Small leak on the left side of the motor by the manifold

Tiny
TRUFF CARTEL
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500
  • 5.0L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
Hello motor gods! My name is Sam.I completed a water pump, radiator, new hoses and did a bypass on my heater core because it was leaking on the driver side of the car. Which was odd to me because I thought it would leak on the passenger side! But It clearly leaked on the driver side and didn’t soak the floor. Made me think it wasn’t the heater core and maybe the - rings are going bad in the duo heater valve. After doing all of task I cleaned up and started the car and noticed a small leak on the left side of the motor by the manifold. Is this a exhaust manifold gasket leak?
Sunday, June 30th, 2019 AT 1:36 AM

17 Replies

Tiny
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Hello,

From what I can see I doubt that it is going to be an exhaust leak. If it is, you probably have bigger problems, like a cracked cylinder head or block. In the diagrams down below I have included an exploded view diagram of your engine's cooling system as well as directions from the factory on how to test the system for leaks. I have also included this link below for you as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Please go through these guides and get back to us with what you are able to find out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros

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Sunday, June 30th, 2019 AT 3:05 AM
Tiny
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The car isn’t overheating or anything the temperature hand stay on half or 80. But it always says top up coolant but isn’t overheating. I laid on my back on the ground facing the back of the alternator and the first pipe on the manifold exhaust and there it was a stream of water running down the front left side of the motor, but looked like it could be a gasket or something behind the leak that may have failed. It’s not leaking coolant anywhere else only right there. Looked like it could’ve been the intake gaskets or the head gaskets, but the motor still runs smooth as ever. Just been saying top up coolant making a little slow puddle right under the oil pan. Has to be the gaskets it has never ran hot on me only leaks the fluid from the one spot and plus the only way you see where it’s coming from is when you get under the car and there it was not running out fast or nothing just a constant drip.
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Sunday, June 30th, 2019 AT 3:50 AM
Tiny
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Hello again,

Do you have excessive white smoke coming from your exhaust, or does the exhaust have a sweet smell to it?

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Monday, July 1st, 2019 AT 1:48 PM
Tiny
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Not at all! There’s not even a water drip from the exhaust. Couple people told me about core plugs looked at those as far as I could see and they looked okay to me. The leak is coming from it look like the corner of the cylinder and block but the oil doesn’t look milky no leaks in the front of the motor where I completed the work and I didn’t have to cut the car on but I did. Because when I poured the water in there just to see if it would leak while the car was off and it performed the same way leaking out of the same spot. I hate for stuff to beat me because I have the common since to take it off and put it back on but this is something over my head and if it is the head gaskets what’s a few ways for me to find out because I’m trying not to cheat and figure it out right and not put some seal block in it.
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Monday, July 1st, 2019 AT 8:06 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

The best way to do this is to do a cooling system pressure test to see where it is coming from. Where does your heater hoses go from the engine into the dash and back out? Could it be one of these with a loose clamp?. How about a bad gasket on your intake manifold where coolant crosses over from one cylinder head to another? Here is the link on how to do a pressure test again and I have also included what the factory has to say on this in the diagrams down below as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Please go through these guides and keep us informed as to what you are able to find out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019 AT 10:41 AM
Tiny
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Those 5 way to tell if it’s a blown head gasket let me know. The coolant is leaking out of the block. Seen the leak for myself today. Thanks for the information. Guess I’ll be getting a head gasket job done soon.
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Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019 AT 9:02 PM
Tiny
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What’s the torque specification on the cylinder bolts for the head gasket?
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Tuesday, July 2nd, 2019 AT 9:13 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

I have included the information that you requested in the diagrams down below. Please keep us informed about your progress or if you have any other questions.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019 AT 11:43 PM
Tiny
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Yes you included the diagram of the cylinder, but I need the torque specifications for each cylinder bolt.
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Thursday, July 4th, 2019 AT 9:57 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

Sorry about that. I have included the torque specs for you in the diagrams down below. Please beware that the listings are in Newtom Meters(Nm). To translate that to English, 10Nm = 7.5 ft/Lbs of torque.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Thursday, July 4th, 2019 AT 10:35 PM
Tiny
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So basically your saying in the stages torque them all the same, right?
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Friday, July 5th, 2019 AT 5:13 PM
Tiny
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And can you send me a diagram of the crankcase, timing case cover, and end cover? And are those the only ones that stay on Nm 20.
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Friday, July 5th, 2019 AT 5:16 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

Okay cylinder head bolts to block torque down stage 1- 7.5 Ft/lbs stage 2- 23 Ft/lbs stage 3- 1/4(90 degrees) turn stage 4- 1/4(90 degrees) turn.
Cylinder head to timing chain cover are torqued at 15 Ft/lbs of torque.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Friday, July 5th, 2019 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
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Thanks a lot Alex. After doing this job will I have to reset the timing chain on both sides and replace all the gaskets on both sides of motor or can I just do side for side? Because a guy told me I had to replace everything and get my timing chain reset on both sides.
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Saturday, July 6th, 2019 AT 7:01 AM
Tiny
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Hello again,

I have done this exact procedure on my Ford 4.6L engine, but I replaced an entire cylinder head and I was able to just redo the one timing chain, because they are keyed and I knew the other side was right. Having said that, to make absolutely sure that your timing chains are spot on where they should be, I would recommend that you reset them on both heads. Your timing chain cover should be off anyway, and it shouldn't be that hard to set your crankshaft and two camshafts in their proper spot and run the chains. You are going to be there anyway. I will send you the factory guide on how to do this correctly in a couple of minutes.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Saturday, July 6th, 2019 AT 1:11 PM
Tiny
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Okay.
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Saturday, July 6th, 2019 AT 3:20 PM
Tiny
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Hello again,

In the diagrams down below I have included the directions for how to set the timing marks on your vehicle's timing chain. Please go through this guide and get back to us with how everything turns out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Saturday, July 6th, 2019 AT 4:24 PM

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