Fan Clutch Replacement Help (3 Viewers)

[reckless413]

Hi 100 series gang,

Last week my cooling fan clutch on my 2000 LX470 started giving me issues. It squeaks intermittently and now it’s locked in the “engaged” state 100% of the time. (304k miles)

I can’t spin the fan by hand (with the engine off of course) without the pulley turning with it (and the belt remains stationary). When I cold started the engine this morning, the fan was immediately engaged and spinning. It also stays engaged at highway speeds, which is noticeable and the increased load on the engine can be felt.

I have a replacement Aisin fan clutch assembly here right now, and I’m in the middle of attempting to swap out the old one for the new one, but I absolutely can’t break the 12mm nuts loose that attach the clutch to the pulley.

Any tips or bright ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[LJE]

Use a big screw driver to jam across the nut on the bottom to hold it in place, and then use the box end of a 12mm wrench. Some penetrating oil won't hurt either.

 

[3_puppies]

how is the fan bracket? might check that while you are there

 

[97 AZ LC]

Get about a 22-24" pvc pipe, wood dowel or wood 1 x 2 and point it straight down to the ground on the passenger side of the fan, then jamb one of passenger side nuts on top of it. Then work on the driver side with 12mm box wrench, preferably six point, preferably a long wrench. Careful, it's easy to round them off. A long wrench makes it easy, if you don't have one whack off the open end and use a cheater pipe. Installation is the reverse process except that you're going to jamb your now shorter pipe, dowel or 1 x 2 against the driver side frame rail.

 

[LJE]

Get about a 22-24" pvc pipe, wood dowel or wood 1 x 2 and point it straight down to the ground on the passenger side of the fan, then jamb one of passenger side nuts on top of it. Then work on the driver side with 12mm box wrench, preferably six point, preferably a long wrench. A long wrench makes it easy, if you don't have one whack off the open end and use a cheater pipe. Installation is the reverse process except that you're going to jamb your shorter pipe, dowel or 1 x 2 against the driver side frame rail.

Brilliant! I'm stealing this one.

 

[reckless413]

Thanks for the input everyone, I’ve successfully separated the clutch from the pulley.

Now I can’t get the clutch and fan combo out of the engine bay. No matter which way I go about it, I get stuck on the shroud or the thermostat housing or the upper radiator hose inlet. Any tips for that?

 

[RapidRob]

You're just going to have to remove the shroud. No way around it. Take off the bolts and lift them both out at the same time.

 

[hoser]

Unbolt the fan from the clutch. With care, the fan can come out on it’s own first.

 

[reckless413]

I think I did it the hard way. I unbolted the fan from the clutch, then left the fan resting inside the shroud and only removed the clutch from the engine bay. Getting the nuts on and off the fan was tricky, but thankfully I’ve got small hands.

Now to retrieve everything that fell down and landed on the skid plate…

 

[reckless413]

how is the fan bracket? might check that while you are there

Thankfully the bearing on the fan bracket still seems good. It’s smooth, no wobbles or noises. Originally I assumed that that was the part that failed.

I’m due for a timing belt/water pump job soon. I’ll replace the bracket while I’m in there, once all the front end timing covers are off and such.