Made an appointment with the mechanic long while back, and felt obligated to go, despite not liking mechanics, since there is none that are like the one who is my friend. Anyway, he had a special short meter that made the job quick so had him do that after fixing the oil leak. Turns out some of the wires somewhere in the harness are shorting so he just wiggled them and said it never happen. I believe that like pigs can fly!

Point is, now have the ability to have a working auxiliary fan which the dog appreciate so she can have A/C. He said stock be $500. However, Bosch is $300 here. I can get a Spal fan for less than $100 and should perform the same or better, right?

I was thinking of this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/spu-ix-30100467/overview/ . It draws 7.5 amps; is this an issue since the fuse is 8?

As for wiring, was going to savage the old broken fans wiring to connect in stock manner. Mounting I am not sure, as don't know what is provided. Worse comes to worse can use zip ties!

Thank you all for the help!

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

The stock fans are damn good, but all you should need for these cars is about 2000cfm. A single 16" fan should do the trick. But not the Spal.

In fact, one 16" could replace the pump fan as well as the aux fans, I have no idea why Mercedes didn't do this. Having multiple fans impedes airflow in some situations, and saps an incredible amount of power in others. I would guess the aux and main fan together provide about 5000 cfm, enough airflow to cool a large truck. At that, aging control systems mean they don't work correctly in the majority of older cars. If I remember when the weather is warmer, I'll measure actual airflow.

The only gotcha here is that you must make sure the fan can be configured as a PUSHER if you're going to replace the aux fan, which rules out the Spal. Pretty much every fan is set up as a PULLER. But not all of them have reversible blades, so check before your buy. Reversing the direction of a non-reversible blade will compromise airflow. And installing a puller in front of the radiator, as many have done by mistake, results in zero airflow at speed. Something like a Permacool 19126 would do the trick, as long as you remember to reverse the blade. You can dab some silicone on the grommet for extra protection against water entry.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/prm-19126/overview/

The fuse is NOT 8 amps. That's the fuse that controls the relay coil. The relay contacts are fed directly from the battery positive and internally fused, either for 20 or 30 amps, depending on whether you have one or two fans.

I trust used OE fans more than any aftermarket brand including spal. I used Volvo fans on several cars because I'm familiar with those. The same fan was used on several BMWs in the 90s. A single large puller fan should replace both the mechanical fan and aux fan as previously mentioned.

Volvo 850 puller fan vs the stock 190e clutch and aux fan.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/021.jpg?t=1241739345
The stock aux fan and shroud simply impedes airflow.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/DSC02899.jpg
Bye bye stock fans.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/023.jpg
Mounted it to the radiator with some aluminum brackets and used some door seal around the edge of the fan to fill in the gap around the edges.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/044.jpg
Installed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v242/tjts2/mercedes/053.jpg

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

Thank you so very much for the help!

Oops! Sorry About not being more clear.

What I am intending to do is replace the stock auxiliary fan that is 11 or so inches (over all 12") with a Spal unit. So if you say 2,000C.F.M. for both, then 12 inch blades should do.

What do you mean? I thought the auxiliary fan pulls air though it. Or does it push?

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

The electric aux fan sitting in front of the AC condenser PUSHES air through. Puller fans behind the radiator are more effective.

__________________
CENSORED due to not family friendly words

Then use the 12" Permacool:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/prm-19122/overview/

A fan in front of the radiator has to PUSH the air through, otherwise it's opposing natural airflow. So you need a fan that allows you to reverse the blade. The Permacool will be delivered in PULLER format, you have to take the blade off and reverse it to convert to pusher format. The Spal fan is non-reversible, it won't work for you.

TJTS is correct, stock fans are hard to beat. But the permacool will last you a few years and give good performance.

Thank you so very much for the help!

Spal is highly used and trusted. I could order the Klima auxiliary fan that has all the work done for me, but never heard of the brand. I figure used is only going to go bad and not willing to waste time. I want something new that I don't have to worry about, preferably less than Bosch.

On the W123, there is only the area of the blades that blocks the fan. I have upgraded the main clutched fan to a metal gasser fan with more blades, so not ready to give that up. Further, not willing to do major wiring work and installing the alternator to handle the extra load. Sorry...

However, really like the pictures!

So good to know I am looking for a pusher fan. Something like this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/spu-ix-30100384/overview/ ?

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

Thank you so very much for the help!

So not hard to reverse the blades?

I like this one the most as looks as if one can regrease the bearings, which is a major cause of death to fans, right?

Further, way more C.F.M. for less amperage!

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

If you purchase a reversible fan , all that needs to be done to change it from a puller to a pusher fan is reverse the normal way of hooking up the ground and the positive wires. Very simple.

Thank you so very much!

So then what makes a fan not reversible?

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

TJTS:

Which car has this shroud? It's an incompetent design, I can't believe that Mercedes produced it. Front mounted fans can only have ring shrouds,a full shroud like this will crush airflow. You simply can't have a shroud arranged like this and not have overheating situations. Look at this photo of a 190d, which is typical of every Mercedes I've ever seen:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NDI3WDY0MA==/z/hKgAAOxy0bRTA69U/$_3.JPG

Your puller system should outperform the stock system, in fact, I'd bet that no fan at all would outperform the front shroud setup except at idle on a hot day. That said, the same shroud mounted behind the radiator with your fan would be close to perfect.

Nope. Unless the fan is a total POS, it will have directional pitch and camber. Straight blades generally can be reverse mounted, curved blades can't. If the fan is reversible, the blade has to be flipped in addition to reversing polarity.

The shape of the fan blades determines if the fan is a pusher, puller or reversible. New fans should be marked. Mercedes fans seldom fail because of a faulty fan. As you have experienced on your own car, the fan failed because of wiring, not the fan. I would pick up a used Mercedes fan that fits your car. Fans are relatively easy to change out if necessary. I have an 82, 83 and 85 W123, all have the original electric fans.

Not sure that any of them are easy to regrease. Most automotive fans have bushings rather than bearings, this includes the stock Mercedes fans. I make fans that have real bearings, but unfortunately not for this application. Biggest problem with fans is water infiltration, which is why I suggested adding some silicone to the grommet area.

CFM is a misleading number. All fan manufacturers report CFM at zero static pressure for advertising purposes. What this number tells you is how much air can be moved with the blade spinning in free air. If you put a fan close in behind a radiator, the radiator impedes airflow, and static pressure increases. The design of the blade will determine how much horsepower is required to overcome this resistance. So a fan that's "rated" at 2500 CFM may actually only produce a fraction of that airflow when it's pulling through a radiator.

In addition, a pusher configuration will produce about 20% less airflow than a puller configuration. Think of it this way: it's easier to pull a string than to push one.

Thank you all for the help!

Very valid points! This is what I wanted, rather than basing on a fallacy.

The issue in the first place was the fan wasn't switching on. We never figured it out, so ran without the fan on and worked alright. Then couple blades got broken and the wiring acted up. Thus, the first step is to get a known good fan. How is this possible with used?

Second is finding a W123 in a salvage yard. Last time I was there was early last year and pickings were way down. I don't like eBay as every time get scammed.

Just thought I pick the available vast knowledge!

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.