fan clutch nut

[eskimo810]

Hey guys,
I'm replacing my timing belt/water pump at the moment, and I'm stuck, as many have been, by the fan clutch nut. I tried fitting the wrench over the nut and hitting it with a rubber mallet, while a friend did his best to hold the belt in order to give some resistance, but the whole assembly just spins regardless. I know there is a special tool, and I know that this topic has been covered before, but are there any particular tips people have used to loosen the nut? At this point I just feel like it's over-torqued, or something.

Thanks for any help,
Quinn

[TurboJake]

Large prybar or flat screwdriver placed between the bolts of the water pump usually works.

Also, it's reverse threaded. So if your facing directly at it from the front of the car, you need to turn it clockwise to loosen it. A lot of people accidentally tighten it more instead of loosening it. It's a simple mistake.

[gp.plus]

There was just a thread where someone used a $5 exhaust strapping kit to strap a pulley bolt to the rad support, seemed like a great idea. Also try soaking it in pb blaster.

[eskimo810]

Well I ended up breaking down and getting the tool. I tried the prybar method, couldn't get it. Oh well, thanks for the advice.

[mr.vang]

don't use a rubber mallet, use a metal hammer.

[jlevie]

Not only must you use a metal hammer, but that hammer needs to be a 4-6lb hand sledge. And you have to strike the wrench as hard as you can.

[_r2h]

I used a 32mm thin wrench and a large sledge. Single good wack and the nut threaded off by finger.

[ForcedFirebird]

I used a 32mm thin wrench and a large sledge. Single good wack and the nut threaded off by finger.

Not only must you use a metal hammer, but that hammer needs to be a 4-6lb hand sledge. And you have to strike the wrench as hard as you can.

Large prybar or flat screwdriver placed between the bolts of the water pump usually works.

Also, it's reverse threaded. So if your facing directly at it from the front of the car, you need to turn it clockwise to loosen it. A lot of people accidentally tighten it more instead of loosening it. It's a simple mistake.

I prefer the pry-bar or proper-tool route. You aren't swinging a hammer in the engine bay that way. A novice to striking an object with a large hammer doesn't always mix with tight spaces.

Swinging hammers on construction jobs for 20yrs previous to a career as a mechanic, most other mechanics can't believe the precision. Yet, if on there good, only slow, steady torque will release the fan clutch at times.

[ohthejosh]

I made a thread about this earlier. And I used a regular hammer and it finally came loose.

[paperplane94]

You need a BFH :)

And a proper fitting wrench of course.

[UserError]

Or, if none of the above work, an air chisel and long (18 inch works) flat blade attachment. Catch the side of the nut, hit it at a bit of an angle with the corner of the blade, and it'll turn the nut off. Once it's off, put a bit of grease or anti-sieze on the threads of the water pump, so you don't have the same problem when you have to take the fan off again.

[ForcedFirebird]

Or, if none of the above work, an air chisel and long (18 inch works) flat blade attachment. Catch the side of the nut, hit it at a bit of an angle with the corner of the blade, and it'll turn the nut off. Once it's off, put a bit of grease or anti-sieze on the threads of the water pump, so you don't have the same problem when you have to take the fan off again.

Then you destroyed the nut. I have cursed when people did this in the past, then I have to take the clutch back off lol.

[UserError]

Sometimes, it's the only option, and on a customer car in particular, I'll try to get it off the right way first (thin wrench, BFH), but on a lot of clutches, they get stuck badly enough that the air chisel is the only option to not spend all day cursing BMW and their clutch fans.

[accident]

If you have customers, you should probably spend the money and just buy the pulley holder.

[ForcedFirebird]

I prefer the pry-bar or proper-tool route. You aren't swinging a hammer in the engine bay that way. A novice to striking an object with a large hammer doesn't always mix with tight spaces.

Swinging hammers on construction jobs for 20yrs previous to a career as a mechanic, most other mechanics can't believe the precision. Yet, if on there good, only slow, steady torque will release the fan clutch at times.

If you have customers, you should probably spend the money and just buy the pulley holder.

:)

Some tools are easily made like the crank bolt tool I have and fan clutch nut tool, but bought the master VANOS kit. Some special tools are hard to reproduce for the cost, others aren't worth buying when we have fabrication equipment.

I was agreeing with the previous post that a pry bar on the water pump bolts works well if you DON'T have the tool.