I had recently relayed that I got my 98 E300 TD restored from several months of my wife driving it. However, I have been driving her car for a few weeks again and she back in the MB. I went out this evening to the groc in the MB, and the temp pegged at 120C on the way back. Being part redneck, I opened all the windows and sunroof and turned the defrost on high for the trip back to the house (less than 1/2 mi back to the house). The temp dropped slightly. As I opened the hood, I noticed the twin aux fans in front of the radiator still spinning--the main fan behind not. I tried to turn the fan blades, and the fan was bound: a plastic tab had broken off the bottom of one of the corners of the fan shroud, and the fan shroud was preventing the fan from spinning. I cut of the fan shroud with tin snips and cranked, temp back to normal.

Aside from needing a new fan shroud, what should I be looking for? Would the fan being bound have burned a bearing or anything? I'm going to be gone for a couple of weeks and won't need the car, so it will probably go to the spa (again). Just want to know if I need to look out for anything.

Thanks.

The fan should have a liquid clutch so I doubt any permanent damage was caused unless it ran hot long enough to warp the head.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The fan clutch should be fine; you might want to drill a hole in the shroud and zip tie it down and tight to the bottom of the rad so it doesnt come loose and do it again (although perhaps you were generous enough with the snips that would not be an issue)???

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

Ensure that the front sound-encapsulating panel is securely attached at the front and back. This piece prevents the bottom of the core support from being shoved back if you hit a parking barrier.

If the panel is not securely attached and you did push it back, you will have to pull it back forward before you can attach the panel. It pulls forward very easily...

Agreed.

It's unlikely that you damaged the clutch, however, the aluminum head is highly intolerant of overheats.

If the coolant didn't boil out of the system, you're likely OK.

The only way to know is to drive it and observe temperature and coolant levels.

You might be a redneck if......

i guess by that defiinition I am too!

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I use bailing wire and duct tape also...I do have bailing wire holding the air separator drain tube, since the tube's bracket is MIA.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Thanks for the responses. I did not get any coolant boilout, but when I eased off the reservoir cap, it did steam for a bout five minutes I made sure it was topped off with h20 and am planning to have the coolant flushed when it goes to the spa while I am out of town. I also need to run the SVO out of it in the next two days and put diesel back in it, or my indie will claim that this has caused all sorts of problems. I don't think it was hot for more than 10 minutes--I monitor the temp gauge frequently. So far today, I am just about 85C--which is where it is usually parked.

Thanks again--I think it is ok (other than the fan shroud I cut off, which is probably what, $150?)

watch closely the color of the expansion tank.. if you start to see milk chocolate in there, then you warped the head or blew the head gasket.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.