Part NO LONGER AVAILABLE!!!

Whoooooaaaa! If you have a W124 300d, you might want to read this the whole way through......

(And if you know how to remove the expansion tank, let me know. I can't figure out how to get it out!)

Do note that someone else recently posted that they couldn't find an expansion tank, either. The 300e tanks are available but they DO NOT FIT INTO A 300d. After 3 hours of searching, I found someone who "had them" and "ordered one" on Friday, only to find out it was a mistake and the part is no longer available.

I was out driving around for about 30 minutes close to my home and was returning, when all of the sudden I had steam coming out from under my hood! Fortunately, I was about 60 seconds from being able to pull into a McDonald's parking spot and I shut the car down immediately.

I opened the hood, and there was steam coming from underneath the expansion tank. I grabbed a few egg, bacon, and cheese biscuits from McDonald's while I let the car cool down, then added about 1/2 gallon of water into the expansion tank and drove it back home.

When I got home, there was a LOT of water dripping from underneath the plastic coolant expansion tank. I didn't know yet if it was a hose or the tank, but I watched a video on YouTube by Kent Bergsma, and he said the tanks are now old on these cars, they yellow, and they can start leaking. He also suggests replacing the hoses and coolant level sensor.

So I started looking around for a replacement tank, only to find that THEY'RE NO LONGER AVAILABLE for the diesels!! You can get them for the 300e for $18, but not for the 300d. Can't find 'em anywhere! I even called the MB dealership, they don't have any, but said they can get them.... from Germany (figure 2 to 3 weeks wait without a car) and for $130 for a plastic tank.

1991 300d, 211k

300d as it w123, Pelican sells the expansion tank right here:

Coolant Expansion Tank 1265001549 - Genuine Mercedes-Benz - 126-500-15-49 | Pelican Parts

for w124, you can try MB of South Atlanta, they still stock it.

By the way Kent is always right on everything, I would also replace the coolant level sensor at the same time

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Quick google search revealed 8 vendors.

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

The tank is held in from under the wing with a bolt up in to the tank if i am right ..And it could have a little rust in that area its fixed on to .

They show it, but don't HAVE them.

There are several bolts which I've already taken off (4 of them), but I need to get the hoses off, and I can't do that because of other stuff in the way.

Hopefully they'll have them in stock. MB of Atlanta did not have any, showing the closest ones being in Germany.

Did you call all of them?
https://www.google.com/search?q=300d+expansion+tank&num=50&client=ms-android-google&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwid4ry3qt7TAhUP7GMKHR2vBREQ_AUICSgB&biw=360&bih=511

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CENSORED due to not family friendly words

I have paid for five tanks (for my 91 300D) from various vendors that said they were in stock only to be refunded a short time later explaining tanks were NLA. Even contacted classic center and they responded with same answer, NLA. Guess I will try and get one from Germany through a dealer.

Let me know what the Dyer bros. have to say... I'm in Columbia too. I'm sure my tank is on borrowed time.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

You may need to clear some stuff out of the way to get to the clamps. On my 190DT, I had to remove the air cleaner assy and remove a few fasteners on the inner fender heat shield to get clearance. The tank itself is held down with a few nuts that thread into studs. There's a plastic anchor on the bottom that is forced into a hole in the inner fender.


It's not clear to me why the gasser tank wouldn't work. You might need a different sized connector hose for the lower connection, but I think everything else will drop in.

http://cdn4.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Mercedes-W124/13-WATER-Coolant_Expansion_Tank_Replacement/images_small/pic09.jpg

in the later W124 diesels - the lower fitment has its own dedicated hose to the radiator unlike the early ones which branch out of the lower radiator hose.

The dia is a bit different I think, shouldnt be a problem

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Ebay United Kingdom often sells stuff not available here in the US. Keep in mind the shipping and the money exchange rate.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I wonder if one could "convert" to the later 124 diesel style, by not only using that coolant tank but also the radiator hose etc.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

300e tanks won't fit in.