PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - The joys and sorrows of removing oil cooler lines

dmorrison · #1 04-28-2003, 10:06 PM

As some of you know I'm "rebuilding the 82 300TD to be a reliable daily driver.
Suspension is done all fluids have been removed. All filters replaced. Round of new glow plugs for each cylinder on me. All rubber lines have been replaced. Valves adjusted. And today I had the distinct pleasure of removing the oil filter cooling lines. They were leaking and creating a mess for the last couple of years that I drove the car.
Well its a job.
Remove the connection on the cooler. Of course black oil drips everywhere. Then release the lines on the oil filter. Quite a few things are in the way so its a tight fit. And of course its 27mm wrench which with all my tools I do not have. So I used an adjustable wrench. Got them loose and more black oil. But this time I did not have the oil pan under the filter section because it was still collecting the drips from the cooler.
To remove the lines I figured I would try to get them out without removeing a lot of things. FORGET IT.
To get the lines out you have to remove the engine mount off the block. To remove that you have to remove the allen bolt holding the engine mount etc. etc.

Let me summarize.

Remove the inline filter to the injection pump and the hose from the fuel line. You may consider removing the cigar hose also. Additionally I have a lot of the vacume lines removed right now along with th etrottle linkage on the top of the valve cover.
Remove the windshield washer tank.
Unbolt the 2 places that the oil cooling hoses are clamped together. A 10mm? socket with a universal and a 18" extension.
Support the engine with a hydraulic jack under the oil pan with a block of wood between the jack and the oil pan.
Have 2 drain pans to catch the oil . Unbolt the lines at the cooler and the oil filter. The oil cooler will drain onto the body spoiler then into the pan. The filter connection will of course make a mess.
The lines will now be free. Consider cleaning the ends and taping them up with duct tape or something. More oil will come out as you twist them to remove them.
Place a hydraulic jack under the engine with a block of wood between the jack and the oil pan to support the engine. Unbolt the allen bolt from the bottom up into the motor mount.
Disconnect the engine shock. To do this another wrench is needed that is not usually included in wrench sets. A 7MM wrench.
The bottom and top bolts are 10MM the wrench to hold the shock shaft from spinning is the 7mm. Again I don't have one. However a 8/37" wrench will do.
Remove the 4 nuts holding the engine mount to the block. I used a 17mm socket and a breaker bar. Teh front lower bolt required an extension the other 3 didn't. To completely remove the mount you have to disconnect the power steering line that is blocking the mount. Its the one closes to the mount. I quickly removed and replace the hose as I pulled the mount out of the way. More fluids to drip on the ground.
Move the lines as necessary to remove them from the car. I have cleaned them up in the wash tank and will have new rubber sections installed at the local hydraulic shop. I'll price them first. New iol cooler lines are $45 each at Fastlane. I also removed the oil cooler and cleaned it in the wash tank. It seems to be in fine shape, thank God, Its $375 at fastlane.
Now that 1 motor mount is out. I'll replace both since its not that hard.
The job is a bit of a pain. Messy more that anything. Lots of fluids dripping everywhere. and the unusual size wrenches. 7mm and 27mm box, a flare wrench would be better for the oil line fittings.
When installing the oil lines. Use 2 wrenches on the lines. Each port has a place for 2 wrenches to be use for this.

Dave