87 W124 cooling fan break - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #16 05-31-2011, 09:46 AM

the fan from a 602 is plastic, and it's the same diameter and pitch as the aluminum fan, but needs the corners trimmed to clear the intake boot.

compu_85 · #17 05-31-2011, 11:25 AM

I have a plastic 603 fan on my car. They are like $50.

-J

Jeremy5848 · #18 05-31-2011, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

the fan from a 602 is plastic, and it's the same diameter and pitch as the aluminum fan, but needs the corners trimmed to clear the intake boot.

According to EPC:

1987 300D Turbo (W124.133, OM603.960)
Metal Fan 116 205 24 06
Clutch 603 200 03 22
-or-
Plastic Fan 606 200 00 23
Clutch 603 200 04 22
-or-
Plastic Fan 606 200 00 23 [This is the version now in my '87]
Clutch 606 200 00 22

1990-up 300D 2.5 Turbo (W124.128, OM602.962)
Metal Fan 116 205 24 06
Clutch 603 200 04 22
-or-
Plastic Fan 606 200 00 23
Clutch 602 200 00 22

1996-97 E300D NA (W210.020, OM606.912)
Fan 602 200 04 23
Clutch 603 200 00 22

1998-99 E300D Turbo (W210.025, OM606.962)
Fan 606 200 01 23
Clutch 606 200 01 22

So there are lots of choices. EPC doesn't say anything about swapping fans between models, of course, so there's a learning curve for the user as to whether the fan blades will need to be trimmed to make them fit.

Jeremy

Austintm · #19 06-13-2011, 07:21 PM

Problem almost solved...

OK so I got all new components, new Nissens radiator, new om606 fan and clutch and a new 2-piece fan shroud, also sprung for the Mercedes coolant and water wetter. New thermostat as well. All torqued to factory specs.

Everything came together OK until it came time to install the fan shroud (last to be shipped). Tried to install several different ways,

Fan/clutch, radiator, shroud...wrong
radiator, shroud, fan clutch
and so on

I then realized the shroud would not fit over the fan/fan would not fit into shroud with both properly mounted. The fan overlaps the shroud on the passenger side by about 1 1/4 inches and clears by the same amount on the driver side. What gives? Wrong shroud?

You can see the shroud bowed out to the left and pushing back the fan, the fan actually clears the boot by about an inch without the shroud pushing it back.

I've done a couple of CAUTIOUS test runs without the shroud in 100 plus degrees here in San Antonio. the guage only tickled the 100C mark with A/C on full and a heavy load.
Alright you remarkable resources whats my next move?
I would like to run with a shroud as I'm sure Mercedes didn't put one on just to be pretty.

87 w124 om603... for reference...

Jeremy5848 · #20 06-13-2011, 07:31 PM

On my '87 (should be same as yours) you put the round half of the shroud on first and drape it over the fan blades. Then you insert the flat half and attach it to the radiator. Now you can bring the round half forward, insert "Tab A into Slot B," and twist the round part to lock it into the flat part. It's a little challenging because there are twist-lock connections both above and below and it's hard to be under the car and leaning over it at the same time. But that's how it worked for me.

sixto · #21 06-13-2011, 08:59 PM

Unless it's upside-down my guess is you have a 300E shroud.

Did you get the 96-97 606 fan with 9 blades or the 98-99 'Spinal Tap' fan with 11 blades?

Sixto
87 300D

Austintm · #22 06-13-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Did you get the 96-97 606 fan with 9 blades or the 98-99 'Spinal Tap' fan with 11 blades?

Sixto

Its the 98-99 fan, 11 blades
just got the Spinal Tap reference, nice

And yes it turns out the shroud is from a 300E
Anyone have the PN for 2-piece shroud that will fit?
Or is the 87 shroud superseded by a 2-piece?

you guys rock!

BSharp · #23 08-04-2011, 04:00 PM

In the quest to get my a/c to work better I have been thinking about getting the plastic fan. My 87 190D turbo w/om602 has what looks like the same metal fan. Does the plastic one pull more air? The metal one seems pretty weak even when the clutch is engaged. It seems to throw the air outward in all directions instead if pulling it through the rad. I can put my hand directly behind the fan and barely feel anything.

sixto · #24 08-04-2011, 07:08 PM

Is there room for an auxiliary fan ahead of the condenser?

Sixto
87 300D

Jeremy5848 · #25 08-04-2011, 07:09 PM

My guess is that Mercedes changed to the plastic fan for a number of reasons -- lighter weight, less HP load on the engine, cheaper to manufacture/buy from subcontractor. I didn't notice any significant difference between the metal and plastic fans in terms of results when I made the change. My experience has been that the a/c works fine so long as I am moving fast enough to push air through the condenser. Even city street speeds are enough. When I am in stop-and-go traffic, the aux fan comes on a lot as called for by the switch in the refrigerant line.

I cannot tell you that the plastic fan will be better than the metal fan but it certainly will not be worse. Proper operation of the a/c in a Mercedes requires that everything in the cooling system and the a/c system be in good condition, including not converted to R134, clean radiator (inside and out), proper coolant, etc.

Jeremy

BSharp · #26 08-04-2011, 09:31 PM

I have the factory aux fans working. Pusher fans are not very efficient and the factory engine fan is not very good at idle and mediocre at best. I am seriously thinking about going with an electric puller fan. Fan design has come a long way in 25 years.

gsxr · #27 08-17-2011, 10:46 AM

Austinm, just curious, how old was the previous fan clutch (which had the metal fan fall apart), and what brand was it? Also, what brand new clutch did you install? I am curious if the problem was that the clutch was not disengaging at high RPM like it should, and the metal fan could not take the excess speed. I've had some aftermarket clutches which don't like to disengage at high RPM like the OE Behr/Sachs clutches do. You mentioned the failure occured while accelerating rapidly, which most likely means increased RPM's...

Sixto, there's no room for an additional fan in front of the condenser, the factory fan(s) take up all the available space. There also isn't enough space between condenser & radiator to add one in the middle. Besides, the most powerful electric fan I was able to find which would fit over the radiator core only was rated at 3300cfm max. I suspect the mechanical fan pulls substantially more than this (especially at 2k-3krpm) but the elec fan might move more air at idle. (?)

gsxr · #28 08-17-2011, 10:50 AM

Photos of the Spinal Tap fan are below (currently installed on my 87 300D). This setup works very well, and engages somewhere around when engine temps are at ~80C in summer. Revving to ~3k you can clearly hear the fan roar. Clearance to the intake tube is close but after tweaking the side panel to be ~10mm away, I've had no problems.

Additional photos are at this link.

gsxr · #29 08-17-2011, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

On my '87 (should be same as yours) you put the round half of the shroud on first and drape it over the fan blades. Then you insert the flat half and attach it to the radiator. Now you can bring the round half forward, insert "Tab A into Slot B," and twist the round part to lock it into the flat part.

FYI... the original/early fan shrouds are 1-piece on the OM603, the later/replacement shrouds are 2-piece. For the 1-piece unit, you loosen the shroud from the radiator and push it back over the fan, then remove the fan bolt, and slide the fan+clutch up and out. THEN remove the shroud. Installation is reverse - slide shroud in place first, then install fan, and finally attach the shroud to radiator. The 2-pc unit can be done the same way if you prefer not to separate the halves. The OM602 shrouds are 1-pc and must be done as described above.

winmutt · #30 08-17-2011, 11:09 AM

Heh, slice the 603 shroud at the bottom and no need to remove the fan. The hub is part of the water pump and the whole thing has to be replaced to fix it if it strips.