Since you need to remove the radiator anyways, you should be able to drill out the broken bolt without removing anything else with a right angle (close quarters) drill motor: 29.99 at Harbor Freight. Take it back after you drill out the bolt if you don't want to invest that much, but they are real handy around the shop and can be turned into an angle grinder like variable speed sander with an arbor mounted sanding disk. You can also buy (or cut down in a pinch) short length drill bits. I never throw away a broken bit if it can be resharpened. A Drill Doctor drill bit sharpener will pay for itself by restoring broken and/or dull drill bits in a very short time. A freshly sharpened drill bit is analogous to a freshly sharpened knife in the kitchen.

 

You can't really look at what you've spent as cost to be in the parade. It's things that would have been needed anyways and finding/repairing them now will keep you from frustration and problems of being stranded somewhere later. Only you can decide if 500.00 is too much to invest in your truck, but in my mind it is a very small amount compared to the pleasure derived. I bet that after you drive down the parade route with your truck (and you) being admired by the spectators and the mutual pride between you and your daughter, you'll feel quite different about it. (If not, call the dealer's service dept and ask what they'd charge to replace the alternator on your late model daily driver to put it in perspective!)

 

I agree - $500 is no big deal & it is for things that needed to be fixed anyway. I was just crying about how my quick fix turned into a near complete frame off resto!

The new fan arrives today! I can't wait to get started.

 

I did some googling - this isn't my engine, but the alternator set up is EXACTLY the same. It was this top bolt that broke off.

 

Note that there is a bracket on the front of that bolt between the alternator and the head of the bolt that bolts to the block. That bracket is definitely needed to take the pressure off the bolt. That bolt shouldn't be difficult to get to to drill out even with the radiator in place. There are reverse twist drill bits that often work better than an easy out since they don't expand the remaining bolt, just need a reversible drill. Worse case scenario when used is they don't remove the bolt but still drill it. Soak the remaining bolt with Liquid Wrench or PBblaster (NOT WD40!) a couple times a day for a day or two before drilling with the reverse twist drill.

 

Aren't most all DIY projects that way? Mine are.

 

I pulled the nose off tonight. The guy who built the truck connected all the wires with plugs.

Super simple - pop the plugs, pull 2 pins & carry the front across the garage.

I drained the rad & played around a bit with my new fan.


First off - the new Lincoln Mark Vii fan is too thick to fit on the engine side of the rad. I think I can push the radiator in 2 to 3 inches & still clear the pump & pulleys with a good inch. Then I can mount the fan on the outside of the rad & have it pull air from the inside out.

I can't move the rad forward as the nose - when closed is right up against the radiator support (1/4 inch clearance) so no way to push it out 3 inches.

I'll look for one of those reverse drill bits tomorrow. Never heard of them. Sears? Lowes?

Once I pull the rad - I'll drill the bolt.

OK - in the pic above - I did NOT see the bracket you mentioned. I do not have that bracket.

I think if I can get the bolt out of the head & can set the new alternator at least temporarily in place while I search for a new bracket.

 

If you're thinking you can put the fan on the front of the radiator, and have it suck engine compartment air out thru the radiator... no. You can push air back thru the radiator if the fan is reversible, but they usually aren't (for OEM style fans). It isn't nearly as efficient.

Can't you put the fan offset on the radiator (on the rear), to clear whatever pulley it's interfering with?

 

The new fan is HUGE. Its almost the size of the entire radiator. Which is why I bought it.

I didn't realize it would be so thick.

I've heard of people trimming the shroud to get more clearance. I can't cut 2 inches of shroud - just isn't that much there.

I could cut 1 inch. there are 4 inches between the pump pulley & the fins of the rad. The fan is 6 inches thick.

Cut an inch off the shroud & maybe tilt the top of the rad out & I may just barely clear it. I just don't want the water pump to dig into the fan when the engine flexes under load.

I'll sleep on it & play around this weekend. I may be able to pull it off, but it will be close.

 

Can you return the Lincoln fan and buy a large low profile high cu ft/min one, or remove the shroud? You shouldn't need the shroud with that large a fan. There is even an ultra low profile one with an offset fan motor. Mounting it on the front of the radiator and blowing thru reduces the airflow by nearly 1/2, especially at speed, which defeats the whole purpose. One problem you are likely having is that most with a flip front end remove the OEM air seal under the hood that seals to the top of the radiator/side air deflectors and the one at the bottom that seals it to the splash pan. Those two seals are essential to directing/forcing the air thru the radiator rather than bypassing around it.

 

Those affect higher-speed cooling, I believe his problem is at much lower speeds.

Can the radiator go forward to the 6-cylinder position?

 

The tilt nose has the air seals/ dams that directair toward the rad.

The rad is in the forward location. There is 1/4 inch clearance between the rad frame & the structure the nose is mounted to. So it cant go forward.

I will check the FLOPS for a very large thin fan.

& i still need reverse cut drill bits. I'll have the rad out by 6pm tonight & will hopefully get the alt. Situated before bed time.

 

The reverse-twist drill bits are nice, but I believe that bolt is "wet", into the cooling jacket. If so it is probably pretty corroded. It's not real likely to spin out with a reverse-twist drill. Do you have a MIG welder? Welding a washer and nut onto what's left of the bolt is pretty sure-fire. Because you are lacking the bracket, the bolt may have broken out away from the head, have you got a picture of it?

 

No pics at the moment. No welder. The head on the other side has the same bolt hole with no bolt so its a dry bolt.

It broke off about 1 thread into the head so nothing sticking out.

I ran out to the FLOPS @ lunch & picked up the largest slim fan they had. 16 inches. I can use this fan with the lincoln shroud & i should be good on the cooling side. It wasnt bad before.

 

If yours is identical to the picture minus the outer bracket, the bolt actually goes into a bracket that is bolted to the head and not into the actual head. The reason I say this is then the bracket could be removed making removing the broken bolt easier. I have a late model 302 bracket set up in my truck and it uses a similar bracket.

Is your rad mounted to directly to the heavy "u" rad support, "I call it a horse collar", or is it mounted to two angle brackets that are riveted to the horse collar? Stock V-8 uses a angle stand-off that I removed. My rad is mounted directly to the horse collar which would give you more clearance. Just another idea.