noob time... tips for fan clutch removal sans removal tool

[Sir Montalbon]

so yeah, i'm a dumb arse. forgot to order the fan clutch removal tool, but didn't sweat it too much since i read it can be done without it using a screwdriver.

can anyone give me some detailed tips on how to remove the fan clutch from the water pump using a screwdriver?

like, where do i put the screwdriver? is there a hole somewhere that i can put the screwdriver in for leverage? so far, i've been putting downward pressure on the 10mm pulley bolts with a large flat head screwdriver (in an attempt to keep the pulley stationary), then whacking my 32mm wrench with a rubber mallet (clockwise of course :)).

so far, nada.

:help

[raceyBMW]

You put the screw driver between the water pump pulley bolts and the shaft to the fan, from the top. So when you are turning your wrench clockwise (righty loosey on the fan) you are preventing the pulley from turning by wedging the screws. Helps to have a big screwdriver, or one with a squared driver shaft so that it really seats on the screw..otherwise it might just slip.

Best to stand on the driver side to do this...so that you are pulling the wrench toward you, while pushing the screwdriver away from you. Its usually a bugger to get off the first time with this method, but when you put the fan back on just hand tighten and then give one turn on the wrench...no reason to put on too tight since it basically tightens while it turns. Its probably just been tightened on there pretty well.

[pgrindstaff]

When I did this I used a large pair of channel locks to hold the pulley / offer resistance (old belt on the pulley to not damage it) and my dad was able to get the bolt loosened.

[Sir Montalbon]

thanks for the replies guys!

i'm fixing to head back out there and give it another go, errr... whack?

i'll report back.

[Menace E34]

When i did mine I didnt have the tool, so i just put the wrench on and hit it really hard. Thats what the manual said to do

[Binjammin]

Don't forget, the fan clutch is reverse threaded.

[Sir Montalbon]

defeated :(

that's all for today, it's getting too dark outside.

but so far i have learned a few things. so +1 for skoolin'.

first, i think my 32mm wrench is too thick. i manged to shove a screwdriver (actually, many diffrent sized ones... i now own a 45deg bended screwdriver) down b/w the pulley bolts and the shaft and could tell i was getting leverage, but i think the thickness of my wrench was interfering, and i was ultimately fighting myself.

i also learned just how the special tool worked. i've seen pictures of it many times before and couldn't visualize how it would be used. now that i have first hand experience with how the fan and pulley work together, i have a new found appreciation for it.

but for now, i think i'll finish the day with a shower, a trip to the sears tool dept. in a quest for ideas/inspiration, and then a six pack of Stella.

good evening, and thank you all for the help. i'll get this son of a bitch eventually.

[raceyBMW]

Go to a bicycle shop and pick up a 32mm headset/pedal wrench from them...will be thin as it can be, works perfect for the fan.

edit: I think this is what I bought because it also works with the oil filter cap.
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1030374_-1_66000_20000_66004

[VacMan]

Go to a bicycle shop and pick up a 32mm headset/pedal wrench from them...will be thin as it can be, works perfect for the fan.

edit: I think this is what I bought because it also works with the oil filter cap.Agree 100%. This is mine:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21rnbmiOpfL._SS500_.jpg

Bought it at a local bike store for around $14. Very common size for the bicycle folk.

http://www.amazon.com/Pedros-6462032-Bicycle-Headset-Wrench/dp/B001PDSH2Y

[Sir Montalbon]

god i love this place.

thanks for the tip on the bike wrench fellas. agenda item #1 tomorrow morning.

[530V8]

god i love this place.

thanks for the tip on the bike wrench fellas. agenda item #1 tomorrow morning.

Depending on how tight the nut on the fan was tighten to. It would help sometime to wrack the end of the 32mm wrench with a hammer to crack the nut loose. That's what I had to do it the first time I had to change the belt but you will need someone to hold the screw driver in place.

[janders211]

Agree 100%. This is mine:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21rnbmiOpfL._SS500_.jpg

Bought it at a local bike store for around $14. Very common size for the bicycle folk.

http://www.amazon.com/Pedros-6462032-Bicycle-Headset-Wrench/dp/B001PDSH2Y
That is the awesomest thing I learned today....no more 'hammer-to-fit' -ing my gigantor 32mm wrench

[Grim Reaper]

Tap the wrench quickly with a hammer. It is the simple man's impact and helps break it free.

Instead of getting the expensive fan clutch tool for my Land Rover I've used this method several times.

[BavarianFanatic]

Don't forget, the fan clutch is reverse threaded.

This is KEY. Make sure you're not actually tightening it. Once you break it loose you'll be able to spin it off with the fan.

[Sir Montalbon]

Don't forget, the fan clutch is reverse threaded.

This is KEY. Make sure you're not actually tightening it. Once you break it loose you'll be able to spin it off with the fan.
just to make 1000% sure...

if you were facing the front of the car, turn the nut to the right (clockwise) to loosen.

[BavarianFanatic]

just to make 1000% sure...

if you were facing the front of the car, turn the nut to the right (clockwise) to loosen.

Correct.

[jmo69]

Did the fan on my M52 this weekend and got a fan wrench from AutoZone, it was different from the usual one because the span was wide enough to fit on all four nuts. At least I think it did, the guy that brought it got the fan off with it and a full size 32MM wrench. I plan on making on out of some 1/4" steel one of these days, can't be too hard.

