Yet another way to deal with these things.
Was going to install new, factory cooler lines (my lower was leaking like a sieve, upper was seeping) and tore everything down to that point, even removed the filter stand (holder) to replace that gasket too.
My luck with MB dealers/parts houses is going from bad to worse. Now the guy I ordered parts from (sells on ebay) says the parts I paid for three weeks ago (with cash in paypal) were shipped and gets hostile with me when I ask about tracking.
Need to get things done and WILL NOT have this hulk sitting in the driveway all winter (and probably summer) waiting for parts that never come, dealers who never refund, etc.
Decided to mod my oil lines to effect an easier removal next time they need work.
Took my old lines up to a place in Greeley that makes hydraulic lines, but the 15mm tubing pretty much discarded that idea. So I bought some REALLY tough looking hydraulic line from them (it says airbrake line, but they claim it's good for oil?) that is steel braided internally and seems like it should last forever.
Here's the line:
The steel tubing was cut and a 1/2x3/8 NPT adapter was machined out (turned the ID of the 3/8 end large enough for a slip fit on the oil tubing) for the tubing. The tube was then silver soldered into the fitting.
Next thing is to tighten the barb fitting for the hose into the soldered adapter:
will cut the hose to fit tomorrow when I have the oil filter stand back in and take pics of the install.
BTW, if I were to do this again and ONLY needed to change the oil lines, I would just cut the hell out of them to get them out and not unbolt a single thing (except for the ends that mate to the filter housing and the cooler). Then do this same thing.
The hose I used was $5.80/ft (ouch!), I'm thinking regular tranny cooler line would work fine for this app.