Anyone install the Mercedes Benz electrically controlled fan clutch on a 403 yet?

Bob Dunahugh

New member
Sep 17, 2012
2,784
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I know Matt Collie has. And he has this answer. The Benz unit locates the back of it's fan at the front of were the stock fan is located. It's looking to me that this puts the Benz fan well into the stock fan shroud's cone area. Thus I'm thinking that I don't have to cut my now two piece plastic fan shroud. The Benz fan has about a 1" larger dia. Bob Dunahugh 78 Royale
 
You need an adapter,bracket and a cotrol box.
We have all that in our kit.
www.appliedgmc.com
I am running it in my 78 Kingsly.

> I know Matt Collie has. And he has this answer. The Benz unit locates
> the back of it's fan at the front of were the stock fan is located. It's
> looking to me that this puts the Benz fan well into the stock fan shroud's
> cone area. Thus I'm thinking that I don't have to cut my now two piece
> plastic fan shroud. The Benz fan has about a 1" larger dia. Bob Dunahugh
> 78 Royale
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
 
Go to Heating cooling section.

> You need an adapter,bracket and a cotrol box.
> We have all that in our kit.
> www.appliedgmc.com
> I am running it in my 78 Kingsly.
>
> On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 2:27 PM, Bob Dunahugh

>
>> I know Matt Collie has. And he has this answer. The Benz unit locates
>> the back of it's fan at the front of were the stock fan is located. It's
>> looking to me that this puts the Benz fan well into the stock fan shroud's
>> cone area. Thus I'm thinking that I don't have to cut my now two piece
>> plastic fan shroud. The Benz fan has about a 1" larger dia. Bob Dunahugh
>> 78 Royale
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.appliedgmc.com
> 1-800-752-7502
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
 
I watch all of these things and options for the radiator fans.

The question is why?

The cooling system should cool the engine on it's own most of the time and only require additional boosting, meaning more air flow, is rare
conditions. If you can not keep the engine at normal operating temperature then fix your cooling system problem. Do not try to cover it up with more
fan forced air cooling.

I realize that there are a few circumstances where additional fan forced air is necessary, like extensive slow speeds like idling, or stop and go
driving, or towing in a large load up hill in warm/ hot weather. In those occasional circumstances the stock fan and clutch has worked for many, many
years on thousands on maybe millions of vehicles.

Fix the cooling system before monkeying around with a fan or clutch.

--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
Are you going to this fan because the stock clutch fails?

> I watch all of these things and options for the radiator fans.
>
> The question is why?
>
> The cooling system should cool the engine on it's own most of the time and
> only require additional boosting, meaning more air flow, is rare
> conditions. If you can not keep the engine at normal operating
> temperature then fix your cooling system problem. Do not try to cover it
> up with more
> fan forced air cooling.
>
> I realize that there are a few circumstances where additional fan forced
> air is necessary, like extensive slow speeds like idling, or stop and go
> driving, or towing in a large load up hill in warm/ hot weather. In those
> occasional circumstances the stock fan and clutch has worked for many, many
> years on thousands on maybe millions of vehicles.
>
> Fix the cooling system before monkeying around with a fan or clutch.
>
>
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--

*John Phillips*
 
Ken, there's a few reasons.
Working fan clutches are harder and harder to find.
Each has two seals using 40 y/o technology, double the leak potential.
The activating mechanism on the OEM is hung out in the weather to collect whatever hits it.
The OEM fan is heavy and not as efficient as the new one.
There is no provision to turn the OEM on in anticipation - a hill or traffic f'rinstance
Your ears and the temp gauge are the only way to tell if the OEM is engaged or not.

Will a properly operating OEM system cool the coach? Yup. After a couple of clutches, a new core, and a good set of belts my 23' had no cooling
problems over Culowee Mountain, or out of Mississippi to home in August.
My 26' runs cool. but hills warm it up more than I'd like. So, it will get the new setup which I can force on ahead of time, and which has a light to
tell me it's engaged.

