F%$#@'N Fan Strap -
 

While the engine is out of my car for some transmission work I decided to clean up the fan and fan housing. After I put everything back totgether I went to torque the fan strap bolt to 18 foot pounds as per the Bentley Manual. Before the torque wrench ever reached 18 foot pounds, the non-threaded bolt hole just pops out and tears the metal. Well crap! Anyway to fix this?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1096498550.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1096498564.jpg

Nice engine...
Seems like it deserves a Rennline fan strap in shiny stainless.
I'd just pick that up instead of messing with the stock one that might do this again.

JCM

No need to torque those down Bill just use commonsense and feel. It looks like metal fatigue from the blury pic.

Bones - thanks for the laugh - you got me twice in 2 short sentences. Not only did you question my common sense, but also my photography. You are right, of course. I am pretty new to wrenching, so I tend to live by the book. Bentley said 18 pounds, so damnit I wanted 18 pounds! In any case here is a clearer picture and a shot of the engine in its entirety. So I guess I should just order more parts - the story of my life.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1096500116.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1096500130.jpg

Did it say 18 ftlbs or 18 inlbs?

Don't know, just thought that might be a possibility, or maybe in the past some other dude has really cranked it down and almost ripped it apart leaving it for you to do the deed years down the road.

I don't understand how it is bent in the opposite direction of the stress from the screw. However, I would just weld that baby back down, put a nut behind it if it were stripped, and drive happily ever after!

Also, a 1/2" clicker doesn't usually measure well down to 18 ft-lbs if that is indeed the spec. If you were using a bender or a 3/8" then never mind.

I agree with klaucke on it being peculiar that it is bent that way.

Definitely a good excuse for the Rennline strap!

Yesh - it's 18 ft lbs (25 NM). I was using a 3/8's torque wrench. It is bent back the other way because I was trying to see if I could get a washer or other piece of metal in there to support it. The rennline strap is nifty - but a bit pricey at $90.

Come on Bill, $90 is chump change at this point in the game. Get the strap and never look back. By the way did you find that relay?

Brent

If you know someone with a tig welder, it would take them about 5 minutes to fix that. Then of course you will probably want to paint the strap due to discoloration at the weld. Why spend $90.00 for something that would take 5 minutes to fix. There are plenty of other nickel and dime items that you cannot cheap out on. I say fix what can be fixed unless you enjoy lighting $100 dollar bills on fire.

lol......sorry Bill, that wasn't a put down. I've made a few cock ups in my time too. The engine looks fab, you will be proud when that's sat in the engine bay.

I'm with Tim on this one bend it back and a two pops with a Mig gun would work also

Fixing a strap????????????????????????

It's called integrity, keeping the car high quality. Tig weld here tig weld there, duct tape here duct tape there, paint here paint there, string here string there, it never ends with you Pelicans that try to save a buck or two. $90 is soooooooooooooooo cheap when it comes to a Porsche why would you waste time trying to fix it???? If it was a $1000 part then it would make more sense if you could do a good job fixing it.

Did you brush your fan and schroud? What did you do to get it so clean and to shine like it does? It looks great!!!!

The rennline strap was 60 bucks at Ventura. Call them up and ask for the show price. What's to lose.

Brent, I am sorry sometimes I interject common sense like I use when working on and building aircraft (I will have to try duct taping the fuselage together instead of welding, thanks for the tip).

What was I thinking? In fact, I may just haul my '79 SC to the scrap yard and go buy a new one cause I found a couple stone chips in it and the sunroof does not work. I could fix this stuff up but no, why bother, I can just buy a new one!

On second thought, go ahead and buy every part you need new from the dealer. You would not want aftermarket junk going in your car would you? I am sure you will be happy, the dealer will be happy and I will be happy also knowing that a fool and his money are sure to part ways.

I'm done ranting now.

If you are only after functionality, put a second nut behind the stripped one.
if you are more concerned with appearance than functionality, either replace the stripped nut or replace the strap.

So I guess Auto Zone, Home Depot, Kmart and the junk yard is where you get all your parts from? When a part goes bad if already cheap then replace it or if there is a better solution then buy it. I can't imagine what your car is made of since you like to repair every part when it breaks. On the other hand I pay the price but my car is well engineered and will stay that way. More reliable than yours for sure.

Thanks Rick. I used a soft wire wheel on a drill to clean all the oxidation off and give it a brushed metal finish - I did not want it to look like chrome. I then used Speedy Metal Polish, recommended by another Pelican user, and the industrial clear coat that Speedy sells. The clear coat is very nifty. I actually put it through a few heat cycles in an oven to get it to cure faster (cure time is up to 30 days). So far it seems to be a very durable finish as I already banged it a few times during the fan strap debacle.


As for the new vs. fixed parts debate I see both sides. Brent has my number as this 930 has gotten all of the best parts since I have owned it. I cringe to think at how much money is in the car, but a few more projects and I could have bought a GT3. The Rennline strap is very cool - particularly since they improved the removal and installation process quite a bit. If I can get it for $60 I will likely buy it. Even so, I have a friend who can weld, and I will also fix the original strap as I hate to toss usable parts.