Every now and then we should lay under our car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JimmyL · #1 03-13-2006, 12:05 AM

We should pull up on ramps, grab a flashlight or drop light, and just lay under the car and look around from time to time.
Today I was under there to remove the tach pickup, and just laid there and took inventory. Now, you generally aren't going to find good news, but you might notice something before a disaster happens. That may have happened to me today, although I'm not thrilled with the repair!
My lower oil cooler line has sprung a leak in the hose, not at the connection. With car running it is just kind of an ooze, but oozes turn into geysers eventually. Of course, just to test, I couldn't budge the connection at the oil cooler, and the lower hose connection at the filter housing appears impossible to get a tool on. I think I will have to farm this one out. Great.
I also noticed the screw holding ac lines bracket to compressor is gone (not manifold connection, but line securing bracket).
Lower oil pan gasket may need replacing.
My new frontend work looks really good.
These 6 pan bolt trannys sure look different from the 4 pan bolt units.

So, every now and then, get the car safely up in the air, and just lay back and take inventory. Our of site, out of mind......

raMBow · #2 03-13-2006, 12:13 AM

Few weeks back did as you advised. Noted a leaking O-ring on the oil level sensor, on the oil pan, so just replaced it before a 700 mile outing. Minor, very minor leak, less than a $3 repair done along with the oil change.

So far, so good under there, but always interesting just to look around, stare and think.

Palangi · #3 03-13-2006, 12:22 AM

Jimmy, you might get lucky on the oil cooler line. I was convinced that mine was leaking. It dripped a small puddle of black oil overnight from the lower cooler hose. At the same time, the power steering return line was oozing, so I replaced it. ($40 per meter

). So, guess what? No more black oil dripping from the lower cooler hose. Turns out, it wasn't engine oil, it was ATF that picked up the black color from the general engine compartment krud. Sure had me fooled.

JimmyL · #4 03-13-2006, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

Jimmy, you might get lucky on the oil cooler line. I was convinced that mine was leaking. It dripped a small puddle of black oil overnight from the lower cooler hose. At the same time, the power steering return line was oozing, so I replaced it. ($40 per meter

). So, guess what? No more black oil dripping from the lower cooler hose. Turns out, it wasn't engine oil, it was ATF that picked up the black color from the general engine compartment krud. Sure had me fooled.

I wish that was the case, as Jesse told me that I do need an PS return hose. But I can wipe off the top of the cooler line, and see the oil ooze out from the cleaned area.

it starts as a little oil circle, and as more oozes out it turns into a drip that runs down to the connection at the oil cooler. Bummer.....

pastmaster · #5 03-13-2006, 12:47 AM

YUP Jimmy,

Just getting under to change the oil and filter, and grabbing onto things can save more than a few bucks. It can save your life! Everybody, take a look at the inside surfaces of the tires and put a wrench on things?

Up here in Michigan, you can check the new rust vs. the old rust.

Pete Burton · #6 03-13-2006, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

My lower oil cooler line has sprung a leak in the hose, not at the connection. With car running it is just kind of an ooze, but oozes turn into geysers eventually. Of course, just to test, I couldn't budge the connection at the oil cooler, and the lower hose connection at the filter housing appears impossible to get a tool on. I think I will have to farm this one out. Great.

A totally reasonable justification for buying another tool if I ever saw one. May I suggest a 27mm or 1-1/16 crow's foot?

Brian Carlton · #7 03-13-2006, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I couldn't budge the connection at the oil cooler, and the lower hose connection at the filter housing appears impossible to get a tool on. I think I will have to farm this one out. Great.

We can talk you through this one, Jimmy.

The connection at the cooler requires heat, technique, and patience.

The connection at the filter housing requires a shorty crescent wrench. I cut and ground one.......especially for this purpose. Naturally, if you have an open end wrench......all the better........but........you may not want to cut it down.

JimmyL · #8 03-13-2006, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

We can talk you through this one, Jimmy.

The connection at the cooler requires heat, technique, and patience.

The connection at the filter housing requires a shorty crescent wrench. I cut and ground one.......especially for this purpose. Naturally, if you have an open end wrench......all the better........but........you may not want to cut it down.

I have read the stories of the oil cooler fitting twisting off with the oil cooler hose, ie: the dissimilar metal thing. No rust anywhere though, so that may be a plus?
I only tried with a standard wrench, which fit close, but I didn't notice the size. I was just seeing if it turned easily, and didn't put much effort into it at all. But I remember looking at the one on the housing and thinking "surely I don't have to remove the steering box........."

Does the motor mount have to be undone and the motor jacked up? The guy that just did my front end work and replaced the mounts said that the main bolt was stripped out, but they put it back in anyway!

