Hello!
I have a 1984 Ford E350 XL 6.9L.IDI Motorhome (from Canada) I just figured out the squeaking issue which escalated to antifreeze leaking out of the pulley in front of the water pump followed by breaks nearly going out completely but recovering which I assumed was from the coolant spashing all over the break system in the front making it loose pressure. After some thorough inspection realized that the fan has play ( I can physically move it slightly up and down as well as tiny metallic flakes closer to passenger side.. meaning there was definitely rubbing of the metal during rotation) I need to take off the fan and pulley to get to the water pump so I can replace it. Picking it up in the AM.
Can anyone please give me any pointers and or your professional thoughts and any links/instructionals to how to remove the fan and pulley properly?)
Thank you anyone and everyone who can help ..it would be greatly appreciated as I am no mechanic just a very logical thinker)
Gene

 

First is to get that fan shroud out of your way. Unbolt it and move it back a ways.

Next, crack loose those bolts holding on the fan and pulley. The tight fan belts will help hold the pulley while you crack the bolts (if you have the single large bolt pulley, then see the next post). Once they are cracked loose a little bit, then loosen the fan belts using the adjustment slots on the alternator/power steering pump/vacuum pump/AC, as needed. Probably a good time for new belts. Inspect them all carefully. Four new ones is about $100 at NAPA.

With the belts loose, then off, you can remove the bolts holding on the fan and pulley.

Now you remove the bolts holding on the water pump. Catch the coolant that leaks in a big drain bucket, else it will kill cats and dogs who drink it.

While you're in there, take a good close look at the radiator. If it's weeping, get a new one. And now is a great time for a new thermostat. They're inexpensive, but they have a service life...

Reinstall stuff in reverse order. If you took the fan shroud all the way out for more room, remember to put it back first. Tighten the fan belts till you have about 1/2" of deflection in the middle of the span, pushing hard with only one finger.

 

Here is some good info from one of our members on replacing the water pump on our IDIs:

Water Pump ? IDI Online

 

Assuming the belts, etc. in your motorhome is like a pickup, first, remove the 2 or 3 sheet metal screws on each side of the shroud and slide the shroud toward the engine so you have room to work. Don't loosen any belts or bolts, but wedge a shop rag between the alt pulley and its belt, then you'll need a 1 7/8" open end wrench to remove the fan hub. With the resistance due to the wedged rag to keep the fan hub from turning, smack the wrench with a mallet (LEFT HAND THREAD) to loosen and remove the hub. Can't remember if the fan can be removed with the hub or it has to be removed first, then the hub. The rest of the job is fairly self-evident, in addition to coating the correct bolts with Permatex, there's a couple that go through only about a 1/4-3/8 of the thin cover behind the pump so they are easily stripped. Got to be aware of those two. You should have a drain plug or petcock on the passenger side of the radiator to drain the coolant first.

 

Dang I forgot the shroud and the big single bolt. Good catch. I'll edit my OP. I also forgot the thermostat. Good time to replace it.

 

just a little Note here......

there are RH and LH thread Fan Clutch Nuts.... the way I have always been able to tell is that IF the Pump drive Pulley is Smooth then the Clutch is RH thread and IF the Pulley is Grooves then it is LH thread. 'Course the 84 has 'V' belts not Serpentine

in the industry generally Nuts that are LH thread have Nicks cut in them like the image....... RH thread nuts do not have this cut

 

If only people too could be identified thusly.

 

I think some people should have a warning tattoo on there forehead sometimes

 

There's a guy in the general diesel forum saying he wants to shoot folks that roll coal. But he doesn't. Needs a tattoo, fer shure.

 

Can't blame him for that. IMO normal people think it's stupid other than the mental teeniebopper behind the wheel doing it. I've driven truck quite a bit off and on during my life and in the real world I never heard another driver brag about how much smoke he puked out pulling a grade.

 

Amen to that... most folks I know think it's a pretty Douche thing to do. it doesn't say much for how one is efficiently extracting Maximum BTU from the fuel

some folks have more money than Sense.

 

Thank you everyone for the knowledge and instructions ..so far so good... had trouble a bit with the fan cluch from lack of better tools.. excellent note that its a LH thread on my beauty... now I got everything off up to the freaking belts! )) How the hell do I get them off ...only the one small one is off from the alternator.. the remaining two I am clueless how to get em off so I can swap out the water pump and replace new belts. Please help ..lay your wisdom upon me)

Thanx again to all who responded!!
p.s.
..for some reason I cannot find any usable videos or instructionals on how to do just that.. just those types of belts in this type of engine!? ...wierd.. I thought there would be plenty of vids or something

 

A man's got to have priorities in life.

 

OK now that you have managed to get the Fan out of the way.... I suggest that you loosen the Alternator and other Accessories like Vacuum Pump and Idler pulleys or whatever it takes... here is a Diagram of the belts that I have but I cannot 100% say it matches what you have but it might help.. I'm sure there are others here that are more familiar with the Vans than I.

 

The image on the left is the exact same v-belt pattern for my 1984 6.9 IDI van, and the 1988 7.3 IDI clubwagon. I think in the 90's, they went with a serpentine style setup.

I like the v-belt setup, because some of my belts are the exact same. That's a benefit for if your belt breaks, there is a likelihood that you can swap over the AC belt to limp your van/truck to the nearest NAPA.