W124 300 24v Oil Cooler Leak

[MotardMan]

Since buying this car, it has blown the top hose off the rad, and now the oil cooler is leaking slightly. The rad hose blew off due to the top jubilee clip being over tightened in the past, the rad has a plastic "snout" for the hose to fit over, and it fractured spewing the coolant all over the road... There is enough of the "snout" to fit the hose back on, but I will have to replace the rad soon..

The leaking cooler is another problem. Anyone who has removed this item: can you let me know if any O rings, copper washers or special parts are required for refitting it? The CD manual I have does not cover th removal and refit of this cooler, so I am worried I will not be able to make it oil tight on reassembly. Any tips for removal BTW?

Best,

Jim

 

[MotardMan]

I have found a used one and will attempt to replace the cooler this weekend.

In the past I have sent pdf's out to the "membership" from the manual to help them with this sort of thing. My CD manual does not appear to cover the oil cooler removal/replacement. Can someone with the manuals please let me have the relevant info? I'd be most grateful.

Jim

 

[MotardMan]

Forget the request for help, I found the document on my CD, removal is simple. I know someone here asked about the cooler removal on his CE, so if you want the info, I am now in a position to help you.

 

[MotardMan]

I set about removing the oil cooler lines from the used cooler I bought for £45+vat last night. The unions were stuck fast, despite soaking them for 3 days prior to the attempt to shift them, in penetrating oil. Got my biggest spanner out and tried again. SNAP! off came the union, complete with the hose still firmly attached. That has fooked it then.

The problem here, is that I do not have a bench or vice to sit things on and give them proper support. I'm glad I decided to try to get the old cooler stripped before the leaking one on the car was disconnected though, else I be right buggered. So I looked on Eurocarparts site, over £220 for a non genuine one, and they are not in stock. Phone MB dealer to get quote, £241.96 plus VAT. Ouch. Does not have one in stock in the UK or in Germany, double ouch. MB spares system shows 2 in the country at other dealers, so call the dealer in Basingstoke, and he agrees to give me 40% of the price, so I get it at cost, £170. Ouch.

Jus has now decided she wants the job done by a "proper" grease monkey, in a proper w/shop. I have to say I'd be glad to make this cooler swap someone else's problem for once. I have a chap in mind locally, he does LR and RR stuff with a bit of classic restoration thrown in, so I'll pop down there this pm and see what he reckons. My Dad is passing the dealer in Basingstoke next Friday, so will pick it up for me. Sorted.

Cars eh?

Jim

 

[MotardMan]

Quick update:

Cooler ios being collected today, and I have a local engineer looking at removal of the old cooler on Monday. If the hoses are as stuck as the ones on my used replacement cooler, then I will be looking at cutting the rubber hoses, and having some new fittings attached. It may turn out that the old fittings will need to be cut off the leaking cooler, or they may undo with no issues. We'll see, and I'll update progress as it happens.

Jim

 

[Richard Moakes]

Counldn't recommend Mercare in Plymouth highly enough if you want a real Mercedes enthusiast to work on your car.

Only £35 per hour + vat, he just fitted me a new exhaust and overhauled the parking brake with new parts, only cost me £55 + vat for labour charges.

Cheers,

Richard

 

[MotardMan]

Thanks Richard, good to have a reference for the future. I ended up finding a local place, and here is what happened:

I relented and took the brand new oil cooler to 2 places to have it fitted, none of them seemed to want the work. On my way home I passed a proper old car servicing place, complete with stripped out car shells and half dismantled bikes and cars on the apron out front. Taking my deepest breath of the day, I fought past the rusted zorsts, copies of Autocar from the 80's, shiny alloys on a home made display rack and pondered the items on the wall whilst waiting for the attentions of one of the staff. Hmmm, up to date MOT cert., menu pricing for services, framed cert. for the testers of MOT etc. Then I noticed the flash looking computer and software in the office. Very odd cocktail.

After the owner (I assumed this, as he was the cleanest monkey in the gaff), noticed me I asked him if he could fit the cooler for me and let him have the history of the car and its propensity to **** out fluids at all opportunities. Now, at this stage the MB was losing a litre or more of oil every 60 miles, making its oil consumption challenge its fuel consumption, so something had to be done. I was a desperate man. He listened carefully and thoughtfully, did not suck his teeth, mentioned he ran a newer E class, and asked if I could drop it round in the morning. I did, at 0830.

Next day was spent fearing the call, "I'm afraid the new cooler you supplied was not the right part, the hoses don't want to fit, and worse, we wrecked the old cooler trying to get it detached from the cars oil hoses. Can you wait a week whilst we get another cooler and have some hoses made up?". The call came at 1200. "Alright Jim?". "Fine thanks, what is the news?". "All done, it was a bastard, but we got it fixed, can you pick the car up now, we need the space?". "Sure, I'm on my way".............(Whizzes round on my office chair and whoops loudly feeling WELL pleased.)

Tell you what, I wanted to kiss him. Until I realised I had not asked how much the job had cost. A quick call and £60 in cash drawn for the hole in the wall and we were off. I took 8 cans of bitter with me, and handed the cash and fluids over. PHEW!

No leaks, no problems, and best of all, the guy who spannered the car wants my TL motor for a SF project he is building, one of 5 bikes he has on the go right now. Result.