S-Class (W220) 1999-2006: S 320 CDI, S 320, S430, S 500, S 600

S600 Oil Cooler Repair. Just Gasket or Entire Cooler?

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Old Feb 27, 2018 | 02:03 PM
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2001 S600 Lorinser Body Kit & W215 Front-End Conversion
S600 Oil Cooler Repair. Just Gasket or Entire Cooler?

So I am about to take the expensive venture of repairing my 01 S600 oil cooler. Just wanted to ask here if anyone knows whether it's just the gasket underneath the cooler that needs replacing OR the oil cooler itself(and the gasket underneath of course)? Was told my by local independent MB repair shop that it's just the gasket underneath the cooler which needs to be replaced when it leaks down there. AFAIK, there is also a gasket inside the oil cooler and last I heard, MB does not offer a replacement part for it. So if that leaks, the entire oil cooler needs to be replaced. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is does the gasket inside the oil cooler leak as well? If that's the case, then I might as well replace the cooler. I'm having the shop do the job and I'm trying to gather all the parts for it and have everything besides the cooler. But am trying to get some educated opinion whether I should replace the cooler as well? Thanks in advance.


Last edited by shooffnyc; Feb 27, 2018 at 02:24 PM.
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Old Feb 27, 2018 | 03:06 PM
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If you are dealing with replacement of the oil cooler and you do all the work to get there, there is no reason not to just go ahead and install a new one (unless the parts are extremely unreasonable). If it is the V12 with the cooler between the cylinder heads in the valley, you are removing the engine and removing the cylinder heads to do this repair. Why skimp at that point?
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Old Feb 27, 2018 | 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Racin_fool
If you are dealing with replacement of the oil cooler and you do all the work to get there, there is no reason not to just go ahead and install a new one (unless the parts are extremely unreasonable). If it is the V12 with the cooler between the cylinder heads in the valley, you are removing the engine and removing the cylinder heads to do this repair. Why skimp at that point?
Yeah, I agree with you. I'm just wondering why the shop said it was just the gasket they would need to repair. The part is ~400. I was going to buy it anyway but wanted to know if those who have done this repair, also end up replacing the cooler as well instead of just the gasket. But yeah, in any case, I think I will replace the cooler as well. Now the million dollar question is will that coolers gasket corrode again in ~50K miles just like the first cooler did? I guess I, or whoever has the car then will find out with another $4-5K.
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Old Feb 27, 2018 | 04:11 PM
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Unfortunately the design of placing the oil cooler in such a stupid location means even the new replacement will require repair again in 40/50k miles

this isn't one of those situations where a new part has been improved or lasts longer
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Old Feb 27, 2018 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by tusabes
Unfortunately the design of placing the oil cooler in such a stupid location means even the new replacement will require repair again in 40/50k miles

this isn't one of those situations where a new part has been improved or lasts longer
Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I am not sure if applying some sort of sealant around/outside edges of where it sits would make any difference. I guess I'll have to see. Wish there were others who had done this crazy procedure can chime in. See some really old posts on this subject of some who had done it but wonder if they are still around. Anyways, thanks for the info.
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Old Mar 5, 2018 | 08:24 PM
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Since I did that job a few years ago, some hints:
a) plan and follow the WIC specifically, I had no trouble doing the job with the engine installed
b) to the Untorking exactly as specified, same for the head bolts; you can reuse them if you can accurately measure their length and check
c) getting the chain sprockets of is a real pain, and you need special holding fixtures to hold the cams (cant just use the chain)
d) getting the rail guide pins out is an even bigger pain
e) after you replace the cooler and tork it down, re-torke the srews that hold the cooler halves together (they will be loose, and are probably the cause of the failure.
f) not for the faint of heart when it comes to torquing

You can search my Nick here and on the other forum to find my comments on this.
Good luck!
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Old Mar 6, 2018 | 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by kraut56
Since I did that job a few years ago, some hints:
a) plan and follow the WIC specifically, I had no trouble doing the job with the engine installed
b) to the Untorking exactly as specified, same for the head bolts; you can reuse them if you can accurately measure their length and check
c) getting the chain sprockets of is a real pain, and you need special holding fixtures to hold the cams (cant just use the chain)
d) getting the rail guide pins out is an even bigger pain
e) after you replace the cooler and tork it down, re-torke the srews that hold the cooler halves together (they will be loose, and are probably the cause of the failure.
f) not for the faint of heart when it comes to torquing

You can search my Nick here and on the other forum to find my comments on this.
Good luck!
Thanks for the info! I did look up your posts about it. Actually, I was thinking of messaging you and seeing if I can pay you for like a facetime/video chat session to help me do this job. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be doing this job as I had initially wanted to. I'm having a shop do it. One of my close friend who I was initially going to do this job with relocated due to his work. So I am by myself and don't trust my skills and my hands to do this job, especially the torquing, chain sprocket, and rail guide pins part. This is not a one-man job, at least for me. For the past few months, I've been going back and forth to have the previous owner pay for this job since he sold me without telling me it had this oil leak. We finally came to an agreement where he'll pay me half the amount to do the job. So I'm taking it to my local independent MB specialized shop to do this job. They've done this job on a few cars throughout the years. But your tips helps alot. I will relay what you mentioned to them so they can check and make sure they don't miss out on what you mentioned, especially torquing the cooler halve.

