No Radiator Main Fan
 

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with year-round weather similar to Seattle, Washington.

I had a chat with a fellow who drives a 1982 MB300DT. He removed his A/C system hardware components (i.e., dryer, compressor) in the engine compartment and the main mechanical fan between the radiator and the engine. He claims to have no problem whatsoever having removed the fan and gained power due to less engine load.

Any truth to this?

truth
 

BUT; extreme risk of overheated engine.

He might be able to run that way OK for years.... but if he runs into a combination of events which take away the good effects of being in such a climate.... the build up of rust and stuff in the cooling system, a thermostat slowly starting to not do its job, bugs on the radiator, a hot day in traffic... and whamo... you have taken away your ' reserve cooling' ability and may not be able to get to the side of the road in time...
When people do this... and tell others about it... how often do they take the time.... if they Crispy their engine later.... to get in touch with all the people who heard about the time it did work.... and say " well, that was a bad idea" ? LOLOLOL.... not likely....

Don't think I'd do it. Can't see that you'd gain all that much extra H.P., and the thot's of overheating my car isn't pleasant. We do still get some hot weather in the summer.
Once in awhile.
No, really!
We do!;) :D

It will overheat in heavy traffic on a still day, even it it's only a bit warm -- no air movement over the rad with the car sitting in traffic is begging for a boilover.

My Dodge Aries boiled over on the bridge at Sault Ste. Marie one spring becuase I'd dropped a scraper into the fan housing while doing a thermostat and it jammed the fan. Boiled madly at Customs, very embarrasing.

Peter

That's exactly the setup I have on mine. The front fan is offset to cover part of the oil cooler and on a manual switch since I have no A/C to automaically activate it.

Goto a scrapyard and get an electric fn from a FWD V6 or V8 something. It should save you $50+ over a new fan in the store. Just be sure to test it before you take it and get one that from a car that hood was closed.