Hmmmm, you know how it goes when you start looking real close......? Had a look under the 300D today and while there's no spots on the ground, I see the lovely bright green of coolant around the opening where you access the torque converter drain bolt. Not a lot, mind you, but no doubt that coolant has arrived there from somewhere. So, the question is, of course, where might it be coming from? I see no indication of leaks under the hood.

What do you all think? Head gasket? (no coolant in oil or vice/versa but could be leaking from a coolant passage to the outside I suppose). Cracked head? Maybe the heater core?

I don't care, I'm still gonna fix this thing and drive it!

F

I've never tried them, but I see a lot of 'Fix the Leak' products on the market. It sounds like a very slight leak, maybe something like that would do the trick?

I always try to do the easiest thing first. Sometimes it pays off!

Good luck!

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Natalie

A big hole leak sealer does not know the difference between a leak to the outside of the block and a radiator tube...

There may be a freeze plug on the rear of the engine rusted through....

I didn't think it could plug BIG holes? I even had my doubts on it being able to plug little ones. Has it really been known to plug radiator tubes?

It sounds like it's an itsy bitsy leak. Probably couldn't hurt.

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Natalie

On my 240 I have a leaking head gasket that does not affect the power and does not leak to the cylinder. This is not to say that it never will but mine only appears when i run the blcok heater...
I used Bars Leaks and it has things sealed up for now.

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

My friend just told me about some stuff called Marine-Tex (??) (not exactly sure of the name or spelling). Evidently it's so strong you can drill it and tap it and it will hold a bolt almost as good as metal. He took some, drilled it, tapped it, put a bolt in, put it in a vice and tried to pull the bolt out and it wouldn't budge. Not that you will need to do any of this but the point I am trying to make is that it sounds like it's really strong, durable stuff and might be worth trying to fix your leak, if possible. You have to by it at a marine store. I think it's a pretty new product. It's NOT that Perma-Tex stuff marine stores sell. I hope this helps some.

Scott

I've used the Wynns radiator sealer lots of times in the past without problems.

It has cured 100% of the leaks so far.

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Paul Gibbons
'93 320CE
'73 Jensen Interceptor (Resting)
Giant Full Sus Mountain Bike

Marine Tex is an epoxy that has been around for a long time. Epoxies usually work well if he leak is visible and the area is clean. I would also try one of the stop leaks before pursuing other more difficult solutions.
My first thought was that the leak was not coming from the engine at all, but from one of the hoses on the firewall and above the engine and then dripping down.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

There is a newer stuff out now called 'Splash Zone". It was formulated to protect the legs of off shore drilling rigs at the "splash zone" where
the most corrosion takes place. It is expensive but really supper stuff.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Have you checked your heater core? There is a drain tube for the a/c directly above the bellhoushing in that area. It could be coming out from there and running down.....Hopefully it isn't, but just a thought.

For some reason I suspect the heater core. I can't find any leaks on the back of the head or block (tough to see, of course) and it's only a small amount..Anyway, I'll get around to checking that. I don't like to use radiator sealants but I have in the past with success. Of course, I also completely blocked the radiator in the hideous old mini-van with one as well! Not a big deal, just one of those annoying things for the "list". F