Ever since I got my 300TD last year, the whole fan system has been dead. After changing the blower fuse, I got the fans working for a week and the heat worked as well, but then it suddenly stopped. Fuse was fine, replaced it incase, nothing. Today I finally got around to pulling the kick panel and trying to pull the blower and quickly found it would not come out without removing, what after a little research, turns out to be the AC hoses.

I decided not to unhook the hoses till I do a bit more research. My AC compressor has never had a belt on it and I'm sure hasn't worked in almost two decades. What is the best way to remove the freon so I can unhook these lines and pull the blower? Can I just carefully unhook them in the cabin with a catch pan ready, or do I need to do it some other way?

I'm thinking I might start by taking a volt-meter to the blower power cable and see if it's getting juice first, but it would be good to know how to get the fan out if there is juice going to it.

I pulled the blower on my wife's 1983 w123 300td in about five minutes. I have heard that the lines are in the way before, but I urge you to take another look, three hex bolts on mine and one phillips screw. The semicircular base of the blower unit detaches completely from the rest of the housing.

Good luck
I hope that helps

__________________
1983 240d 5Sp SOLD
1986 300D(LUCO) SOLD
1983 300TD(dreamboat)SOLD
1984 240d (Executive)SOLD
1984 240d (Euripides) SOLD
1982 300sd SOLD
1982 300sd (Ambas)SOLD

Yup, got under there, unhooked the 3 bolts and 1 screw, but no matter what way I oriented the base plate, it was blocked by about 2cm by the hoses. It's too close to the hard line to just be able to move the hoses out of the way. In every way I looked at it, these hoses have to be unhooked. I might take another shot but I'm pretty confident. Does your wife's TD by chance have the manual AC or is it the automatic one?

So, how can these hoses be unhooked? Am I going to have freon firing all over the inside of my car or is there another place I can drain it first?

The blower housing should just drop out of the housing after removing the three hex head screws and one phillips head screw. You will also need to disconnect the power plug. I suppose someone could have re-routed the AC hoses and in that case they will need to be moved out of the way. They only proper way (and legal) is to take the car to an AC shop and ask them to remove the freon. If you start to work on the AC hoses yourself be sure to wear safety glasses. Freon is a gas and not a liquid.

How much pressure is the system typically under? Is it typically corrosive to the skin? Is there a better drain spot under the hood?

A lot of pressure - at times in excess of 150psi. As I stated before it is illegal to discharge freon into the atmosphere and can be dangerous. When the system is discharged the entire system will then need to be evacuated and re-charged with freon. Unless you have the proper equipment you will need to have this professionally done. I have three W123 cars (sedan, coupe and wagon) and after the under dash panel is removed on the passenger side it normally takes about 5 minutes to remove the blower from the housing.

Understood. It needs to be recharged even if your compressor pump is broken and you have no plan on using the AC system?

Sounds like doing it myself is a no go, as I don't want to do anything harmful to the environment of course. Unfortunately though, it looks like someone must have unhooked those hoses at some point and when they tightened down the metal fittings, they didn't think to orient them so they didn't obstruct the fan. Looks like my fan is stuck in there.

What a bummer.

Freon is the Dupont name for R12.
You may have R134a in your system.
if it was correctly serviced there will be different types of service connections and hopefully also a sticker saying , for instance, it has been changed from R12 at some point in time.... you need to take it to a shop and have them determine what you have.. they might even be able to reclaim the R12 for you...

__________________
1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

The AC is a moot point on this car, it's dead and with the condition of the car, it's not worth trying to salvage. So what I'm trying to figure out is if the system can be easily drained for cheap, and not refilled. The goal is simply getting the system depressurized so that I'm safely able to move the hoses obstructing the fan. I'm just trying to get the blower working again for defrost and heater purposes during the upcoming winter, the car is a beater and has been terribly treated during the last two decades.

Before going through the trouble, go ahead and unscrew the cap on the low pressure side and press in the schrader valve with your fingernail for a quick second. If you hear "pssh" then the system has some pressure and should be drained. If not, it has probably leaked out long ago.

__________________
1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

http://i.imgur.com/LslW733.jpg

The Baja Arizona Oil Burners Send a message if you'd like to join the fun
Left to Right - UberWasser, Iridium, Stuttgart-->Seattle,, mannys9130

Visit the W123 page on iFixit for over 70 helpful DIY guides!

Don't use any part of your body.... use a screw driver or stick.....
The AC is not a moot point with regards to safety....
for you to be dealing with the AC lines not even knowing it is a gas.......
Wear goggles also...

__________________
1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=10414

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Better yet

__________________
1979 300D 040 Black on Black - 1985 300D Maaco job (sadly sprayed over 199 Black Pearl Metallic) on Palamino

http://i.imgur.com/LslW733.jpg

The Baja Arizona Oil Burners Send a message if you'd like to join the fun
Left to Right - UberWasser, Iridium, Stuttgart-->Seattle,, mannys9130

Visit the W123 page on iFixit for over 70 helpful DIY guides!

I appreciate all the knowledge. I think I'm going to shelve this project and move onto other, more important things. I was under the impression coolant was a liquid, not a liquid-gas, very glad I didn't just crack the hoses! I think first step is checking for current coming through the blower power line before considering taking it to get the lines properly drained.

Man, I could strangle the person who reattached those hoses how they are!

Dicholoraldifluoralmethane (spelling?)is the chemical name for R12 freon. This is serious stuff. It is understandable that you would not want to spend any money on an AC system that seems dead. The problem is the AC system can still bite you. I am guessing that any shop (even in LA) will charge you less than $20 to tell you if the system is still charged with freon.

Man, so glad I came on here first, I had no idea. I'm sure you guys can all appreciate the urge to keep wrenching and moving forward, real glad I didn't.

If I do decide to get the fan out, I'll definitely be taking it by an AC shop to evacuate the system completely.