ML55CLA45

i have a minor leak around the plastic elbow on the top right.....thats driving me crazy!!!!! it started a few months back.... i called the the dealer and they said i need to replace the whole radiator which would cost me around 600 + bucks.... so i dropped off the car expecting to spend 600..... but when i picked the car up they only replaced the a hose and the metal fastoner....

well.... the leak is back....

are there any other alternative options that i should have done before getting the whole radiator replaced?

any suggestions.....

-thanks...
carino

CDP

wow...I have the same leak in the same exact place, glad you started a post.

Here's some useful information about our cooling systems.

Cooling Systems - Plastic radiators crack at upper hose mount. Usually last only about 75K miles. All-metal radiators can last 100-150K miles. Fan clutches last about 100K miles. Water pumps last about 100K miles too. Thermostats last about 40-50K miles.

Mine was to the point where it was dripping and falling onto the ground. All I did was tightened the metal fastener and I was fine. Although, I bet it will come back in awhile.

ML55CLA45

i tried tightening it and it did not work... still leaks..

-carino...

CDP

Seems like upper radiator hose mount is severely cracked and needs to be replaced sadly. I'm glad mine as at least stopped for awhile. Although, while I was tightening it it was really loose (the clamp) so that was probably why.

ashman

buy the radiator, and install it yourself...

http://216.218.211.187/~ashman/radiator/radiator.html

This should help. Replacing it is not hard.

Sounds to me like you have a crack at the neck of the radiator, which is a common failure on the older radiator design which did not have the inserts int he radiator necks.

AshMan

ML55CLA45

is installation the same for 1994 e320? i might consider giving it a shot next week....

-thanks

ashman

should be the same as far as I know.

AshMan

allenjdmb

radiators do not have this problem. MB has dropped the price on the OE radiator, spend a little more and make sure you get the latest one. And you get their warranty as well.

e320newbie

im going through the very same problem, luckely the guy i bought the car from had an extra radiator just incase which hes giveing to me for free, but for a short time fix i used a bottle of bars leak i got at part source( kinda like auto zone) it went from leaking a whole tank of fluid in an hour to not leaking at all in 5 days, cost me $5. i might not even get the new rad in there yet if this bars leak keeps it real. Let me know how all of your situations go.later yall

ksing44

Does my 1995 E320 have the updated neck with the insert?

mhorn

I would hesitate on adding any aftermarket leak stop to your radiator. If it's leaking, replace it. The last thing you want is that sealant floating around in your engine block. Yes it only cost you $5, but you'll probably still have to replace the radiator anyways, so that's $5 down the drain, and now you've got to flush the hell out of your engine block.

ashman

I don't trust any of those leak stoppers. My mom had a VW years ago, and my dad put that in to stopa leak, well my mom and I were driving up to san francisco for a weekend, and the car all of a sudden started overheating luckily after we had entered the city.

Turns out the barrs stop leak clogged the thermostat and we were lucky it didn;t happen on the road in the middle of nowhere.

I guess it did its job, it saw the thermostat as a leak and plugged it.

Regardless, I'd rather spend $300 to fix it righ than spend $5.00 on a band aid.

I think I paid like $250.00 for my radiator 3 years ago when it happened to me.

AshMan

ML55CLA45

is this a good price for the behr.... $191. with free shipping? I email the seller and this is the one with the renforced neck. has anyone heard of the nissens brand?


http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com...&part=Radiator

ashman

I would go with the behr. it is oem.

AshMan

pifcat2

Yes Alon, where did you source the radiator? How much and what is the part number to insure the later design?

Side question, can these radiators be recored? Mine was damaged at the core and the filler neck is ok.

ML55CLA45

i purchased mine from mercedesshop.com..... call them, they will know which one you need.... my dealer wanted 600+ for the sameone... i ended up buying it for 180 shipped... and with the money saved i purchased rear shocks and front struts....

all parts for approx 600 bucks..

im not sure if the radiator can be recored.... but for 180... i would think that it would be more cost effective to replace it for a new one...

my 2 cents
-carino

overboostTSI

This leak is very common because there was no support insert inside of the upper coolant hose neck for the radiator. Newer ones have a metal insert.

Leak stop or any of that stuff is crap and doesn't help. BTW you are driving a Mercedes not an old chevy.