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Suggestion on oil filter housing/cooler leak...replace entire unit or just gaskets.
2011 S212 with 121k miles...while checking fluids levels on the vehicle I noticed oil spots on the bottom tray on the front drivers side. I tracked down the leak to the oil filter housing/cooler area and am now deciding whether to replace the entire unit with either an oe MB unit, aftermarket Nissens unit (made in China) or just replace the leaking gaskets on the cooler and housing. The MB housing is around $315, the Nissens is $120 and the gasket route would be around $50 for MB gaskets. Anyone running the Nissens oil filter housing now that can chime in with recommendations on the quality/longevity of same...yay or nay? TIA
I don't know how these particular oil coolers are designed, but due to the fact that they bring oil and coolant loops in close proximity, I wouldn't roll the dice on a non-OEM part. You can probably solve your leak by just replacing the gasket, but while you're in there, you might as well put in a fresh oil cooler. Otherwise, the next time you take it off might be after you have oil in your coolant and coolant in your engine oil.
A Mercedes usually gives you plenty of time/chances to prevent a catastrophe. Where people get screwed is often when they ignore the warnings, or when they try to cut maintenance corners. If you're doing the work yourself, you're already saving thousands of dollars vs. the default/expected option of going to the dealer, but you can only reduce your costs so much before you start increasing your costs long-term...
Get genuine MB assy, US$200 is too little to risk.
This assy last easy 10 years. So even if another member of say the oldest W212 of 2009 car has replaced their with Nissen in 2020 ( 10.x years ) , the track record today in 2024 is only under 5 years duty.
While the genuine one has a track record of 10 years easy.
I am advising my friend's M271.860 EVO engine of 2010 to replace its stupid azz oil filter + oil cooler combo, where the overall unit except the core of the oil cooler is plastic.
US$500 approx in my country.
I also advised him to replace his radiator which is a tranny oil cooler combo, because of the oil tranny cooler and in Indonesia it cost US$550 approx.
Both paid and engine oil filter housing + cooler combo have arrived, radiator another 30 days.
All coolant hoses, plastic fittings of coolant, thermostat and a lot more. Including fuel hoses (2) at engine bay.
Surely not as comprehensive as my own 2024 E400 in terms of all plastic + hoses be gone at 10-11 years, but close.
My mileage is low and for engine oil cooler, I am replacing the gasket only because my coolant quality been good.
Usually oil cooler leak IF at the aluminum core is due to poor coolant quality corroding the ALU or low % of the coolant concentrate, but the gasket goes first.
You also need to replace the coolant reservoir, because the coolant additive package to make it last 10 years is inside that reservoir , in a bag.
Coolant on its own will not last 3+ years chemically for corrosion control additive as it can become acidic, if not assisted by the supplement inside the coolant reservoir.
Read here : https://www.hydratech.co.uk/technica...%20are%20taken.
I learn of this from HVAC boys where their use for E-Glycol is by the hundreds of liters for a building, but their anti corrosion additive is different.
Personally I would lean towards OE/OEM. "Made in China" is where the best iPhones are assembled.
The key is always WHO did the quality control vs. who bought the rejected lots of cheap parts.
Do you trust the supplier with the life of your car??
Can we guess you have high crankcase pressure currently ??
What type/color is your engine oil ? 0w40/black?
Perhaps your PCV line clogged up with oil deposit ??
Cali I recently change the oil drip pan centrifuge and the housing. The PCV line was clear of any oil. OCI of 5K miles using Mobil 1 0w-40 with 4k miles currently on that oil change. The gaskets finally gave up after 13 years of admirable service. I'm leaning towards the oe MB oil filter housing from FCP and replacing it.
I don't know how these particular oil coolers are designed, but due to the fact that they bring oil and coolant loops in close proximity, I wouldn't roll the dice on a non-OEM part. You can probably solve your leak by just replacing the gasket, but while you're in there, you might as well put in a fresh oil cooler. Otherwise, the next time you take it off might be after you have oil in your coolant and coolant in your engine oil.
A Mercedes usually gives you plenty of time/chances to prevent a catastrophe. Where people get screwed is often when they ignore the warnings, or when they try to cut maintenance corners. If you're doing the work yourself, you're already saving thousands of dollars vs. the default/expected option of going to the dealer, but you can only reduce your costs so much before you start increasing your costs long-term...
Agreed...going to order the oe MB oil filter housing and replace it as one unit. I'll being doing the labor so the cost savings are huge. Thanks for the input.
Get genuine MB assy, US$200 is too little to risk.
This assy last easy 10 years. So even if another member of say the oldest W212 of 2009 car has replaced their with Nissen in 2020 ( 10.x years ) , the track record today in 2024 is only under 5 years duty.
While the genuine one has a track record of 10 years easy.
I am advising my friend's M271.860 EVO engine of 2010 to replace its stupid azz oil filter + oil cooler combo, where the overall unit except the core of the oil cooler is plastic.
US$500 approx in my country.
I also advised him to replace his radiator which is a tranny oil cooler combo, because of the oil tranny cooler and in Indonesia it cost US$550 approx.
Both paid and engine oil filter housing + cooler combo have arrived, radiator another 30 days.
All coolant hoses, plastic fittings of coolant, thermostat and a lot more. Including fuel hoses (2) at engine bay.
Surely not as comprehensive as my own 2024 E400 in terms of all plastic + hoses be gone at 10-11 years, but close.
My mileage is low and for engine oil cooler, I am replacing the gasket only because my coolant quality been good.
Usually oil cooler leak IF at the aluminum core is due to poor coolant quality corroding the ALU or low % of the coolant concentrate, but the gasket goes first.
You also need to replace the coolant reservoir, because the coolant additive package to make it last 10 years is inside that reservoir , in a bag.
Coolant on its own will not last 3+ years chemically for corrosion control additive as it can become acidic, if not assisted by the supplement inside the coolant reservoir.
Read here : https://www.hydratech.co.uk/technica...%20are%20taken.
I learn of this from HVAC boys where their use for E-Glycol is by the hundreds of liters for a building, but their anti corrosion additive is different.
@S-Prihadi I will get the genuine MB assembly. You're right... the $200 difference is negligible when you take into consideration the past longevity of the oe unit.
Process of gaining access to the oil filter housing bolts.
Old unit removed and the various length bolts placed in their appropriate location for the new housing. Mating surface cleaned and prepped for new unit. New unit bolted, torqued and reassembly of related components.
Don't want to rain on your accomplishment, just a heads up, but maybe you already know. Most, if not all, aluminum hardware is one time use. I have been having to order from Mercedes since FCP only carries a few sizes.
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