Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
#1
06-07-2007, 11:15 AM
Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Hi all-
I'm new and have been purusing the internet searching for answers for my ailingbaby benz. I have a 1990 190e 2.6 with 110k miles on it. I've always kept it well maitained, but recently it seems like things are just falling apart. About two months ago I replaced the belt tensioner and the serpentine belt, the alternator and the battery, in a series of "Why is the car loosing power, overheating and dying" guessing games. Finally figured out it was the belt tensioner and replaced it, and everything was smooth from there.
Until recently. Now, the car is overheating again. Driving in the city, it hits the red within a matter of minutes. Driving on the highway is better, and typically it will stay cool the faster I move, but will eventually get close to red and I have to shut it down. If I put the heat on, I can buy a few minutes, IE, if it's getting close to 120, and I'm a mile or two from home I can put the heat on, crank the windows down and it will drop back down. Unfortunatly, I can't drive the car at all on days when the temp is over 80.
All my fluid levels are normal, belts tight.. everything turning.... any suggestions?
I'm new and have been purusing the internet searching for answers for my ailingbaby benz. I have a 1990 190e 2.6 with 110k miles on it. I've always kept it well maitained, but recently it seems like things are just falling apart. About two months ago I replaced the belt tensioner and the serpentine belt, the alternator and the battery, in a series of "Why is the car loosing power, overheating and dying" guessing games. Finally figured out it was the belt tensioner and replaced it, and everything was smooth from there.
Until recently. Now, the car is overheating again. Driving in the city, it hits the red within a matter of minutes. Driving on the highway is better, and typically it will stay cool the faster I move, but will eventually get close to red and I have to shut it down. If I put the heat on, I can buy a few minutes, IE, if it's getting close to 120, and I'm a mile or two from home I can put the heat on, crank the windows down and it will drop back down. Unfortunatly, I can't drive the car at all on days when the temp is over 80.
All my fluid levels are normal, belts tight.. everything turning.... any suggestions?
#3
06-07-2007, 01:40 PM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
ORIGINAL: RedWolf
Hi all-
I'm new and have been purusing the internet searching for answers for my ailingbaby benz. I have a 1990 190e 2.6 with 110k miles on it. I've always kept it well maitained, but recently it seems like things are just falling apart. About two months ago I replaced the belt tensioner and the serpentine belt, the alternator and the battery, in a series of "Why is the car loosing power, overheating and dying" guessing games. Finally figured out it was the belt tensioner and replaced it, and everything was smooth from there.
Until recently. Now, the car is overheating again. Driving in the city, it hits the red within a matter of minutes. Driving on the highway is better, and typically it will stay cool the faster I move, but will eventually get close to red and I have to shut it down. If I put the heat on, I can buy a few minutes, IE, if it's getting close to 120, and I'm a mile or two from home I can put the heat on, crank the windows down and it will drop back down. Unfortunatly, I can't drive the car at all on days when the temp is over 80.
All my fluid levels are normal, belts tight.. everything turning.... any suggestions?
Hi all-
I'm new and have been purusing the internet searching for answers for my ailingbaby benz. I have a 1990 190e 2.6 with 110k miles on it. I've always kept it well maitained, but recently it seems like things are just falling apart. About two months ago I replaced the belt tensioner and the serpentine belt, the alternator and the battery, in a series of "Why is the car loosing power, overheating and dying" guessing games. Finally figured out it was the belt tensioner and replaced it, and everything was smooth from there.
Until recently. Now, the car is overheating again. Driving in the city, it hits the red within a matter of minutes. Driving on the highway is better, and typically it will stay cool the faster I move, but will eventually get close to red and I have to shut it down. If I put the heat on, I can buy a few minutes, IE, if it's getting close to 120, and I'm a mile or two from home I can put the heat on, crank the windows down and it will drop back down. Unfortunatly, I can't drive the car at all on days when the temp is over 80.
All my fluid levels are normal, belts tight.. everything turning.... any suggestions?
If 'yes' got to next question
If 'no', when the aux fan fails to come on it usually means either the temp switch/sensor has failed, or wiring between the switch and aux fan has failed; or fan has failed
When is the last time you changed the thermostat?
If it's been several years, get a new one.
Did you have the pressure cap on the expansion tank tested? Does it hold spec pressure?
Again, if it's been several years to never, get a new one.
When is the last time you flushed/filled the cooling system?
