Well I finally found a '87 300TD-T. I had been looking for a while...

On my second day of driving I noticed the coolant low light on and the engine temperature increasing... one of these by itself is a potential problem, but both at the same time is a really a bad sign! I pulled over and shut down. Exiting the car I noticed fluid pouring from the front bottom of the car. When I raised the hood I noticed that the top radiator hose was not connected... As I was trying to re-attach the hose I noticed that there was no ridge in the nipple to clamp the hose to. Upon further search I found the missing ridge and about 1" of the end of the nipple inside the hose (it had broken off inside the hose).

I moved the clamp up closer to the end and clamped it "real tight." I then re-filled the coolant (lost the bottle of red line water wetter I had just put in the day before...) and headed for the dealer.

The local dealer says that the right hand side of the radiator (the vertical part that has the nipple attached) can not be replaced separately and I must replace the whole radiator! Is this accurate information or is there a more cost effective way to handle this tragedy?

Thanks,

Steve A

You could try to patch it back together with some epoxy, but a new radiator is the most effective, long term solution to your problem. I put in a Nessens radiator in my car as soon as I bought it and have had no problems since then. I paid less than $300 for it. The OEM Behr radiator costs a lot more.

__________________
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

I am unfamiliar with the "Nessens" radiator you refer to. Where can these be purchased? Are these radiators larger than the standard one?

One of my neighbors recommends a radiator with larger capacity as I live in Las Vegas.

Thanks,

Steve A

I think Nissens is the alternate brand to the Behr radiator. Mine is made in Denmark. There is no dimensional differences between the two, just the country of origin and the price.

__________________
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
-------------------------------------
'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

The radiator shop I took my radiator to this week to get flushed out broke off a similar piece on my '84 300D radiator. They cut it off flush with the rest of the plastic, drilled it larger, and put a metal barbed fitting in there with some sealant to make sure it doesn't leak. Hardly what I like to see, but it is better than walking in the mean time. If you still have some plastic to attach the hose to and it isn't leaking, I'd leave it alone.

Greg

'84 300D

Yes, I do still have about 1 1/8" of plastic nipple. The ridge which keeps the clamp from sliding off however is missing.

I have reattached the hose while I am trying to figure out what to do, but I do not think I would feel comfortable leaving it this way.

One of the radiator shops I went to today pulled out a book from All Radiator Parts, located in Southern California. They have exactly the side of the radiator that I need. Their part number for my car is ME025. The price the shop quoted me was $60 for the part, $50 to R&R the radiator, and $50 to "rod-out" the radiator while they have it out and apart. I think this is the play I will follow. I did notice the replacement "tank" (what they call the plastic piece on the end of the radiator) had a metal reinforcement ring inside the plastic nipple.

Thanks,

Steve

Steve:

Just found this thread and want to share some experiences:

I broke the upper rad hose nipple off my 85 Volvo 740 TD while setting the injection timing (or at least that is when the hose came off, anyway). $375 for a new rad since the replacement tank was fine and the rad leaked after being repaired!

My sister broke the same hose nipple off her 92 Volvo 740 Turbo, but on the highway -- roasted the head -- $700 for replacement head and gaskets (I did the labor). Lost of corrosion on the head, so I couldn't tell if the rad blew first of the head gasket.

I've just bought an 87 300 DT that has a brand new rad and runs funny (and expect to rebuild the engine) -- probably the same story.

Buy a new radiator. There is an aftermarket outfit that makes brass/copper rads to replace the plastic/aluminum ones, but I don't know if the make them for MBs. Chances are that the new tank won't seal well, and if you haven't (or the previous owners didn't) change coolant every two years, the rad is corroded all to hell anyway.

There is a good chance that the hose will blow off the short nipple if the car gets a good hot soak!

Put the new orange long-life stuff in, and change it reguarly.

My applogies if you've already done all this!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Peter, thanks for the experience's.......

However, I had already preceded with my previous plan. The local firm (Nevada Radiator) roded (their term for cleaning out the aluminum part of the radiator) the radiator and replaced the tank. Bill was as quoted $160 + tax. So far car is doing fine... I keep an eye on everything just because I tend to be watchful (others have called it "anal" but that is another story). As I mentioned in my earlier post the new "tank" had the nipple reinforced with metal, so I am hoping this will last even longer than the 14 years the car got out of the original.

As an aside on the "orange" long-life coolant.... their is currently a class-action suit against the makers of this stuff. I had the "orange" stuff in two new GM cars ('96 Impala SS + '97 GMC Yukon) and both of them chewed through the water pumps and radiators... one in 37,000 miles the other in 65,000. I have had several mechanics tell me to stay away from this stuff, because they think it is the causal ingredient that is playing nasty with the cooling systems! I am not "knowledgeable" by any definition, but I have been burned by something GM is doing to their cars. There is absolutely no reason to blow through a water pump and radiator (had to be replaced) in 37,000 miles!

Steve

Peter,

What's the deal with your 300D, whats wrong with it? You know these 603 engines are prone to head cracks cause they are aluminum..

John

John:

The 300DT has: marginal compression in all six cylinders. #4 is below MB limit. Leak test shows leakage past rings, valves seem OK.

