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Can anybody recommend an affordable tool/wrench/part number to replace the fan clutch on these 7.3L vehicles? I've used the air chisel method in the past when in a pinch, but really looking for a better alternative. Wouldn't really want to damage the nut on a new clutch.
Well I've found a number of options. You can rent/borrow the tool set from Autozone, I've also used the large crescent wrench from Harbor freight while holding belt tension or holding the pulley from turning with a flat piece of steel with two holes drilled to line up with the bolt heads and a half moon cut out of it to allow it to slip around the shaft. On my 6.9 I had to make the tools in a barn when I broke down in rural Vermont using 1/8" sheet, O/A torch, grinder and a file. I've since modified the pulley holder to fit the 7.3. Very crude looking but they work. I've since picked up a crow's foot to fit the fan clutch but haven't had to use it yet, but it's small enough to keep on board and I always carry a set of sockets so I have the drive handle to use on the crow's foot.
Auto parts store and "rent" the water pump wrench.
I thought I tried at the time, but what they had didn't fit. Which is why I resorted to the air chisel method. But I can try again. But it never hurts to own your own specialty tools for the job.
Loosening the 1-7/8" nut is the easy part, holding the pulley is a bit harder. You can see my crude home made pulley holder that slips over the bolts, one side for the 6.9 and one for the 7.3. The crude thin wrench would work for the 7.3 fan clutch nut if I opened it up a bit more to 1-7/8" but I just used the big crescent. You can also hold the pulley bolts with channel locks although a bit tricky to hold everything down in there. 2nd in from the left is a pulley holding tool that Harbor Freight used to sell but for some reason discontinued now, it's worked great on some pulleys and not so great on others. You can buy a much financier one that has a pivoting leg and various screw in posts to fit your needs, OTC makes one. The 1-7/8" crow's foot might prove to be tricky with an ordinary socket handle, like I said I haven't tried it ever.I may weld up a square drive on piece of flat stock to fit it, or just weld a handle onto the crow's foot.
Like you, I like to be as self sufficient as possible, you never know where you will be when you break down. Even at home it is nice to just grab your own tools instead of driving somewhere to rent. Those home made tools for my old 6.9 sure got me out of a bind when I was broke down in the country! Thanks to a friendly local letting me use his stuff!
A hammer and a 1 7/8 wrench is all you need. A good smack on the wrench counter clock wise will almost always loosen the fan clutch, just dont remove the belt ao there can be tension.
A hammer and a 1 7/8 wrench is all you need. A good smack on the wrench counter clock wise will almost always loosen the fan clutch, just dont remove the belt ao there can be tension.
I may have tried that once but it's pretty hard to get a good swing at it down in there, probably a pipe extension on the wrench would help.
I just use me air chisel, worked on my Blazer just as good, lets go in notime. It only gets tightened on by the fan turning (mine do anyway) so it's not like they're torqued to 90'/lbs.
So last month while towing the camper up I-70(6% grade) and the oil temperature got up to 258F after I had pulled over, turned the floor heat on etc..(it was 94F outside and camper weighs 9k roughly). The water gauge on the dash then climbed to just under read line and then cooled off. Since then I've paid a lot more attention to the engine oil temperature. Other info while towing:
Speed: 40mph
RPM: 2400
Foot: 1/2 to 2/3 throttle
TC: locked in 3rd
boost: 16psi
tune: hydra stock tune
EGT: 1200
Transmission temp: 210 on TP, 200 on test port gauge( have the 6.0 cooler)
Fuel pressure: 58psi(67 normal driving)
Maintenance done last summer:
-New degas bottle
-new cap
-oil cooler re sealed by mechanic( he noted that one of the holes was completely clogged by a silicone looking material and noted that it was so corroded he didn't want to polish it for fear of putting a hole in it)
PO maintenance:
- Water pump and thermostat at 233k and new coolant( No idea if its a 192 or 203 thermostat)
Current mileage is 286k
So driving home from work today with the AC on the EOT got up to 208 on the way home. As soon as I got into the driveway, I hopped out and grabbed an IR thermometer(Milwaukee brand). I measured 5 different spots on the radiator through the fan shroud and all of the readings were around 168. I couldn't remember where the EOT sensor was so I pointed the IR gun at the HPOP reservoir and it said 198. I believe the coolant system is holding pressure because the morning after driving it, the upper and lower radiator hoses were cavitated and released when I unscrewed the degas bottle cap. In other words, it held pressure for roughly 12 hours after shutting down if that means anything. I added coolant two weeks ago and it's still at the full line when cold.
Misc
-EGT gauge only measures the drivers side bank. I just re ringed the injectors, finding two with crusty rings. Passes contribution test with highest perdel being 2.4 on #8 and #4. #1 and #5 are less than 1.
-Hutch mod is not done yet, though I do have the parts sitting in the garage. That will get done hopefully this fall when/if the kids go back to school.Even just passed emissions with it's best opacity yet.
I would really appreciate any suggestions in how to troubleshoot this.
Great thread! I was going to post almost the same EXACT thing. There's a decent hill on Hwy 50 west of Canon City. I pulled it 2 months ago with a 26' heavy gooseneck trail, truck camper on the front and a 4800 lb Jeep on the back. I was able to see 242 degree oil temps and shot the IR gun right above the thermostat. It was reading 240 degrees. Last week, same hill but way hotter ambient temps. Was 100 degrees outside. Only had a 4 seater RZR on the same trailer. My OBD2-Link software gauge was setup with a max of 250 degrees. Hit the 250 degrees going up the hill and dummy gauge in the dash was almost out of the safe zone and into the red. Truck cools down as soon as I get to the top and stop pushing 3000 rpm and 1200 degrees EGT.
Let me know if your new clutch fan helps. I might need to buy one as well
The new fan clutch is still sitting in the garage. I've been working so much lately anticipating a slow down that I haven't had time and it doesn't affect my ability to get somewhere unloaded yet.
Is your EOT sensor original? Harness in good shape? IF the sensor is bad it could be giving the PCM a bad or default reading. Any codes?
I had the following in my 7.3L file...maybe it’ll help. Sensors do go bad, just another option to explore...
So I finally had the time this morning to replace that fan clutch and ended up draining the coolant out of the radiator. The degas bottle and the bucket of coolant I have look like one of my kids dumped half their sand box in it....I'm not sure what direction to go at this point, but I see a flush, coolant filter and radiator in my future. Any suggestions?
So I finally had the time this morning to replace that fan clutch and ended up draining the coolant out of the radiator. The degas bottle and the bucket of coolant I have look like one of my kids dumped half their sand box in it....I'm not sure what direction to go at this point, but I see a flush, coolant filter and radiator in my future. Any suggestions?
The sand is left over sediment form the manufacturer process of casting the block which has dislodged over the years. The sediment usually settles at the bottom of the coolant passages and occasionally is picked up by the turbulence in the water. That's why you find it in your degas bottle. Having said all that just know that when you do the coolant flush most of that sediment will be lifted and sent through your coolant system. There's a good chance this sudden influxe of sediment will destroy your water pump seal and you'll have to replace the pump. This happened to me 2 hours of driving after I did the flush. Installing a coolant filter will definitely reduce the risk of damaging the pump seal.
Only use advanced ELC and follow the instructions in the coolant flush sticky and you'll be fine.