If it's been several years to never, do a flush and fill with the correct mix of coolant/water with the specified MB or equivalant coolant
Bob
#4
06-08-2007, 11:21 AM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Hi 
Thanks for the responses,
I should mention that the fan does come on,the thermostat was replaced 2 months ago when I did the other repairs, and also the coolant was flushed and replaced 2 months ago as well
Could it possibly be the water pump?
Thanks for the responses, I should mention that the fan does come on,the thermostat was replaced 2 months ago when I did the other repairs, and also the coolant was flushed and replaced 2 months ago as well
Could it possibly be the water pump?
#6
06-08-2007, 03:42 PM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Redwolf,
Bob is right on the mark about getting the cooling system in top shape. So I'm just reading along. And I know how terrible it is when your "baby" isn't working.
What is the condition of your vacuum hoses, rubber pre-formed hoses, andespecially the rubber boot under the air meter? These parts are rubber, and notorious todry-out, crack, and allow extra air to seep in and wipe-out the fuel/air mixture.
Blue
Bob is right on the mark about getting the cooling system in top shape. So I'm just reading along. And I know how terrible it is when your "baby" isn't working.
What is the condition of your vacuum hoses, rubber pre-formed hoses, andespecially the rubber boot under the air meter? These parts are rubber, and notorious todry-out, crack, and allow extra air to seep in and wipe-out the fuel/air mixture.
Blue
#7
06-08-2007, 05:51 PM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Blue!! Am I glad you dropped by...I'm about out of ideas!
Since this whole thing started with the belt/tensioner/thermostat replacements, I wondered while reading these posts again if the belt tension has loosened or slipped.
Red, find a long stretch of belt and try to move it up/down. It should not flex much if any at all.
Bob
Since this whole thing started with the belt/tensioner/thermostat replacements, I wondered while reading these posts again if the belt tension has loosened or slipped.
Red, find a long stretch of belt and try to move it up/down. It should not flex much if any at all.
Bob
#8
06-08-2007, 06:39 PM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Hello just wanted to comment maybe your radiator is clogging up and not cooling suffieciently. if you have a infrared thermometer you can checj the temp of the radiator at the top and the bottom of the radiator when car is warm. if you can get your hand in there you just feel the radiator on the engine side and it should be equally hot at the top and the bottom. you can also try to feel the upper and lower radiator hoses and both should feel about the same temperature. if top one is hot and bottom not then you could have a clogged radiator. also if water pump is bad it could be leaking down the back of the pump on that car, and you could be loosing coolant. hopefully this might help you. good luck. JIM
#9
06-08-2007, 11:33 PM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Hi guys.
Yeah, it sounds like the car is running "very" hot, so it must be something significant, and when we find it, "click" its going to be fixed.
"hits red within minutes".....
"gets hot , loses power"...
belt tensioner did in fact solve the problem once, but not now.
ok ,logic, logic, logic....
Redwolf, would you take a minute and pull a couple of the spark plugs and describe any deposits or residue on the electrode. Is the residue white, black, grey, yellow, dry, wet, or cleanetc.
It honestly could be "any" of the things the guys have mentioned, so we're going to have to logically eliminate the causes. I want to eliminate "lean mixture/air leak" from the list so my brain can move to something else. This is becauselean-mix will cause one to run superhot, overwhelming even an excellent cooling system.
Blue
Yeah, it sounds like the car is running "very" hot, so it must be something significant, and when we find it, "click" its going to be fixed.
"hits red within minutes".....
"gets hot , loses power"...
belt tensioner did in fact solve the problem once, but not now.
ok ,logic, logic, logic....
Redwolf, would you take a minute and pull a couple of the spark plugs and describe any deposits or residue on the electrode. Is the residue white, black, grey, yellow, dry, wet, or cleanetc.
It honestly could be "any" of the things the guys have mentioned, so we're going to have to logically eliminate the causes. I want to eliminate "lean mixture/air leak" from the list so my brain can move to something else. This is becauselean-mix will cause one to run superhot, overwhelming even an excellent cooling system.
Blue
#10
06-11-2007, 05:50 AM
RE: Desperate help needed with 190e overheating
Guys, I can't thank you enough for all your replies! I've been out of town for the weekend visiting some family (leaving my poor ailing benz behind of course) and so haven't had a chance to go through some of these parts.
I made a checklist of everything you mentioned and I am going to go over it one by one and see if I can get more information, better idea of whats going on.
Again, REALLY appreciate it !
I made a checklist of everything you mentioned and I am going to go over it one by one and see if I can get more information, better idea of whats going on.
Again, REALLY appreciate it !