Well, about a month ago, I was driving then my coolants starts leaking out and I am driving with smoke coming from under the hood. I noticed that the hose had came loose, so I tightened the hose back up and filled the radiator back up as well. 2 weeks later the same thing happens, so I inspect a little further and I notice that somehow the tubing (not sure what you call it) on the radiator is somehow breaking off. I pulled out the old rubber from the first incident and now the second incident. Now, I tightened it back up, but next time it decides to break off there will be nothing left to tighten the hose on to. Is this a normal problem? Please don't tell me I will have to buy a new radiator pretty soon.
Any ideas?

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1986 560 SEC *Sold* < Big Mistake I miss my baby!
1988 300SE *Sold*
1989 300CE - current car, but not for too long

Be interested to know if you've used MB coolant for the life of the car. Not an uncommon problem. Some say using the green coolant causes it. Others say lack of routine cooling system maintenance causes it and others say it just happens.

Len

These early radiators have a design fault where the necks are made of plastic. Hoorah for the plastic revolution. The necks on these plastic radiators seem to go sooner or later, later models were still plasstic but had metal re-inforced necks.

Unfortunately you will probably have to get a new radiator if the neck has borken/breaks off enough, although there is a place (**************.com?) that does retro-fit re-inforcement rings.

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

Exact same thing happened to me last week, tried reinforcing it with a copper pipe on the interior, tight fitting, with JB Weld, held for a few days then started crumbling in other places. The small hose to the reservoir cracked off two days later. It was just self destructing. Best place to buy a radiator is www.radiators.com. For my car '91 560 SEL price was $199, no tax, no shipping, lifetime warranty, ordered 2:00 P.M. Monday arrived 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, no charge for shipping or next day delivery! NISSENS brand made in Denmark.





'91 560 SEL 88,000
'94 SL500 22,000
'86 300SDL 202,000 fire wreck

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jcciem
'94 SL5000 60,000
'91 350SDL 545,000
'91 350SD 197,000
'00 E55 AMG 77,000

Somewhere on here, there is a post where a fellow was able to get just the tank portions of the radiator (the plastic parts & gasket). He simply replace the old with the new, and appeared to be happy as a clam with it.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Ok well, that's pretty good news. Oh yea the car is a 89 300CE. Guess I will get prepared to order that radiator.

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1986 560 SEC *Sold* < Big Mistake I miss my baby!
1988 300SE *Sold*
1989 300CE - current car, but not for too long