I have a '91 and am attempting to remove the mechanical fan clutch. According to the manuals I have, it states to use a 32mm open end wrench to loosen the nut behind the clutch, tapping it if necessary with a mallet to loosen it first and then I should be able to remove the clutch. Well, I have been working at this for a while today and still have not been able to make any progress. I can definitely turn the nut (which is a left-hand thread according to the manuals), but the pulley behind it turns with it and the clutch itself freewheels in front of the nut so I don’t see how I’ll be able to end up being able to remove the clutch. Can anyone provide any pointers as to either (a) what I might be doing wrong? or (b) what I need to do that is not listed in the manual? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Getting the Mechanical Fan Off
Answer…
Big A$$ Screwdriver. You want a CRAFTSMAN long thing screwdriver (doesn’t matter if it is Phillips or Slotted. Difficult to explain - you can see the bolt heads behind the fan nut, I trust… You wedge the thin screwdriver between 2 bolt heads. If I remember, it skips one bolt in the process. Hard to describe - if you look at the bolt heads on the clutch down near the big nut you have your wrench on from the fender side, you push the screwdriver in so it holds the clutch steady. Then, you whack the 32mm wrench and off it comes. Pressure did not work well for me - a whack did it.
It looks like you are using a big pair of scissors (as best I can describe it) hold the screwdriver steady, and move the wrench - or whack it - but you need to keep that thing from turning with the nut.
Yes - you will trash the screwdriver - Yea for the Craftsman warranty.
Or- you can get a “fan clutch removal tool” but it is a lot for the 2 times in your life you will use it.
I’ve looked but I can’t re-find the instructions I used (the link to the DIY site that I saved doesn’t work anymore - why do site administrators reorganize?) There is a toolset that you can borrow from Autozone that is for another vehicle (may have been for Fords) that has a flat tool big enough to fit across the bolt heads so you can turn the nut with the 32mm thin wrench.
More googling than I did might find the instructions.
cheers,
bruce
I did the 32mm open end wrench, long screwdriver, and mallet method. Worked well getting it off, I assume it will be about the same to re-install.
If you hit it hard enough you don’t need the screwdriver. The initial impact should shock it loose. After that its hand tight.
There is a BMW special tool to hold the fan pulley. Naturally, it costs a bundle. I was going to try to make one by drilling a couple of holes in a piece of flat steel ( 1/8" x 3/4" ) and grind out out a section to clear the pulley shaft.
After drilling the first hole near the end of the “tool” to fit over the bolt head on the pulley, I realized I could just rest the edge of the “tool” on top of the adjacent bolt head and hold the pulley like that. Worked like a champ.
Measure the size of the head on the pulley bolt. Drill a hole that size at the end of a 2 foot long piece of flat stock steel and you have a tool for the job.
155MPH wrote:
Gave it a good whack more than several times. Problem is that it turns. I saw the fan pulley tool, too much to spend on something I’ll only need a few times. Already bought a piece of flat steel and going to drill out a hole to try to hold it all still. Then a good whack on the 32mm wrench should get it loose.
Drill the hole slightly off center. That should allow the tool to fit between the bolt head and the pulley.
Hope it works for you as well as it did for me.
Well, got the tool made this morning and finally got that sucker off. Thanks for all the quick replies everyone, I really appreciate it