For the dedicated gadget buff, there is provision in the fan to provide RPM. You could run a separate tach for fan speed. If I can find a two needle
electronic tach I'm minded to replace the one in my Mac dash with engine and fan rpm. Purely as a point of interest.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
> I watch all of these things and options for the radiator fans.
>
> The question is why?
>
> The cooling system should cool the engine on it's own most of the time and only require additional boosting, meaning more air flow, is rare
> conditions. If you can not keep the engine at normal operating temperature then fix your cooling system problem. Do not try to cover it up with
> more fan forced air cooling.
>
> I realize that there are a few circumstances where additional fan forced air is necessary, like extensive slow speeds like idling, or stop and go
> driving, or towing in a large load up hill in warm/ hot weather. In those occasional circumstances the stock fan and clutch has worked for many,
> many years on thousands on maybe millions of vehicles.
>
> Fix the cooling system before monkeying around with a fan or clutch.

Ken,

The answer to your question is simple....

I am on the third fan clutch.
One got so loose I was worried that it might actually let go of the blade.
The replacement locked up on the way to the Western States Rally. When I say locked up, if the belts didn't slip, I could have turn the engine over
compression. I bought what I could find and replaced it in a parking lot at Amana.
That one came on too soon and stayed on so long that the thermostat never opened. That put the fuel rate down to 8.6 and it was loud all the time.
With some help, I got all the parts together and put in the electrically controlled fan.
This one comes on at 210°F and goes off at 195°F. I can never be sure if it is running when Mary is driving.

It was a real good mod for me.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
Ken, I can only think of one GOOD and PRACTICAL reason to change to the
Mercedes fan. The stock clutch fan "ain't what she used to be". I have
replaced 4 of them on my coach, and too many to remember on customer
coaches. If you have a good one, hang on to it for dear life. What is out
there in the parts stream is a long, far, cry from what was originally
fitted to our coaches. Since Delphi filed for bankruptcy back before Olds,
and Pontiac, and Saturn went belly up, the aftermarket parts stream is
F.U.B.A.R. Water pumps, fuel pumps, fan clutches, alternators, starters,
etc. are crapola. If you have local rebuilders for that stuff, support
them. They are a dying breed. I would suggest taking a hard look at the
Mercedes fan drive at someone else's expense. If it proves reliable and
trouble free after 30 to 50 thousand miles of GMC coach use, it might be
worth going to it.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403

> > I watch all of these things and options for the radiator fans.
> >
> > The question is why?
> >
> > The cooling system should cool the engine on it's own most of the time
> and only require additional boosting, meaning more air flow, is rare
> > conditions. If you can not keep the engine at normal operating
> temperature then fix your cooling system problem. Do not try to cover it
> up with
> > more fan forced air cooling.
> >
> > I realize that there are a few circumstances where additional fan forced
> air is necessary, like extensive slow speeds like idling, or stop and go
> > driving, or towing in a large load up hill in warm/ hot weather. In
> those occasional circumstances the stock fan and clutch has worked for many,
> > many years on thousands on maybe millions of vehicles.
> >
> > Fix the cooling system before monkeying around with a fan or clutch.
>
>
> Ken,
>
> The answer to your question is simple....
>
> I am on the third fan clutch.
> One got so loose I was worried that it might actually let go of the blade.
> The replacement locked up on the way to the Western States Rally. When I
> say locked up, if the belts didn't slip, I could have turn the engine over
> compression. I bought what I could find and replaced it in a parking lot
> at Amana.
> That one came on too soon and stayed on so long that the thermostat never
> opened. That put the fuel rate down to 8.6 and it was loud all the time.
> With some help, I got all the parts together and put in the electrically
> controlled fan.
> This one comes on at 210°F and goes off at 195°F. I can never be sure if
> it is running when Mary is driving.
>
> It was a real good mod for me.
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
> OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
As to reliability, this clutch has been on Sprinters for about ten years now, and it takes a hell of a beating in delivery service. I've not heard of
excessive failures, if someone knows somebody at FedEx we could find out - they're a big user of Sprinters for in town delivery.
As to belts, if the belt will pass over the outer fan ring they are replaceable with the fan installed. A/C and alternator belts should. I've not
tried the P/S belt (the smallest one). If it won't pass the outer ring of the fan, you'll have to lift the fan off to change the belt.

