I have a 98 E300TD and am trying to replace the belt tensioner( shock, spring, and lever. I am unable to remove the fan clutch and pully to get to the tensioner.(not enough room to get it loose). So I thought ok I'll remove the radiator. I have now taken almost the whole front end off except for the bumper and do not know what I have missed. The AC core sits down into a slot on the front of the radiater and I cannot lift it up and out because of the cooling lines. Does anyone have any experience with this same problem. What am I missing here. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Rick

 

Search the web---loads of you tube stuff, however you can watch all the movies, but if you do not have the "stubby 8mm socket" you will never remove the clutch center bolt. Good Luck

 

You are absolutley correct, which is why I am trying to remove the radiator. I did not realize at the time that the radiator was such a monster to remove. The problem is that I have been searching for three days for radiator removal info and have found none which at this point is not a good thing and a little worrisome. Over the course of three days I have slowly removed the front of the car and am now down to the bumper and AC core. Has anyone ever pulled a radiator and has any info, good or bad that they could send along. Thanks

 

After reading the WIS remove/install radiator doc AR2020P3865HB I think you are fooling yourself-----find and buy the 8mm socket----way simpler

Or access startek for 18 bucks and download the five or six documents. Good Luck

 

What is a WIS document and where are they located. I did google search and found nothing. Thanks again

 

I found out what WIS is and I am a member of startec, but it says that only european union union folks can join. Could someone correct me if I am wrong. Thanks

 

I made the big mistake and ASSumed you were located in the USA. MB technical website is "startek". You don't join, you pay for 24hr, weekly, monthly or annual subscriptions.

You can print all sorts of information in 24 hours. In fact I would bet that you ran out of ink before you ran out of time. Just be patient in your search and make sure you put your VIN in

 

I did this project on my car about 2 years ago. The startek website is very useful. If I remember correctly, I had to disconnect the ac core from its lines in order to remove the core. You want as much room as possible while removing the fan clutch bolt.
Do you have the fan clutch tool which holds it in place while you remove the bolt? If not, you can wrap your old accessory belt around the pulley to hold it in place. Double up the belt and get it around the pulley nice and tight. Careful not to bend anything. You may want to spray some penetrating lubricant on the fan clutch bolt before trying anything. Stripping that bolt would not be fun.

 

my fan off a few times. Once last month to change out my fan clutch and fan.
It makes it easy if you have a short 8mm allen. If you don't just cut one down.
You can buy them as well that are made short. Then I just put a small tube over the end to make a breaker bar and get more leverage.
You should find a hole near the top of the shock assembly, to insert like a 5mm.
It will wedge against the water pump, ( I am not looking at it, so from memory) to prevent the engine or belt from turning..

The shroud gets partially lifted up as well to give better access.
After you do it a few times, it's fairly fast.

Bill