Leak fixed. Thank you God!

[blairwag]

Many of you have followed my many posts, regarding fixing a coolant leak. This little leak repair, on the right front side of the engine, snowballed into a huge project that included removing the old dealer installed A/C system, replacing all rubber hoses (cooling and power steering), replacing all belts, replacing thermostat, thermostat gasket, & thermostat housing gasket, replacing the water pump and gasket, and replacing the water pump housing gasket. After all that, I STILL HAD A LEAK!!!!!   ...not the same leak, but a leak all the same.

Well, I'm thankful tonight to report that the leak *APPEARS* to be fixed. Thank you God!  Let me tell you... I was at my wits end!  I may not be a professional caliber mechanic, but I'm not a flunky idiot either (atleast I don't think   ).

Thanx to Ernie (isofast) for the tip that the bolts that go through the water pump housing, to the block (3 of 'em) MUST have the threads treated with a gasket sealant, as they enter the water jacket of the block.  I was able to remove 2 of the 3 and goop them up. Leak appears to be remediated.

I don't know if any of you are religious. I hope no one is offended, either.  But I just have to praise and thank God for helping me out on this one. I was really floundering, and getting so discouraged. I was almost sure I was going to pay someone a fortune to replace the head gasket, head, or cracked block. Thank you Jesus  

Here's the history on my saga of mysery, if interested...
http://index.php?topic=1446
http://index.php?topic=1524
http://index.php?topic=1548
http://index.php?topic=1556
http://index.php?topic=1576

I really believe, now, that the original leak was due to a failure in the thermostat housing to head gasket *AND* the water pump housing to block gasket. I thgink the cooling system flush done about 18 months ago weakened these gaskets.

Anyway, leak is fixed.


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[knirk]

Hi William,

Congratulations!

So – is it ready for a spin yet?


Per G. Birkeland
69 280 sl aut 834
Norway

[Richard Madison]

William:

If you're ready to roll here are two shakedown possibilities: Sunday 13 June, the Old Westbury Gardens show on Long Island only 20 miles east of NYC, a great AACA show, maybe 300 cars on the magnificent grounds of the old Phipps Mansion and Estate; http://www.oldwestburygardens.org/GenTemplate.asp?cat=2

and Saturday June 19: the annual 'Jamboree' on the lovely grounds of Mercedes Benz North America headquarters with free lunch, a hundred or more Mercedes of every stripe and age...in Montvale NJ not far from the GWB.

I plan to be at both...honk as you go by  )
Richard M

[blairwag]

Yep!  She's ready for a spin.  I'm still waiting on the power steering filter from Ray Paul, so, for now, I have the power steering belt removed. But, the rest looks ready to rock 'n' roll!

The MBNA Jamboree in Montvale looks like a clear possibility.  Do I have to register?  HGow/where?


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William Blair Wagner: blairwag@earthlink.net
Education is not always knowing the answer,
...but rather knowing where to look for it!
1971 280SL US Automatic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[k]

Amen; the Lord saves us all from our devilish little SLs.

If you want to roll; check out the Hamptons Concours as well, 100+ cars; few 300 SLs.

http://www.hamptonconcoursdelegance.com/

[Joe]

I'd like to be watching when Ernie tells his wife he is now a god!
 
Joe

[isofast]

Again William...Like the hood removal trick Bruce Peterson "Tuultyme" is the man who told me about being careful when removing any bolts from the engine to be sure to butter up the correct sealant on the bolt before you torque it down.
Be sure to not use blue silicone on anything that comes in contact with fuel it can swell three to four times its original size when it comes in contact with fuel!

First Place AACA Show Winner 350SL July 2003
I love low mile Mercedes.
1969 280 4spd Papyrus White