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  #1  
Old 02-25-2005, 05:05 PM
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Location: Nashua, NH
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Radiator Leak - Where did it go??

Hi All,

I noticed a few drops of coolant under the right (passenger side) front portion of the radiator in my 1988 560SL over the past few weeks. I looked under the car and it appeared to be coming between the seam at the junction of the aluminum and plastic parts (it is a Behr radiator). It was definitely coolant and the level in the reservoir was a little low so I topped it up and while I was at it installed a new cap. I ordered a new replacement radiator which is solid brass - NO PLASTIC - and while I waited for it to come the leak stopped. It's not because there's no coolant in there either

My question is, has anyone experienced such an "intermittent leak" from one of these Behr radiators? I've driven the car a couple of times and heated it up completely and cooled it down and still nothing's leaking. I probably will replace it anyway as it was due for a flush and fill but am now wondering if the leak could have been overflow from a faulty cap or something else and not a leaky rad? Any thoughts?

I really dislike the plastic/aluminum assembly they put in there and searched high and low for a brass replacement so I am not all that upset to have to do the job anyway, but if I can put it off a while I will consider that too.

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2013 C300 4Matic
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2013 Lincoln MKz
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Old 02-25-2005, 07:33 PM
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Posts: 23
Radiator Leak

Hi, yes I noticed a leak on mine the other day in exactly the same place. I've had good service out of it (240,000 miles). Like you, I would prefer a brass replacement (repairable) but don't know if I can get one in the UK. I suspect that when it starts leaking, it's kaput. Replacing expansion tank cap is probably a good idea as well.

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230TE 1989
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  #3  
Old 02-25-2005, 07:44 PM
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Location: London, United Kingdom
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I have the same leak from the same place on my E300D. It seems it leaks when the car is cooling down after a trip.
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1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
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Old 02-25-2005, 07:52 PM
LarryBible
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Given the time of year, what you might have seen was a cold weather leak. I have seen cooling systems leak in extremely cold weather only to heal themselves when the weather warms up.

Best of luck with it,
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Old 02-25-2005, 09:24 PM
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Thanks for all of your replies...yeah, it was leaking back when it was extremely cold a few weeks ago and the temperature has moderated since then. Maybe the seam expanded enough to close up for now.

BTW - I found the all brass radiator on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7951122190

I contacted a buyer who recently bought one for a M107 body and was very happy with his so I took the plunge. The seller sells several different models for different body styles. I haven't installed it yet but it came shipped in a bullet proof box and the price was quite fair. It looks like a good unit and is all brass. If anyone is intertested I can post a follow up and let you know my impressions of it after its in.
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Old 02-26-2005, 08:28 AM
LNM LNM is offline
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Coolant leaks from passenger side? (driver side in UK !!)

mine did this. M103 engine.

Everything is now sorted, after a new head gasket and radiator........

The head was slightly warped, pressurising the coolant system so much that when it was cold it'd blow into the overflow tank behind the wheel arch liner past the 120 deg C coolant expansion tank cap.

This is worst case obviously, but get it looked into before you knack your engines.
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Old 03-04-2005, 08:01 PM
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Location: Southern California
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I have had this exact intermitent leak problem here in Los Angeles on my wifes 86 560sl. Extreme cold here is 40 degrees! I was wondering about the quality of that brass radiator that you picked up. How does it compare with the OEM? Guess you won't know until you get it installed....please keep us posted. Larry
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Old 03-17-2005, 07:02 AM
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Location: Nashua, NH
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Update

I wanted to post an update that I had my new all brass replacement radiator installed yesterday. It was a unit I bought from an ebay seller, Tigris International. It came very well packed and the tech who installed it had nothing bad to say about it and it seemed to me to be a well made unit. I prefer all brass to the plastic/aluminum units which Behr and Valeo make for MB. There's a link to the listing in my post, above. You can also see that for under $300 delivered it was less expensive than either the Behr or Valeo replacements and at least this one can be repaired in the event that it leaks in the future. The seller offers a "lifetime guarantee" but I would be a little suspicious of this as the unit comes with no paperwork and does not even have a maker's name on it - but still...so far so good. It's not a really hard job to replace...about an hour's time on the 560SL, so I gambled that it was good and so far it has paid off!

I also had my timing chain, guides and tensioner replaced as well as motor mounts. My old 560 runs, smooth, quiet and like new again

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