recently removed the leaking rad in my 1994 E420. Following the repair manual it appeared very easy. Well, the small plastic pieces on the bottom of the rad hinder the removal by getting in the way of the fan. These plastic pieces are attached to the rad by crimping not by any removable fastener and i had to force the right one out in order to remove the rad.
My question is - has anybody else run into this problem and is there a solution? Also, have I missed something?
I don't want to remove the peice from the new one when it arrives.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Michael.

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I replaced my radiator last year. The tabs at the bottom make for a tight fit when going back in. I was able to slip mine past the fan and I only slightly bent a few of the fins on the radiator, which were easily straightened once the radiator was fully in.

In retrospect, the motor mounts on my car were probably flat and needed replaced at the time. This probably caused the fan to be angled down. I don't know if it would have been more difficult or less difficult with new motor mounts. I guess you could take the fan off, but that's a pain to get it back on, once the radiator is in place.

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1993 400E, 256,000 miles (totaled)
1994 E420, 200,000+ miles
1995 E420, 201,000 miles

Thanks for the reply. In the service manual they say you have to take out the rad to change the fan. I would think that there is not enough room to put the fan back in once the rad is in place. Do you know if the mounts at the bottom are supposed to come off and be put on from the underneath onece the rad is in place?
Thanks again.

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It is possible to take the fan off without removing the radiator, but it's a tight fit. I don't know if the brackets at the bottom of the radiator even come off. In any case, I didn't take mine off.

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1993 400E, 256,000 miles (totaled)
1994 E420, 200,000+ miles
1995 E420, 201,000 miles