I wanted to share an experience with everybody with regard to my '82 240D so you can avoid this. One day last month I noticed a severe oil leak occuring under the front passenger side of the car. Turned out to be transmission fluid coming from the metal portion of the oil cooler line closest to where the flexible line is attatched. There are small metal brackets that hold the metal transmission oil cooler line in place along side the engine from the transmission. There are 3 of them along side the engine. There is another set on the drivers side. Anyway, the bracket closest to the flexible hose had worn a hole into the metal line by way of chaffing. Turns out that there should be rubber bushings inside these brackets. All of mine were deteriorated and there were no more rubber bushings; this caused the chaffing.

I tried getting a new line from MB but they are no longer available. I tried going to salvage yards but with no luck. Finally took it to a place that specializes in a/c work and he was able to braze the line with new material and patch the hole. He was able to save the metal line.

Anyway, just thought I would pass the word along because you really don't notice the problem until its too late and you have a pool of oil underneath your car. Worse, you can be in the middle of nowhere and you lose all your tranmission fluid.

Herb
'82 240D
'87 300SDL
'92 300D 2.5 Turbo