Anyone here buy a Nissens radiator from PeachParts?
My 83 SD has a leaky radiator, and the Nissens is 1/2 the cost of the Behr...
No reviews yet though.

Normally I like to replace components with OE parts, but the vehicle is old, it's getting a little rusty, and a couple hundred bucks less for a radiator is kind of attractive.
But... I want to do the job once.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

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http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/330227-nissens-radiator.html

http://www.mbca.org/forum/nissen-or-behr-radiator-83-300d-turbo

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Nissens is good as far as I have heard. I opted for a Spectra Premium radiator for my latest 300SD because the radiator was just over $100 and a friend suggested the brand.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

I've run one on my 84 and 85 wagons. Worked like a charm and less expensive than Behr. Quality seems just as good or better.

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'85 300TD "Puff The Magic Wagon" - Rolling Resto
'19 Mazda CX-9 Signature - Wife's sled
'21 Morgan 3-Wheeler P101 Edition
'95 E300d - SOLD
'84 300TD "Brown Betty" - Miss this one
'81 240D "China Baby" - Farm grocery getter

if you're on a real tight budget the spectra isnt that bad. pretty good alignment. i put one in a friends 240D about a year ago.

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1981 NA 300D 310k miles

They are really good from my experience. I took one out of my 84 300D parts car and it performed well as a temp for about a year till I got another BEHR from ANOTHER car.

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Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

I put a Spectra in the mine after the BEHR crapped out in the one I had. At the time I was driving 600 to 800 miles per week for over a year. I never had an issue with it.

I put a Nissens in a Volvo I had years ago. It was a good one as well. I just put it in and forgot about it. Never had an issue.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Put a Nissen in mine about 10-12 years ago. No problems since. I'd get another should I need one.

Absolutly NOT!!!! I just got done buying and putting one in my W210 and it leaked from the bottom at the drain, it was very slow but made my temp gauge behave badly...I found they are notorious for that! The following weekend I bought a BEHR which was OE and have fabulous results since then.

That's what I get trying to save $70....

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Norm K.
'97 E420 Sport
'06 E350 Sedan
'67 Mustang Coupe
'70 F-250
'15 VW Jetta

IMO the Nissens plastic is superior to OE.

.

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1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

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On my car, the Nissens was actually a bit more expensive when I bought it but I had read that the plastic is better than in the Behr's. I bought it for extra piece of mind and longevity. Seems very quality, been using it a few years now. Combined with a new pump and hoses, the car's been solid even on 115° days.

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1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

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Visit the W123 page on iFixit for over 70 helpful DIY guides!

Just replaced my BEHR with a Nissen (W123 300TDT). No complaints.

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1982 300TDT
1991 190D
2022 Metris

I recently bought a Behr radiator for my wagon and iwas not the quality i expect from an OEM.It was made in south africa It was a 1/2" shorter in the vertical dimension so i had to shim up the bottom mounts in order to get the top retaining clips to hold,and had to bend the top attaching points to get them to line up.I would have sent the damn thing back but i needed the car running for transport that day.Your results may vary. Don

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Red Green "This is only temporary,Unless it works!"

97 E300D 157000 miles
87 300TD ?141k? miles

I put a Nissens in the '87 300D shortly after I bought it 3yrs ago due to the broken upper neck on the (I assume) original. Has worked splendidly.

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-Louis

'87 300D Anthracite

I just had the upper neck on the original Behr in the 84 300SD break this afternoon while running at 55MPH on US19E. Luckily I noticed the steam coming from the left hood-to-fender panel gap area and shut down the engine quickly. The same thing happened to the 82 300SD last year. This despite my long knowing that one should never use the upper radiator hose to radiator area as an arm rest when adjusting valves or doing other work.

Thirty year old plastic must evidently deteriorate with the frequent extreme temperature changes of engine coolant.

Someone who has a torque spec for the original MB screw tightened hose clamps for the radiator hoses should post this information so correct tightening can be provided in this area where compression against plastic must exist.

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Respect, protect, and maintain complex systems - whether natural or of German design, to benefit from their full potential.

1982 300SD W126.120 with an OM617.950 from a W116.120
1984 300SD W126.120 with an OM617.951