and wind the whole new unit+fan on (again in reverse) to the fan pulley. Run the car, you should now hear the fan when you get up to temperature. All is now well again........since I replaced my unit (about 3 years ago) it hasn't needed replacing (I know the person who bought my old G from me).
Good luck/Ph
THX!
Back from a fantastic week in Croatia! (+ 4000 km)
The car had NO problems, but the temperature rose to 95 or 100 degrees when working hard. (uphill on motorway and/or faster then 115 km/h)
We suspected the visco fan, but I would like to be sure. We could hold back the fan with a folded piece of paper with a warm running and revving engine, is this normal?
I have a brandnew radiator that I am going to fit too.
Does anyone know how much the visco thing costs?
And what is the "right" way too check the correct function of the visco???
It turns loose when I check it the Phileas way, but not completely without resistance...so I'm not sure....
thx,
Geoff
You Viscofan is obviously terminated: with warm enginem, the fan should turn solidarily with the pulley that it is attached to.
The original fan is expensive; but don't dispair: there are cheap aftermarket copies on Ebay. Try this merchant or simply search for Mercedes viscokupplung on German Ebay:
www.ebay.de/itm/Lufterkupplung-Viscokupplung-Mercedes-W461-250-Gd-2-5-D-...
Cheers
Hello Geoff,
To test the fan can be a hit or miss affair, unless you have experienced a working fan first hand.
Turning the fan by hand is not a reliable method to check the fan. You need to know the difference of fan resistance initially.
As I have mentioned earlier, get the engine hot, you are looking at a good drive for more than five miles or at a point the gauge reads around 95 degrees or more. From the engine compartment rev the engine to about 1500 rpm to 2000 rpm. At that temperature, revving the engine; should the fan work properly, will give you quite a blast of air rush, blowing the hairs on one's head. The fan will be very noisy as well. If you do not get these conditions mentioned, the fan has failed. This air rush is really a blast of air and not a breeze.
You did mention that you felt no cold spots on the radiator, in which case there is no need to renew this.
I have also suggested locking the fan by bending one of the tags into the viscous coupling found in a spiky disc immediately behind the coupling.
Cheers,
PM me your chassis number and i will price the MB coupling for you and let you have the part number
It will at least tell you what a good price for an after market product may be?
Might be able to get you some good discount on the MB one as well
Or see if any dealers are holding stock they may want rid of
Gav
THX,
VINnr: WDB46133617108309
Hi Geoff
Part number is A603 200 06 22
Retail price is £303.00
MB Germany have stock
Around 72 hours to get one
I can get a 20% discount off that if you PM me your details
So £242.40 + VAT
Cheers
Gav
AUWCH, that's expensive...
Thank you very much for the part number. I will try to get it here in Belgium.
G
Around £80.00 inclusive of VAT at Eurocar parts, part number listed by Febi Blistein shows up but they have never stocked it.
I have put in an enquiry to see if they can order one, expect an answer next week.
Cheers,
At MB here in belgium the part is 490 euros!!!!
WOW! Way above my budget ;(
Around £80.00 inclusive of VAT at Eurocar parts, part number listed by Febi Blistein shows up but they have never stocked it.
I have put in an enquiry to see if they can order one, expect an answer next week.
Cheers,
That would be a lot better! How is this price difference possible???
G
Best quote and firm next day delivery priced at £125 + VAT and postage to your address.
Not heard from Eurocarparts yet, tried calling their London Branch and no one is answering, in fact I held on so long, they cut me off!
Seems obvious they are too big now to care for customers.
If you want to try your local factor to get you one, here is the part numbers.
Mercedes Benz: A603 200 06 22
Febi Blistein: 18010
Hella: 8MV 376 732-471
Alternativey, I could give you the number of my local factor who says, he can order for next day delivery.
cheers,
Ps, price difference, M/Benz want to make lots of money, thats why they control supply; you have to work hard to alternatively source.
Mercedes price:
WoW. inflation....i remember paying about Euros 180 but that included p+p to Athens with a courier as I needed it quickly........anybody who knows.....is there a sprinter part number for Gs 290TD? Maybe that is the cheaper way to go.
