fan pulley nut won't budge

[NikosF]

I'm trying to undo my fan pulley nut so I can tighten my V-belt to turn the engine to TDC - but it won't budge.

Searching brought up this thread: I faced a significantly stuck fan 24mm nut when I did this project.

but my pulley tool isn't long enough to go under the ac bracket.

Dumb question - looking at the pictures - I assume the factory tool holds pulley in place, and nut is released anti-clockwise as one would expect?

[KNS]

For now if you just need to turn the crank pulley, squeeze the fan belt tight. That will help to turn the lower pulley.

Use a breaker bar on the 24mm nut, try positioning the tools so you're pulling them apart, away from each other (like you're widening a "V").

[NikosF]

Thanks Kurt,

I was going to change the belt as part of base-lining my servicing. I tried a breaker bar, but am not co-ordinated enough or have long enough arms to use that and hold the factory tool :-(

Good idea to squeeze the belt as a backup.

[john walker's workshop]

Put the holder tool under the pulley with the handle on the left. Turn the nut until the tool handle bottoms out, which locks the pulley. Now you can power the nut off.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

As John posted above, you need to position the pulley holder so that the handle is against something solid in the engine compartment, and then you can use two hands on the nut wrench. If the handle on your holder isn't long enough for that, you can slip an appropriate length of pipe over the handle, and even hammer the pipe somewhat "flat" where it is over the handle, in order to keep the holder's handle from walking around.

The handle on mine is more than long enough (hardy har har ), and I've put a section of heater core hose over it so the surface I wedge it against doesn't get dinged up.

You do the same when tightening the nut, too.

[86 911 Targa]

^^^^^
Try this.

Good luck,

Gerry

[wayne robson]

Like John and others have said ,also piece lumber
is a big help----see photo.
stock tool or better tool.

[75 911s]

An impact wrench with universal if the above fails.

[NikosF]

Thank you everyone - John's method that others expanded on worked - with a 30" breaker bar. I'm glad this was in my garage, not on the side of the road with a broken belt!

People - please don't use impact tools to tighten these bolts! Even the shims were practically stuck to the fan they had been compressed so hard.

I love this board - these are the sorts of tips that Wayne should have put in the 101 book.

[SCadaddle]

Originally Posted by NikosF

Thank you everyone - John's method that others expanded on worked - with a 30" breaker bar. I'm glad this was in my garage, not on the side of the road with a broken belt!

People - please don't use impact tools to tighten these bolts! Even the shims were practically stuck to the fan they had been compressed so hard.

I love this board - these are the sorts of tips that Wayne should have put in the 101 book.

Personally, I have never had to do it, but my friend the local 40 yr.+ PCA veteran claims that more than once he has replaced a broken fan belt on the side of the road by placing the new belt around the alternator pulley and get it started on the crank pulley then put the car in gear and push the car to "walk" the belt on. No tools required.

[NikosF]

Originally Posted by SCadaddle

Personally, I have never had to do it, but my friend the local 40 yr.+ PCA veteran claims that more than once he has replaced a broken fan belt on the side of the road by placing the new belt around the alternator pulley and get it started on the crank pulley then put the car in gear and push the car to "walk" the belt on. No tools required.

I saw a Youtube video where a guy changed the belt on a running VW with a screwdriver - first to slip old one off, then similar to what you described slip a new one on with a flat head screwdriver.

[Lyle O]

This is the one I remember seeing here a few months ago...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BQhfcdQf1QA

[jlex]

That nut is why I keep an 18" piece of 3/4" copper pipe in the car along with the tool bag. If you need to remove that nut on the side of the road.... good luck! You'll be glad you have a length of pipe to slip over the wrench to give you much needed leverage.

[Canada Kev]

Originally Posted by NikosF

Thank you everyone - John's method that others expanded on worked - with a 30" breaker bar. I'm glad this was in my garage, not on the side of the road with a broken belt!

People - please don't use impact tools to tighten these bolts! Even the shims were practically stuck to the fan they had been compressed so hard.

No kidding. It's only 30 lbs-ft torque spec. I've never had any issue removing mine with only a small (~14") breaker bar.

[mepstein]

Originally Posted by 75 911s

An impact wrench with universal if the above fails.

I agree. Don't use it to install but by all means to remove.

[Joe Bob]

My cheater bar is my oldest and most valuable tool. Found it in a scrap pile.