smoking 560SEL

Reading and researching, My new to me 560DEL is emitting white smoke after running a while. I know usually it means a cracked head, or at least a gasket... I check the oil and water resevoir after running her up to 80 degrees, It does not overheat, and starts right up. Put a tray with white papertowel to catch the exhauset drips. clear drips. No water in oil, no oil in water. Check engine light comes on eventually, but it comes on later and later as I run it. Next I will pull the plugs, any other tips or advice? Appreciate all the Tiger help as usual. I do have two questions, (waiting on an owners manual) what the ceter console swith with three circular arrows for? And how does one activate the headligh washers? Car has 118k on it. Its a keeper to be brought back to its past glory. Timing chain is geoing to be replaced. I would like to rule out any cyl head issues before that job gets started. Thanks in advance. Rob

Reply to
robrjt
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A good mechanic would have coolant CO detector kit. All he has to do is test the coolant for any evidence of CO...which is a byproduct of exhaust... if present, you got a leak.

Another way to test is use coolant pressure tester... should be able to rent this free at autozone... You pump up the system to 15PSI... if losing pressure and no external leak, then probably head gasket leaking... warped head...

Another test with the same tester above is keep it on and start up the car... if pressure keep going up like 20psi and higher... you definitely got a leak as engine is pumping pressure into the coolant system. System will fluctuate in pressure but it will stabilize at certain temp since fluid expands when heated up... but if system pressure keeps going up... you got a problem.

Reply to
Tiger

If you're getting white smoke you're burnig coolant, period. I've seen lots of cars fail every test for leaks but eventually the truth comes out. More often thannot it's a head gasket.

What you should properly do is pull the heads, have them magnafluxed to check for cracks then replace the head gaskets. Of course it'd help to have the valves done at this point.

I can't recognize the switch from your description. Can you take a picture of it?

With lights and wipers o on if you fiddle with the colum stalk they should squirt; I've never installed mine and this is from memory. Google for a more correct answer but I suspect if they work you should be able to figure it out by fiddling with it.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

Will take a pic of it. And thanks. You and the Tiger are extremely helpful. I have searched a while on the white smoke and the 560 cyl heads. Read that some mech said he tightens down to head bolts and it is a perm fix 90% of the time. I've checked into a complete engine from a wrecking yard, suprised at around $1200 for a good warrantied complete engine. So I prob will pull the heads. And if i find a block issue, I also have a plan. I paid $3k and its got a nice interior, no bodywork, orig paint, great heat and AC. I took my 240D out to a good alignment shop today. The guy who runs the machine called his younger guys over by yelling "Now this is the way cars should be made" . He liked the adjustability of the front end. She tracks straight and I can do and drama strop and the car stops absolutely straight now! Once again, thanks guys! Rob

83 240D 70k 82 300SD 115k 91 560SEL 118k 74 VG bug Vert 90k 87 BMW 535i 127k
Reply to
robrjt

Yeah, prolly worth doing.

Nice.

Yeah I get that too sometimes. I took my diesel into the village here to get the rotors and pads replaced and the guy (who usualy works on farm trucks) said "I've only seen brakes like this on racing cars. This thing is really build amazingly well". Whihc I guess is why MB says "Engineered like no other car in the world". They're not kidding. I have a 6-series BMW too and while some parts (engine, suspension, brakes) are very well engineered the electric scream "Hyundai". Flimsy wiring, cheap relays - compare a BMW relay to an MB one and the difference is quite dramatic.

Good luck.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

..... couldn't agree more. When I first came a MB, it too was a 240D, I couldn't get over the silver plated connector pins/sockets. Even when corrosion sets it, silver oxide is still a decent conductor. Never have had the plethora of electrical problems due to corroded stuff like on other cars family have had

cheers, guenter

Reply to
Guenter Scholz

Hm, I remember the early Lexus Ads saying something about *their* connectors being gold plated.

But then, to me, they just seem to lack that 'something' that would make one love them so...

