I had my 300D stored for 3 months. I had left a clean piece of cardboard under engine bay because I had seen some drips. When I got back, there was a large area on cardboard where fluid had soaked in. I renewed the cardboard after driving the car and left it overnight. There was a new small mark. Not engine oil which would be black. It is a light fluid, so could be transmission oil or diesel fuel. It is dripping off middle of cross member just behind engine.

There is a transmission cooler line that runs above the cross member. I moved one of the clips and the tubing (copper?) is deformed. Not sure if it has a pinhole. There is another clip further back but it seems tight and too far back to be cause.

I was thinking of removing the line. Replacements are quite expensive and it seems a dealer only item? (Parts 1232704096 and 1232703396) US$122 each, probably double that in C$.

Has anyone attempted a repair on the wear spots on those lines? Thinking I might be able to clean thoroughly and apply a solder or epoxy repair? Then install new grommets under clips.

Source of drip may be elsewhere, but the wear spot needs fixing one way or another.

Here are pics of the line wear

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I crawled under car again and took pics of the line wear. Doesn't look like copper, but it can be bent quite easily. Anyone know what those lines are made of?

There does NOT seem to be a leak at wear point. Thinking I may just move the clamp to next sump bolt and install sleeve to prevent new wear. Then maybe JBWEld wear spots and wrap worn area with fibreglass tape.

I searched a bit further and found a drip coming off one of hoses on the steering box. Picture below. If that connection is leaking, kind of hard to get at. Anyone had same problem?

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Mild Steel Tubing is easy to bend.

I have a W123 and I don't recall any issues changing the Transmission Cooler Hoses.

If you do have issues with room to get at the Hose nuts you might need to use a Crows Foot on and Extension or a Flare Nut Crows Foot on an extension.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

The cooler hoses ARE easy. What I was looking at was changing the hard lines. They too don't look too hard to change.

But those lines are expensive. I just finished a fix of the worn tubing area (assuming it is worn and was not made like that?) I applied JB-Weld on the line where it appeared worn. Then while still uncured, split a piece of tubing and fed it over the epoxy. Then re-installed the clamp over that. Seems secure. Hopefully that will prevent any further wear. One day, I might change that line!

I think I found the actual leak. I should have started from the top! There was PS fluid on the one motor mount just near the Steering box. Looks like the low pressure hose is leaking at both ends, but mostly at lower end. Fluid (which I filled last Fall) was down about 3/4". I will have to replace that hose. Existing has MB markings. Need to check EPC for size or part number.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Yep. **** flows downhill!

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked

I should also have checked the web. This article describes situation exactly.

Still need to find hose size and type. Pelican shows two different sizes ???? 12mm and 15mm. I will remove it and measure.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

For others, there is an older post where a leak was found on the tranny cooler tube support shown in post 1. It happens after the plastic isolator falls out, so replace any missing ones. I used slit poly tube.

I changed both power steering hoses in one of my W123 300D's. I bought both hose stock on ebay, standard hydraulic hose for both. For HP hose, I used 2-wire type (3000 psi). The fittings unscrew w/ wrenches (see my post), as do the SLS hoses. For LP hose, I recall ~300 psig rating. I posted the PN's, so search if you want to repair yourself.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

This is probably the thread.

I checked all of the support grommets, but it was just the one that was bad. I coated the worn area with JBweld. Then while still soft, placed a piece of ~1" long split poly hose over the worn area. Then re-installed the clamp in it's original location. My line had not leaked yet, so hopefully this will be good for quite a while. Something to check each time we go under car. Seems that many have had same problem.

I have to replace the low pressure hose. Going to take it off today to check size. The one that is on there has MB markings. Maybe dealer will have stock if it is an odd size.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

I tried finding my post from google, but no luck. Sorry, I wasn't on the correct PC yesterday. Going to my local folder info to search w/ the exact title, I found it
www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/349815-power-steering-hose-replacement-w123.html

In that post, I give PN's, both what I used and how I might do it again. No leaks from the blue steel wire hose I used in the 2+ years since. I was afraid the weave would pick up gunk and look bad, but still looks new. Oil doesn't seem to stick to the polyester fabric. I have hose stock left to replace in my 1985 300D someday (when it leaks, "ain't broke, don't fix" is my motto).

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

hey, i'm just curious 5 years later if anyone has repaired a transmission cooler line with jb weld, and it lasted for 5 years, or less, or more.

i recently had a leak on the driver side trans cooler line, right where the clamp holds it to the oil pan. as i've read, the grommet that pads the line from the clamp wears out, and then with vibration the clamp wears the cooler line thin til it leaks. i cleaned it off and threw some jb quik weld on. it's just been a couple months so far it's good.

also since i didn't want to wait for 3 little grommets for the 3 spots the line is clamped, i put some self fusing silicone tape around the worn part of the line, so that the clamp goes around it. i only did the leaked spot so far, i didn't pad the other 2 clamp mount spots. it's hard to say if the silicone tape is doing enough, or potentially too thick, it made it hard to tighten the clamp around the line.

i also thought after that small pin hole leaks could potentially be soldered closed, since it wasn't a rust corrosion hole.

anyway, i have a spare used line to replace if needed, but curious how long others' patches have lasted. thanks!

(in the picture, the clamp was slid to the right to be out the way, and the light gray is the jb weld. then i taped over that, and then slid the clamp back in place and mounted it back into the oil pan where it goes)

Attached Thumbnails

 

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w123
1985 300D turbo sept 2015 - present
1985 300TD turbo oct 2023 - present
looking for biodiesel in nyc

When the same happened to me on the passenger side I took a tubing cuter and cut line slid on 4 hose clamps and a section of transmission cooler hose and positioned the hose so it equally covers both sides of the cut hose and installed 2 clamps on each side. That was I think around 7 years ago with no issues.

Note Autozone sells autoomatic transmission/oil cooler hose.

Mine is similar to the repair in this pic in this thread but looks better as I used a longer hose.

Look what my PO did with the transmission cooler line

Post 4 has a pic of what you can do if you only want to replace the hose on your transmission cooler hoses

Transmission oil cooler hose repair/replace?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

The JBWeld/slit tubing repair I referred to in 2016 above, is still in place. I had forgotten about it!

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

ok cool, thanks, well i guess i'll just hold onto the used transmission cooler line i bought for $50, i thought it was a good price since a new one is over $100.

i feel like eventually the other points that the metal line is clamped and bolted to the oil pan will have their rubber padding grommets break and spring a leak

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w123
1985 300D turbo sept 2015 - present
1985 300TD turbo oct 2023 - present
looking for biodiesel in nyc

I think I checked all the clamps and added padding if needed. I once did this on the brake and fuel lines that run under the car that can have the same problem.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

A $14 hydraulic coupler works great. Cut out the leaky section with a pipe cutter and join the 2 pieces with the coupler. Super solid and you can reuse the original clamp site by clamping down on the coupler