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Darkmann
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| FYI Everyone
I have a 05 500 as most of you know. I also have a 01 E430 and some other cool rides. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, out of curiosity, I popped off the plastic engine cover to just take a look. Boy was I surprised. At 72K, there was clearly a slow oil leak somewhere on the passenger side of the engine rocker cover. I investigated and it looked like it was coming from the coil pack area or head gasket. I took the car into my local MB shop for diagnosis and I believe they think it's the head gasket!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, since the E430 and the ML500 have basically the same engine, I popped up the cover of my ML500 and, yep, you guessed it - similar oil leak. So, check yours, especially if you're near end of warranty!!! The ML is still under warranty so she'll go back in for that sometime soon. It's not a drip-drip you'll notice on the garage floor. If your's is leaking you'll notice the area is quite wet from oil vapors. I don't believe this affects the V6 engines, but check anyway.
Please post if you observe this with your motor. I'll like to keep a list. |
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: FYI Everyone
I have it on the 430, but I would call it more of a 'bleed' or seepage. Not very much at all. All it takes is a few drops of oil to make a wonderful mess with dirt and debris. It's not an issue that I'll get concerned over. Maybe we now know why that engine cover is on there! 
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Darkmann
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Here are some pics. My understanding is that it is
not the head gasket but the oil collector that's probably busted.
 (IMGP0238.JPG)
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Attachments
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 IMGP0238.JPG (239KB - 3 downloads)
IMGP0239.JPG (248KB - 3 downloads)
IMGP0241.JPG (249KB - 8 downloads)
IMGP0242.JPG (216KB - 3 downloads)
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: FYI Everyone
The thing about leaks is: I've never seen one get better.
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Darkmann
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| RE: FYI Everyone
Maybe still the collector, but I just got my E back from the shop and the culprit is the valve cover gasket. At $264.00 to fix at the dealer, I don't think it's too bad a repair.
Edited by Darkmann 5/11/2007 12:27 PM
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350insp
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| Re: FYI Everyone
are you paying it or is it covered by warranty on your E? I would just leave it since it is to be expected for any older car. |
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Darkmann
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: FYI Everyone
350insp - 5/11/2007 1:00 PM
are you paying it or is it covered by warranty on your E? I would just leave it since it is to be expected for any older car.
I declined fixing it for the E for now. I want to get the ML done first since that one is under warranty. If by the end of the year or so I don't notice any wetness on the ML, the I'd conclude (right or wrong!!!) that it's the gasket. If I'm still wet, then the truck goes back in. Basically, I won't get the E done until I'm absolutely sure what the cause is. The collector is a DIY, the valve cover gasket is not a DIY for me. If it ends up being the gasket, I won't mind forking up $264.00 for the repair.
BTW, that little bit about it is to be expected for any older car is absolutely BS!!!!!! I hope you don't believe that!!! Eventually things will leak but at 72K, there should be no leaks on the engine of a well maintained vehicle unless something wasn't properly designed in the first place. Valve covers and their gaskets are not new designs. Cars from infinitum have had them. So to spring a leak is absolutely unacceptable. I can accept the collector simply because I don't know much about collector design history and have no idea what their function is, but not a valve cover gasket, just like a head gasket leak would sound absolute ridiculous at this stage in the car's history. My ML with same basic engine as the E430 only has 32K and it's leaking at the exact area as the E. That's not coincidence, just bad assembly or poor design.
Edited by Darkmann 5/11/2007 2:49 PM
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AsianML
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| Re: FYI Everyone
Checked on the 320. Nothing to report. Squeaky clean. The same crud is near the oil filler cap though, but I think that's our fault.  |
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Alpine Driver
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| : FYI Everyone. and OOHH.. Lord.. Would you buy me a Mercedes Benz
I have ML 430 2001 model, which is V8 engine.
Same kind of minor leak found just under MAF.
I checked out the price of Loctite 5300 from net to fix it, which is almost 200 USD.
Do you might know any other a little bit more cost effective solutution for same purpose
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