Radiator tip for your vintage W123 chassis car.

[unkl300d]

My 1979 300D needed a new radiator recently and I was dismayed that the radiator is no longer available (NLA).

Dealer has them for $650, and another source has it for $600 and used ones for $230 plus shipping !!

Yikes. After alot of research I found that the 123.130 chassis 300D issued without AC uses the 240D radiator as OEM.
(same for some other W123 cars)

I installed the 240D radiator in my 300D and it works brilliantly.
I have put it through alot of miles now in very warm ambient temp.

Seems like the extra 2 inches of width found in the standard 300D radiator was meant for auxiliary cooling when the A/C was in use (aside from the electric fan).

I bypassed my KLIMA servo years ago and don't use the A/C. I never used it anyway.

So that may be a caveat as to my good experience.

[JimFreeh]

NA 300D and 240D W123 radiators interchange.

The 240D radiator had a blocking panel to fill in the (missing) couple of inches. I replaced my 240D radiator with a 300D radiator on both my W123 cars, worked fine. If you have A/C AND a 300D the 240D radiator is not sufficient for cooling both......

The 300D turbo had a unique radiator that interchanges with a W126 chassis with the same engine, OM603 engines used a unique radiator.

Jim

[cooljjay]

This isn't true. Yes technically a 240D radiator will work but a 300D never came with a 240D radiator. The radiator is larger because of the extra cylinder. I have both a euro 300d and an american 300d....the euro has no ac, no cruise, no power anything its a taxi cab and has the exact same radiator as the us spec 300d. I don't have a super good photo of the euro at the moment as i am waiting on getting the car back at the moment.

[unkl300d]

It could be controversial as a forum topic because Mercedes made the W123 for all over the world and had different configurations.

The 'stock' 300D radiator is part no. 123 505 4401
The stock 240D radiator is 123 5011 201

RADIATOR. .
1979 Mercedes 300 D Sedan.
Fits: 123033, 123053, 123123, 123130, 12319
Stock Code 1235011201
Manufacturer Mercedes Benz
Categories Cooling, Heating and Ventilation System
Assemblies RADIATOR,MOUNTING,AND COVERING


Description Product Application Notes
RADIATOR,MOUNTING,AND COVERING
Models:
240 D 81-83, 240 D USA 81-83, 280 E 81-81, 280 E USA 81-81, 300 D 81-81, 300 D TURBODIESEL USA 82-85, 300 D USA 81-81, 300 TD 80-81, 300 TD TURBODIESEL 81-85
==========
Chassis:
123033/222, 123033/68K, 123123/222, 123123/68K, 123130/222, 123130/68K, 123133/68K, 123190/318, 123193/318
==========
Engines:
085059-085061,085210-085231,085302-085331,085405-085410,085515-085541, 085605-085606 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 086263 085605-085606 MIT AUSNAHME VON 086263
DIESEL ENGINE
DIESEL ENGINE 48 KW(65PS/DIN)10/50,20/60
DIESEL ENGINE 59 KW (80 PS/DIN)
DIESEL ENGINE 48 KW (65 PS) 10/50,20/60
DIESEL ENGINE 48 KW (65 PS/DIN)
DIESEL ENGINE 59 KW (80 PS/DIN)
DIESEL ENGINE WITH EXHAUST GAS TURBOCHARGER
DIESEL ENGINE WITH EXHAUST GAS TURBOCHARGER 92 KW (125 PS/DIN)
DIESEL ENGINE WITH EXHAUST GAS TURBOCHARGER 92KW (125PS/DIN)
GASOLINE ENGINE 12
GASOLINE ENGINE WITH INJECTION SYSTEM,109 KW(148PS/DIN),K-JETRONIC
GASOLINE ENGINE WITH INJECTION SYSTEM,136KW (185PS/DIN), K-JETRONIC
110.984, 616.912, 617.912, 617.952
==========
Automatic Transmissions:
274619,274624,276690,276832,276937,277219,277250,277646,277681
AUTOMATIC FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION WITH CONVERTER
==========
Manual Transmissions:
MANUAL FIVE-SPEED TRANSMISSION
MANUAL FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION
MECHANICAL FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION
MECHANICAL FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION,NOT WITH TWO-MASS FLWHEEL
MECHANICAL FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION,NOT WITH TWO-MASS FLYWHEEL Required: 001
NOT FOR USE WITH AIR CONDITIONER
NOT FOR AUSTRALIA,SWEDEN
ONLY FOR AUSTRALIA,JAPAN,SWEDEN
FOR SWITZERLAND FROM CHASSIS

[thorsen]

I had a similar situation with my W116 and fitted an aftermarket aluminum radiator instead of coughing up $$$ for a new one.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/vintage-mercedes/260736-1980-280se-radiator.html

[unkl300d]

That is definitely an option. I had contacted a couple of radiator makers and they did not bother to quote.
I think they wanted me to send them the radiator sample with an order before giving a an estimate.