He jammed a torx bit in it or something, and it did look rather round.
Doesn't appear to be rocket science, but it isn't like changing the oil either...
Brian, you got a pic of the modified cresent? It would be interesting to see where the grinding was done.
The lower oil cooler line appears to be in the $60 dollar range. Saving on the labor would be nice.

DieselGiant, keep the pictorials coming......

Pete Burton · #9 03-13-2006, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

IDoes the motor mount have to be undone and the motor jacked up? The guy that just did my front end work and replaced the mounts said that the main bolt was stripped out, but they put it back in anyway!

He jammed a torx bit in it or something, and it did look rather round.

A totally reasonable justification for doing it yourself if I ever saw one.

Also, with the oil cooler lines, when you are replacing rather than removing you have a different paradigm. Cut the stupid hose/pipe right off if you are going to throw it out anyway. If you are worried about filings from the saw getting into the oil filter, use a vacuum or crimp the line flat where you cut it. If the fitting screws out of the filter, so what? Let it. Then remove it from the scrap cooler line on the bench. I know you can do it Jimmy!

my bad, I said cooler before when I meant filter. But a somewhat similar approach still applies. You don't want to trash the cooler, so if the lines are stuck on, cut them and work with the cooler on the bench. Better to trust yourself than some mechanic that would push a stripped bolt back in.

SD Blue · #10 03-13-2006, 09:54 AM

For the oil cooler line I modified a cheap 1 1/16 box end wrench, with a dremel cutter, and made a large flare-nut wrench. ************** has one for sale. I found a line wrench at a local tool store, that handles a lot of surplus, to hold the coupler fitting on the pump. Replacement wasn't really difficult, just that a couple of new tools were needed.

#11 03-13-2006, 10:16 AM

Oil cooler lines were not that bad...just do yourself a favor and jack up the engine/disconnect the mounts...

If they need replacing do it now becuase when that drivers side mount is off and the engine slightly higher, you get lots of breathing room

I wouldn't farm the job out...you must remember that mechanics must do the same work with similar tools

If time isn't too much of a factor for you, the DIY repair can be satisfying.

BTW I have a spare cooler

boneheaddoctor · #12 03-13-2006, 10:33 AM

I've always done that at least twice a year....for the very reasons you describe...good PM and you will catch some things before they become costly.

pawoSD · #13 03-13-2006, 12:37 PM

I did the motor mounts/cooler lines/cooler job last April, wasn't fun, and the cooler threads stripped right off when I removed the hoses. Had to get a new cooler on ebay. ($290)

I didn't have to modify any of my standard craftsman tools to do the job, all my normal wrenches worked just fine. Its a little snug by the oil filter housing but it still worked ok. So far so good with my set of $220

OEM dealer bought cooler lines....

And yes I no longer "tally" how much I spend on my car.......not much point, since I know I'll keep right on doing it anyways.

Hatterasguy · #14 03-13-2006, 04:29 PM

Yeah did that last fall when I had the trans out. Cleaned and replaced everything that looked worn. No surprises now, I'm running out of stuff to replace...

Its a good idea wouldn't want anything coming lose at high speeds or while I'm far from home.

dieseldiehard · #15 03-13-2006, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I did the motor mounts/cooler lines/cooler job last April, wasn't fun, and the cooler threads stripped right off when I removed the hoses. Had to get a new cooler on ebay. ($290)

I didn't have to modify any of my standard craftsman tools to do the job, all my normal wrenches worked just fine. Its a little snug by the oil filter housing but it still worked ok. So far so good with my set of $220

OEM dealer bought cooler lines....

And yes I no longer "tally" how much I spend on my car.......not much point, since I know I'll keep right on doing it anyways.

Ditto this / me too. I wound up buying a new cooler last year after the threads remained in the lines. This could have been prevented if I had slit the end with a dremel tool (cutting disc) axially along one flat until the threads were visible. Old trick, that is about the only way you are going to get some PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench or similar lube into the threads to help loosen the nuts! And I use Alunox (electrical stuff for aluminum wiring) on the threads so that sometime in the future maybe 20 years from now and some one tries to remove the lines - hey these cars may last forever, right!?

And a word on the lines themselves. There is a big difference in quality between factory oil cooler hoses and aftermarket ones. The differences are that the hose material is layered in the OE and the crimp is much better. I know a shop that almost had to replace an engine under warranty because the aftermarket hose let go a few hours after it was installed. Fortunately the driver stopped the engine as soon as he smelled or saw the oil that was pouring out onto the cement.
Maybe it was the way the hose had to be twisted to get it into place but it happened.
I always specify OE hoses (this includes PS hoses, too) so this is one thing I don't mind ordering thru a dealer.