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  #1  
Old 01-03-2012, 02:28 PM
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Fitting a W123 Radiator in a W115 240D Chassis?

I'm about to embark on this little test, since I cannot find a good 115 radiator for less than my left leg. Has anybody here done this before? Advice?

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Old 01-03-2012, 07:02 PM
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I was going to have mine recored. As it turns out I just needed a new radiator cap so I never bothered. I did recieve a verbal estimate that it would be $250 for the recore. Assumming that was a realistic estimate I would think that would be cheaper than trying to fit a 123 radiator in the 115. I did not look into the 123 radiators, so that swap may be easier than I suspect. The radiator guy did say that he was not excited about recoring the radiator and rarely recored radiators anymore since it was usually cheaper to buy a new one.

Good luck!
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:14 PM
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Well, I'm gonna go for it, I got a radiator today for 25.00, now I need an expansion tank and some time. Looks like the oil cooler will be deleted and an alternate method of oil cooling (copper tubing coiled up in front of the radiator?) put in.
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:31 PM
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Have you tried a "Be Cool" radiator, 3" thick, 20"x22" ? Costs $200.00. You will need to fab a trans cooler if you have an automatic. I can tell you that my car NEVER ran hot again. Actually, never really got back up to 80C again.
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:46 PM
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Well, the 300CD radiator is definately larger than the 240Ds was, and since I have it, I'm going to put it in. If you can't get it back above 80C, maybe your T-Stat was stuck.
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  #6  
Old 01-04-2012, 08:14 AM
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W123 radiator 101

240D radiators will interchange with 300D radiators.

Difference is width. 240D has a plastic blocking plate that is removed when the larger radiator is fitted. Plug and play.

This only applies to the NON turbo models.

Turbo models use the separate expansion tank with the additional line.

Turbo radiators will interchange with W126 300SD radiators. Plug and play.

W123 240D radiator will fit into the W115 chassis, but you need to fabricate a bottom mounting plate.

Jim
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Old 01-04-2012, 09:37 AM
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Thanks Jim, It looks like I'll need a bottom mounting plate, an expansion tank and the oil cooler will no longer fit. Also I need to fabricate a bracket to hold the top of the radiator in. This radiator is out of a 300CD, and does not have a radiator cap. The fab doesn't scare me (it scares the wife though!), seems pretty straight forward. Also, appears the hoses changed size at the radiator. The new rad seems to have larger inlet/outlets too...
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Old 01-04-2012, 10:29 AM
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If the new radiator has a separate tank attached for the automatic transmission fluid you might be able to use that as an oil cooler if you've got a manual transmission--or use an air-conditioning condenser if you don't have air-- good luck


Tim Kraakevik
kraakevik@voyager.net
Four 114's, Four M110's
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  #9  
Old 01-04-2012, 10:39 AM
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I think I've solved the oil cooler. M22 to 3/8NPT adapters, 3/8npt to 3/8 Hose barbs, 3/8 hose to a standard tranny cooler mounted to the radiator. I have an auto, and I actually plan on seeing if the air will work, or fixing it.
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  #10  
Old 01-09-2012, 04:33 PM
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Well, the radiator is in... but I didn't take pictures. It wasn't easy, but this is what I did:

Desolder the end bracket from the radiator and cut the other end bracket off the oil cooler. (It's brazed, so I couldn't just desolder it.)

Cut 4 2" long 5/16" metal dowels.

Cut 4 strips of 3/4 flat stock (1/8thick) long enough to overhang the radiator by 1" on one side, while staying flush on the other side.

Drill 5/16" holes in the 3/4 flat stock so that the holes line up with holes in end plates of the radiator.

Cut a length of 1-1/2" square tubing just long enough to fit between the tanks on the radiator on one side (where the oil cooler was).

Grind reliefs in the square tube where the holes are in the end plate so that the square tube does not obstruct the holes.

ASSEMBLY:

Two straps are placed across the center of the radiator with the holes lined up with the holes in the end plates. Drop the 4 dowels through these holes and weld in place. Turn the radiator over and place the other two straps on the exposed dowels and weld in place, then grind the dowels off flush. The over hang of the straps should be on the drivers side of the radiator, where the oil cooler was. Place the square tube in the end plate channel and weld the straps to the tube. The tube needs to be snug in the channel. Now the side brackets need to be welded on. This is the tricky part since you don't want the radiator too high, low or forward or back. I positioned the passenger bracket so the rad would sit pretty low. I tacked it in place to the straps, then placed the fanshroud in place, and used the screws to line up the drivers side bracket. I then tacked this in place and removed the fan shroud. After test fitting, I went ahead and welded the brackets on securely. The radiator was now complete, minus the oil cooler.

Obviously I couldn't use the old oil cooler. my idea of the adapter fittings ran aground when I discovered the fittings were M22x1.0 and the adapters were M22x1.5. So, I cut the old threaded ports off the oil cooler and cut a 3/8NPT x 1.5"nipple in half and welded the threads from the nipple to the cut off threads from the oil cooler. Now I had adapters. I picked up a transmission cooler from O'Reilly Auto and mounted it to the radiator inside the fan shroud. I then ran the old oil cooler lines to the space in front of the battery and ran 3/8 trans cooler line from there through a hole I cut in the fan shroud to the cooler. Bam. Done.

Now I have retained my trans cooler, AC, have a cheaper radiator (this one was 25 dollars), and if I ever wanted to go back to stock, I just replace the oil cooler and radiator that were shot before, and a fan shroud and I'm golden. It's all reversible, but I don't think I'll need to.

Last thing: I still haven't mounted an expansion tank. As soon as I find one, I'll know for sure if this worked or not.

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