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Foiled by a fan clutch

I'm having a helluva time getting the fan clutch loose from waterpump on my truck.

It's a 1988 Ford F-250 with the 7.3 litre diesel.

I checked and double checked the new water pump, and yes indeed, it is a left-handed thread. (I still just feel wrong turning a bolt the 'wrong' way to loosen it).

I started off just trying to turn the nut with belt tension holding the pulley, but the pulley just slipped in the belts. I then tried adding additional tension by jamming something between the pump pulleys and the damper pulleys. Still no joy.

I have since removed the pump from the front of the engine, jammed a steel bar into the impellor, and only managed to turn the shaft inside the impellor.

Anyone have any good ideas for getting this clutch off the old water pump without ruining the clutch or fan?

Reply to
TomO
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Can't remember if it is the same size or not, but, there is a 2-piece wrench kit for this available for about $15 at discount auto stores. One of the wrenches holds the pulley by the mounting bolt heads while the other is used to remove the fan hub from the pump.

Lugnut

Reply to
lugnut

Thanks.

I did pick up a fan clutch wrench set from the FLAPS and didn't even realize that the larger wrenches were for holding the hub.

The one I got is similar to this, but it is a 5 piece kit instead of a 2.

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I guess tonight I'll have to stare at the thing for a while to figure out how the holding part works. It's just not apparent to me working from memory.

Reply to
TomO

The large wrench actually goes over the pulley bolt heads using them to hold the pulley while you use the smaller wrench on the nut-like flats if the hub. They can be quite tight. A sharp wrap with a deadblow hammer can be helpful.

Lugnut

Reply to
lugnut

Proving once again that it not just having the tools that accomplishes the task. Knowing the proper way to use them carries much more weight.

I used the 83mm wrench to just catch a couple of pulley bolt heads, added about 1 foot of length to the 43mm wrench to turn the clutch nut, prepared myself for one major struggle and damned near broke my knuckles because it popped free about halfway into my initial attempt.

Thank you again. Mission accomplished!

Reply to
TomO

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