are the oil cooler fittings replaceable by themselves?
 

I bought a used oil cooler off a member here and the fitting on the top doesn't have good threads. I tried to attach an extra cooler line that I have laying around here and sure enough, it was stripped. Could a shop put a different fitting on or even renew the threads? My oil cooler's leaking, is this very common? it does it bad enough that after highway runs there is oil running out of my FL rim.
Thanks
David

Wow mine started to do that when my fittings rusted threw. A good hydrolic(sp?) shop could probably do that, but here is an idea. I was at pep boys the other day and saw a trans cooler that was a little larger then the oil cooler on my SDL. Custom lines would have to be made up the the cooler was under $40 I think.

The fittings on the end of the oil cooler lines are ha;f-barrel flartes I believe which are pretty specific to MB's. I took an oil cooler line to a local shop to see if they could make something to bypass my cooler since I really don't need it just doing regular driving.
Thanks
David

I am not sure about the W116 but on mine they look like regular fittings, similer to what you would see on a Volvo excavator. It doesn't matter what the oe fittings are anyway have them replace the hose and put on metric threaded fittings. Then go with an aftermarket cooler. I wouldn't eliminate the oil cooler it is probably the best thing MB put on that engine. With mine I can't even holf my hand on the intake line but the outgoing line is cool.

If your cooler is leaking that badly I wouldn't drive the car until it is fixed, it could ruin your brakes on that side not to mention the horrible mess. :eek:

The fittings on the oil cooler are replacable with a little "machine" work. You cut off the fittings flush and tap into the cooler for the replacement fittings.

MB # for the screwed nipples (I'm not making this up) is: # 915013-013002. They are cheap at the dealer.

Found this in my saved folder. I wish I knew who to credit, but I pulled it off the web a while back.


"The correct metric size is 27mm or you can use 1 & 1/16 inch. Be very careful removing the oil lines from the oil cooler. The threaded nipples on the cooler are soft aluminum and will strip or gall easily. I replaced my oil cooler lines last May. Despite slowly working the coupling nut with lots a penetrating oil, I still galled the threads on the cooler. A new oil cooler is $300. I planned for this and expected something like this to happen. I bought new threaded fittings for in between the oil lines and oil filter housing because I expected the old fittings to strip when I took them off the line couplings. These fittings are less than $5.00 each. I reused the original fittings so I have an extra set now. All I had to do is cut the aluminum threads off the oil cooler, drill a pilot hole, tap new threads, and install the new fittings. The thread tap size is 18mm by 1.5mm. The drill size for the pilot hole is 21/32 inches, I don't know the metric equivalent. It took a local machinist 15 minutes to cut off the aluminum threads back to the nut part, drill the pilot holes (there's plenty of metal there), and tap the new threads. It took longer to rinse out all the aluminum filings and grit out of the cooler than it did to work on it. Here are the MB part numbers for the threaded oil line fittings and copper washers. MB Part # Description 915013-013002 Screwed Nipples (That's what the label said.) 007603-018101 Ring, General, Metal ".

A couple of years back, after reading this, I stopped by the dealer and ordered two. They were able to get them with the above numbers. I just threw them in my kit bag for future use since they were such cheap insurance.

Where would they use the copper washers? If I went this route of replacing the fittings on the cooler itself, I don't have to pull the cooler lines out for any reason do I? I'd like to avoid that like the plague if possible.
Thanks
David

Have the cooler lines ever been replaced? If their original they are due.

The fittings have no rust on them and the lines don't appear to be leaking at all. They look to be in good shape, and I've never heard of one on these just suddenly failing without any symptoms first. I don't know how bad of a job it is with a 603, but with a 617, I don't want to even consider if it's not necessary. The worst part about it though, is that it will still leak elsewhere. There is oil covering the little round thing under the turbo. It has a rubber hose with a hose clamp on it, but that whole area down there is covered in thick oil. My turbo drain isn't leaking, I know that. That piece and below it are clean. I've already replaced the oil pan becasuse it was cracked, and eventually was leavig a pint of oil on the ground everyday!
Thanks
David

I'll try to get some pics of the areas of the leaky spots so someone can identify them so that I may repair them. Also, there is oil just in front of the turbo where it's run out of the turbine, is this normal? You obviously only notice it when one removes the air tube, but there is always a little strip of oil sitting there. That's one more thing i'll get a picture of.
Thank Again
David

Get a few cans of Gunk and a cheap brush and clean all of that oil out of their. Then you can find out what else is leaking.

On a 603 the oil cooler lines are very easy to change.

I've taken the cooler and the replacement fitting to two different shops. Neither want to touch it. One was NAPA who said they didn't have a tap that big and then a radiator shop who said you can't mix brass and aluminum. Does anyone know of a place around here that would be able to do something like that?
Thanks
David

Why can't you mix brass and aluminum? If they fuse whats the big deal? Thats the next owners problem. Other then that I'm out of ideas, I don't know of anything in your area.

He said something about electrofusion? HE said the aluminum falls apart around the brass. But I think the base, where the fitting is machined in is also brass though. Oh well. Probably just doesn't want to mess with it.
Thanks
David

Electrofusion thats a new term :D I'm assuming that you want to screw a brass fitting on an alum cooler? What probably will happen is that the fitting will fuse threw corrosion on the cooler. But that is the next owners problem. Besides if you put some teflan tape on the threads they will probably be fine.

I think he just doesn't want to mess with it. He doesn't want to get blamed if it comes apart for some reason and ruins your engine.

the real deal
 

i had some 'weeping' from my lower oil cooler hose, so replaced it this weekend. the aluminum oil cooler threads were totally MANGLED, so i immediately consulted the forum and considered my options.

MY SOLUTION after some trial + error "research" was to pull out a 22x1.5 DYE and take a deep breath. My oil cooler now has 4 beautiful threads on what once was a pretty sloppy mess. It took quite a while to figure out the right thread diameter/pitch, but that's it: 22 x 1.5.

yeehaw.