Cheers, ws

Reply to
ws

What you should properly do is pull the heads, have them magnafluxed to check for cracks then replace the head gaskets. Of course it'd help to have the valves done at this point.

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I would love to find a shop that could magicly magnaflux aluminum heads......

Yeah, right..... magnetic aluminum. Must be a Mercedes exclusive!

Reply to
Karl

for cracks then

Oops. Good point.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

The Lexus ad did tout their gold plated contacts. Although, they were only bragging about how it is used on the airbag activation switch contacts in the bumper. I can't imagine that being more than a few pennies worth of gold since you can make a very very thin layer of it. I think it was more on the side of clever marketing than clever engineering.

Reply to
weelliott

Hi all! Found the prob. After doing compresssion test, all cylinders read between 165-170. the NGK plugs were the foulest I have ever seen. It was prob running on 5 cylinders. One NGK had crud about the size of a pencil eraser on it. Put in new Bosch platinums, a few ozs of Seafoam to the gas, and took her for a spin. Incredible! Smooth and responsive. Almost as much mid range punch as my C5! And a hell of a lot more solid! Now this issue is resolved, the normal fluid changes, belts, and hoses come next, then the cosmetics. Driver's carpet is trashed, Do I have to buy that from the dealer?

Reply to
robrjt

Mmm... an Air Force Pilot equates 560SEL to the monsterous C5 transport... finny. Does it steer like the C5 too or is it a bit more nimble?

As for the carpet, there are plenty of online MB OEM part supplier who will sell you the carpets at a discount.

Engine are in great shape... I am wondering if it is just the wrong plug or you got a valve seal problem.

Reply to
Tiger

I was referring to a fifth generation LS1 powered Corvette...any recommendations for suppliers? It has an aftermarket blaupunkt CD changer and Orlando head unit, the sound in fantastic. Was the factory system that good or should I suspect aftermarket speakers? I'll be busy changing hoses, belts , and trans fluid/filter this week.

Reply to
robrjt

Ahh... that C5... okay...

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Fletcher Jones Motorcars

800-328-3095 in CA... wholesale part dept.

The above is for OEM carpet... check with your local dealer to see exactly how much is retail price.

All other parts I'd buy from autohausaz.com

Reply to
Tiger

Dealer wants $214 for the drivers carpet area. Thaks for the lead, ordered all parts from autohaus. How big a job is valve seals? a possible do it yerselfer? Thanks again! Rob

Reply to
robrjt

I don't know nothing about no v8's but if mb says use bosch super then use bosc super and not platinum. The 6 cyl 108 guys swear the ngk's are better than the bosch in smoe way i cannot remember but that platinums sisn't work that well in these engines.

The NGK's may just have been dirty; clean them up and you have spares if nothing else and if you get a weird miss again swap the plugs.

OTOH some people swear by not at platinum plugs in these cars, but not as man as I've seen. And usually not for long come to think of it.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

Those don't look like the original mats to me.

If it were me I'd get mats from cocomats.com for now and source out some correct newish carpet from car-part.com

I remember seeing coconut mats in cars so often I thought they came that way from the factory.

Reply to
Richard Sexton

Valve seals are pretty big job for DIY guy... but can be done... You need an air compressor, a compression gauge hose that can fit the compressor hose...(these hold the valves up while you are working on it)... strong magnet finger or any strong magnet will do... and the special valve spring compressor that cost nearly $200.

Yeah I did it... I bought the tool... It is about 2 days job at leisure pace. You definitely need service manual to guide you... You have to rotate the engine at a certain angle to work on a pair of cylinders...

Reply to
Tiger

That's right... forget the platinum... not really great unless you don't want to change plugs... I always use Bosch Super.

Reply to
Tiger

Tiger, you should consider making and selling videos like the "Bug Me" videos for classic VW restoration. They sell for like $20 and are avail in sets. I could see a market for filming a valve adj for diesels, changing shocks, vacuum systems, power windows, diesel adnd gas general maint, etc.

Reply to
robrjt

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