Hello all,

I'm working on getting the vacuum pump out of my 1981 300TD, and am trying to remove the radiator fan so I can get some room in there to work with. Unfortunately, the last 10mm bolt became completely rounded off. None of my arsenal will grab onto it, (Channellocks and Vice Grips). I don't have access to Oxy/Acel or an Air Chisel. Any recommendations?

You might try a hammer and chisel to actually turn the bolt (tap the bolt on the edge with a chisel in the direction to unscrew the bolt). If that fails you can use the chisel to knock the head of the bolt off completely, which would then necessitate drilling out the remainder of the bolt and using a tap to rethread the hole in the water pump. Usually the vac pump can be removed/replaced easily by removing the power steering pump.

I wonder if a 6 point wrench would grab what is remaining.
You could also take the 3 bolts out and then with the vise grips on the bolt, wiggle the fan while trying to turn the bolt.

Try socket extractor. It is designed for rounded bolt head.

Sears.com

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A Vicegrip 4LW is a good tool for this. It grabs on three flats and doesn't let go:

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Best spanner you have and super glue it on the bolt , Or a long chisell with angled head. Dont give up it went in ,it will come out..Your pully may turn at the same time so get a rope around it and get someone to hold it tight . I used a pully holding tool just a piece of steel with two bolts in it .

I could not get a box end wrench on mine. Took a flat end punch & hit bolts down from the top, down from right side then left side, needle-nose vice-grips then got it.

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THIS..

I bought this and love this tool, it also is very handy in undoing siezed brake hoses.

I also have a knipex cobra, that thing can really bite a bolt, I removed one nut which had no flats left at all with that pliers.

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1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
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I think going to take a cold chisel and cut the head off!
I don't think I have enough room to get a socket over it, with the fan being attached. I need to invest in a set of these anyway!

Don't fudge up your water pump with the chiselling.

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danderso, the bolt you are trying to loosen holds the pulley in place. The bolts securing the fan are actually cap screws which require a hex wrench, as I recall, and are accessed from the front of the fan. You need to remove the fan shroud to access the cap screws.

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Fred Hoelzle

Ferd you are right mate, he is going the wrong way to remove it

hacksaw that bolt off

Using the hacksaw blade only without the handle you might have enough room to cut off the head of the bolt

Cold chisel the side, and was able to get a vice grip to stay on it!! Thanks all!

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