The oil cooler on my SDL has been bypassed...
 

Instead of there being an oil cooler at the end of the two oil cooler hoses, there was a piece of pipe and the cooler lines were connected to each end of that pipe. The crimped part of each hose had been cut off and each was secured to the piece of pipe by 2 hose clamps. The pipe had 2 bends in it so it isn't straining the hoses and the pipe is being suspended by zip ties to keep from rubbing.

Do you guys think this will hold? Neither of the junctions appear to be leaking. I'm not too worried about the oil getting too hot (I have Delvac 1 in now, not that it matters) but I don't want the hoses to blow off and my engine seize.

Thanks
David

Haveing owned a turbo diesel in the summer, I would worry about the heat later in hot weather. That big oil cooler is there for a reason.

Want,

I'll bet the oil cooler leaked and PO redid the plumbing when he found out a new oil cooler cost ~ $500.

Maybe you can find a replacement oil cooler and hoses in a junk yard.

P E H

You're gonna want that oil cooler... At least, come summer. :)

I'd say don't bother fixing it right away, but start calling around and checking junkyards now so that once the warm weather hits you have one to swap in.

That kind of repair sounds like something I'd do, and then forget to let the next owner know about. ;)

peace,
sam

to save $500
 

Go to a local store that sells air-cooled VW stuff
there’s a large assortment of aftermarket oil coolers of the VW

Examples here http://www.empius.com/o/oilcoolers.html

Us old VW people seem to know lots of tricks! :D
I was just thinking about that heh

"he really doesn't need a STOCK mercedes cooler...hmmm"

I just had my oil cooler lines replaced
 

I just went though this myself. My oil cooler lines had to be replaced. This is a crucial engine part! I would not fool around with this repair. I would get to the junk yard immediately and pull an oil cooler from a car that has no front end damage and get some new hoses at the dealer. The original hoses are COHLINE brand only! They used to be wrapped in a reinforced rubber, but I think now that COHLINE has discontinued the wrapping on new ones, but make sure they are COHLINE. There is a definite difference! IF YOU BLOW AN OIL COOLER LINE, YOU WILL LIKELY LOSE ALL YOUR OIL IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES WHILE RUNNING AND LOCK UP AN ENGINE!!!

I know what happens when an oil cooler line blows but do you think that 2 hose clamps on each hose will hold it? It doesn't seem to be leaking now, but I don't want to let it get to that.

I did a search, and Autozen, who we all knows has a TON of experience has a good point. These cars are well over engineered and it isn't like the car pulls a camper through the Gobi Desert or anything. I would only replace the cooler and hoses if I thought the pieces on there now might completely fail and I'd lose all my oil.

The thing about a used cooler is all the threads are going to be stripped off which means that I'll have to do what I did on my SD'd oil cooler and replace the threader parts.

I do plan on fixing this some time. I just would like to know that there is a low chance of the cooler lines coming undone.
Thanks Alot
David

If it is just a piece of pipe with no raised bead to grip the hoses, I would be concerned. With oil pressures of about 45psi you don't want to risk a connection working loose over time. If the connections are dry and tight you are probably OK for a while but I wouldn't wait too long.

I think the oil cooler is one of the most important things on these engines that improves their life. On hot summer days I cannot put my hand on the out going line but I can on the incomeing. I would fix it asap, either by finding a VW cooler and having a shop crimp on new lines. Or try the junkyards.

I would not run this engine in the summer without one.

I had to do this bypass repair before. I do have an accurate numbered temp gauge. My temp stayed more than acceptable during that early summer in OH with the thing bypassed. I only ran it this way for about a month and almost daily. I had my cooler repaired at a welding shop and then reinstalled it with new custom oil cooler lines.

NOTE: my cooling system is a bit different since this was a 617 transplanted into my Unimog.

coach, so you're saying that the oil doesn't heat up excessively in the summer? I'd think your 617 works harder in your unimog than my 603 in my 126. None of the fittings are leaking, but should two clamps on each hose be sufficient? I thought the oil PSI goes to about 60 or so until it opens a check valve or some sorts?

Thanks
David

Want -

It's your car and no one has the right to tell you what to do with it. However, you need to understand that you are taking a gamble and that it could be a really big one. If it were me, I would find a used cooler and new lines and do the repair fairly soon. Either that or quit driving it until I had the time/inclination to fix it. My personal feeling is that MB put that cooler on for a very good reason. Most people aren't aware how large a part the oil plays in cooling our diesels.

The responses to this thread are really good ones from guys who care. It's still your call however.

just my $.02,
Wes

My recommendation is this - find out if the eurospec versions of the turbo engines as used in the W123's have the oil cooler in them or not. On the Euro 240D that I used to have, it came from the factory without one. Likewise, I would not hesitate to removed the defective part from the stream on a US spec car if I were to have a failure. It likely is a more critical part in the turbodiesel, so I'd be sure before leaving it as is.

I was thinking this might be ok until David reminded us that the engine in question is an OM603. IMHO, the risk of cracking the head due to overheating is too great. Find an oil cooler before summer.