Hi all,

I had to replace the bolt that holds the fan clutch to the water pump. I bought a new one at the dealer and found out that it is no longer an 8mm allen, but, instead, a T55 torx :-(......any recommendations for a tool to do that job?

Thanks in advance!

Brian

__________________
1987 560SL - 95K
1996 E300D - 183K
1997 E300D - 162K
1982 240D - 160K

Can someone tell me how the guy hand threaded the 8mm bolt into the water pump shaft to hold the fan on? I believe I can get the bolt out w/o too much problem but the thought of threading the bolt back on blows me away. It looks like there is less than 2 inches clearance. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is taking the radiator out bad news?

post# 1.
Third picture special tool.

* Remove the serpentine belt.
* Mount the fan/clutch.
* Hold the bolt head with a tool.
* Turn the water pump counter clock wise.



Have a great day.

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1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

https://www.boldegoist.com/

I've done it a bunch of times on my 95. Pretent like the bolt is a cigarette and pinch it between your pointer and middle fingers. This way, I can get it in the hole, and get it threaded almost all the way in - no problemo.

__________________
2009 E320 Bluetec 117,000
1995 E300D 306,000 Sold
1996 Ford Taurus LX 130,000 Sold
1985 300TD Still 225,000 Sold
2016 Ford Fusion 24,900

I was looking over this link and I think I can make this happen but now trying to find this "SHORTY" 8mm HEX socket.

Any clue where to find one? I hit all the chain parts places in my area and no luck.


thanks chris

In case anyone looks for this later:
http://www.samstagsales.com/mercedes.htm

Anyone have one?

I go to change my belt and was going to do the tensioner....

Can't believe this ---- the big bolt is missing and the tensioner was sort of cocked in there....

now i have no idea if the tensioner was bad

but.... i can't put the car back together until I get a bolt.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Your local dealer can probably get one for you. I also got the proper stubby hex socket for $8 from my dealer...they had to order it from the carol stream PDC so it took a couple of days to come in.

__________________
-- Chris

'95 E300, 216k miles, Silver Surfer
'05 E320 CDI, 138k miles
'07 S550 4matic, 69k miles

Gone but not forgotten:

'76 300D, 350k miles?, SOLD in 1995
'75 240D, 300k miles, SOLD in 1991

Mercedes Benz Short 8mm Hex Bit for Cooling Fan Clutch | eBay

I changed the fan clutch on my '98 e300td a few days ago and found this article to be extremely helpful. Thanks. I installed a Sachs fan clutch and it works well and is about $200 less than the lowest price I could find for the Mercedes fan clutch. My experience:

1. A telescoping magnet is probably an essential tool for most of us. I dropped the 8 mm socket twice and a ratchet once and was rescued by the sears magnet I bought several years ago for about $5.
2. Mercedes has changed the bolt used to attach the clutch to the water pump. The original bolt was the one with the 8 mm head pictured in the article. The new one has a T55 torx head. Either by design or accident, the 8 mm stubby socket works on the new torx head bolt. This socket has a little more play than I would like, but it still works. I think this socket is the essential tool for this job on the '98 and '99 diesels.
I did find (but did not buy) at Amazon an "E-Z Red super low profile torx bit set" which has a T55 torx bit that would probably work for screwing in the new bolt. It is not a socket; it is turned with a wrench; a 17 mm I believe. The 12 bit set costs about $35.
3. I used a cheap ($10) Duralast breaker bar style ratchet and the 8mm stubby to break (the initial loosening) the 8 mm bolt. I bought it at Auto Zone. It has a very low profile, and the half inch, foot-long pipe extender I use for my lug wrench fits over the handle. This gave me extra torque and got my knuckles away from the fan in loosening the bolt.
4. Don't try to work from the side. Work from the top of the radiator.