--johnny

--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
 
I think Billy is concerned about the wiring harness obstructing the belt on installation/removal. Even if there is fan shroud clearance, the wiring
will have to be disconnected to get the belt on or off the pulleys. The belt will be looped around the wiring unless it is disconnected. All that is
required to circumvent this easily is just a plug/socket connector to allow the belt through. I believe the factory units have a disconnect right at
the actuator, but the newer vehicles would be using a serpentine belt which may not loop over the wiring. I haven't had to do the belt(s) on a
Sprinter yet, so I may be wrong on that point, and I'm sure someone on here will have the correct knowledge.
--
Terry Kelpien

ASE Master Technician

73 Glacier 260

Smithfield, Va.
 
This answers my question, Johnny. Thanks
bdub

-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist On Behalf Of Johnny Bridges via Gmclist
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2018 8:20 AM

...snip... if the belt will pass over the outer fan ring they are
replaceable with the fan installed. A/C and alternator belts should. I've
not
tried the P/S belt (the smallest one). If it won't pass the outer ring of
the fan, you'll have to lift the fan off to change the belt.
 
> As to reliability, this clutch has been on Sprinters for about ten years now, and it takes a hell of a beating in delivery service. I've not
> heard of excessive failures, if someone knows somebody at FedEx we could find out - they're a big user of Sprinters for in town delivery.
> As to belts, if the belt will pass over the outer fan ring they are replaceable with the fan installed. A/C and alternator belts should. I've
> not tried the P/S belt (the smallest one). If it won't pass the outer ring of the fan, you'll have to lift the fan off to change the belt.
>
> --johnny

Actually, I forgot about the PS pump belt as I have not has one for years. (I run a dual on the alternator.)

But in as much as I did this last week (I was cheating, the front frame is out of the coach) and I just grabbed the hex that screws the fan onto the
water pump and unscrewed it. There is the electrical connection and the stabilizer for the stationary ring. If I had not planned to pass the fan
into the radiator, I could have lifted the belts around the path with no additional effort except for releasing the tensioning system. But then, one
pretty much normally has to do that to install new belts. Best of all, the waterpump's triple sheave stayed where it should be. The memory of trying
to reassemble that in the parking lot at Amana is still fresh. So is the memory of crawling under the hot coach to retrieve the screw that I dropped.
I don't recall if it was one at mounted the fan to the clutch or the clutch to the pump. It was in the gravel, so most likely it was the later.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
I am the person who championed the Mercedes Benz fan clutch improvement and
am posting this reply to both the following threads:

“Anyone install the Mercedes Benz Fan electrically controlled fan clutch…”

“Cooling Timing in keeping your engine cooled better”

We CHANGE many items on our coaches to yield a better Vintage RV experience.

CHANGE can be “FICKLE”……….you can get the out come you want and some
additional unwanted outcomes.

Just to be clear, I came from a back round in Automotive Quality Assurance
and Bearing Quality Assurance. So I Don’t take Change lightly.

On the issue of Water pump reliability OEM, water pumps used on BOC
platforms (Buick, Olds, Cadillac) employed a ¾” shaft Ball/Ball
configuration and were the most robust in GM line. The BOC water pumps had
longest stick out from the face of the block, a whopping 6 inches. GM
packaged the largest cost effective bearings at the time in those designs,
the 3/4” shaft Ball/Ball design. Most others, including Chevrolet, used a
5/8” shaft and smaller rolling elements, Balls.

While working with Mercedes Benz Fans and trying to keep un wanted “FICKLE”
outcomes to bite us. I started investigating Bearings and todays
technologies. The period that these pumps were manufactured…… only
BALL/BALL ¾ “ were generally available……….I discovered that is no longer
true. Ball/Roller Bearings are now common but not always employed by
rebuilders due to cost.

CARDONE produces new Casting pumps for our 455/403 engines and has upgraded
to the more robust load carrying Ball/Roller *Bearing Design*

*CARDONE SELECT #5521118H………………just do it!*

*ALSO, It is a common practice at most good repair facilities to replace
thermostat, water pump and fan clutch if any are found to be defective or
timed out due to miles or age. JUST DO IT!*

--
Regards,

Tom Pryor
4188 Limerick Dr
Lake Wales, Fl 33859
Cell 248 470 9186

Living on a waterfront is not a matter of life or death. Its more
important than that.
 
The harness to the clutch has a connector. Applied supplies a bracket to anchor the connector which fits under an existing bolt on the engine.

--johnny
--
76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased