TheSamba.com :: View topic - Type 3 cooling fan and pulley hub loosening

Sat Jan 07, 2006 4:16 pm

I have to replace the cooling fan and pulley hub in a 72 fasty. The placement pin sheared itself and wobbled out the pulley hub. All the parts are trash now. Once I get all the replacement parts, how do I keep this from happening again? Lots of loctite and 300lbs of torque on the fan nut? Bigger pin? Bolt the fan and pulley together? Is this a common problem? I hate to see Houston not have the only '72 automatic fasty on the streets. Thanx.

Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:45 pm

If all the pieces are there, and the bolt is torqued right, this shouldnt happen.
When you pull the main fan, make sure the key and the keyway in the crank is OK. My '66 FB was worn, but the crank bolt was tight when I tore it down. The fan should be a light press fit onto the end of the crank.
As for all the pieces,
http://classicvw.org/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=5612
Items 16 and 17 are very important. 16 is a paper gasket, and 17 is a steel washer. What is not shown in that picture is the fan, itself.

Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:43 pm

Russ,
what can happen if the paper gasket and washer is missing. I did not use it , but I torque the bolt to specs.

Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:02 pm

You may have a fan rubbing problem, and even maybe an oil leak. The paper gasket is a seal and the metal piece is a spacer.

Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:35 pm

well, we had no paper gasket and what were some gen shims for spacers. this could have been the problem. the hub just sheared the pin and commenced to start wobblingtaking out everything except the shroud. from bolt out will have to replaced. i guess the hunt is on.

Sun Jan 08, 2006 9:55 am

You need the right parts, and no wear on anything. Everything needs to spin true or it will loosen again or break something. I would suggest finding a complete set of fans from a donor engine.

Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:41 am

is it possible to save the fan by welding up the wobbled out hole and re-drill a new hole for the pin? the keyways are good and tight. so is the crank that they came of of. i would use a wire-feed welder to do this. i have two fans and the only things wrong are the buggered-up holes. the hub/fan assy is beyond help.

Sun Jan 08, 2006 11:09 am

I wouldnt try it. That dowl pin is what aligns the timing marks. A good used one is not that expensive. ISPWest sells refurbished ones, and so does CIP1.

Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:39 pm

i had that same problem years ago. kept coming loose and shearing the pin. :shock: the problem in my case the motor was worn big time and the thrust bearing. #1 was walking in the case so bad that what was making it come loose. :? with the fan off try moving the crank back and forth. run the fan bolt in the end with the fan off so you can grab it with vise grips or something. if there is a lot of play in the crank that it the prob. :wink:
good luck

Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:48 pm

the engine is basically a new 1776. new from the inside out. really dont think the crank and bearing is the problem. i think the mistake was using worn out fan/hub parts and trying to compensate for that by putting in a bigger pin and torquing the bolt tight with loctite. didnt work out so well.