I did a google site search, and came up with page after page of "can I replace my viscous fan with an electric one?"

I want to go the other way... or rather, investigate options for the electric.

Mine has started cooking fuses, occasionally... after a car wash it stayed on constantly and the motor now acts odd. Fan seems locked up when you turn it by hand (sometimes, never constantly of course, that'd be too simple) on occasion, and also the bearings in there make odd headed-south noises when you can spin it by hand.

I've never had the feeling it was doing that much anyway other than making a lot of noise. Has anybody discovered a more durable replacement aftermarket than just throwing another electric MB fan on it?

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Just to clarify, by "more durable" I'm asking if it's either possible to just do away with it completely (very durable) or if anybody knows of a fan that'll last longer. Seems odd to me that it didn't survive running constantly, I only drove short trips during that period before the fuse went, solving the problem.

EDIT:: one more pertinent piece of information is that I have had difficulty turning the fan motor by hand before I let it run constantly after the water got into something (I'm assuming that's what happened, that or a switch went bad. Can diagnose after I put another fan on if I do that). It's been going south for a while. Just wondered if anybody had any better ideas than "just put another mb fan on it."

$200.00 or whatever seems pretty high considering that at least on my car, the viscous fan has always been able to keep up with the heat even in the summer with air, except for when the fan clutch quits.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Without hesitation i would sack the MB fan and install something generic from JCWitney operated by toggle switch mounted under dash board. Dunno why they bother with over-engineered relays and sensor switches that never work on something as basic as aux cooling fan.

The actual fan itself is bad? Or just the temp switch? b/c I have an extra temp switch lying around brand new if you need it.

__________________
1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D
Automatic, A/C, Power Sunroof, Power Right Side Mirror
231K Miles FOR SALE MAKE OFFER

Michael,
Get in there and do it like a man!
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=98493&highlight=aux+fan+bearings

__________________
The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

I don't know about the switch. The actual fan itself seizes up from time to time and makes bearing-ish noises the rest of the time. The temp switch or something else (I haven't tried to diagnose AT ALL) recently started playing up, thus making the fan run constantly. Before I had a chance to investigate, the constant running let it seize up and blow the fuse. I haven't had the inspiration to replace that fuse yet, don't really want it blowing constantly anyway. Won't need it until Summer.

Looking into that rebuild. Looks involved... Let me read for a while

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Install the late W126 twin aux fans.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Don't give up your fan living in North Carolina. A couple of things happen with the SDL. When the engine gets hot, the fan is automatically turned on to protect the engine, IN a SDL you don't want the engine over heating and blowing a head gasket. Second, as the AC evaporator heats up it turns the aux fan on to cool both the radiator and evaporator. So you will need it during those hot NC summer days. Also, your engine temp sensors in the SDL will shut off the AC if the engine temp gets to a higher temp. Its trying to save the engine. So I would not get rid of the fan. Replace it with an after market one if you chose, but think lots of work rigging the car to accept it. Rebuild the bearings as posted or just get a replacement. As I have said in the SDL it is engine preservation.

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

For what? I'm trying to simplify this thing... that would involve re-wiring things and then the end result would be two devices to burn up instead of just one, wouldn't it?

Sorry...

What's the advantage?

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

You've hit the nail of the purpose of this thread squarely on the head. I was trying to find out if anybody had in fact found such a product that went in painlessly that proved more durable than the original.

I'm not deliberately trying to hack things up, just trying to see if there's a reasonable way to do this that's been discovered already.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Messing around with an after-market fan seems like more trouble than it's worth. I would just install the correct part and be done with it for another 300K miles.

You're probably right. I was just checking to see if anybody had found that one magic solution before I bit this particular bullet.

I'll bite. Thanks for all the advice, everybody.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Seeing that it's lasted 322k, I'd say you're doing pretty good. Just get a new MB fan and like Craig said, you're set for another 300k. In NC, you're definitely going to need it in the summer.

__________________
Dale

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...MG_2277sig.jpg

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo -155k
2000 E430 - 103k
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel 4x4 - 11k
2014 VW Passat TDI SE - 7k Bro's Diesel
2006 E320 CDI - 128k Pop's Benz

Pre-glow - A moment of silence in honor of Rudolph Diesel

For simplicity: Your aux fan can only run if it is told to. The over-pressure switch on the receiver-dryer and/or the water-temp switch on the side of the head tell it to run. Replace the faulty switch and you will rid yourself of the other subsequent problems such as a burned-up fan and fuses.

The coolant temp sensor (the one that kicks the aux fan in) is known to go bad (IIRC), and you may want to order a replacement to it so that your nice new fan actually kicks on when you need it to.

I would look at getting the newer dual fan setup.... used parts might work well for this project too.

__________________
John Robbins
'05 E320 CDI - 240k
'87 300TD - 318k