springer1981
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Moving on, as I mentioned in a previous post I was having a difficult time getting the fan clutch to line up the bolts holes to remove the clutch from the water pump pulley. I applied 150 PSI and the clutch wouldn't release. I made a puller of sorts to release the clutch and that didn't work, it only damaged the threads rendering the fan clutch useless. I did manage to get the clutch off.
I found a "good working" used pull for $200. I guess schools don't teach the meaning of words like "good" and "working" anymore. As soon as I took it out of the box and spun it I could feel a bad bearing. Since the one I took off was in clean and good physical looking condition except what I damaged I figured I could use the good part in the one I just bought to fix mine now that I have it off the engine.
I have never taken one apart before but I know there is a heavy spring under pressure and care must be taken. At this point I would NOT recommend doing this if you are not certain exactly what you are doing. Even though I used bolts to hold the spring tension, not know where the spring applies force, I removed the bearing cir-clips and the spring released out the bottom and luckily I had it pointed at the metal table. The bolts did NOTHING to make it safer for me.
Spring removed, cir-clips off, everything apart except the 2 main pieces all I had to do was take them apart. Here in lies the entire problem with this particular clutch. After pounding the two piece apart her is what I found !!!!!!!!!
That bearing has never seen a drop of grease. I suspect it was assembled the Friday before a long weekend 4:55 PM. All the rust dust is parts of the cage in the bearing. It took some serious hammering to get this apart. This is the reason I was never able to get the clutch to release or move.
The mating surface ...
I found a "good working" used pull for $200. I guess schools don't teach the meaning of words like "good" and "working" anymore. As soon as I took it out of the box and spun it I could feel a bad bearing. Since the one I took off was in clean and good physical looking condition except what I damaged I figured I could use the good part in the one I just bought to fix mine now that I have it off the engine.
I have never taken one apart before but I know there is a heavy spring under pressure and care must be taken. At this point I would NOT recommend doing this if you are not certain exactly what you are doing. Even though I used bolts to hold the spring tension, not know where the spring applies force, I removed the bearing cir-clips and the spring released out the bottom and luckily I had it pointed at the metal table. The bolts did NOTHING to make it safer for me.
Spring removed, cir-clips off, everything apart except the 2 main pieces all I had to do was take them apart. Here in lies the entire problem with this particular clutch. After pounding the two piece apart her is what I found !!!!!!!!!
That bearing has never seen a drop of grease. I suspect it was assembled the Friday before a long weekend 4:55 PM. All the rust dust is parts of the cage in the bearing. It took some serious hammering to get this apart. This is the reason I was never able to get the clutch to release or move.
The mating surface ...