How to Remove a Manual Radiator Fan

Iskandar Blogger 12:08 PM
How to Remove a Manual Radiator Fan

Mechanical radiator fans have become practically obsolete in today's automobiles in favor of more efficient electrical units. One of the biggest disadvantages of a mechanical fan is that it rotates only as fast as the engine. This disadvantage is most apparent in stop-and-go traffic, particularly in warm weather, as the fan simply does not spin fast enough to adequately cool the radiator. Mechanical fans can be replaced with aftermarket electrical units, and removing the fan is fairly simple. However, removal of the radiator is necessary to remove the long bolts which secure the fan to the water pump pulley.

Instructions

    1

    Drain the antifreeze within the radiator by removing the single bolt on the bottom of the radiator with a wrench.

    2

    Disconnect the hose clamps which secure the two radiator hoses to the radiator with a screwdriver, then pull the hoses off of the radiator.

    3

    Disconnect the fan shroud from the face of the radiator by removing the bolts located at each corner of the shroud with a wrench, then by pulling the shroud off of the radiator and over the fan blades.

    4

    Remove the transmission cooler lines from the base of the radiator, if the car features an automatic transmission. An integral nut is located at the tip of each cooler line. The nut twists onto a fitting on the radiator. Loosen both nuts with a flare nut wrench to avoid damaging the fragile lines, then pull the lines away from the radiator.

    5

    Remove the bolts which secure the radiator to the engine bay with a wrench, then lift the radiator out of the engine bay.

    6

    Loosen the engine's drive belts to reduce the tension on the water pump pulley. Once the fan blades are removed, the pulley located behind the fan blades will be loose. If the belts which wrap around the pulley are not loosened before the fan blades are removed, the pulley could spring off of the water pump and cause an injury. At the base of each drive belts accessory, such as an alternator or air conditioning compressor, is a single adjusting nut. Loosen the nut with a wrench, then push the accessory towards the engine to reduce the tension on the belt.

    7

    Remove the bolts from the center of the fan blade assembly with a wrench, then pull the assembly off of the water pump.