s500 fan clutch replacement
 

The fan clutch on my s500 1996 went south, and I started to enquire about new cluches on the m119 engine. The only place I could get a clutch was at the dealership at the equvalent of $4000.00!!!

I however could get a new clutch on a M104 (s320) for around $120.00, so from experience I know that the clutch from the m104 will bolt on to the m119, but the m119 uses a four bolt fan blade that is 460mm in diameter, the cluitch from the m104 uses a 3 bolt fan blade of the same diameter but with much less blades.

I was afraid that fitting the m104 fan blade might result in significant less airflow because it has fewer blades.

I then bought a fan blade from a BMW 740i E38, it has three holes and bolt right up to the m104 clutch, this blades have even more blades than the origanal m119 metal fan and it is the same diameter as the origanal m119 fan(460mm)

I have bolted everything in nothing interferes nowhere and you can surely hear the air howling at around 1500rpm's now.

Will post back on cooling and operating tempretures tomorrow.

I tought this could be usefull to fellow m119 members that have clucth issues, or perhaps it was already done and documented!!

I will go with a electric fan.

That fan clutch is $423 on this web site (Sachs), or $138 (URO Parts) which is excellent quality.

The fan spins in the opposite direction relative to the engine. If you fitted a BMW fan the blades might have the wrong orientation.

Thanks for the information:).

You are quite correct, I just realized that when standing still and the electrical fans engage the airflow from the electrical fans makes the visco fan(with bmw blades) stad almost still. Closer inspection revealed that the blades on the BMW fan is not the same as mercedes.

Ok so now I have two options, since I already purchased a new clutch for a S320 M104 I couls fit S320 fan blades, would these blades work in your opinion to draw enough air?

I live in south africa, so ordering from fastlane I do not think it is possible?

Just for your interest, the newer clutch fans for the 103 and 104 motors have nine blades instead of eleven and are more efficient. The blades have uneven spacing on each side.

Most vfc models are designed for different rotation speeds.

From experience I would strongly advise against Uro and Chinese made Behr Hella viscous fan clutches:mad:. Otherwise you may end up paying more anyway.