Uh, that should be oil "cooler". Too bad I can't edit the title . . .

Vehicle is a '96 E300. Today I discovered a coolant leak where the oil cooler's lower pipe/fitting goes into the block. Is it possible to remove the oil cooler without removing the oil filter housing? Looks like "yes" but want to hear from others who have been-there-done-that.

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There are oil and coolant O rings you need to replace there so remove both.


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Thanks for the reply, dkveuro.

I went to the dealer today and ordered the oil cooler/block associated o-rings, and the gasket that goes between the filter housing and block. I should be set for whichever scenario I run into. I'm going to try removing the oil cooler by itself before removing the filter housing. If the filter housing has to come off so be it. I'll have the gasket in hand in case it's needed.

I found this thread:

Oil filter Housing Shaft O rings size?

In post #13 there's an attached image of the oil cooler/filter housing which I assume came from the EPC. It matches the image I saw while at the dealer's parts counter today. I ordered #278 X1, #275 X1, #284 X2, #263 X2, and #230 X1.

Anywho, looking at the diagram makes me think I could remove the cooler without messing with the filter housing, replace the o-rings, re-install, and be done. Seems possible unless the cooler needs to move in a direction it can't while filter housing is attached to the block.

I've personally never had to remove an oil cooler on a NA 606, but after referring to the factory MB manuals, there is nothing that states oil filter housing removal. I found the manuals on W124 zone for the 606 for w124 (same motor as yours in the 95 E300).

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Well, the filter housing will have to come off. The oil cooler cannot move out away from the engine enough to get the pipes out of the block, and it cannot move forward enough to get the pipes out of the oil filter housing. And of course the starter has to come out to allow me to even see the bolts that hold the filter housing in place. I'm going over to the Harbor Freight later tonight to get the "obstruction wrench" that's mentioned in a thread I found on getting the starter out of a W210 E300.

1996 E300D starter removal

Many thanks for the replies!

After talking to a fellow member about this particular job I realized I hadn't followed up on this thread after finishing the project. Plus, the water-cooled oil cooler setup on NA OM606.912 engines in '96 and '97 W210 E300s is unique, apparently, and it might benefit others to have a closer look at it.

Thanks to fellow member Ron Rountree, who also has a '96 E300, for sharing and allowing me to use the images attached to this post (since I failed to take any while I had mine apart). He just recently completed this job on his car.

NOTE: When removing the oil filter housing from the engine be prepared for a decent amount of oil to come out.

Both Ron and I experienced the exact same scenario - failure of coolant passage o-rings. There are four of them, two on each of the pipes that fit between the oil cooler and the engine. The two pipes are still attached to the cooler in the photos, so only the engine end of the pipes are visible. These o-rings are black, and they basically end up rotting and turning to goo. Interesting coincidence that our two cars would have the same failure at about the same time despite the difference in mileage between them.

If you have a '96 or '97 E300 you might take a look in there to check for coolant leaks. I found mine was leaking while replacing the glow plugs. It was not dripping onto the ground. I would not have seen it or even thought to look for it except for having the manifold off for the glow plug job and happening to notice.

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I ordered all replacement O rings. The O ring that Mercedes sold me for the part circled is too big. Does anyone know the correct part number? This is the only part number the dealership has. But there is no way that O ring will fit in that hole. Looking for the smaller one inside the housing.

Thanks
Mark

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