There is a new rad install, leading me to believe the old one failed and the engine was severely overheated.

I bought the car from a guy who bought it on eBay -- didn't fit the description (as in bad tires instead of good ones and very rough idle)

Shakes like crazy at idle, has no power under 2000 rpm, has motor honey in it (and probably 50 wt oil to boot).

I'm going to start a new thread on the subject. I anticipate that I will have to do a total rebuild!

Otherwise very good condition excpet a cheesy paint job. No service recorded in the books past 75,000 miles, trap oxidiser replaced in 1997.

For Steve:

Replace the coolant every two years and heed the warning -- absolutely NO phosphates in the coolant -- aluminum corrodes horribly in the presence of phosphate!

You will probably be fine -- check the rad for leaks on a regular basis. Mine was eaten up -- after being cleaned it leaked on about half the tubes at the cold side header!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

The use of the term "Orange Stuff" to describe antifreeze is a misnomer. The best antifreeze to use in your car is a Mercedes branded product mainly available from local Mercedes dealers and PartsShop. Call Phil for a part # @ 1-888-333-4642.

The "Orange Stuff" you refer to is a GM specification antifreeze made under GM's "DexCool" specification for antifreeze, and has indeed been the subject of many problems in all kinds of cars, bust mostly GM manufactured ones. The antifreeze does nasty things with the lead solder joints in the radiators, and GM has even produced a video on the problem. This product was just GM's attempt to copy Mercedes in the manufacture of an Ethylene Glycol antifreeze that has organic acid (as opposed to Amine, Nitrate, or Phosphate based) corrosion inhibitors in it. The Mercedes stuff is the best, followed by any other "amber" or "orange" antifreeze that isn't DexCool compliant. Zerex 5/150 is such a product. If your antifreeze is currently green, it contains phosphate corrosion inhibitors. You will want to remove and replace it.

For more information on this subject, search the archives here, and go to : www.imcool.com for more unbiased information.

Trust me, I've done a great deal of research on this matter...

__________________

Scott Longston
Northern California Wine Country...
"Turbos whistle, grapes wine..."

Thanks for the information Longston..... I have just been the victim of GM, I did not realize there was more than one spec for the "orange stuff!"

You mention your preference for the MBZ brand of coolant... what is the difference on the Zerex (price, performance, specifications) as it may be easier to come by???

Thanks for the help,

Steve

Longston....... It appears you have done some research on the cooling issue (I grabbed a quick look at the site).

Have you looked into R-12 substitutes also? Do you have any insight or comments on them? Such as Enviro-Safe or Freeze 12?

Freeze 12 is a combination product... 80% R-134a and 20% of something else (I forget what) that supposedly helps it cool better (it might be R-22)! Enviro-Safe is a Hydro-Carbon refrigerant that is supposed to be even cooler than R-12.

The whole cooling issue is of interest to me as I live in Las Vegas!

Steve

Ps. I am also changing out the pressure switch the starts the aux fan from the green switch to the red switch. I have tried red-line's diesel water wetter and while it MAY have dropped the temps a bit, I don't think it did the 20 degree's that the bottle claims.

Steve,

Mercedes Antifreeze Anticorrosion Agent is available from PartsShop, and will be shipped to you. You can also buy it from your local MB dealer.

When Mercedes started having this stuff made (back in the late 1960's), they contracted BASF to make it for them. BASF created an anticorrosion additive called "Glysantin G-05" that they hold both a patent and trademark on to use in place of phosphates. Recently, BASF decided that they were not going to manufacture antifreeze in the US any longer (they also make Glysantin formulations for BMW, SAAB, Volvo and others), so they licensed the process to Valvoline, who owns Zerex. The 5/150 Zerex is as close to the Mercedes antifreeze as you can get, but the 5/100 is DexCool, and should probably be avoided. Since Mercedes pioneered this technology, every antifreeze manufacturer has tried to copy it, including Peak, Havoline, and Prestone, by developing organic acid anticorrosion inhibitor additives. Besides DexCool (nicknamed DexClog & DexCrud), Ford is planning on having a Glysantin antifreeze made for them by Zerex, and Chrysler already used it in the PT Cruiser, and will be using it as a factory fill from now on. Even GM is considering using it now that DexCool has been such a failure...

Any non-green antifreeze that isn't specified as a DexCool antifreeze should do (Peak FleetCharge, or other "extended-life" formulations for heavy trucks for instance), but the absolute best for a Mercedes is still the branded factory fill.

In addition, I personally think that Johnson's Freeeze 12 is a good product. Mainly because it does not contain any propane or other flammable agents. It's simply R-134a and R-142b mixed in such a way that it replaces R-12 more effectively than simple R-134a alone. There are several other products available out there as well...

__________________

Scott Longston
Northern California Wine Country...
"Turbos whistle, grapes wine..."

Peter,

How many miles on the old girl?

I have seen a few 300SDL's with 300, 350 and one with 507K miles. I drove a 335K mile 300SDL. These are truly amazing machines.

Keep the forum update on your 300DT, I am interested to see what the outcome is. Take pics while you're inside the engine too.

Good luck with her,

John