Help: W123 fan install, seems impossible.

[cityhix]

I can't for the life of me see how to get the fan back on the water pump pulley. I'm going crazy!!!!

[123Guy]

Did you remove the radiator? If you did, you shouldn't have any trouble.

[cityhix]

No, radiator is still in. Car came to me without the fan installed (I know, I know).

[kerry]

Can you described in more detail the problem you are having. There should be four bolts holding the fan to the pump unless you have a fan clutch in which case the fan attaches to the clutch and the clutch to the pump.
Only 240d's lacked the fan clutch.

[cityhix]

My fan has a clutch. Four open holes on the clutch, leave one bolt on the pulley, slide the fan/clutch assembly on the one bolt, all okay up till now. But then I can't get the other three bolts threaded into the pulley, there just isn't enough room to get the bolt plus my fingers in there to get them started. I tried removing the four bolts that attach the fan to the pulley in the hopes that it would create more room but I'm stymied.

[kerry]

Do you have the OE bolts? It's tight but it can be done. My recollection is that I got the bolts in the general vicinity of the hole, then used a flat bladed screwdriver between the clutch and the head of the bolt to get them in the hole with some pressure while I turned the head with an open end wrench.

[mb1982123]

Gotta love it when a post from 2008 about a technique to bolt the fan back on saves your bacon and makes for a much better afternoon. Thanks kerry.

[Dmitry at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by cityhix

I can't for the life of me see how to get the fan back on the water pump pulley. I'm going crazy!!!!

Here is a DIY tech article from our site that will help you with this.

Mercedes-Benz W123 Fan and Shroud Removal | 300TD 1977-1985 | Pelican Parts DIY Maintenance Article


-Dmitry