So I probably need to rip my radiator out and get it flushed or replace it then? How worth it is it to flush it if its already 19-20 years old....? I read somewhere on here a while ago that the "lifespan" of a radiator is about 15-18 years or something.

I'd rather go with a new one than pay/deal with all the stuff in getting mine cleaned when it could fail later on anyways.....I've been expecting to replace it for over a year now...so I may as well.

What radiator is better.....Behr? Nissens? It'd be nice to save $$ but not at the expense of having it fail or leak water into the tranny or something....

I suppose I could take it out and hit it with compressed air/pressure wash it myself + do a coolant flush. But at this age is it worth it anymore?

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I can't determine what the inside of the radiator looks like and whether it has been maintained or not. But, I can surely tell you that the outside fins are clogged far more than desired. When you remove the radiator, hold it up to the sun and try to see through the fins. You'll see the problem........immediately.

I wouldn't just toss the radiator.........when cleaning those external fins might solve your problem for little money.

Try to find a commercial condenser cleaner for this job. I used some foaming Dow bathroom cleaner........which did OK, but, it's not the proper chemical for the job. Next time, I find the right stuff!

Supposidly these things run warm, I just can't get my SDL over 100C, yet alone anywhere near 100C. Maybe if I ran her out west up a wicked grade in 110 degree heat with the AC blasting.

I think with a cooling system operating properly you really have to romp the heck out of these things to even get them near 100C.

These are old cars now so stuff just isn't as good as it was 20 years ago.

pawoSD this is my 2 cents so take it for what its worth.

If I had an original or very old radiator in my car and planned on taking some long trips I'd just replace it. I'd rather spend the $200-$300 now and just not have to think about it on the trip. I'd rather be enjoying the trip and not watching the temp guage like a hawk.

But thats me certainly others would disagree.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

pawoSD,

It depends on whether U have a copper or aluminum radiator. I had my '80 300SD radiator cleaned about 10 years ago and its still working fine and I'm not about to replace it.

I might replace an aluminum radiator if I had any problems with it but not a copper radiator. Copper radiators can be repaired or the core replaced economically.

I use Evans waterless coolant so with no pressure in the the cooling system, there is less strain on the radiator and other components of the cooling system. Engine runs a little hotter than with water coolant but with the boiling point of Evans coolant being 372*F it has never boiled. Even in the rocky mountains.

P E H

every pound of pressure put on a cooling system (by the radiator cap) increases the boilng point of water by 3 degrees. a 10 pound cap will raise the boiling point to 242 derees, a 16 pound cap 260 degrees, etc. pressure and boiling point is why cookbooks have high altitude recipes.

Same here, I believe its time to just dump the radiator (its a 20 year old Aluminum Behr one) and get a new one + new tranny cooling lines with the spring wraps on them. I'd really like to be able to not worry about it. The work and cost of trying to clean it could end up being a waste anyways. I think I'll just order one and wave goodbye to my $$.

Now the consensus becomes: Nissens ok? Or go behr? I read someone else on here got a Nissens and said it was better.....Saving $70 would be great....so I'd like to buy one if they are said to be ok.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I am not familar with Evans waterless coolant. What temp does it run at? Any concern about piston rings loosing their temper? AT oil running too hot? Engine oil cooking in the turbo?

Andrew

It typically runs hotter than conventional coolant because it's capacity for heat absorption is less than the 50/50 mix.

Personally, I'd be concerned with running the engine at 120°C. for extended periods of time. It raises the temperature of the both the engine and transmission oils by a certain amount. The engine will never overheat, but, what the longevity will be at those elevated temperatures is certainly unknown.

The use of the coolant with an aluminum head raises a slew of other concerns.

Yeah I was worried about my tranny operating at 105C and up too....which is why I am going to order a radiator and lines....very shortly.......I'm going with a Nissens radiator.....I'm not willing to shovel out the extra $70 for a behr. At some point in the future I'd even like to look into an extra aux tranny cooler to mount under there somewhere....especially if I equip my car with a trailer hitch......

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I had to toss a Nissens after about 18 months it was leaking around the upper tank, these things (Behr and Nissens) both use crimped on fingers to hold the tank on and presumably there is a large rubber o-ring around the thing that was leaking. No way to return and no way was I able to repair it.
That was the first and last time I'll use a Nissens. I know some mechanics that love to say how they saved a few $$ by buying Nissens for their customers but my experience was negative and I want my engine to stay cool. saving a few bucks isn't worth the risk of losing an engine IMHO. I was able to buy a new Nissens for one '87 300D from a ShopForum member locally. I just checked, and a new Behr 1245003103 is now selling for $320.
My 603's run nice and cool with 50/50 MB antifreeze and H2O. I also add a quarter bottle of RedLine Diesel Water Wetter just for insurance in the summer.

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

LOL ... for all my editors know (and most of the readers, too), I made it all up ...

If I had to list everyone/thing that contributed to my eccentric diesel knowledge, the list would be longer than the article itself ... from shopforum (of course!) to my blessed diesel textbook (I fit right in when reading it in the coffee house ... heh) to my poor dad, who has to field my random "hey, how does engine braking work?" phonecalls at odd hours of the evening when I get bored at work. Oh, and as for odd historical tidbits, if you're into that, Wikpedia is a wonderland ... tons of foriegn sports info, tech info, etc.

But I digress ...

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Soooool........any other recomendations on which one is better. If the Nissens are really said to be bad then I may just have to try my luck at cleaning/flushing mine....its old and I want to get rid of it though.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I believe neither the Behr or the Nissens is a quality product. The plastic on the Behr deteriorates over time, and eventually the filler neck fails.

I'd really like to see if these fellows would make a radiator for the 617 at a decent price. Maybe we need to buy 20 of them or so...........

http://www.wizardcooling.com/order.htm

Someone had an all aluminum one made for his 123 and it ran something like 5 big ones. I doubt that a GB would reduce that much, its the labor of welding aluminum (and the energy) thats expensive

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

But the new models have a brass support inside the neck ~

__________________
'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!