Exploded my fan shroud

[John E Davies]

Well, not exactly, but I was trying (stupidly) to remove the fan and shroud from my 96 LX450 without first taking out the battery box. I was sure I could flex the shroud enough to get it free. It snapped in my hands. The resulting two smaller pieces were much easier to remove than the one big one.

I strongly recommend this method if you are in a hurry to get to your fan fluid coupling. It is much faster than following the service manual. Cdan is sending me a new shroud and it is only US$84.

Has anyone else done this?

Is there a good way to trim the shroud or battery box so the shroud can be removed easily without disturbing the battery? I hate wrestling my battery out because I am a little guy and am always concerned that I will drop it on the front fender or my foot.

John

 

[elmariachi]

I strongly recommend this method if you are in a hurry to get to your fan fluid coupling. It is much faster than following the service manual. Cdan is sending me a new shroud and it is only US$84.
John

I ain't ever in that big of a hurry and I can buy a lot of Wheaties for $84.

Jim

 

[cruiserdan]

Then I don't get to sell another shroud.........


John,

The battery box could be trimmed some. What you need to do is remove the box and then see how much "swing room" you need to actually get the shroud off. You could then transfer that measurement to the box and see if removing that much material would affect the structural integrity of the box. Remember by doing so you increase the likelyhood of debris being tossed into the box. As most batteries are not afforded the protection like the 80 series that may not really be an issue.

Do remember that one of the "J" bolts is anchored in the box wall and that area should not be tampered with.

D-

 

[Bigshone]

It snapped in my hands.

That sucks!

I was to lazy to pull the battery box when I replaced the water pump in mine. I was able to pull the fan shroud away from the radiator enough to slip the fan and fan clutch out.

 

[MoJ]

Has anyone else done this?

No but had a shop do it while attempting to install a radiator on my old 91 FJ. They tried to sneak it by me by duck taping it back together and then spray painting the duck tape black! Made it even worse when they got overspray on the engine. I usually stay pretty cool when trying to resolve a problem but that hack job was enough to justify letting loose.

 

[sixsracing]

How many times are you planning on removing the fan shroud that you would cut your truck up? I just bought one of these but I can't imagine that this would be a common occurence.

 

[reffug]

No but had a shop do it while attempting to install a radiator on my old 91 FJ. They tried to sneak it by me by duck taping it back together and then spray painting the duck tape black! Made it even worse when they got overspray on the engine. I usually stay pretty cool when trying to resolve a problem but that hack job was enough to justify letting loose.

MoJ, I think letting loose might be a serious understatement, at least with my temperament. I would flat out go ballistic. Mistakes happen and I think everyone understands that but to try and cover something up like that would seriously piss me off.

 

[fzj80kidpen]

third that moj,
I bet they lost you business.
They sure would have lost mine

 

[John E Davies]

How many times are you planning on removing the fan shroud that you would cut your truck up? I just bought one of these but I can't imagine that this would be a common occurence.

No, it's not exactly a routine maintenance item.

But it would be sooo easy to remove the fan and shroud if the box didn't interfere. I have a bigger than stock battery as well as some additional wiring attached to my box, so it is a little more work than normal to remove the box.

It just makes me grumble to have to do the extra work when the Toyota engineers could have made it so easy. I suspect it was the same idiot who designed the engine wiring harness - what a disaster (routing the main harness through the intake manifold instead of around.)

I guess when my new one arrives I will see if it is worth messsing with trying to trim the shroud or box....

John