replace viscous fan with electric?

[Nik_Codling]

I was looking at some MBs on ebay earlier, and there was (is?) a 300CE on there. Amongst the various photos I noticed one pic showing an electric fan placed in front of the radiator. It caught my eye as mine doesn't have that.

I'm curious as to whether this is a standard fitment on some models, or more likely a replacement of the viscous fan? I'd be tempted to try the same thing on mine if it's more efficient.

Any experiences anyone?

Nik

 

[Spike]

You got climate control?

I think the extra fan was fitted to certain models with climate.

 

[GaryC]

Is it installed by the owner himself?? I have installed an electric fan in fornt of the radiator, in my 1992, E300, with the thermostate control, in which the thermostate was installed in the inlet hose of the radiator.

The reason for this installation, was, I suffered some over heat, (forturnately was not serious) during a hot sunny day, in a long motorway congestion last summer.

The reason is, the engine running at idelling speed, and the traffic was constantly running from 0 to something like 5 mph then 0 again, so even the viscous fan kick in, the fan speed, was not fast enough to cool down the high temperature!

So it's might be a good idea, if u always suffer from serious traffic congestion...

 

[Nik_Codling]

electric fan

I've not got climate control on my car, but I guess the one in question may have done, I didn't check.

I've still got to get round to fixing my viscous fan, it's permanantly on....

Although strangely, when i start the car from cold it's off for the first few seconds until I give the car a little rev. It's one of those weekend jobs that is still way down the list, and I'm put off by the fiddly-factor!

As for traffic congestion....I live in the south east!

cheers,

Nik

 

[kid-jensen]

Nik,

If yours still overheats with the viscous fan siezed, you've really got problems!

The Scrap Yards are full of suitable electric fans (try the Senator one for example) that could be made to work with very little ingenuity.

If you have more time than money, this is the way to go, Kenlow kits are well over the ton.

 

[DavidBlake]

Nik,
I have done this conversion on my 300CE. As my car has aircon I had to fit the fan on the inside which restricts the size of fan to about 85mm max depth. This allowed a 14" fan which I fitted along with an adjustable thermostatic switch in a short alloy tube inserted in the top hose. All available form Demon Tweeks. It works OK.
If your car has no aircon it would be better to fit a "Profan" on the outside of the radiator as they are more powerful and you have plenty of room.
Regards
Dave.

 

[GaryC]

yes ture, but I don't have aircon, so I installed a Pacet, 11 inch 'Club range' fan, as the depth was shorter then the Profan, just 77mm, in front of the radiator, which generate 1180 CFM of airflow, powerful enough to cool it down.

For the thermostatic, I used the Aluminium Fan control adaptor, which installed in the top hose, cut it by half, and inserted in the middle; as I remember, the diameter of the Aluminium hose adaptor should be 45mm.....and supplied with the relay.

You could find a whole range of Pro fan in Demon Tweek....

Anyway, what temperature you set it to turn on??

 

[Nik_Codling]

fan

Thanks for your replys chaps.

My viscous fan would appear to be "seized" on (ie spinning and roaring away all the time) but my engine temp is ok, so no worries there.

One of these days I'll get round to fixing/replacing it (can a sezied viscous fan be fixed???) but I was just curious about an elctric one as an alternative really.

cheers,

Nik

 

[Orlando 300E]

Hello Nik

Don?t know about repairing the viscous coupling, but I recently renewed mine.
I was surprised how quick it was to change over -15-20 minutes.
The hardest part was removing & remounting the fan blade -surprising how sharp those rad. fins are!

Orlando

 

[Nik_Codling]

fan replacement

Thanks for your post Orlando, it's good to know it's not a big job.

Can I confirm that the fan is held on with three socket head screws? Looks kind of hard to get in there to undo those......

Shame I don't live near Edinburgh, you could give me a hand! :wink:

cheers,

Nik

 

[Orlando 300E]

I am presuming you have a M103 engine (12 valve) & that you have tacken the fan shroud off.

Yes, the fan blade is held in by 3 socket "Allen key" head bolts (sorry cant remember the size), that go into the coupling. They are not too bad to get out apart from the restricted space, it?s when you put them back in is the problem.

the other things to know are-
You need to loosen the serpentine ?fan? belt to get it off the fan pulley (this is a good time to change this belt).

The fan coupling is only held on by only 1 Allen bolt (seem to remember this being a 7 or 8mm size). The recess on mine was a bit clogged with muck, took a few goes to get the Allen key into the bolt head.

Before you can undo the bolt you need to lock the coupling in place. Have you got a Haynes manual? In it they mention that there is a special tool for doing this, but the good news is that you can make one! Haynes suggests using a short straight piece of threaded rod (again, seem to remember 5mm). In the manual they show this sitting in a groove (located, looking from the front of the engine at about 1 or 2 o?clock from the center of the pulley) locking the pulley. Unfortunately access to this groove is very restricted, the pulley shrouds it :evil: . With this in mind I paid a visit to B&Q and purchased a small packet of 6 bolts 50mm long, with the correct size thread. I made a 90-degree bend at the bottom of the bolt, to slot onto both the grove and the pulley hub, with enough length to be able to hold onto the bolt with locking pliers. It was a bit trial and error with the length at the end of the bolt before the bend, took 3 tries before I had something that did the job 8) .
So with the pulley locked in place I just put the Allen key in the bolt, and tapped it (lightly!) with a hammer to release the thread.
Re-assembly requires the bolt to be done up to a specific torque, unfortunately this was impossible with the radiator in place ?not enough clearance for my torque wrench. I ended up just nipping it up by hand.
This job would be best done with the radiator removed but that means draining, refilling & bleeding the system??? :roll:

Hope that hasn?t confused you too much
Best wishes & good luck
Orlando

 

[Nik_Codling]

viscous coupling replacement

That's excellent, thanks Orlando.

It all sounds about what I was expecting - a bit of a squeeze in behind the radiator, grazed knuckles, and fun and games getting the coupling locked into place!!

Yes, I've got the Haynes manual, and seen the picture of the locking bolt. Presumably this screws into one of the fan screw holes? I'll have a try with various bolts, studding etc.

One more question, once I've taken the clips off the radiator shround, is it possible for this to come out? It seems like it won't until the fan is removed, but it also limits the access to the fan screws, reminds me of working on a Mini!!

I may get round to looking at this in another week or so, once I've finished re-assembling my motorbike, and convniced my good lady that I really do prefer to spend my spare time with her and not in the garage/under the bonnet!!!

cheers,

Nik

 

[Orlando 300E]

Nik,
The locking bolt just slides into a hole on the coupling pulley hub ?I think Haynes just used threaded rod because it was the correct size! The picture in Haynes (helpfully, not!) shows this without the pulley. In real life its hard to see, you have to lean right over the engine bay.

The fan shroud, on mine is the split type, with front & rear parts. If yours is the same you have to first remove the retaining pin -plastic holder for radiator expansion hose ?top middle of the rad. This just unclips, and allows you to rotate the rear part of the shroud ?there are direction arrows to show you the way. You can then remove the front part & get at those fan bolts.
Good luck
Orlando