[Sir Montalbon]

got a fan wrench from AutoZone

well, of course it is raining when i get up bright and early for a full day of working on the car. so instead, i headed up to AutoZone to look into renting this tool. it is mostly for Ford's, but a quick test showed some potential. problem now is my too fat 32mm wrench won't let me slide the new wrench in, and no bike stores are open yet to buy the thin 32mm wrench. as soon as i find one that's open, it's on, rain or shine.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_02921.jpg


EDIT:
in the mean time...

figured i'd go ahead and do my first few visual mods.

first up, the Duetchland oval. the guru's in the Fatherland say this is good for +2rwhp. we shall see...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_0297.jpg


and next, eurotrim all around. thanks to steve92e34 for the euro trim and garrettSR5 for pointing me to the $10 euro plate trim ebay special.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_0278.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_0294.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_0295.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cobcobbs/IMG_0298.jpg


now, off to the bike shop.

[sfgearhead]

Clean touring, love the white. Good luck with the fan clutch!

[stoney85]

now for some clear indicators and voila! new looking car

[jfj707]

This is what I have done on all of mine -

Put the big 32mm wrench on the nut. No need for it to be thin. Use a piece of soft wood (section of 2x4 works great) and wedge it somewhere that puts tension on the pulley itself. Whack the wrench once or twice with a big rubber mallet, and off it spins. Tried this on every engine in the E34 except for the M20's and S38's and it works every time for me.

[Sir Montalbon]

OMG, WTF, SOB, and other obscenities...

so, the fan has been liberated from the car. finally. but i had to do it the hard way.

this is what happened...

i was frustrated and tired of messing with it, so i called in a second set of eyes. my building maintenance man came out and gave it a once over with me (great guy). as he was giving the nut a go, we realized we had chipped a good piece of the water pump pulley off, so we decided to go ahead and chisel away at it until we had one of the 10mm bolts fully exposed. next, we tightened the bolt all the way down. this allowed it to catch against the body of the water pump, thus effectively freezing it from spinning. this gave me the holding pressure i needed to break the fan nut loose.

in retrospect, this was a good thing b/c now i'll be replacing all the pulleys, belts, and the fan and fan clutch along with the already planned water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing, hoses, clamps and all other assorted clamps and mounts. it's more money and work than i was planning for, but the experience and peace of mind will be well worth it IMO.

so it looks like i'll be ordering some more parts and waiting for their arrival. thanks to MLK, i have all day off tomorrow and plan to continue taking everything apart.

one thing is for damn sure though. i willl never takle this job again without the tool. i'm learning to DIY the hard way, which is probably the best way in the end.

thanks for all the replies, help, and suggestions. to be continued...


p.s. anything that i don't want to forget to order when doing pulleys and belts? anything else i should try to fix while i'm in there (can't be too much more than i'm already tackling, lol).

[raceyBMW]

Ouch, that sucks...someone crazy overtightened that fan nut for you to have to resort to that...even with the tool you might have broken the pulley at that point.

Check your belt tensioner while you are at it...the bearing at the bolt holes. If they are pretty well disintegrated, then I would replace.

[Sir Montalbon]

finished!

just wanted to say thanks for all the info, ideas, and kind words throughout this thread, and in general.

spent all day yesterday finishing everything up. installed a new water pump, thermostat, thermostat housing, water pump pulley, radiator, hoses, main drive belt, and all new clamps. topped it off with distilled water and zerex g-05, then crossed my fingers.... so far, no leaks!

but, as is usually the case, a new problem has arisen. after getting the car up to temp, letting it cool, then topping off the coolant, i picked up a buddy and went for a 30min test drive around town and up and down the interstate. car ran beautifully, UNTIL... pulled up to drop my buddy off, and as we were shooting the bull, the car stuttered and began to idle rough. the CEL also came on. ran a bit rough this morning when cold. after a 30min, 70mph commute, the car was idling perfect and running fine. still have the CEL. oh well, a new adventure awaits...



but, if you've read this far, just want to say that this is by far the most ambitous repair work i've done on a car and i really appreciate all the information on this site, and all the help from everyone. thank you!

[raceyBMW]

You new adventure will be tracking down vacuum leaks and tearing out the intake manifold to do so....another fun project.

[stoney85]

oh the joy i have of owning such a simple motor to work on, the M30 with all of its TWO vacuum lines, feel sorry for you

[fronton]

Here is a tip that is effortless with NO SCREWDRIVER OR PULLEY TOOL: unscrew one of the four short pulley bolts about half way. Put a strong S hook resting on the exposed bolt. connect a heavy chain to the other end of the S hook and secure the chain somewhere like the underside of the car's frame rail. Now the pulley cannot rotate. Unscrew 32mm bolt with channel locks. Done.

I just did this in less than 5 minutes

[BoldUlysses]

Too much work. Maybe if the nut simply refused to come off...

Otherwise, grab the belt, squeeze, get a good set with the channel locks and give it a sharp tug. Done.

[K Fox]

To be honest, buy the proper tools. I've said elsewhere that the $35 I spent on the proper fan removal tools was the best money spent on my BMW's - I actually use them all the time, and the time saved and lack of hassle is totally worth the cost. That's my experience.

Fox

[demetk]

Just in case you want to build the pulley holder and wrench. The wrench does double duty as a torque convertor bolt removal tool. I was learning to weld at that time so it was fun building them.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/demet_/misc/fan_wrench.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/demet_/misc/pulley_holder.jpg

I think I have some scrap steel, let me know if I can help.

PO had used thread lock on my clutch. The holder actually started to bend under the force. I had to heat treat it to get the proper strength.