LightMan,

I do things as completely as possible. Using the block drain is a false sense of "doing it completely as possible IF possible". Using a garden hose to flush out the heater core, radiator, and other parts is doing it as completely as possible. That's what I did when I replaced the radiator & t-stat on my Dodge Cummins.

The way things have been going for the past year with my car, I've been draining the radiator every few months & have concluded that just doing that a few times is the fastest and easiest way to get it done. No need to climb under the car, deal with stuck drain plugs, or otherwise.

Regards,

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Brian Toscano

Brian - no need to get defensive, nobody said you do incomplete work

Using a garden hose etc is a little logistically tricky for me here where I live, so that's not 'possible'. I was thinking draining the radiator and block drain would be as complete as I could possibly get it.

CUMMINS rule!

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

I recommend doing it the MB way, that's good enough for me. Drain the radiator out of the plug (low spot in the radiator) and the block drain, which I agree isn't as thorough as POSSIBLE, but pretty good. I'd discourage running water through it, just refill using 50:50 premix.
If you are keeping up on the regular maintenance, the coolant you're replacing shouldn't be in THAT bad shape that you need to be concerned with removing all traces of the old stuff. If you bought it used and it's real old and junky coolant, then I can understand wanting to do "more" to flush out the old stuff. But with a well cared for car, you shouldn't need to worry about it (but I know some of you will!!).

Gilly

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My '99 had it's coolant changed once, in 2002, by a MB dealership. I dont think it should be TOO bad? I have 52k miles.

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

Sounds like you're right on schedule to me. I'd research what the real reason is for the temp difference, if in fact it really is getting way too hot, and maybe do the coolant change next year.

Gilly

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Thanks, I guess I just wanted to rule that out but somehow figured it was something else. Ok well I did the fan spin test, guess it's time to start looking at those other possibilities..

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

Gilly, must the AC be on for these fans to run? I drove the car for about 20 mins today, came home, and let it idle for a few mins. The fans didn't move. Somethings up, because my car comes up to temp so quickly. I can go from cold to full operating temp in a mile of 25mph driving....which sure seems quick to me...

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

Gilly,

My temps have been higher recently too.

I just turned the right fan and the left one did not move at all.
Where is this belt you are refering to?

How do you change it?

Thanks.

-Dan

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1996 (W210) E300D 86K - Traded in for a Lexus
1992 (W124) 300D 2.5 Turbo 202K - Sold
1983 (W123) 300D, 146K - Sold
1970 280S, 263K - Sold - Beginning of addiction

No, if the engine gets hot enough the fans come on also. The other option is the AC system pressure calling for the fans.
Usually if the weather is warm enough the high side pressure will be high enough to call for at least partial fan speed.
I'm thinking it's time to get it to a shop where they can get into the climate control system with their computer and try doing an activation test on the fans.
Did you let the car sit for awhile after the drive and let the engine idle for maybe 10 minutes or so just to be sure they did/didn't run?

Gilly

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Moe
Make sure the other fan will move (not seized). Use you imagination on how to try to spin it, there is no "approved way" to check for a seized fan.
You may want to do the same thing as lightman and see if the drivers side fan is running when the engine is warmed up and the AC on, just so you can get the "whole" system working.
The belt runs on the back side of the fam motor support, you can't really see it from the front of the car, you need to remove the aux fan assembly. I'll try to sketch out the job for you:
Remove the plastic fan guard, that's held in place by 2 plastic fasteners on top of the radiator support.
Remove the one bolt that holds on the horn and small bracket/bumper assembly (13mm bolt).
You'll see a tube running across the top of the bumper (black aluminum pipe that loops back and forth once, it's to help cool power steering fluid). Remove the 2 large sheetmetal screws that hold the tube in place (10mm screw heads).
Next you have to remove the radiator support, so remove the 3 screws per side which attach the radiator support, and I recommend, on the bracket on the radiator support that runs down to the bumber to just remove the one screw on the very bottom (screws into the bumper support, just below where the horn bolted on). You can leave the hood release cable clipped to the radiator support and set the support onto the engine, or unclip the cable and set the support aside, your choice.
Looking at the fan assembly, you'll see a little clipped on cover on the upper drivers side corner of the fan assembly, you pull that off and the electrical connector is there, you need to seperate that. DON'T just yank on it, squeeze the tabs together and use a small screwdriver to pry the 2 halves apart. Otherwise you bust the connector.
The only thing left is 2 bolts, usually they're kind of hidden under some rubber baffles along the top of the fan assembly. It's only 2 bolts, but look very thoroughly, because there are a few "incorrect" bolts in that area. These two bolts pass through the top of the fan assembly and as I said, are partially or totally hidden by some rubber strips on top.
Once this is all done, the top of the fan can be tilted forward (you'll notice the low pressure AC fitting needs to clear the side of the fan assembly, there is a small access hole for this AC fitting, it's not hard to get it to come out.
The old belt may still be in the area, resist the temptation to reuse the belt, get a new one, it "rolls" right on pretty easy.

