99 C280 Oil Leak

[Design29]

When I noticed oil in the plastic engine pan, I immediately thought, oh no, the head gasket, but a friend said 202s are prone to leak oil (after 100K+ miles) from a seal below the timing belt (towards driver's side) and might not be the head gasket.

Can this be accurate?

All responses are deeply appreciated.

Thanks.

[JRE320]

That could be true then again you got 100+ miles on your car.
Time to change your head gasket. ;)

[Design29]

I guesss it sounds reasonable (and smart) to do a "preventive" maintenance to a head gasket at some point after 100K and avoid the costly repair at an inconvenient time...

I had a 95 c36 before and that baby ran with practically OEM parts for 160K before a jerk plowed into me in 2002.

Thanks!

[Nelson Lago]

well i have also have a 99280 i found my cyc cover gasket and oil bypass leaking, the oil bypass sounds like the one you explained

[OzC36]

When I noticed oil in the plastic engine pan, I immediately thought, oh no, the head gasket, but a friend said 202s are prone to leak oil (after 100K+ miles) from a seal below the timing belt (towards driver's side) and might not be the head gasket.

Yes, the M104 engine does suffer from leaks from the timing chain cover. It is especially mentioned in the following link on the head gasket change (which is the other major source of oil leaks).

If the leak is not causing you major dramas with oil spots on your father-in-law's driveway, you can just keep driving and check your engine oil level regularly until it does become a pain!

However, if your oil looks like chocolate milkshake, OR you see oil floating in your coolant overflow container, stop driving immediately and get your head gasket fixed!

http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/M104HeadGasket

[Design29]

Thanks OzC36

According to my car guy, the problem seems to be a small valve around the area I previously described, that's warped and will not seal when tightened. I have not actually seen it yet - frankly, after 120K this is its first major repair I've done. (aside from brake jobs, a battery and replacing lower ball joints & steering shock)

This cheap c280 has been good to me, so I am by-passing the FSS suggested 10K mile oil change and switching to a 5K schedule. The car is not as new as it used to be and clean oil can't hurt.

Thanks for your help guys!

[OzC36]

According to my car guy, the problem seems to be a small valve around the area I previously described,

Small valve? This sounds like the chain tensioner?

Check below for relevance:

http://www.club202.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14590

http://www.club202.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14602

I respectfully suggest you need a new "car guy" to take advice from, if he can't identify a chain tensioner.

[Design29]

OZc36

I know it's not the tensioner, but some kind of valve or plate towards the lower front of the engine.
I will tell you for sure as soon as I get to the shop.

Look, at this point, I'm just glad it is not the head gasket.

:)

[OzC36]

OK!

Then I'll dismount from my spring-loaded base-plate!!!

Good luck!

[allirroz]

There was also a recall on the harmonic balancers( crankshaft pulley) on these v6 motors, was yours ever updated?
This could be another cause of an oil leak if it was never updated.

[OzC36]

V6 C280?

Oh dear! All my advice was based on the M104 C280 inline 6 engine. I am sorry!

I didn't notice the 1999 year model which of course has the V6 rather than the I6. My apologies.

[Design29]

Hey: As it turned out, I only had to replace the front oil plate gasket, the O-ring, blind screw plug & seal ring... The oil spilled was minimal and cleaned up as if never happened.

Roughly $150 in parts & labor.

Thanks for your collective support.

[kaiserh]

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