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  #16  
Old 01-20-2002, 09:43 PM
Mattman
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The replacement radiators have steel sleeves inside the neck to reinforce them and prevent against a failure like the earlier ones.

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  #17  
Old 01-20-2002, 09:47 PM
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Greetings,

Why not salvage what you've got if that is the only inherent problem with the radiator? Once again, money spent doesn't justify the results.

Charles
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  #18  
Old 01-20-2002, 10:39 PM
Mattman
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I agree with repairing where possible, in my situation I didn't want to repair the neck as it doesn't solve the problem and will reoccur. As well as replacing the top tank the core was found to be leaking during the pressure test so the whole thing was replaced. I do think it's best to do everything once, I don't want to go back and revist my cooling system again so I have replaced all hoses and belts as well. Overheating is a major pain.

Matt.
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  #19  
Old 01-21-2002, 09:59 AM
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In short, you only need a screwdriver and a wrench to perform the entire operation. The fan shroud is attached and removed without tools, and the rad is held in place by a couple of metal clips that you pry off (with the same screwdriver you use to loosen the clamps on the two hoses). The rad sits on two round slots on the front body frame, and just lifts right out.

The wrench is for loosening the metal hose to the transmission cooler, which is part of the rad.

This was the first real MB repair I've done, and it took me about two hours total. Removed the old one in about 1 1/2 hours...was so tickled that I got that far in such a short period of time that I celebrated with a beer and left the remainder of the work for the next day. Installed the new one, added coolant, and had the engine fired up within a 1/2 hour that evening.

You'll be surprised at how easy it is to do!

Go for it!
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  #20  
Old 01-21-2002, 11:06 AM
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After rereading Chris's post

Greetings All,

After reading Chris's post again, I think we may be steering him in the wrong direction. As he has posted that the green coolant is coming out of the end of his top radiator hose. If this is really the case, then his hose has broken down internally and is seeping coolant out of the thread ends. I've had this problem in the past, and generally a new hose fixes the leak.


Charles
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  #21  
Old 01-21-2002, 03:27 PM
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I picked up on that too...AFTER I made the first post...

The thing is, the original radiator WILL fail eventually...pressurized systems have a knack of initiating failures at their weakest component...which is the radiator.

Someone did post a thread earlier about repairing the core in the same place, but for all of the trouble, I would go ahead and replace the old rad anyway.

Just my 2 cents worth...
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  #22  
Old 01-21-2002, 03:35 PM
Chris17H
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Hey Thanks everyone for your help, first an inexpensiveway i'll just replace the hose, then once more damage occurs i will eventually do the whole radiator.

Thanks again
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  #23  
Old 01-21-2002, 06:15 PM
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Sorry we didn't pick up on it sooner

Greetings Chris,

Sorry we didn't pick up on what you were saying sooner. We all, at least those of us with the 300E series automatically think broken radiator neck when you start talking leak in that area. I believe mine to still be the original in my '86 300E and still no hint of breakage. I actually think a lot of breakage occurs when folks use the neck as a leaning spot when removing the air cleaner housing. Seeing as I do my own maintenance, I understand that weak point and avoid using it for such purposes. I wouldn't change the core either, chances are if you take care it will most likely last another five or more years.

Charles
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  #24  
Old 01-22-2002, 08:17 PM
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I think the debate about conservative vs. definitive repair could go on forever. I usually like to try the least-expensive fix first myself, but I think when it comes to our cooling systems, this is probably NOT the right approach. There are a few things I know which can fry an MB engine: running it out of oil or severely overheating it. We have oil pressure gauges and low-oil lights for the former. However, a radiator neck blowing off while you're tooling down I-80 at 80 mph can EASILY fry your engine before your engine temp gauge clues you in (remembering that it is registering COOLANT temperature, and if you ain't got coolant, it's registering air temp.)

Mine blew last summer in the driveway, fortunately; when it blew, it BLEW and I lost a ton of coolant VERY VERY fast.
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  #25  
Old 01-23-2002, 12:00 AM
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Fix what's wrong, not anticipated failure

Greetings 400E,

The original post was misread by several of us, but if you reread it, the problem is a deteriorating upper radiator hose not his radiator neck. There is no need to change out the radiator if it has no signs of leakage and no apparent stress cracks.

Charles

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