Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Thermostatic fan clutch frozen to water pump shaft--'89 Ford

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Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 07-13-2003, 09:02 PM:

Ran into a major problem while replacing a leaky water pump on the 300 CID six in my 1989 Ford F-150...

The cooling fan and thermostatic fan clutch is attached to the water pump hub by the nut indicated by the red arrow. I need to remove the assembly to transfer it to the new pump, but the nut won't budge. [Mad]

I've soaked it in Liquid Wrench, heated the nut with a torch, tried both a strap wrench on the drive pulley and an oil filter wrench on the pump impeller to hold the hub tight...about everything short of yelling choice obscenities at the thing. If it could talk, it'd be saying "Phbbtptbt" at me.

BTW, it is a right-hand thread.

Any ideas on how I might bust this nut? Or should I break out the Moto-Tool and chisel and sacrifice the clutch?

TIA!

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 07-13-2003, 09:51 PM:

Replace it as those things give problems after a while anyway.
If you could find a way to hold that assembly and use a little more leverage you will probably be succesful in removing it. Would you like me to cuss it out for you? If so call me and put the reciever up to it and I will give it a good cussing for you [Big Grin]

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 07-13-2003, 10:14 PM:

HEY! I got a few things around here that need to be cussed out. Wanna give it a try [Wink]

Josh

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 07-13-2003, 10:17 PM:

Ford used a wedge-looking thing that kind-of locked the pulley while you turned the big nut to the right to remove it.

Once you get it off, be sure that you get it good and tight when you put it back. I had a van with the 300. The fan came off the day after we replaced the water pump. Ate a nice hole in the radiator, too.

I think that this is one of Ford's worst 'better ideas.'

Posted by Scott Balko (Member # 438) on 07-13-2003, 10:20 PM:

Jon,

I was in the automotive field for many years before I became a theatre owner. You can get a wrench to fit that nut at any auto parts store. You are correct about the right handed threads. Since the water pump turns opposite crankshaft rotation, right handed threads will self tighten. The wrench isn't that expensive. I would be afraid of damaging the threads on the water pump with the dremel tool. The hastle and cost of replacing the water pump would more that pay for the wrench, plus you would be able to do future repairs easily as well. The wrench is just a thin flat piece of steel. It isn't hard to make one either. Just measure the nut, Ford used a couple different sizes on different years, get a 1/4 inch scrap piece of mild steel from a machine or welders shop and have them cut a square out of one end the width of the nut and you're in business. Then just slip it over the nut and give it a descent tap with a hammer and the clutch will spin right off. [thumbsup]

I forgot to mention, leave the belt on while you remove the clutch. It'll hold it still for you.

Posted by Chris Markiewicz (Member # 1415) on 07-13-2003, 10:40 PM:

Haynes' manual 36058 Ford Pickups & Bronco 1980-95 shows the fan clutch removal on page 3-4. It is indeed a flat steel plate with a square cutout to fit over the pulley hub. It also has a square hole to take the end of a breaker bar. According to Haynes, the Ford part number is T84T-6312-C. From your picture, it looks as though a plumber's basin wrench with a pipe extension might work as long as it doesn't slip. Good luck! [Wink]

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 07-14-2003, 12:16 AM:

I would just remove the water pump and shitcan the pump and all the crap attached to it. Get a new water pump, make a trip to the junk yard and pick up a different fan clutch.

To be honest, I never saw one like that before. The four bolts going through the pully is usually what holds the thing on to the water pump shaft. That is found on just about every Ford V-8 engine I know of, including some of the older 250 and 300CID 6-cylinder engines unless Ford changed streams in the middle of the horse..

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 07-14-2003, 07:06 AM:

My 1984 F-150 has this same set-up. The current water pump has 100,000 miles on it. Won't be long before I get to do this job again myself.

I prefer the 4-bolt set-up that the Ford V8's, and nearly everyone else used. What a schit idea! [bs]

At least, on this truck, there is enough room under the hood to remove the fan and pump without removing the radiator, though I will, just in case... [evil]

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 07-14-2003, 08:43 AM:

Screw all that stuff.
Just replace your water pump with an electric pump and install an electric fan and under drive pulleys and you just gained your self about 30 HP. [Big Grin]

Posted by Scott Balko (Member # 438) on 07-14-2003, 12:40 PM:

Well Sam, despite all the manufacturers claims, you'd only gain about 5-10 horsepower while spending approx. $600 and a serious amount of time. Electric pumps don't meet the challenge of the circulation requirements for extended run times and the clutch on the fan already allows for decreased drag by letting the fan free-wheel when there is no exessive heat. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of performance. I had all that stuff on a 6-71 blown dual carb 350 chevy that I put in my snowplow rig of all things and I loved it. But when it comes down to dealing with the day to day rigors, it can be hard to beat the factory stuff, but not impossible. [Wink]

Posted by Sam Hunter (Member # 1119) on 07-14-2003, 01:56 PM:

yeah maybe. I seen this setup on police interceptors as far as I know they are reliable as far as the pumps go. As you know any horsepower gain is worth it [Wink]

and 600 bucks is a little high for those items. 200 maybe out of Jeggs or Summit.
In any case Jon's got in figured out.

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 07-14-2003, 08:33 PM:

Thanks for all the suggestions. When I tried to unscrew the nut, I was able to fit an adjustable wrench around the nut, so I'm not sure the proper Ford wrench would be an improvement. I'm still debating whether to borrow the hub tool from a local AutoZone store (which, in retrospect, I should have done in the first place), or saw the clutch off the nut to recover the pulley and fan blade, then either get a new clutch or go for an electric fan, as some of you suggested. Since I still have my weathered but still very driveable 1964 F-100 to tool around in, I am in no rush to complete things.

Yes, I wish the clutch used a four-bolt mount like that on the V-8s. Interestingly, the International-built 7.3-liter diesel for F-250s and -350s used a screw-on clutch similar to the 300 six--but those were left-hand-threaded. Unless Ford had a say in that arrangement, I guess they do not have the monopoly on the goofiness of the setup. [Roll Eyes]