Is it OK to run my 300D without the fan/alternator?
 

The subject pretty much says it all. Is this okay to do? My alternator is both frozen up and frozen in, and it would speed up the process if I could just skip taking care of it for now. I wouldn't be running it for extended period -- just enough to flush the system and then do a compression test. I realize the battery won't recharge, but is it bad to run the car for less than ten minutes without the fan on?

Sorry if I rambled -- I'm trying to hurry & get to bed...

Jooseppi

it's not just the fan that won't turn... it's the water pump.
NOT A GOOD IDEA...
10 minutes at idle might be ok, but I'd not recommend it.
what exactly are you attempting to do?

Driving 10 minutes or more without a water pump, not a good idea. If need to move the car, tie a shoe lace between the main pulley and the water pump, and cut the excess. This will allow the water pump to circulate the coolant until you get to your destination.



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You don't need the car running to do a compression test, you turn the motor by hand.

There is no point to starting it up to flush the coolant if the water pump isn't turning. Just flush it as best you can with the motor off.

Assuming the car ran reasonably well before the alternator froze, take care of that first before worrying about the coolant flush and compression check. Soak all the fasteners with PB Blaster (or similar) several times before attempting to take the alternator off. If you hit them all with PB once or twice a day for several days, you may find they aren't frozen anymore.

um, no. the motor cannot be turned by hand for a compression test, but it cannot be running for one either. the starter spins the motor for a compression test. ;)

I am trying to figure out what situation makes the Compression Test and Flushing the system is more important than fixing the Alternator?

But if you have wheaties (TM) for breakfast you could turn the crank over with your teeth! You lot just don't try hard enough...

...er back in the real world...

...if you really really need to use your W123 diesel and the alternator is bust you could get one of those emergency belts and just loop it from crank shaft pulley to water pump pulley - they always used to sell them at petrol stations but I haven't seen one for years - probably because of all of those flowers and sandwiches and magazines and bags of BBQ charcoal...

Just use one of the large O rings for the oil filter housing lid.
They make great temporary belts.

When can it be turned by hand? Not by any hand that I have seen.


That would depend entirely on the manner of testing.

Not so hard. 2 hands on the balancer, and get your he-man on.

I've turned motor over w/ wrench to locate TDC for leakdown test. Don't forget to lock it before you put air on it! Compression test requires motor to be turned over much faster than you could w/ a wrench or by hand. Combination I think of keeping up w/ leakage & heat transfer.

I'll try and remember that the next time I change it - keep the old one for emergencies - however I guess it is best to leave it in place if you only have the one (fitted to the car) and you are stuck on the side of the road!!!!

Oh, it runs the water pump too. Duh.

I misspoke -- I meant a diesel purge, not a radiator flush. I though I remembered reading somewhere that compression could be affected by a dirty motor (am I wrong?).

I'm attempting to get to a point where I can start it (it hasn't run in two years) and perform a compression test (to see whether the engine is still good), and am wondering if I could put off fighting my frozen alternator 'til after I start the car. Thank you for your advice -- I apologize that I have not been able to say thanks for the help that I have received here so far, but I really appreciate it!

So you want to see if the car is worth fixing before you try to fix it. I get it.

If you can simply get the thing to start and run on all cylinders for 30 seconds or so, then it's probably in good enough shape to be worth fixing the alternator before proceeding to the other stuff. 30 seconds without coolant circulation isn't going to hurt anything.

DOH. I was typing compression test and thinking valve adjustment (from a previous question he asked).

DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
etc