w124 230 CE Viscous Fan not working

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cerbera84

New Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2013
Messages
21
Location
Nottingham
Car
W124 Coupe
Hello
I've only had my w124 a couple of weeks but I noticed that it does seem to run a bit hot, although the temp gauge stays normal. However I noticed today that when I started it with the bonnet up the fan was bearly turning and could stopped completely with the lightest touch so I'm guessing that its the viscous fan coupling.

My two questions are where is the best place to get a replacement, I had a quick look on europarts but they do not stock anything for my year (1990). Is there a particular brand that is better?

Secondly is it ok to drive still? I drive manily on duel carriage ways, so hopefully will be able to get a good airflow through.

Cheers

Chris
 
Your car probably has the 2.3 litre M102 engine. This may have an electromagnetic fan coupling. That's why its not listed by ECP. The fan is switched on by an ELECTRICAL thermal switch located at the front of the cylinder head. So the electromagnetic coupling itself may be faulty or the switch. Shorting the switch contacts should make the fan run if its that.
 
Not saying it's the same part exactly, but GSF did my fan viscous clutch for a OM606 as below.

RADIATOR VISCOUS FAN COUPLING 172ME0060 1 Excl. Tax: £33.65
Incl. Tax: £40.38
Subtotal (Excl.Tax) £33.65
Subtotal (Incl.Tax) £40.38
Shipping & Handling £0.00
Grand Total (Excl.Tax) £33.65
Tax £6.73
Grand Total (Incl.Tax) £40.38

Delivered to home. Good result for me. I tend to use them before anyone else for general service items.
 
Your car probably has the 2.3 litre M102 engine. This may have an electromagnetic fan coupling. That's why its not listed by ECP. The fan is switched on by an ELECTRICAL thermal switch located at the front of the cylinder head. So the electromagnetic coupling itself may be faulty or the switch. Shorting the switch contacts should make the fan run if its that.

I've just checked and it is M102. I'm thinking it is more likely to be the coupling as it does turn when I start the engine just with no oomph.

Is it still OK to drive?
 
Should be OK to drive on the open road where the ram effect of the air through the radiator will be enough to provide cooling .The problem comes when vehicle speed drops or it becomes stationary as in heavy traffic. Just keep a wary eye on the temperature gauge in this hot weather
 
The fan won't kick in until the temp is around 100, until then it just freewheels.

Have you tried bypassing the fan switch with a wire? The switch is much more likely to go that the magnet.

BTW I bought a fan magnet for my 190 from ECP a week ago so they should stock it (only needed it because I broke a bolt when I was doing the water pump :eek:)

I wouldn't drive it without a working fan, you never know when you might get stuck in traffic.
 
Thanks, I need to drive from Nottingham to Derby to get to work tomorrow, and I'm hoping it will be alright for that as it mostly dual carriage way with just a little bit of town driving. As long as I leave early enough I shouldn't hit any traffic.
 
Just carry 5l. of water and be prepared to switch off and wait 10mins should it really begin to overheat. Rather like motoring used to be in the 50s and 60s.
 
^^ Don't stick in cold water though.

Turning the heaters up will use the matrix as an extra rad, and give you a free sauna in this weather!!
 
I used to have one of these 230s
The thermal switch is on top of the engine.
These are prone to failure .
As suggested, short out the switch terminals.
If it's the switch, this should make the fan run.
They are available from ECP and easy to fit.
I'll see if I can find the part number.

Found it already.
ECP Part No. 460220040
Cost me £9.75 in May 2008.

My engine No was 10298222143447.
 
Thanks for your help on this guys, but as it happens false alarm.... I took it to my mates garage, who was adamant there was nothing wrong with it so he held the throttle open for a couple of minutes and hey presto the fan kicked in. I'm just not used to these engines running so hot. The temprature gauge reads normal but there is a heat wave when you open the bonnent.
 

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