Last Thursday I had taken the 85CD out and was 5 mile's from the house and observed steam from the front of the car. Pulled over as fast as I could. The upper Radiator hose was loss from the connection with a piece broke inside hose.
Had AAA tow me home.
Took hose off, recove broken piece. Use a copper tube insert and glued it into the remaining part of the neck and glued the piece that was inside the hose. Glue was regular JB Weld. Waited six hour's replace hose with new hose and new clamps.
Then took bottom off and did the same thing and replaced hose and clamp as well.
Then today did the same thing to wife's 84D.
I will have to look up the diameter of the pipe but I think it was inch and a quarter.
Beat's $300 for new radiator.

Don't forget the copper pipe to reinforce the neck.
Also there is a Five munite JB Weld. I use the regular, I feel it get's harder. But it take six hours or better to complete dry.

This procedure works great. Did it on my 85 300D about a month ago. What pipe did you use that fit just right? I ended up using a chrome/brass drain pipe for a bath lavatory. (thin wall) Cut off about 1.5", then removed a approx 1/4" lengthwise so it would be the correct inside diameter of radiator nipple. Also used JB Weld and let it sit overnight. Used two hose clamps to bridge the repair as additional insurance. Don't understand why all plastic radiators don't use metal inserts!

I did that for a couple of months but it always needed a redo. I then ordered the top part of the radiator for $35 form the manufacturer, received it but I didn't want to spend the time and effort to uncrimp the old and recrimped the new. Anyone here can try it if they like, you can have the radiator top for $35 which includes shipping. I simply put a new radiator in so I didn't have to worry about my wife overheating and blowing the engine. She didn't watch the temp gauge like I did.

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85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

Take the radiator and the new tank to a radiator shop that has the special jig to remove and replace plastic tanks..
It shouldn't cost to much for them to change it.

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79 240D my current toy
42 years a Diesel addict

240D sold
250SE sold
220D sold
280C sold
280S sold
300D (2) sold
300CD sold
300DT sold
300SD sold
380SL sold

Next day delivery, around $200, all metal, fit great.

http://www.radiatorexpress.com/

Would your wife overheat before or after she blew the engine? I guess in my case I would be the one overheating after the engine was blown...

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Keep everything as simple as possible-but no simpler--Albert Einstein

I bought a Behr Knockoff that was made in Morocco or someplace there in No Africa. It was manufactured by Valeo and fit perfect. $200 available through a well known on-line radiator reseller. Plastic tank, trans cooler and drain hole.

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

I have also had problems with a replacement radiator failing, instead of replacing the replacement we ended up doing just about everything else: all hoses, clamps, the auxiliary water pump, radiator cap, fan clutch, water pump and nothing helped: the car would overheat! Finally, one morning, I went out and purchased the Velo Marocco-made radiator and replaced it, it was a godsent everything came back to normal. Velo also manufactures for MBZ so have no concern

I think you can buy Behr's for $195 for those cars.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Charlie Mitchel,

I did the same kind of repair to my daughter's 190E 2.3-16. I used two copper fittings from Home Depot and soldered them together to get a good fit on the id of the stub on the radiator, and then a good fit on the OD of the the nipple to match it with the radiator hose. JB Welded the assembly in place overnight, then put it back together. Leak free and trouble free for at least 3 months now. Beware the thermostat housing made of black plastic can suffer the same fate. There is a metal replacement unit. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)