Thread: 300TDi fan shaft and bearing removal.

I have not needed to do this, but I thought one day I may need to, hence I remember these two useful tutorials :

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-t...solutions.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-t...oval-tool.html

Surely someone has some pics or tips on how to setup the timing cover in the press without stuffing it, c'mon, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

Surely someone has some pics or tips on how to setup the timing cover in the press without stuffing it, c'mon, Regards Frank.

I have done three but admit that I didn't take any photo's becuase the description of how to replace the bearing in the above link clearly gives you all steps involved.

With the bearing press I use pipe end that allows the bearing to pass through it but the edges rest up against the front cover bearing housing.

Dont forget to heat it up carefully with a flame or use boiling water.

Pressing it back in I pretty much use the same method using a socket to press the bearing in.

Originally Posted by MinniTheMoocha

I have done three but admit that I didn't take any photo's becuase the description of how to replace the bearing in the above link clearly gives you all steps involved.

With the bearing press I use pipe end that allows the bearing to pass through it but the edges rest up against the front cover bearing housing.

Dont forget to heat it up carefully with a flame or use boiling water.

Pressing it back in I pretty much use the same method using a socket to press the bearing in.

Minni, thanks for the reply, I understand what was described in the tutorial, my worry is that the timing cover looks very fragile and there is not a great deal of area for the pipe end to support while the bearing is being pressed out especially as the press load is on the shaft to press the fan flange off. I used a 15ton hydraulic puller to try and pull the fan flange off (even applied some heat) and it wouldn't budge. I'm a bit worried that when the fan flange contacts the timing cover housing the extra load to press it off (as well as the bearing out) may cause damage to the timing cover. Did you have any problems pressing the shaft through the fan flange, can you buy replacemrnt flanges, if so I was thinking of cutting the fan flange off so as I could press on the bearing casing rather than the shaft and ball bearings which may allow the shaft to move off vertical causing the bearing casing to jam and crack the timing cover. Maybe I worry too much, but I certainly can't afford a new timing cover, thanks for your help, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

Minni, thanks for the reply, I understand what was described in the tutorial, my worry is that the timing cover looks very fragile and there is not a great deal of area for the pipe end to support while the bearing is being pressed out especially as the press load is on the shaft to press the fan flange off. I used a 15ton hydraulic puller to try and pull the fan flange off (even applied some heat) and it wouldn't budge. I'm a bit worried that when the fan flange contacts the timing cover housing the extra load to press it off (as well as the bearing out) may cause damage to the timing cover. Did you have any problems pressing the shaft through the fan flange, can you buy replacemrnt flanges, if so I was thinking of cutting the fan flange off so as I could press on the bearing casing rather than the shaft and ball bearings which may allow the shaft to move off vertical causing the bearing casing to jam and crack the timing cover. Maybe I worry too much, but I certainly can't afford a new timing cover, thanks for your help, Regards Frank.

Hi Frank,

Once the flange is off it is fairly easy to press the bearing out. Have a look at the link in the above for the flange removal tool I made. I can loan it if you need. Once off you just need to support the time cover bearing housing while still allowing the bearing to go through. From memory is is 29.5mm diameter. I have pressed out three bearings and never cracked the timing cover yet! But I understand it could happen but I didn't go to extraordinary lengths to support it and it pressed out fairly easily. Once you do it you will understand.

You can buy an EB falcon water pump pretty cheap and get the flange from that. The bearing also is the right size to put into the timing cover. It just needs the the fan flange end shortened first and then the other end cut off entirely. Use a 1mm steel cut off blade in an angle grinder while the bearing is in a lathe. Put a bevel on the front shaft to allow the flange to be pressed on easily.

The shoulder of flange will also need a smidge taken off as the fan pulley centre is a little too tight to fit straight on. Otherwise you need to ream the hole.

If you really need some photos I can mock some up. I have three timing covers in the garage ready to go into the next defender that needs a new front timing cover bearing!

MtM

MtM, thanks for your invaluable help, when I couldn't move the flange with my 15ton hyd. puller I figured I had upset Murphy's Law, sometimes parts that are supposed to pull off or be pressed off just refuse to budge. Thanks for the offer of your tool for pulling the flange, I should have a spare nut around here that I could fabricate. I pulled the timing cover off last weekend and pulled the grease seal out of the back of the bearing cleaned it out and packed it with HTWB grease, replaced the seal and covered the lot with some silicon to stop any leaks back onto the timing belt, still a bit of a rumble, but this is the second time I have done this (about 10,000klms ago), so next time I will renew, thanks again, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by Tank

MtM, thanks for your invaluable help, when I couldn't move the flange with my 15ton hyd. puller I figured I had upset Murphy's Law, sometimes parts that are supposed to pull off or be pressed off just refuse to budge. Thanks for the offer of your tool for pulling the flange, I should have a spare nut around here that I could fabricate. I pulled the timing cover off last weekend and pulled the grease seal out of the back of the bearing cleaned it out and packed it with HTWB grease, replaced the seal and covered the lot with some silicon to stop any leaks back onto the timing belt, still a bit of a rumble, but this is the second time I have done this (about 10,000klms ago), so next time I will renew, thanks again, Regards Frank.

No problem. Happy to help if I can.

Hope the temporary fix lasts long enough. For all the hard work of pulling the front engine down I would want it to last longer than just 10,000km.

Originally Posted by MinniTheMoocha

No problem. Happy to help if I can.

Hope the temporary fix lasts long enough. For all the hard work of pulling the front engine down I would want it to last longer than just 10,000km.

I was doing a radiator flush and intercooler clean and fitting a new water pump so it wasn't much extra to drop the timing cover off, Regards Frank.