Tragically underappreciated W163 ML270 CDI - few problems resolved, few linger

[Gianni682]

Welcome, everyone! I recently purchased a 2002 W163 ML270 CDI—a vehicle that did not start and was declared dead upon arrival. So far, I haven't run into many issues; nevertheless, I have a query that I will include at the conclusion of the post as some of them could be useful to others. It had a dead battery, and someone had inserted the 100The right way to connect a block fuse to the positive terminal of a battery is this: bolt on the wire, fuse (which has blown), and last, a plastic nut. I had to temporarily install an external maxi fuse box because the device wasn't making good contact. Afterwards, I discovered that the glow plug lights and coolant would remain turned on. Glow plugs and a plethora of other signals appeared once I connected to the diagnostics, and the coolant temperature showed -40C. I discovered it was detached while searching for a replacement sensor; so, if it reads -40C, inspect the plug and wires. Then, since I wasn't sure of the hue of the coolant that had been used before, I had to add about 7 litres of distilled water to it. I wasn't expecting to have to add so much water, but whatever. After deleting the errors, it runs smoothly without any lights. The only remaining ones are two for the left mirror, and one of them is a heating water circulation pump (B1108-M13). The other two are a rear blower (B100A-M2/1), a rear shut off flap position motor (B1206M2/12), and a high pressure and return pump (C1401 A7/3m1).
It was strange since after I changed the 100A fuse, the rad fan remained on full blast, the rad light was on, and there were codes P0115-2 (coolant temperature sensor), P1482-4 (glow output overcurrent), and 2, 4, and 5 (glow plug failure). For some reason (don't ask me how), hooking up the temperature sensor reset the codes and restored regular operation of the fan. Currently, I'm seeing an unusual coolant leak that isn't particularly constant. It appears to be coming from behind the washer bottle region, which was initially my suspicion, but now it appears to be leaking coolant. I will verify tomorrow, but it appears to be working and much better thus far. Also, according to the municipal maintenance rules, oil is actually sludge and not oil at all. Anyhow, I'll try to locate the source of the leak and change the oil; I'm curious as to whether or not the head gasket was cooked by the excessive amount of coolant that was missing. Because the device on the positive post was crooked and not making good contact due to its looseness, the vehicle remained still. I can't wait to fix this, but why do people ignore their automobiles for so long? Where can I get a digital copy of the service manual for these?

[nicebubby8]

This is it, my friend.

[Gianni682]

After inspecting the leak, it appears that the washer bottle is more likely to blame than the coolant. Drops of liquid can be seen on the bottom of the ABS pump, and the flavour is sour, unlike coolant, which is pleasant. Therefore, I would conclude that the washer bottle is leaking. Unfortunately, I also filled it up, and it's a shame that the washer liquid and coolant are both blue. Tomorrow I will empty the washer bottle to check if the leak is still there or has gone. It takes more than a minute of combined cranking to start the beast, but once it's started, it starts faster the next day—probably due to an air leak from the orings I read about. Is there a decent explanation of that position somewhere? Tomorrow I will install a new fuel filter and attempt to get a few orings changed; I have six orings from Mercedes, so I am prepared. As far as I am aware, there are two on the pump and one on the fuel filter. Regarding the handbook, I will look into finding a PDF version someplace. To come after the first service. Thank you!

[Gianni682]

Captain's log: after draining the reservoir, the leak stopped. It turned out to be washer fluid leaking. The engine now runs much smoother, the tappets are much quieter, and I changed the oil using oil flush. There was nearly no coolant in the engine when it arrived (it came in dead) due to the oil and air filter being extremely dirty and unpleasant. There was also about seven litres of water added to top them up. How are individuals able to live such a life? It starts after a few long cranks, so now we need to oil the fuel filter and gasoline lines. Are there any guides or films for that one?

[colinallcars]

One client brought in a Porsche Cayenne that sounded like a tractor; he'd had it since new. It turns out the engine was in terrible shape and he had never had it serviced.

[Gianni682]

The engine now starts on the first try every time without fail after I changed the fuel filter and the orings in the fuel lines. I will soon tackle the remaining few nagging issues, such as injector number four's "black death" problem. I have acquired a reaming tool, washers from Honda, new nuts, and ceramic grease, so I should be able to straighten it out. In light of this known issue, how is your experience driving the truck? Days, not weeks or months—occasionally spitting under the cover, not quite full with tar just yet. There are a plethora of minor flaws that require attention. Additionally, it has to be run for a while to determine if there are any other problems, since it has been sitting for some time. Runs and stops well now, thus the two most important things are taken care of. The indicator stalk lights up three times when you turn right, but it stops blinking when you leave it on; I have no idea how frequent this is either.