Anyways, thanks a bunch kraut. I'll let you know how it went. This has been the cause of big headache to me because I sold my previous S600(very regrettable) to buy this S600 and was ready to purchase the headers. But this oil cooler leak totally derailed my project and put it to halt. Anyways, I can't wait. I'll start making VLogs on my YouTube channel in few weeks about the car and post updates about the project. Thank you, and everyone else on this forum for all the help and insight you guys provide. I'll make sure to give each and every one of you guys a special shout out.
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Old Mar 6, 2018 | 06:01 PM
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Just curious, is it possible to retrofit the improved M275 oil cooler system on the older models?

Also, it may sound stupid, but is it possible to get the TTV12 and just replace the turbos with the custom headers and have a more reliable engine? Or is the ecu going to freak out with the lack of turbos
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Old Mar 6, 2018 | 09:19 PM
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don't think so.
About 35 hrs to do, and removing/installing the exhaust muff clamps and the cylinder heads requires 3.5 hands.
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Old Mar 6, 2018 | 11:37 PM
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2001 S600 Lorinser Body Kit & W215 Front-End Conversion
Originally Posted by AlexMercedes
Just curious, is it possible to retrofit the improved M275 oil cooler system on the older models?

Also, it may sound stupid, but is it possible to get the TTV12 and just replace the turbos with the custom headers and have a more reliable engine? Or is the ecu going to freak out with the lack of turbos
Both coolers physically look different so I highly doubt you can do that.

M137 oil cooler:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cs0AA...HD/s-l1600.jpg

M275 Oil Cooler:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xpMAA...VR/s-l1600.jpg
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Old Mar 7, 2018 | 12:13 PM
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FYI:
the Torx srews are the ones that come loose after you install the cooler and bolt it down.
retorque them
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Old Mar 7, 2018 | 12:18 PM
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2001 S600 Lorinser Body Kit & W215 Front-End Conversion
Originally Posted by kraut56
FYI:
the Torx srews are the ones that come loose after you install the cooler and bolt it down.
retorque them
You're talking about the ones circled below correct?
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Old Mar 7, 2018 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by AlexMercedes
Also, it may sound stupid, but is it possible to get the TTV12 and just replace the turbos with the custom headers and have a more reliable engine? Or is the ecu going to freak out with the lack of turbos
?????

The turbos are very reliable.

Nick
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Old Mar 7, 2018 | 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Welwynnick
?????

The turbos are very reliable.

Nick
I meant if shooffnyc wants to get the F1 sound wouldn't it be better to do it on the M275 than the unreliable M137

The engines have pretty much the same note minus the turbos.
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Old Mar 7, 2018 | 08:10 PM
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Originally Posted by shooffnyc
You're talking about the ones circled below correct?
yes!
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Old Mar 8, 2018 | 10:06 AM
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2001 S600 Lorinser Body Kit & W215 Front-End Conversion
Originally Posted by kraut56
yes!
Would you know exactly how many #'s it should be torqued at? I heard that torquing those might damage the gasket inside it. Also is that bit mentioned on the repair manual? Regardless, I'd like to do it, but if you remember how much you torqued it to, that would be great info. Thanks.
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Old Mar 10, 2018 | 05:33 PM
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It's not in the WIS - I just snugged the screws up with a screwdriver. The gasket inside the cooler halves fails because it gets brittle from heat. It is a moulded O-ring type gasket, and is compressed by the hold-down bolts of the cooler. the screws just hold the halves together as an assembly.

Last edited by kraut56; Mar 10, 2018 at 05:38 PM.
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Old Mar 11, 2018 | 01:12 AM
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2001 S600 Lorinser Body Kit & W215 Front-End Conversion
Originally Posted by kraut56
It's not in the WIS - I just snugged the screws up with a screwdriver. The gasket inside the cooler halves fails because it gets brittle from heat. It is a moulded O-ring type gasket, and is compressed by the hold-down bolts of the cooler. the screws just hold the halves together as an assembly.
Ok thanks alot kraut. That's good enough info for me.
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