Fan shroud pull, what if the studs were out?

[busdaddy]

My oil filter adaptor gasket on the GE engine in the 72 has started leaking and the fan shroud has to come off.

Has anyone tried removing the shroud mount studs in place so you don't have to drop the exhaust?

It looks to me if I can get the studs out I can lift the shroud up out of the HE's and not have to open up my non leaky exhaust system. Looking for previous experience here so I don't have to learn the hard way.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[old DKP driver]

Busdaddy, I think it would be worth a try,Since i never tried it..lol..and yeah it's a pain to pull off the 3/4 heater box along with the muffler and etc..But the studs for the fan housing are in there pretty tight too.give it a try and let us know..
_________________
V.W.owner since 1967

[busdaddy]

Well, it WORKED !

The first stud came out without a fight (double nuts), and another saw it my way with a few tries, last 2 needed a weld on the end and came right out.

Pulled the alternator and the upper bracket (left alternator sitting on the HE).

Slacked off the left HE hanger and removed the bolt for it and the oil cooler support.

Shroud comes back 1/4" and lifts straight up in one piece.

Off to the store today for replacement bolts (will post size).

And my exhaust system is undisturbed, wooohoooo.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[old DKP driver]

Busdaddy, That's Awesome! Its great to beat flat- rate
_________________
V.W.owner since 1967

[airschooled]

[SGKent]

Robbie - the real question is did the REAL BusDaddy get back from the store? We could have an imposter.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[busdaddy]

Damn, there's nothing that bugs me more than when some idiot starts a thread and doesn't finish it up, WTF?

The holes in the case are 25mm deep, the shroud is 15mm thick at the bolt holes, allowing for the lack of threads at the very bottom of the holes I'll guess the bolts should be ~35mm long.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[WhirledTraveller]

Wow this is an old thread!

I didn't have a welder when I pulled my studs so I just took a pair of vice grips and made a mangled mess of the threads on the end of the stud, hence "capturing" the nut.
_________________
1977 Westy, Automatic. Big Valve heads, CS Cam.

[Abscate]

I don't remember being alive 9 years ago, let alone a thread.
_________________
.ssS!

[aerosurfer]

I did thid when i changed my cooler awhile back, highly recommend pulling the studs for bolts. Another practical upgrade that will shows its merit if you ever need to remve the shroud with the engine in place.

Im sure just an oversight by those, 'not to be questioned genuis' VW engineers....
_________________
Rebuild your own FI Harness..My Harness

77 Westy 2.0L Rockin and Rolling Resto!

72 Sportsmobile (sold)
79 Tran$porter... Parts car money machine (gone)

[SGKent]

one possibility is that studs do a better job of locating things than bolts do. The other is when one strips it can be replaced while repairing the threads that hold a bolt requires considerably more work.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[busdaddy]

There's a fairly big load on those when the bus has A/C installed, perhaps they were anticipating the future? or maybe it's just easier for production and no thought was given to future maintenance scenarios?
Mine haven't stripped yet, but if they ever do then I'll add some inserts on all 4.
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[airschooled]

False alarm; the fellow I caught spewing oil didn't need the pull, but thanks for the info!

I'm sure the studs were used because the aluminum is a "softer" metal in terms of mounting something like that. Always studs when mounting to softer metal, especially when locating it might be awkward. SGKent; did your Spiders have the 27-thousand oil pan bolts when studs would have added years to your life? gotta love trying to stack your gasket and sealant and also line up invisible holes upside down.....

Robbie
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[75 Westy FI noob]

So, I thought about it.. and given that i am older now, decided to take it out in pieces and easy. So, i dropped the exhaust and removed the filler neck from the block. came off easy then as you would imagine.

Def needed cooler seals, but prob needs more. looks like the main seal is bad here. Or, might all be from the cooler (and pressure sender)?

Gonna need more degreaser and time. Super dirty.
And ive put a lot degreaser on that (pic) already.
Note: i wiped it clean under the flange. Its not washed clean from oil.
Whole thing was black dirt nd oil.

Tempted to chnge filter mount gasket too.

would run it to check for leaks… but, no exhaust.

any links/tips to change that seal?

[busdaddy]

[75 Westy FI noob]

I get some sideways looks wrenching on my cars ..
Theyd flip at straight exhaust. But im dying to hear it.

[cellobus1]

Take notice of how tight the nuts holding the oil filter mount are. It's easy to over tighten them and crush the gasket. Maybe stagger the tightening. Check the thermostat cable pulley bolt also, it's a through bolt and as we all know, oil leaks travel.
_________________
1976 unrestored daily driver Standard bus, "Stella"
formerly, 1959 Standard bus
formerly, 1973 transporter which was 4 years old when it taught me to drive

[SGKent]

I rebuilt a T4 engine in 2009. Treated the paper gasket for the oil filter holder with gasgacinch. Let it dry. Bolted it up and torqued it. All was fine. 30 minutes later I am working in the garage on something else and I hear a pop-crack from the engine. The gasket blew out and that caused a stress fault along the area where the gasket blew out. The crack was the filter mount breaking along that area the gasket blew out. Since then I mount the gasket dry.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[75 Westy FI noob]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will use dry paper gaskets.

Does the oil pressure sender have a crush washer to replace?
Do they leak from ‘the threads’ or from the switch itself?

Bad as these oil leaks look… the (automatic) transmission is similar.
Guessing the seal is gone on it too. Really trying not to pull both out, but.. not looking good. Can the main seal on the trans be done in the bus? Idk what makes the Torque Converter difficult, but I believe it.

[75 Westy FI noob]