Radiator Fan Removal

[Normthe1]

G'day all,

Just returned from the beach and when I started the D3 I heard a very brief strange sound before the beast kicked over.

I went forward out of the carpark and then wrenched my shoulder out of its socket and it was immediately apparent that I had lost power steering. Got out and had a check and saw that the belt was off its tracks, but not broken. Still nice and shiny too, no sign of wear.

I only live about 3 minutes from the beach so drove it home and have now had a look.

From a quick search I have found that it is quite easy to get the serpentine belt back on track, after the fan is removed. This I found out after an hour of 'almost but not quite' getting it back on.

Question: How do you get the fan off? I'm hesitant to take a flat screwdriver to that electronic connector without knowing if there is any trick to the rest of it. What is under that connector???


Cheers,


Norm

[Normthe1]

More mucking around revealed the true cause of the belt slipping off.

The pulley at the top on the passenger side has moved due to the casing of what I think is the A/C compressor cracking and the whole pulley end moves quite freely. :(

Question 2: What is the pulley for? Is it the A/C compressor??

Question 3: Can I drive it the 15-20 mins to my mechanic? Besides the alternator etc, is there anything critical to the engine running off the serpentine belt???


Norm

[sniegy]

TOPIx - TOPIx (http://topix.landrover.jlrext.com/topix/content/document/view?groupId=276&id=146746)

I hope this works.

[Graeme]

Question 3: Can I drive it the 15-20 mins to my mechanic? Besides the alternator etc, is there anything critical to the engine running off the serpentine belt???
The water pump, the brake vacuum pump and the power steering pump! Apart from overheating the engine, the vehicle would be a danger to others.

[Normthe1]

TOPIx - TOPIx (http://topix.landrover.jlrext.com/topix/content/document/view?groupId=276&id=146746)

I hope this works.

It just brought me to the front page Pete, sorry...

[Normthe1]

The water pump, the brake vacuum pump and the power steering pump! Apart from overheating the engine, the vehicle would be a danger to others.

You're being very coy, but I get your drift...! :eek:

[Normthe1]

Is it the A/C compressor???

Here is the best photo I can get of the cracked housing...

[Nomad9]

Hi Norm,
When the key on my Pootrol broke a few years ago and the only way to get it going again was to take it to the stealer for reprogramming the RAC truck trailered the vehicle to the local stealer. I'm not sure if you are in the RAC but this could be an option. If you aren't a member maybe join quickly and give them a call. Would be cheaper than getting a local tow truck maybe.........cheaper than toasting the beloved truck.

[Nomad9]

Hi Norm,
If you are really stuck I have a friend who has a tilt tray,another option.

[Normthe1]

Hi Norm,
If you are really stuck I have a friend who has a tilt tray,another option.

Thanks Marty but my first attempt will be to get Allianz to accept responsibility as it looks to me to be clearly a catastrophic failure of the unit, rather than wear and tear. Doesn't it??? Somebody reassure me...

I have a mate who runs one of the local Tow companies and I'm sure he would help me out but again, I'm hoping to get Allianz to come to the party, like they did with the transmission. (Still the best $3k I ever spent) :cool:

[Nomad9]

Hi Norm,
Definitely doesn't look like "norm"al wear and tear, this could well be a faulty casting or something like that. Good luck with Alliance, does sound like a good investment, you'll have to post a couple of pix when you get the unit off, lets have a look.

[connock]

The water pump, the brake vacuum pump and the power steering pump! Apart from overheating the engine, the vehicle would be a danger to others.

Hi Graeme
Isnt the brake vac pump on the back of the engine?

connock

[Graeme]

Isnt the brake vac pump on the back of the engine?
Shssh! No-one else has noticed yet. (I was thinking of my last vehicle!)

[Normthe1]

You mean it was okay to drive and I didn't have to tow it???:twisted: Sarcasm there, no bitterness. I would have pulled a shoulder out of its socket trying to drive it with no power steering...

The issue turned out to be the bracket holding the power steering pump to the block. Yes, I know that the steering pump and the A/C compressor don't really look similar but I never claimed to be a mechanic, I just drive it and take it to one when it stops working...

I am attaching a photo for those interested. Without a word of a lie, it broke when I turned the key to start it in my driveway and it has not been off road for 6 months or so and even then, it was babied around, not thrashed so I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else??

Might even post it up on its own heading...


Anyway, I ramble.

Thanks again for getting back to me, I appreciate all advice, even when its not at right as it could be. :D

[Tombie]

You mean it was okay to drive and I didn't have to tow it???:twisted: Sarcasm there, no bitterness. I would have pulled a shoulder out of its socket trying to drive it with no power steering...

The issue turned out to be the bracket holding the power steering pump to the block. Yes, I know that the steering pump and the A/C compressor don't really look similar but I never claimed to be a mechanic, I just drive it and take it to one when it stops working...

I am attaching a photo for those interested. Without a word of a lie, it broke when I turned the key to start it in my driveway and it has not been off road for 6 months or so and even then, it was babied around, not thrashed so I'm wondering if this has happened to anyone else??

Might even post it up on its own heading...


Anyway, I ramble.

Thanks again for getting back to me, I appreciate all advice, even when its not at right as it could be. :D

Mate.. I hope you didnt drive far when you did drive it..

No water pump operating would mean that parts of your engine got rather warm....

Hopefully no lasting or long term damage was done :eek:

[Normthe1]

Mate.. I hope you didnt drive far when you did drive it..

No water pump operating would mean that parts of your engine got rather warm....

Hopefully no lasting or long term damage was done :eek:

Only back up the driveway and then back down again when the two truck arrived, all good...:cool:

[Graeme]

You mean it was okay to drive and I didn't have to tow it???:twisted: Sarcasm there, no bitterness. I would have pulled a shoulder out of its socket trying to drive it with no power steering...
If stuck way out in the sticks I would have driven without steering power assistance and without brake assistance and even without any brakes but not without a water pump, prefering to walk the short distance it could be driven without suffering damage. I drove my RRC without a releasing clutch from Gilgandra in western NSW to Camden years ago but that only required a bit more attention to gear changes, with no particular loss of steering or braking facilities.