Ditching the clutch fan - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

1980sd · #1 07-03-2011, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by compu_85

I'm planning on ditching the fan clutch and dual pusher fans on my SDL and going with the large electric puller fan from an W210 E320. I'll do some tests to see if it helps with AC around town. The way the late W126 is set up all the air for the radiator has to flow through the two small pusher fans: a shroud blocks the rest of the condenser.

The clutch fan does ok, but there is a lot of air leak around the shroud (required because the engine moves around). I'll install a temp switch into the rad to kick the fan onto the 1st speed and use the stock 2nd speed switch on the thermostat housing. Having the compressor clutch on will turn the fan onto the 1st speed, and the high pressure switch will kick it onto 2nd.

-J

That's pretty much my plan. I have a 116 so a cross-flow radiator would also be an improvement. My rad. is in really good shape but if it gave me an excuse... Oil cooler would have to be addressed...

Custom aluminum cross flow rad.

http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Products/157/

About $450 with shipping...

kerry · #2 07-03-2011, 09:59 AM

My 409d with a 617NA had an aftermarket electric fan when I bought it and no engine fan. Air flow was inadequate for climbing western mountains in the summer. Engine fan fixed the problem.

sixto · #3 07-03-2011, 04:19 PM

I'm generally with you, G, but that's a long way to go without brake lights and turn signals

Sixto
87 300D

leathermang · #4 07-03-2011, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

I'm generally with you, G, but that's a long way to go without brake lights and turn signals

...Sixto....87 300D

I am with you on that... this was not me that did this... PEH did it.... and he has lots of courage...

smiffy6four · #5 07-25-2011, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

I am with you on that... this was not me that did this... PEH did it.... and he has lots of courage...

Lots of courage and no AA membership

kerry · #6 07-03-2011, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

I'm generally with you, G, but that's a long way to go without brake lights and turn signals

Sixto
87 300D

Aren't there still hand signals for those things?

leathermang · #7 07-03-2011, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Aren't there still hand signals for those things?

How are young drivers going to see hand signals while they are texting ?

1980sd · #8 07-03-2011, 07:03 PM

I think I read on here about a guy whose plastic fan broke apart at the holes where the clutch bolts up and it trashed his radiator.

Does the 240D have a plastic fan?

pj67coll · #9 07-04-2011, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1980sd

I think I read on here about a guy whose plastic fan broke apart at the holes where the clutch bolts up and it trashed his radiator.

Does the 240D have a plastic fan?

I don't believe it does.

- Peter.

ah-kay · #10 07-03-2011, 04:32 PM

You only know a TOTAL electric failure AFTER the fact, i.e. after the engine is turned off and you said 'sh$t' and curse.

Most new cars are moving to electric fan to be more efficient, shave a bit of fiction and increase the mpg. So it is very doable if done right. No one can cater for the eventuality or what if no matter what you do.

leathermang · #11 07-03-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ah-kay

You only know a TOTAL electric failure AFTER the fact, i.e. after the engine is turned off and you said 'sh$t' and curse.

Most new cars are moving to electric fan to be more efficient, shave a bit of fiction and increase the mpg. So it is very doable if done right. No one can cater for the eventuality or what if no matter what you do.

Not true... you can be cruising down the road and find that none of your gauges work...your lights do not work.. and in that case you would be smart not to turn off the car...

I thought we put up with all the trouble on this old cars because we did not like the changes which are being made to new cars... ??? Why do you own one of these stinking money pits ?.... if not for the old style engineering ?

ah-kay · #12 07-03-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

Not true... you can be cruising down the road and find that none of your gauges work...your lights do not work.. and in that case you would be smart not to turn off the car...

I thought we put up with all the trouble on this old cars because we did not like the changes which are being made to new cars... ??? Why do you own one of these stinking money pits ?.... if not for the old style engineering ?

May be you are smarter than me. I cannot predict a catastrophic electric failure if the gauges and/or lights quit working. I probably would stop the car and turn off the engine and take a look. Then I would curse for my stupidity. The bottom line is that I have never been bogged down by electric issues.

The car in question is 25+ years old and technology have moved on at lot. They have drive-by-wire technology, computer, OBD II etc ( BTW, I don't like them. ) but it does save a lot of wiring and mechanical parts to keep the costs down. i am all for it if one can find a way to improve the cooling with an electric fan. I may not retrofit it but at least there is an option if and when I need it.

On a more serious note, I really do not consider my MBZ diesel(s) are a money pits. They save me money on insurance, fuel and maintenance costs. I always have a car ready and I like tinkering.

leathermang · #13 07-03-2011, 04:49 PM

ah-kay... just saying... you are taking away a dependable feature of your car if you go to only electrical fans...

okto · #14 07-03-2011, 05:26 PM

The biggest argument for keeping the clutch fan is diversification, which is never a bad idea. With the clutch fan and the electric aux fans, you can suffer a mechanical or electrical failure and still have cooling. With all-electric fans, if you have an electrical system failure, you lose all cooling, all at once. (Likewise I suppose with removing the aux fans, but I've never heard anyone advocate that.

)

Another advantage of the clutch fan is that mechanical systems tend to fail gradually and give you warning ahead of time in the form of noise and vibration, whereas electrical ones tend to fail suddenly and/or catastrophically.

Whether or not this bothers you is a personal choice, but regardless of how you feel about it, going all-electric is putting all of your eggs in one basket.

leathermang · #15 07-03-2011, 05:58 PM

Okto, we owners of 240d 's do not even have to worry about the viscous fan clutch failing.... our fans are bolted solid ....Even fewer things to go wrong and strand us out in nowhere... then add the manual transmission... and I am pretty safe as far as the usual stranding items....