My tranny leak is at crimp where rubber meets metal. The rubber part of line is snaked between one metal line traveling to tranny and other to radiator/cooler.

1. Is the metal line usually flared under the crimp?
2. Can I pull rubber hose over a flare and still fit firmly over metal line or cut it off?
3. Should a sealant i.e. RTV, be used between rubber and metal when clamping?
4. Is there usually enough slack in exisiting hose to simply pull over the metal line and clamp down?
5. Better to use clamps with sealant or compression fitting over metal?

I LIVE IN A CONDO, I SURE WISH I HAD AN ACRE TO LIVE ON. People in condos won't allow me to start pulling parts of car, but if they did:

1. What potential is there to snap line or connectors when taking them off tranny,cooler?
2. What about use of flex lines?
3. How difficult to manuvere without buy a bending tool of some sorts?

Hi fran5,
Welcome to the forum.
It would help greatly if you told us what model you have.
I would suggest that given your situation, you are best to click on the buyparts thing at the top of the page & get your self a new flexible line. Chances are the rubber hose has deteriorated & will soon fail again if you try a simple fix on it.

Good Luck with your car.

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Considering you Condo issue you are better off just putting on new Hoses.

Local places:
I do not think places like Autozone are going to have them but they are a phone call away. There is a small chance that NAPA might have them or be able to get them.

And, of course the Mercedes Dealer.

The Crimped Collar could be ground off, old Hose removed, and new Hose installed with Hose Clamps.
But, the Hoses are cheap enough that when I did mine I bought new ones.

The other issue is that American sized Hose might not be a good fit on the Metric Fittings.
So if you only try to replace the Hose there is a possible lot of work and frustration at a very small savings in cost.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Putting your car year and model in your signature or the post will help get better advice.

It sounds like you are describing a leaking transmission cooler hose. It's a straightforward fix. Similar in tools to changing oil - you'll need a drain pan to catch the fluid and replacement fluid, and a few wrenches. I don't recall the sizes. The hose can be stuck and difficult to remove and there is some danger of torquing the radiator hard line, so make sure you have the wrenches solidly on the line-fitting and the hose.

Link to a similar part from the Buy Parts button above: http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1983-Mercedes--Benz-300cd-Transmission&yearid=1983%40%401983&makeid=63%40%40MERCEDES+BENZ%40%40X&modelid=6169%3AED%7C10000135%3AMBC%7C1496%40%40300CD&catid=241185%40%40Transmission&subcatid=241269@@AT+Cooling+Hose&mode=PD