G, your visco is definitely gone if you can hold your fan back when the engine is warm.......I tried to 'lock it in' permanently, but eventually it chewed up the little fan blades on the inside, so sooner or later - dare i say it - you'll have to get a replacement.
good luck/ph
Try these: www.saledoo.de/viscokupplung-mercedes
The viscous hub A603 200 06 22 looks like it only fits the G series engines as follows…
OM606.964 300GDT G300DT
OM603.931 300GD G300D
OM603.972 350GDT G350DT
OM602.983 290GDT G290DT
OM602.931 250GD
OM602.942 250GD 290GD
OM602.946 290GD
OM602.947 290GD 24 volt
To help more I need to know how many bolts hold the viscous hub onto the fan and what the diameter of the fan is. The mounting bolt to
the engine is all the same so it should bolt up OK.
I may be able, if one of the Sprinter ones will fit, to supply one at a competitive rate.
OM602.983 FITTED TO THE 290GDT G290DT G WAGEN etc.
VISCOUS HUB A603 200 06 22 £303 (BOLT TO FAN PATTERN IS NOT STATED?)
MOUNT BOLT TO ENGINE N000912 010078 M10X45MM
FAN BLADE A003 205 02 06 – 400MM (3 HOLE MOUNT TO HUB)
FAN BLADE A602 205 05 06 - 400MM? (4? HOLE MOUNT TO HUB)
MOUNT BOLT TO FAN N000912 006066 M6X14MM (3 OR 4 BOLT)
OM602.980 FITTED TO THE 312D SPRINTER
VISCOUS HUB A000 200 37 22 £177 (3 HOLE MOUNT TO FAN) MAN TRANS - NO A/C
VISCOUS HUB A000 200 38 22 £177 (4 HOLE MOUNT TO FAN) AUTO OR A/C UPTO VIN P649731
VISCOUS HUB A000 200 51 22 £154 (3 HOLE MOUNT TO FAN) AUTO OR A/C FROM VIN P649732
MOUNT BOLT TO ENGINE N000912 010078 M10X45MM
FAN BLADE A003 205 02 06 – 400MM (3 HOLE MOUNT TO HUB) MAN TRANS – NO A/C
FAN BLADE A003 205 03 06 – 460MM (4 HOLE MOUNT TO HUB) AUTO OR A/C UPTO VIN P649731
FAN BLADE A003 205 13 06 – 460MM (3 HOLE MOUNT TO HUB) AUTO OR A/C FROM VIN P649732
MOUNT BOLT TO FAN N000912 006066 M6X14MM (3 OR 4 BOLT)
The Sprinter set up is very clear on the bolt pattern and fan type depending on spec and VIN serial number, the G Wagen set up only lists one viscous hub but two fan options and does not state bolt patterns? Go figure……
The G Wagen unit must be uprated in some way, don’t know how or if this is possible but for double the price it must be considerably different in some way? I think one of the Sprinter ones will fit and I think it will do the job in most circumstances, it must in my opinion be lacking under extreme situations? Can’t think of any other reason for it to be different, unless they are sealed in some way for water etc.?
In true MB style the OM602 engine uses various versions of viscous hub and fan blade.
These are the basic 2.9D Turbo variants with no other using the right viscous hub as on the G…!!!
OM602.980 212D 312D 412D Sprinter
OM602.982 W210 E290TD
OM602.983 290GDT G290DT
OM602.984 512D 612D Vario
OM602.985 612D Vario
OM602.986 212D 312D 412D Sprinter
OM662.911 Ssangyong Musso
But there are also 2.5D NA and 2.5D Turbo as well as 2.9NA that run the same set ups.
Gav
thx!
very nice! Thx Morty!!!
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Hi thx,
No cold spots in the rad. The fan seems to turn steadily.
Head gasket replaced about 20k km ago.
I don't know if the airco fans work? I suppose they do.
If i turn on the aircon the temp rises slightly.
G