w116 300sd oil cooler repair

[Gito]

Have a 1979 300sd (w116) Mercedes that needs a new oil cooler.

I took the oil cooler to a reputable radiator shop and they told me that it is an aluminum oil cooler and there is not much they can do.
My oil cooler is leaking pretty bad and the radiator shop told me that epoxy is not going to work.
The oil cooler is no longer available thru the Classic Center.

Are there any repair shops that can fix aluminum oil coolers?
Are there aftermarket oil coolers that fit and work well with my car.

Please advise

 

[MParr]

Gito
You asked basically the same question here on 10/15/13. What did you do about your problem oil cooler back then?
w116 Benz 300sd Oil Cooler repair #3156257 10/15/13 06:46 AM
Gito Online Content OP
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 723
CA
Own a 1979 300sd w116 Mercedes diesel and need to replace or repair my oil cooler. The oil cooler is leaking from multiple places. Not leaking at threads. I thought about taking it to a radiator shop but some forum members discouraged it and stated that radiator shops cannot repair them. I'm still going to stop by at a radiator to hear it from the horses mouth. I don't know, maybe radiator shops don't have the tools to pressure test, but they are radiator shops. Anybody here know a good source for a used one or a place where they can be repaired?

 

[DoubleWasp]

There are multiple outfits who can duplicate any oil cooler from scratch. You can provide your current oil cooler and they can dupe it, or can be built to your own specs.

Has this done for one of my trucks after being quoted $1897 for an OEM cooler. New one was clearly a superior design. Expect to spend $500 on that route, but with drop-in impeccable results.

BTW, I say this because a new or used one appears about impossible to obtain.

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted by MParr
Gito
You asked basically the same question here on 10/15/13. What did you do about your problem oil cooler back then?
w116 Benz 300sd Oil Cooler repair #3156257 10/15/13 06:46 AM
Gito Online Content OP
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 723
CA
Own a 1979 300sd w116 Mercedes diesel and need to replace or repair my oil cooler. The oil cooler is leaking from multiple places. Not leaking at threads. I thought about taking it to a radiator shop but some forum members discouraged it and stated that radiator shops cannot repair them. I'm still going to stop by at a radiator to hear it from the horses mouth. I don't know, maybe radiator shops don't have the tools to pressure test, but they are radiator shops. Anybody here know a good source for a used one or a place where they can be repaired?


Wow, completely forgot about that post.
That same diesel became the back up car for everyone and at that time the oil leaks were pretty much manageable. Would add oil as needed.
For the past few months oil puddles have been forming under the car and so I finally decided to track the source.
I pressured washed the engine and then noticed that oil leaks were coming from the oil cooler. It was covered with gunk and oil.

I removed the radiator and oil cooler and took them to a reputable radiator shop.
Radiator was re-cored and received the bad news that they could not repair the oil cooler.

Back to square one.


Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[Trav]

Ebay has some from Behr for 81 models you may be able to retro it with a little line or mounting work. It shouldn't be too difficult.

https://www.ebay.com/b/Oil-Coolers-for-Mercedes-Benz-300SD/46095/bn_1438671

 

[Gito]

Originally Posted by Trav
Ebay has some from Behr for 81 models you may be able to retro it with a little line or mounting work. It shouldn't be too difficult.

https://www.ebay.com/b/Oil-Coolers-for-Mercedes-Benz-300SD/46095/bn_1438671


Thanks,

I'm going to try to find a good used oil cooler online thats appropriate for my w116 300sd.
I read the replies from my post back in 2013 and it was suggested that I take the oil cooler to an Aircraft oil cooler repair shop.
If that doesn't work then I will look into the newer model oil coolers even though the 81 and up oil coolers are much smaller.

 

[Chris142]

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