OE or hydraulic shop oil cooler hoses - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JHZR2 · #16 12-17-2009, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Welding the fittings is subject to the shop work load = your car is down without lines.

Im not worried about the car being down - I have multiple to drive.

My main concern is precious little time, and it seems to me that cutting the lines makes them easier to take out, and then if there are "custom" hoses on there, which break into three sections, it will sure make the dreaded job easier to perform.

Easier is what it is all about for me... yet I intend to keep my 82 for at least another 200k miles, so they had better last...

JHZR2 · #17 12-17-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Note: Return Policy.

IMO: you have the OE lines in hand to fix the issue, they should last 27 years, waiting may cost an engine.

The old lines must be removed in either case.
OE lines go directly on = job done. (Two hours or less).
Fabricating, you must find a shop to make the hose and weld the fitting on each tube, then tweak it to fit the car again, if nothing goes wrong. (plan three - five days depending on the shop).

Thanks, but the return policy claims the right is reserved for up to 20%. Doesnt state if it is exercised. The only time Ive ever returned something to fastlane was back in 2002, and I do not recall how it ended up.

Im not driving the car with weeping hoses, though I did cross-country in Nov. Waiting is not a problem... per above, just want to make it easy on me...

whunter · #18 12-17-2009, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHZR2

Thanks, but the return policy claims the right is reserved for up to 20%. Doesnt state if it is exercised. The only time Ive ever returned something to fastlane was back in 2002, and I do not recall how it ended up.

Im not driving the car with weeping hoses, though I did cross-country in Nov. Waiting is not a problem... per above, just want to make it easy on me...

I understand.

Easy sounds better every day.

layback40 · #19 12-17-2009, 11:22 PM

Stick with the original lines. I have been working with flexible hydraulic lines on earth moving equipment for many years. Most assembled flexible hydraulic lines dont last any where near 20 years, The oil lines on the Merc are specific for engine oil, its higher temperature and all the nasties that accumulate in the oil between changes and in my experience start to show weakness by a slight leak for some time before they fail. Some hydraulic lines fail suddenly without warning and without much pressure. I have seen flexible hydraulic hose swell & fail when it comes into repeated contact with diesel, hate to think what wvo would do to it! My shed has a wall covered in hydraulic hoses & fittings, yet when the lines on my old 300D started to leak, I used hydraulic lines as a stop gap until the correct ones arrived.

pawoSD · #20 12-17-2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

Note: Return Policy.

IMO: you have the OE lines in hand to fix the issue, they should last 27 years, waiting may cost an engine.

The old lines must be removed in either case.
OE lines go directly on = job done. (Two hours or less).
Fabricating, you must find a shop to make the hose and weld the fitting on each tube, then tweak it to fit the car again, if nothing goes wrong. (plan three - five days depending on the shop).

It only took us 5-6 hours including driving to, waiting for, and driving back, from the shop. I guess we are special.

Diesel911 · #21 12-18-2009, 01:36 AM

Any time you buy an item over the internet; returning the item is going to cost you something. Most companies are not paying to ship it back to them and you will have to wait for them to ship the replacement back to you.
It is just one of those gambles you take to save money.

I have several times seen newly made Hoses from a Hydraulic Shop leak (for some reason the Crimp did not go well) and there is a few posts where new aftermarket Oil Cooler hoses have leaked.

It is possible for the best quality product to have a defect sometimes.

All you can do is hope for the best.

The cost is higher but getting a product locally has the advantage of an actual Person to complain to and a Company that might want to keep you as a customer. Also, it is faster to get a replacement.

pawoSD · #22 12-18-2009, 07:03 AM

The guy that made the ones I have did an excellent job. He even explained the procedure and what he did! Pride in workmanship, that is the type of shop/person to find.

funola · #23 12-18-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHZR2

Im not worried about the car being down - I have multiple to drive.

My main concern is precious little time, and it seems to me that cutting the lines makes them easier to take out, and then if there are "custom" hoses on there, which break into three sections, it will sure make the dreaded job easier to perform.

Easier is what it is all about for me... yet I intend to keep my 82 for at least another 200k miles, so they had better last...

Easier is better. The oil cooler line routing under the engine mount has got to be the biggest design blunder in the 300D. It makes replacement such a royal PITA. I did that job 3 years ago and I would never want to do it again the same way. I don't think the lines I got from ******** will last as long as the original hose that came with the car. The new rubber line is not reinforced (braided) like the original hose and feels much thinner. I don't remember what brand they were but I think it was Meyle. If I were to do it again, I would make my own lines or have it made using stainless braided teflon adapted to the OE hose ends and route them NOT trapped under the engine mount so the old lines can just be cut in sections and easily removed. I saved my old hose ends just for that purpose either on my current 300D if they start to leak or on my next 300D..

Whiskeydan · #24 12-18-2009, 09:44 AM

I would not buy a car with this alteration.

#25 12-18-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whiskeydan

I would not buy a car with this alteration.

I might buy it, but I would install the correct hoses ASAP.

funola · #26 12-18-2009, 10:38 AM

So you prefer to have the lines locked under the engine mounts?

#27 12-18-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funola

So you prefer to have the lines locked under the engine mounts?

That's where they belong, and I can live with replacing them every decade (when the motor mounts are probably due for replacement anyway). These cars do not need hillbilly engineering to work correctly.

I replaced my oil lines, oil cooler, and motor mounts when I replaced the engine earlier this year. I'm not concerned about being able to remove them in the near future.

johnjzjz · #28 12-18-2009, 01:19 PM

What i did was i took off the lines to the cooler on my 300D and die cut the ends off the original hose to fittiing connection and than went to a truck supply and got a reinforced hydrolic hose same lengths and attached with clamps been their 2 years so far and i drive it every day - cost me 12 bucks hose clamps and some oil -- jz

cth350 · #29 12-18-2009, 01:58 PM

BTW, that 22mm thin wrench is available from Sears. 22mm == 7/8 inch. Thx -CTH

pawoSD · #30 12-18-2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I might buy it, but I would install the correct hoses ASAP.

So you're saying that my lines I put on one of our SD's, which are probably 3x factory spec....aren't going to last as well or better? We also don't have to worry about the steel to aluminum corrosion at the oil cooler connections.

Look at this beast!