Fan clutch removal hell

[seen]

So I'm trying to remove the fan clutch in an 89 325ix, in order to change the water pump and timing belt, and it will NOT budge. I've got the 32mm wrench, and have been using a screwdriver to hold the rotating assembly still, but no luck. I even bent a couple of screwdrivers! I bought a rubber malet specifically to smack the wrench, but it made no difference. This thing is STUCK! I sprayed some PB blaster on it, and I'm going to try again tommorow morning, but I dont have high hopes, as I just spent the last 3 hours smacking the thing (not even exaggerating).

What I would like to know about are my other options. Is there a way to pull the water pump without detaching the fan? Do I have to figure out a way to cut through the shaft the fan is attached to? Is te shaft part of the water pump, or a separate part? Is there some trick I'm missing?

I do know that the fan clutch is reverse threaded, so if I'm looking at it from the front of the car, I need to spin it clockwise.

please rescue me from fan clutch removal hell!:firehop:

Problem solved, I pulled the water pump with fan attached, and picked up a new fan clutch + water pump pulley at the scrapyard. Thanks everybody!

[mr.vang]

Get a chain wrench to hold the pulley. Then use the 32mm wrench and it should be a piece of cake. Harbor freight has one for cheap.

[squidmaster]

mine was practically fused to the mount. it takes a lot of torque to get it off sometimes. I went as far as standing on my bay and stomping on the wrench with another person holding the clutch tool. It took two days, but after enough pb blaster and hurt hands/feet, it came off. don't give up. Try positioning the fan clutch tool against the floor or a jack-stand.

[rav320uk]

Which way are you trying to "undo" the fan???
Clockwise or anticlockwise???

[JinormusJ]

You cab easily remove the waterpump with fan clutch still attatched. I've done a TB job twice on 2 different e30s and had to remove it this way. Once it's off, place the old waterpump in a vice and get your fan off.

Mechanics, aka; monkeys with wrenches, love to over torque these clutches like they're going somewhere...
Counterclockwise threads! HELLO..!! :weak:

[lcoleman]

Smack it with a metal hammer instead of rubber, get a longer wrench...I think 1 1/16 will fit fine. PB Blast/Kroil the heck out of it.

[squidmaster]

yeah I should mention I used a 2ft long 32mm wrench from sears that was like $35.

[seen]

Thanks for all of the responses guys! Just to clarify, I am standing in front of the front bumper, with the hood off, and trying to turn the wrench clockwise.

I went and made another attempt at it about a couple of hours, and tried getting on top of the engine bay and stomping on the wrench, as well as smacking it some more. No dice. I'm getting the pulley locked up quite well with the screwdriver, but the nut is just not going anywhere, despite the overnight soak in PB.

I think I'm going to try removing the water pump + fan assembly, and using the vice method. If that doesn't work, I'm making a trip to the salvage yard a little bit later, so I'll just try and pick up a fan + fan clutch, and use those on the new water pump that's coming in the mail.

I'll post it up when I make some progress on this thing, and thanks again for all the help!

[vpilarrt]

I wonder if a previous owner or some hack mechanic thought it would be good to put Loctite on the threads. If so heating the nut with a torch would likely break the bond. You might try that.

[bddog]

Smack it with a small sledge hammer. Hard. Worked on mine. How about a floor jack handle? With a long enough lever you can move the world. Don't take no for an answer.

[davesmystery]

It seems like there are a few m20 parts that require an incredible amount of energy in a confined space; the crank pulley bolts are another one of them, I broke 3 sockets trying to loosen them. You seriously have to knock the shit out of it, albeit in a very controlled and precise manner so you don't smash anything else. Once it's loose, it's very easy.

Removing it with the water pump is a way easier method if it doesn't come loose.

Also, following what vpilarrt said, you never know what some other hack did to the car before you got it. Be prepared for anything and think about the stupid things someone else might have done.

[MrSlacker]

Just to make sure, if you are standing in front of the car with hood off, you need to hit it towards driver's side of the car.

[seen]

so i pulled the whole assembly, water pump included, out of the car this afternoon. On my trip to the scrapyard I managed to find a fan+clutch as well as the pulley, and pick it all up for $10 and some change. the bolt never did budge, even after heating it up with a torch, and putting it in a vise. I guess that whole mess is going to end up in the trash, where it belongs.

At least that part of the job is done with, although now I get to look forward to the crank pulley bolts tommorow! On an off note, I found the same car, same color, same interior at the pull and pay, and it was totally complete minus the brakes and front bumper. This was a great stroke of luck, as the previous owner messed up much more than just the fan clutch nut, hence the $900 325ix.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions everybody. I'm sure I'm going to have more questions, as this is my first time working on an m20, and I'm going to try and rebuild it pretty thoroughly.

[squidmaster]

that's crazy. how many miles were on the engine?

[seen]

The engine has about ~170k on it.