kurtwz

I’m trying to find a how-to for removing the radiator shroud. Would someone please point me in this direction? By the way, I’ve searched and haven’t found anything. Thanks!

Evolved8

Remove the Bolts/Nuts sourounding the Center upper support, Remove the Torx bolts holding the coolant lines on the back of the shroud, unplug the shroud connector, turn the two black things holding the shroud in place after you remove the clips holding them in and pull out. It takes 20 mins total

kurtwz

Thanks, my friend. I trust that this is all that is entailed...I'm less trusting of myself, however :-P I've seen an official Mercedes PDF document that describes this. Would anyone have that or at least know of a thread that has similar pictures, etc? :-S

guysandiego

why do you want to remove the shroud? I was looking at mine and it seems fairly simple --- but it looks like the fan is attached to the shroud -- ????

kurtwz

I'm replacing the supercharger pulley. The bolt holding the pulley in place is partially obstructed by the fan shroud. Two options for solving this are 1) Raise the engine slightly, or 2) Move the fan shroud and stick a socket through it on an extension and use an impact wrench to get it off. I'm planning the later. Any suggestions other than those two options?

guysandiego

its been awhile -- 2yrs since I changed my pulley. We removed the fan. It wasnt a difficult process but I was only holding the flashlight. While my mechanic friends did most of the work.

hayseed

iTrader: (2)

can anyone shed some light on how the coolant lines are attached to the fan shroud -- it seems I am ready for the shroud to pull out but I cant find an easy access point to get where the lines are attached and the fan wont come out ?

shardul

iTrader: (1)

just a bracket for the lines are attached to the shroud on the bottom via a torx screw.
all the other lines on the sides of the shroud just pop off.

hayseed

iTrader: (2)

thanks shardul -- I was hoping I could do it from above,,, I removed the bracket and its free but wont slide all the way out due to the shroud has some extended sides at the bottom and wont clear the radiator inlet and outlet hoses --

shardul

iTrader: (1)

you have to jiggle it out one side at a time

hayseed

iTrader: (2)

ok,,, will give it another shot -- thank you

moehler

hayseed, did you get the shroud out?

I had to remove my fan and shroud last night and it was rough... I ended up draining the coolant, removing the coolant lines from the radiator, and taking off the underbelly to get to the bolt on the bottom coolant line bracket. Even with all of that, there was still zero room to maneuver the fan assembly. Sliding the assembly between the crank and SC pulley and the front cross-member was basically impossible. I don't see how this is an easy job, is there something I am missing?

In the end, the plastic on the shroud and fan was brittle and it cracked as I was forcing it out. So now I need a new fan assembly.

Does anyone have any advise on how to smoothly get the new fan assembly in place? It would be greatly appreciated!

berti_00

you can also remove it this way

Steps..
For those worried about scraching your clutch like me lol wrap it with tape twice you'll be good.

1. First get the tensioner lose and remove the belt off
2. Get two clams big enough to wrap around the clutch
3. put both of them on and offset them by a little so they hit on the engine cover holder pieces (also wrapped with tape)
4.grab a wrench and take the damm bolt off.
easiest job ever
When you put it back together just reverse the claps and bolt it on put some Teflon tape on or locktite w.e

verminator

Best advice for getting the fan back in is be patient. As Shardul said it is a tight fit. THe fan is hinged (2 plastic tabs) fit in at the bottom of the radiator and then you put the clips back in on top. You have to go in at a slight angle with the bottom of the fan angled in toward the radiator. THe coolant lines that you unclipped in the removal process are in the way when you put the fan back in so you have to gently move them toward the engine and slide the fan in and toward the bottom of the radiator. It is a tight fit. Don't force it into place. Look carefully when you are putting it in if you hit resistance it is likley one of the clips getting hung up on a coolant line, just pull the coolant line out of the way toward the engine, it will slip into place and you will know when it is right. So like the song says - " wiggle it...just a little bit", be patient, and look at what blocks it and move it out of the way, don't force it...GL.

verminator

Attached is a pdf for serpentine belt replacement on w211. The beginning shows the fan shroud removal process and location of all of the fasteners on radiator crossmember and bottom clip torx screw, it may be helpful.

moehler

Thanks for the advise... Do you recommend loosening the radiator at all? I only removed the top middle three bolts on the cross member, should I have removed more?

hayseed

iTrader: (2)

i finally got mine out but it took me a while,,, you have to go under the car and remove the torx screw holding one of the lines, and then as shardul indicated wiggling back and fourth for all all the pullies this is the easier way,,,,, just to do the SC pulley you can do the clamp method pictured above along with 6 point box wrench from sears for 15$ and some persuasion,,, you can also slide the shroud up a couple of inches and slide a socketextension under the shroud to get to the pulley with out completely removing....

verminator

First i looked at the file i uploaded and it isn't the file that shows the fastener removal and right now i can't find it...appologies for that, i have it on my work computer. You have to loosen the entire cross member. There are 3 bolts on either side and the three in the middle as i recall, also need to remove the plastic barb's. you don't need to loosen the radiator it will be loose when you remove the shroud. someone posted the wis for the fan removal on here....hopefully they will chime in.

moehler

Thanks! I'm a moron... I didn't remove the top cross member, it never even occurred to me that it was removable. This is a lesson that I have to relearn every few years - when something doesn't make sense at 2:00 am, you should stop 😊.

I guess it's not the end of the world, the original fan had 150k on it.