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

sixto · #31 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

Marvelicious · #32 07-03-2011, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

Because Diesels use only 1 / 80th the fuel a gasser does to idle... in many places with cold weather ...like ski resorts and motels ...you see pictures where the snow is melted under the cars due to them being left on overnight...
A hand crank on a Diesel is not realistic... but a ' prewarmed' Diesel .... PRICELESS.

My point about the hand crank is that technology moves forward. We don't use them anymore because they aren't realistic on anything. Some of us feel that an electric fan is an improvement, if you don't, lucky you - you've already got a clutch fan.

My point about leaving it running is that a person who's willing to leave their rig running in a MOTEL PARKING LOT (great places to get your car stolen) is obviously in a situation where they are willing to try some unconventional solutions. If you're creative, you'll find a way to get home regardless.

ah-kay · #33 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 · #34 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...

leathermang · #35 07-03-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvelicious

My point about the hand crank is that technology moves forward. We don't use them anymore because they aren't realistic on anything. Some of us feel that an electric fan is an improvement, if you don't, lucky you - you've already got a clutch fan.

My point about leaving it running is that a person who's willing to leave their rig running in a MOTEL PARKING LOT (great places to get your car stolen) is obviously in a situation where they are willing to try some unconventional solutions. If you're creative, you'll find a way to get home regardless.

MY 340 Farmall still has the crank on the front... because ' tech has moved forward' does not mean I should or would go out there and REMOVE that from that machine... same with the MB's in this discussion..
Yes... he was obviously IN A BIND a LONG WAY FROM HIS TOOLS...and I thought he DID use a creative way to get home..

leathermang · #36 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...

leathermang · #37 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 · #38 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.

Marvelicious · #39 07-03-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leathermang

MY 340 Farmall still has the crank on the front... because ' tech has moved forward' does not mean I should or would go out there and REMOVE that from that machine... same with the MB's in this discussion..
Yes... he was obviously IN A BIND a LONG WAY FROM HIS TOOLS...and I thought he DID use a creative way to get home..

Is your tractor a daily driver?

I'll admit its a trade off, just one some of us are willing to make. For my priorities, the electric fan will be an improvement - this is after upgrading the electrical system of course. No, its not something I would recommend every old diesel Benz buyer to do. Thats the reason I'm into this older machine, to be able to modify it as I see fit. Take the modernizations I see as improvements and leave the ones I don't. I do own newer vehicles, the Benz is a project/toy that gets used more as I make it more reliable.

As far as the guy running with no electrical, I agree, he did use a creative way to get home. Lacking that one, he would've come up with another, I guarantee it! Necessity is the mother of invention they say.

okto · #40 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 · #41 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....

kerry · #42 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 · #43 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 · #44 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 · #45 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.