Gilly

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Thanks, Gilly.

The left fan spins freely. The right one goes on with the AC.

Sounds like a fun weekend project!!!

__________________
1996 (W210) E300D 86K - Traded in for a Lexus
1992 (W124) 300D 2.5 Turbo 202K - Sold
1983 (W123) 300D, 146K - Sold
1970 280S, 263K - Sold - Beginning of addiction

Gilly, I didn't let it idle that long. I turned on the AC this time, and both fans came on instantly and run quietly/smoothly. Now what do we think it is? Car comes up to temp very quickly, and has been running just a tad hotter than it normal lately..

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

Um, something else?

Maybe the outside of the radiator is real dirty, you could pull out the aux fan and see how much crud is back there. Or the T stat., but I doubt it.

Gilly

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Gilly, which fan do I remove and how? The car is typically driven on dry sunny days and has 52k. I dont imagine anything is too caked/crudded up but it's possible.

If it's not dirty, and you doubt it's the t-stat, what are the other possibilities?

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2004 Ram 2500 Cummins HO
2000 Jetta TDI
1999 E300 (sold)

I just described this procedure aux fan removal) to slowmoe about 4 or 5 posts up on this thread (the long post). If you decide to do it, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to go ahead and replace the small fan drive belt as a maintenance item.
You could TRY the thermostat, but don't blame me if it was a waste of time and money, or you could remove and check it, but for the problem you're having, it would all be pretty subjective, in other words you're looking for a very minor variance in the thermostat operation. I assume you'd be looking for the tstat to open just a little bit later than normal, and maybe not as "open" as it should be. You'd almost have to test yours and a new one at the same time for comparison. Or hell, just throw a part at the problem, you wouldn't be the first, but remember the caveat I listed in the beginning of this paragraph.
Other problems it could be....well, that's where it helps to have a guy actually working on the vehicle, because maybe there is some oddball thing going on I can't think of.
I'll assume it hasn't been in a wreck where the front was damaged and *GASP* some fine young bodyshop professional put something back together wrong, ie aux fans wired reversed, or engine fan put on backwards, both of which I have personally seen, but maybe not on a 210. (They're real famous for messing up the turn signal and headlight washer wiring on 124 chassis, easy to do, but EASY to check when you're through).
Ummm, it sounds like the cooling system has been well cared for, but another possiblity is the radiator CORE plugging up (the tubes inside the radiator), UNLESS you had a prior owner or shop that really got "in to" this radiator stop-leak crap as a maintenance item, and now THAT's plugging the core. But outside of that scenario, I doubt it's the core plugging up, but something to chew on.
How high is the temp actually going? The "rate" at which it heats up to tell you the truth wouldn't concern me as much as how high it's going. You can ask around the forums and see if someone would check the rate at which theirs reaches normal engine temp, and what normal engine temps owners are seeing on theirs.
I'd assume 80 to 90C to be normal.
Possiblity exists also I suppose that it's just an instrumentation problem, but that's initially what they thought about Apollo 13 too......

Gilly

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Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)