I would like to know at what point the viscous fan clutch should be replaced. I have a small abount of slack in the bearing. It would be a mess if that bearing let go. The car has 100K on it.

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82 300SD 100K
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD

Replace it when it doesn't function or when, in your case it makes you nervous about impending doom. There should be no wobble or looseness in the hub on the fan clutch..

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

Very small amount of play is okay. Just check the play from time to time for the next 10 years and you possibly still has the same fan clutch (if you still have the car). Change it when the play gets larger or it does not function as specifications.

David

mreid,

What did you ever do with your worn bearing on viscous fan clutch?

My 350 SDL has a noticable wobble ... the way I noticed was that the sound changed as the fan moved closer and further from the shroud.

Am replacing it tomorrow - got clutch from FastLane ... can you let me know what your experience was?

Thanks.

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

George;

I replaced my clutch with a new one just in case. I am sure it was a very long way from failing but I did it anyway. Yours sounds like it is a little farther gone and should be replaced. Unfortunatley you cannot replace the bearing, other wise you could do a fix for about $3.00

__________________
Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

mreid,

Got ready to start and notice they sent me the wrong viscous clutch. Can't do it this weekend.

I tried to make sure the internal hex head bolt had not simply come loose ... whew, no clearance.

Am I correct in assessing I need to pull radiator in order to get enough clearance for tools? I can't even get the hex head socket on any rachet down into the area ... simply no clearance.

So, pull radiator, unbolt hex head and remove assembly, then unbolt three 10 mm bolts holding fan assembly to the clutch and replace in opposite order?

Haven't had any issue with water pump ... so will just check it to see if is OK.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

George;

I can't help you on this as I have no knowledge of the 350. As far as mine went, I just removed the 4 nuts that hold the fan to the water pump pully and removed the fan from the car and then removed the fan from the clutch. But as I said the 350 may have a different setup. Sorry.

__________________
Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

I changed the fan clutch on my 350 and did not pull the radiator. Just remove the fan shroud and take the fan blade off first. (I think I took the fan blade off first, have slept since then.)

__________________
1995 S-350
370K + SOLD
1952 220B Cabriolet
39K kilometers + SOLD
1998 E300D
310K +
2012 E350 BlueTec
120K

Thanks to mreid and oldsouth ...

Old South ... while I do have an 8mm hex head on a socket, I don't have enough room between the radiator and the waterpump shaft to get the socket and wrench in there ... my clutch has only three 10mm bolts holding the fan to it ... removing these three will get the fan off the clutch, but won't get the clutch off the waterpump shaft will it?

Would prefer not to remove radiator as I just change coolant ... but, will if I have to. I guess I could also grind the hex head socket down a bit ....

oldsouth ... any more advice?

Thanks!

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

Sorry, yours must be setup different from mine because I have about 6" clearance between the radiator and the fan clutch.

__________________
1995 S-350
370K + SOLD
1952 220B Cabriolet
39K kilometers + SOLD
1998 E300D
310K +
2012 E350 BlueTec
120K

oldsouth,

I knew I should have gotten the W140!

Sounds like they had a bit more room to work with ... oh, well.

I will pull radiator .... good time to check other stuff!

Thanks!

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

Use a regular allen wrench instead of a socket type. It should fit and you won't have to remove radiator.

Vin

I think that's what I did on an M103. I put the short end of an allen key into the fan bolt then put a deep 8mm socket and breaker bar over the long end for leverage.

Sixto
91 300SE
87 300SDL
81 300SD

Thanks ... great ideas.

I have already bought a 3/8 socket set with allen heads ... pretty long so I may simply cut off extra length ... the special tool looks like a "stubby" version of what I have, except it is in 1/2 drive, I think.

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

Here's the story so far --- as you all have found out, the easy things in life are usually a real pain.

Ordered the viscous clutch (part number x) from FastLane ... delivered quickly with personal attention from Phil. Part number on box is x but part number on part is y. Called Phil who, again, was very responsive, and he overnighted me another one. Same story - part number on box was x (correct part number per CD-ROM) and part number on part was y.

Agent from worldpac (owners of Fastlane?) got on the email chain and pointed out that part number x had been replaced by part number z which required additional parts. The story is getting more interesting now, huh? I removed old clutch using a 3/8 drive with allen head that I "modified" with a grinder in order to have enought clearance (can just barely slip your arm between fan assembly and the radiator on 350 SDL. Old clutch looked OK, but was a bit loose. Unbolted clutch from fan assembly (3-10mm bolts) and bolted on part number y ... fits fine with bolt holes lining up, but a bit smaller diameter of the main clutch body. Tried it - seems to run a bit warmer ... about 5 degrees or so. However ... yep, a bit less wobble, but still not stable ... grab the fan again (turned off) ... convinced now it is the coolant pump shaft bearing ... have ordered same from FastLane (cheapest one they show in catalog).

While picking up a couple of gallons of the world's most expensive and special coolant at the dealer I asked about what they show for replacement for the clutch ... the answer is "old part number crosses to the new part, but it also requires a new fan blade assembly." I guess the new clutch is different somehow ... since the price of the clutch with blades at dealer was over $400 and the clutch from FastLane was $160, I guess I can afford to live with the "not kwite write" clutch.

If this one lasts 100K I am OK with it ...

I like electric fan idea more and more ...

Hope this story helps someone.

__________________
George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg