I recently found a nice dash for my 300td, and I've been thinking of any while-I'm-in-there work I should do. I've had a heater core fail on me once, and it was miserable to clean the mess and do the R&R, so I thought I'd replace the heater core in the 300td before it fails. It has 328k miles on it.

I just looked through a few online vendors and it's apparently NLA. What can be done? I tried searching here but didn't find much. I guess w123 heater cores don't really fail that often? I read a couple times about circulating stop-leak through the core as a quick fix, but I'm more interested in an actual replacement.

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo

I've read that before, but when I was looking for one this year (leak turned out to be in a different place), they were in fact available through some vendors. Dig a bit deeper -- I'm traveling now and can't be arsed to find the vendor that had them

I've looked around and couldn't find it. Whenever it's convenient for you, could you look up the vendor you're talking about? Thanks!

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo

heater core
MB# 0028352901
Pelican Parts - Automotive Parts and Accessories - Porsche & BMW

ebay has dozens of used and new/old stock listed.
search: 300d heater core


.

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Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

I literally bought my car for less than that.

Hey, I'm glad it's available somewhere, and thanks for pointing it out! I really want it, so I'll probably shell out, but I won't like it.

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo

Have you read through Dave Morrisons DIY thread on removing the Evaporater? It is a very well laid out how to remove things in both a 300D/TD and 240D. as long as you are going that far into the system, might as well install the system out of a 240D. then it will be simple and manual.
PeachPartsWiki: Replacing the A/C Evaporator

Go to PNP and practice on removing things first, take pictures, label things. then when you do yours it will go quicker and maybe not break something.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Yeah, I saw that DIY. It's fantastic.

My heater core is OK right now (thank you God), but I have a manual heater system I've been meaning to put in, and actually the heater core replacement will be a while-I'm-in-there thing. It's such a giant PITA to pull the heater system, I only want to do it once.

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo

Same issue on one of my W123's. Rather than pay >$300 new or $50 used, plus days tearing into the dash, I recirculated hot silicate stop leak, which I think worked. My son drives that car at college and doesn't communicate.

If in your position, I would look into installing a heater core from another car that is cheap and robust, like for a 60's Chevy. Indeed, since so hard digging into the dash, maybe something that would last forever like an after-market tube-fin transmission cooler. I would use all soldered copper tubing. Anyway, what I have pondered. I know W123's have a unique 3-tube Behr heater core as used in Semis, but it can be re-plumbed for 2 tubes. We don't deal with German winters in CA.

Honestly, I just found out that the heater core has 3 tubes a couple of weeks ago. I've had my car for 10 years.

The ACC sucks! SUCKS! There are like 5 buttons, but they all do the same thing. They will blow air out all of the vents, at the same temperature. When I saw how the manual system works, with the ability to set different temperatures for left and right, I thought it was neat but I can live without it.

I'm down to put in a solid metal heater core. I usually try not to reinvent the wheel - there is already a core that fits properly, and $300 isn't the end of the world. However, it is expensive enough to warrant spending a day messing around and seeing if it will be easy to adapt a generic all-metal water-to-air heat exchanger. If/when I get around to it, I'll make a separate thread.

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'82 300TD
'77 6.9
'75 280S
'74 280
'87 Porsche 944 turbo