Noticed drip marks on driveway that seem to be coming from very front driver side of 85 300D.

It has always been slightly oily on oil cooler bottom nozzle. But never a drip. Mechanics who have seen it, say to leave well enough alone. I guess they know the thread could easily be stripped.

Wife has car out but I will check more closely later to make sure that is the source.

If the bottom hose needs to be disconnected, do I need to first completely suck oil from sump?

I understand that repair nozzles are available. If I had rad shop do it, how do you think a new aftermarket cooler would compare with repair kit + additional labour?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

inspect your upper hose first... it may be damaged from motor mount collapse, allowing PS belt contact...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I had a look at both oil cooler hoses. No leak on upper and it is not close to belts. Lower has leak and it looks to be weeping from rubber to metal swage. But this has been like that for years.

Where I saw oil under car, car was sitting level from side to side, but slightly nose down. Last night and presently, it is parked also nose down in different spot but it also leaning from side to side with passenger side lower, Funnily enough, I saw no oil with car in this spot. I have put some cardboard under car to night and will see if anything shows up. Tomorrow I will revert to previous location.

BTW, how much of a job is it to change the hoses without a hoist? Are the rear connectors accessible?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I didnt use a hoist to replace mine, but i didnt have the radiator and condenser in there either. I only see a problem with tightening the nut at the filter side. It is quite tight in there. A regular wrench wont do it. You need a service wrench type like the martin tool kind.

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'85 300D Cal 280,000 miles
'14 GLK 350 60000 miles

Put front on jack stands.
Disconnect &/or remove engine shocks & mounts.
Disconnect engine mounts.
Loosen fan shroud.
Lift front of engine as high as possible without damaging anything.
Remove lower hose.
Remove upper hose.

Removing the radiator makes things easier but is not required (on a 126)..

Replace hoses.
Replace or refurbish your collapsed engine shock mounts.
Replace collapsed engine mounts.
Finish anything else.

Sprinkle choice words as needed.

It is also a good idea to remove the oil filter housing and install new gaskets unless you consider the 1st hose install as simply practice. The housing gaskets apparently will leak a short time after you have everything back together. You can ignore the housing gasket if you don't mind the oil on the drive.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

If the Rubber has shrunk in the crimped area it is sort of a little Time Bomb ticking away. A few People have lost their Engines due to Oil Starvation when the Oil Cooler Hose gave out. When the Hose give out you likely will not know it when it happens.

30 something Year old Hoses!

When you are looking for Oil leaks it is beneficial to get some Engine degreaser and degrease the area so you can see exactly where the leaks are coming from.

I bought a large Crows Foot Wrench to use on the Lower Hose and it woked fin for that when attached to a Breaker Bar.
You also need to thin the Head of another Wrench that fits the Aluminum Hex on the Oil Cooler and the Oil Filter Housing Fittings the Oil Cooler Lines attach to.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel