Removing Cooling Fan Assembly

[maja]

Hi everybody. This is a great site.

I'm a novice DIYer with a 95 Honda Passport 3.2 L 4WD. I'm changing out my water pump so I need to remove the cooling fan.

What is the best way to keep the fan assembly from turning while you loosen the 4 nuts that hold it to the mount? Is a special tool required?

Thanks.

[Cat Fuzz]

You should be able to hold the pulley with your hand and loosen them one by one. Take the fan shroud loose first and remove the fan and shroud together. Also gives better access to the fan nuts.

[maja]

Thanks for the response.

It sounds like the nuts are not supposed to be as tight as they are. They must have seized up.

I have loosened the fan shroud, but I can't figure out how to remove the fan without removing those 4 nuts from the mount first. How would I do that?

[Fluvannahoo]

I am having the same problem with a 2002 Rodeo with a failed fan clutch. When I look at the fan running from the front of the vehicle it is turning counter clockwise so I assume the studs that hold the assembly to the waterpump are left hand. To remove the nuts they must be turned clockwise, right? I hav used considerable force and plenty of liquid wrench and they don't budge. Also I am not certain of the size. 7/16 is too small, 1/2 too large. M12 seems just a little loose but does grip.
Also there is a TSb (IN02-01-S003) that addresses this for this model year but one has to pay $24.95 to view on line.
Any suggestions?

[Canucklehead]

Originally Posted by Fluvannahoo

When I look at the fan running from the front of the vehicle it is turning counter clockwise so I assume the studs that hold the assembly to the waterpump are left hand. To remove the nuts they must be turned clockwise, right?

NO!!! The nuts are not left hand threaded. Did you try loosening them the conventional "lefty loosey" way first or did you just start wrenching?

Originally Posted by Fluvannahoo

Also I am not certain of the size. 7/16 is too small, 1/2 too large. M12 seems just a little loose but does grip.

Those nuts should be metric, 12mm IIRC even though it did seem a bit loose for me as well.

One tip. When you get the nuts off the old fan clutch it may have to be "pried" off the pulley (at least mine did). You may need to wedge the assembly away from the face of the pulley then jog the engine and continue all the way around the fan clutch. I had to keep something wedged between the fan clutch and the oulley to prevent it from just rocking back and forth on the pulley instead of actually coming loose.

[Fluvannahoo]

Originally Posted by Canucklehead

NO!!! The nuts are not left hand threaded. Did you try loosening them the conventional "lefty loosey" way first or did you just start wrenching?

I appled pressure both ways but they don't budge. The nuts are 12mm, correct? My 12mm is short and doesn't apply much leverage and the breaker bar doesn't fit between the clutch and the nuts. Thanks for clarifying the thread, any suggestions? To clarify, the fan itself rotates in that direction (counterclockwise when viewed from the front) and the nuts are removed by turning them in that direction too?

[Canucklehead]

Originally Posted by Fluvannahoo

I appled pressure both ways but they don't budge. The nuts are 12mm, correct? My 12mm is short and doesn't apply much leverage and the breaker bar doesn't fit between the clutch and the nuts. Thanks for clarifying the thread, any suggestions? To clarify, the fan itself rotates in that direction (counterclockwise when viewed from the front) and the nuts are removed by turning them in that direction too?

Are you sure your fan rotates counter-clockwise?

I just went and checked mine and it rotates clockwise when viewd from the front. I also loosened one of the nuts using a 12mm wrench by turning it "lefty loosey" as also viewed from the front.

[Fluvannahoo]

Originally Posted by Canucklehead

Are you sure your fan rotates counter-clockwise?

I just went and checked mine and it rotates clockwise when viewd from the front. I also loosened one of the nuts using a 12mm wrench by turning it "lefty loosey" as also viewed from the front.

Must have changed for the 2002 model year or earlier? I noticed the parts ran from the 98 to 02 Aug. then changed in 02 Sept. but the fan definitely spins counter clockwise (from right to left) and the blades are pitched in that direction. This is why I assumed that the studs were LH thread. I called the nearest service dept. yesterday to try to get a definitve answer but the put me on hold indefinitely and I finally hung up.
It soinds like you are able to remove the nuts holding yours without any special tools or undue pressure. There is 95k on the odometer fir what that's worth.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer.

[Canucklehead]

Originally Posted by Fluvannahoo

It soinds like you are able to remove the nuts holding yours without any special tools or undue pressure. There is 95k on the odometer fir what that's worth.
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer.

I have 150K on my Rodeo and just changed the fan clutch last month. Even then it wasn't that difficult to remove the nuts.