There are aftermarket 'generic' aluminum radiators that can be fitted but it required modification to the oil cooler set up, add a coolant reservoir etc.
Folks have done it, but I don't have the energy for that path.

superturbodiesel dot com

benzworld dot org/forums/w123-e-ce-d-cd-td/1653419-w123-radiators

Nice job on your radiator mods Thorsen !!

[Mark DiSilvestro]

Originally Posted by unkl300d

That is definitely an option. I had contacted a couple of radiator makers and they did not bother to quote.
I think they wanted me to send them the radiator sample with an order before giving a an estimate.

There are aftermarket 'generic' aluminum radiators that can be fitted but it required modification to the oil cooler set up, add a coolant reservoir etc.
Folks have done it, but I don't have the energy for that path.

be cool radiator

W123 Radiators - Mercedes-Benz Forum

Nice job on your radiator mods Thorsen !!

I pulled an aftermarket brass radiator off a salvage-yard 240D a few years ago, and saw another one on an '85 turbo 300D in the Pick-N-Pull last week. Too bad it wouldn't work in my '84 non-turbo Euro TD.
I think those radiators were made in Taiwan.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[unkl300d]

Those may have been CSF "ready rads" made in Singapore or maybe Taiwan.

I have a sample of one for a non-turbo 300D. It is a copper core and brass tank.

I now prefer the aluminum core. I have had bad luck with copper core for some reason. Even with biannual coolant changes and Mercedes brand coolant.

So I now use the aluminum core Behr 240D radiator.

Behr use to make a copper core/plastic tank radiator for the 300D.
That is what I had about 6 yrs ago before this last copper core/plastic tank Valeo (made in Holland) radiator failed.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

When I got the car six years ago, I had to order a new radiator locally, for my '84 Euro TD. Of course when I requested one for a non turbo, they sent one for a turbo anyway because that's all US parts databases list for an '84. So then I re-ordered for an '80 TD and got the right one. With this car, I've learned to order parts for the equivalent US models when dealing with most aftermarket autoparts stores.
At the time, the replacement was a $300 plastic/aluminum unit, made in Holland - about $60 more than the turbo version. Hopefully it lasts awhile longer.

Happy Motoring, Mark

[Stretch]

Not that it helps when you need one - but - bear in mind these types of threads seem to pop up once in a while. People report "it" to be NLA but six months later industry has gotten around to making some new ones and all is well with the world...

...but like I say not very convenient if your need coincides with a NLA dip...

...and no I'm not subtly encouraging prepper hoarding!

[unkl300d]

That is very true with parts in general.
In my research I had read that Behr stopped making the subject non turbo 300D radiator in or around 2010/11.

Perhaps some other aftermarket vendor will have a go at it.

[Stretch]

I can find Behr radiators advertised on the internet (searching for part number 123 501 44 01).

Recently the site "findpart.org" has been bumped up the google hit lists. It is quite good at helping with alternatives - though it isn't as good as the dealer and EPC for finding alternative Mercedes part numbers. Here's the page for the 123.130 radiator =>

OE 1235014401 Radiator, engine cooling

[unkl300d]

Hi Stretch, the web crawlers are helpful for finding parts.

My fairly recent use of them for the radiator, after searching Pelican parts etc., revealed that some overseas vendors 'appeared' to have them, but the web crawlers pointing to USA websites that claim to have "in stock" until you get to 'check out' or order by phone and get the message "not available". Based on my recent experience.

Seems like this last minute information update helps net hopeful customers into their web sites for data gathering and what not.

Anyway, its worth doing a lot of research when looking for a part that seems readily not available because sometimes you can get lucky.

[Mark DiSilvestro]

The original Behr radiator in my non-turbo TD wasn't leaking - just barely showing possible traces of seepage at one upper corner. As the car seemed to be running a bit hot and had a working AC at the time, I didn't want to worry about any possibility of 'broken-neck' syndrome on a long trip. So I replaced it.
It would be ironic, if my Dutch replacement fails someday, that I wind up putting the original Behr back in!

Happy Motoring, Mark