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Garage => Mechanicals => Topic started by: Nutz on 28 April 2006, 05:01 AM

Title: Plastic Cooling Fan?
Post by: Nutz on 28 April 2006, 05:01 AM
Well,my fan clutch is going out on the 450SE and was wondering if there is a optional plastic fan available anywhere rather than this metal one.Thanks!
Title: Re: Plastic Cooling Fan?
Post by: s class on 28 April 2006, 05:19 AM
Nutz,

Why do you want a plastic fan and what has that got to do with the clutch?  I hope you are not thinking of replacing the clutch with a fixed coupling - I tried that once and :
a) it was noisy - car sounded like a boeing trying to take off
b) it sucked horsepower - like the handbrake was on
c) cooling efficiency was so good the car couldn't warm up!

So I spent the bucks for a new clutch.

Ryan
Title: Re: Plastic Cooling Fan?
Post by: Nutz on 28 April 2006, 05:21 AM

I want the type like what is on my W123 280E. Less rotational mass.
Title: Re: Plastic Cooling Fan?
Post by: s class on 28 April 2006, 05:34 AM
Fair enough.  I presume the reasoning is less mass so the worn clutch will cope better?  I think though that the inertia of the rotational mass is a much less significant load on the clutch than the load of pulling the air.  And for fans of the same design, whether plastic or metal, they will present the same work load. 

Just some musings - I don't know off hand what the 280E fan looks like.  I presume it is similar to that in my 280SE, which has a much smaller centre boss and clutch than on the 450.

Ryan
Title: Re: Plastic Cooling Fan?
Post by: Nutz on 28 April 2006, 05:53 AM

Replacement of my fan clutch is inevitable seeing that it is shot. I'm just curious if their was an aftermarket plastic duplicate available out there so I can replace it as a whole.

The fan on my 280E is plastic as is the one on my W116 280SEL,but they're way too dinky for this M117.