Apparently some early W203 C-class were fitted with a Behr radiator rather than the troublesome Valeo type. Has anyone got any information on how visually different the Behr is to the Valeo one when checked in situ?
Or is it possible to see the makers label on the underside without removing rad from the car?
I have a Jan 2001 C200K (RHD Dec 2000 German built saloon) 98K miles with original rad and from what I can see it looks like the rad is very similar to the Behr one shown in the US forum (picture below) ......ie. black ribbed plastic end tank with 2 small transmission pipe connections with wire clips.
On the Mercedes TSB pictures below (see figure 2 and 3) can anyone explain the visual difference between the "Old Crimping Method" (highlighted with 2 arrows) and the "New Crimping Method" (not arrowed) as the photos especially Fig.3 don,t seem to show very clearly what to look for?
I had a look under my bonnet with a small torch........the black plastic end tanks on my radiator appear to be crimped on to the rad with a continuous wavy silver metal strip all round the edges of the tanks. Each crimp is indented in a semi circular shape and is about 10mm wide with a small aperture in the base of each crimp where the metal has been formed. (Similar to the crimping on my old W202's radiator header tank).
The suspect crimping shown in the Mercedes TSB Fig.2 shows small metal square shaped crimp tabs about 5mm wide spaced around the edges (like the Behr rad photo) and bent over to crimp the tank in position.
Therefore does anyone know if wavy shaped crimping is ok and means you don't have an old Valeo rad.......also why does the USA Behr rad photo show the suspect square crimping if thats how the dealers identify potential Valeo problem cars?
If anyone has removed or is going to replace a Valeo radiator please post a few pictures of the old one before you throw it, to help us see how to easily identify the problem ones that should be replaced.
Or is it possible to see the makers label on the underside without removing rad from the car?
I have a Jan 2001 C200K (RHD Dec 2000 German built saloon) 98K miles with original rad and from what I can see it looks like the rad is very similar to the Behr one shown in the US forum (picture below) ......ie. black ribbed plastic end tank with 2 small transmission pipe connections with wire clips.
On the Mercedes TSB pictures below (see figure 2 and 3) can anyone explain the visual difference between the "Old Crimping Method" (highlighted with 2 arrows) and the "New Crimping Method" (not arrowed) as the photos especially Fig.3 don,t seem to show very clearly what to look for?
I had a look under my bonnet with a small torch........the black plastic end tanks on my radiator appear to be crimped on to the rad with a continuous wavy silver metal strip all round the edges of the tanks. Each crimp is indented in a semi circular shape and is about 10mm wide with a small aperture in the base of each crimp where the metal has been formed. (Similar to the crimping on my old W202's radiator header tank).
The suspect crimping shown in the Mercedes TSB Fig.2 shows small metal square shaped crimp tabs about 5mm wide spaced around the edges (like the Behr rad photo) and bent over to crimp the tank in position.
Therefore does anyone know if wavy shaped crimping is ok and means you don't have an old Valeo rad.......also why does the USA Behr rad photo show the suspect square crimping if thats how the dealers identify potential Valeo problem cars?
If anyone has removed or is going to replace a Valeo radiator please post a few pictures of the old one before you throw it, to help us see how to easily identify the problem ones that should be replaced.
