fan air duct headache

ASD · ASD's Garage

I had my alternator (78 sc) rebuilt and a new internal vr installed.
Got it all wired back up in the car and then could not get the fan housing to slide back in.
The air duct vanes were not in the right position..so I pulled off the nuts, got it aligned again still would not slide in. The fan housing is in the right position as the peg lines up...the air duct vanes are on my left side looking at it ...

Tried a third time, after really hassling with those rear nuts and washers, a pain to get your hand a wrench in behind the fan...
Still won't slide in once I attach the duct to the fan housing.

I know this has got to something simple I am missing, but after three hours of playing with it I have gotten nowhere.
Anyone got a method to see how the duct fits on the housing?
Which way does it go? Thanks in advance for the help.

ASD · ASD's Garage

(*bump)

How do I tell when the air duct is mounted right on the back of the fan shroud/alternator? Don't the blades go to the left side?

Ron.G · 04-25-2005, 04:45 AM

Can't wait to find out. I'm doing the same thing right now.
I should have marked it before I took it out.

ASD · ASD's Garage

I set the duct in there and it seemed to fit fine, but when attached to the housing the whole thing would not slide in. Funny How a small thing can drive you nuts!!
Ever read "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance?" He talks about how one little bolt can really ruin your day.

ASD · ASD's Garage

OK, I got it. The picture in Wayne's book shows ibetter than any other reference I found. The vanes go to the left as your are looking in, and the smaller vane fits just to the right of the bolts that hold the coil mounting plate onto the housing. Once \I finally got it aligned it fit right in.
Now I wait for the shims to get here and I can crank it.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

I scribed a mark on the diverter at 12 O'clock. You can see the scratches in the shadow of the shroud. So the metal fin is almost at 11 O'clock and the second fin is left of that.

ASD · ASD's Garage

Thanks I finally got mine mounted, you can bet next time I will mark whatever thing I take off for position..., even though it looked so straightforward, it was a bear to get back in there.
Just waiting on new shims to get it going again.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Get this one right. Original owner of my SC left this piece off when he put in a new alt. That's part of what shot my valves. Didn't notice it until we were done with the rebuild and were buttoning everything up for reinstall. Then I realized the alt/fan went back in way too easily. Next day I rounded up another vane and installed it.