Please Help me! I need to remove my 258 engine fan spacer!

[76cj7chick]

Hi all!

This may sound dumb but, I am having difficulty with removing the fan spacer off of my 76 CJ7 AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l engine.... The po left the spacer on but no fan.

I have a 3 core aftermarket radiator on the CJ7 which leaves little room for the engine fan.
I've been told that I can remove the fan spacer to get extra room to install an electric fan...

I took off the four retaining bolts holding the spacer but it still won't come off... Do I have to remove the pulley to take the spacer off?
I event tried to hammer flat headed screw driver between the pulley and the spacer with no luck..

Do I have to get a hold of the middle rod thingy and pull it off or twist it or??

Please help me with my current headache... Thanks bunches!


I've included pics of the spacer on the fan...

 

[IOPort51]

take the belts off and the whole pulley should come off.

 

[fishinfool98]

take the belts off and the whole pulley should come off.

"should" it might have gotten pressed on to the pump shaft
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[Barry2]

Put a little penetrating oil on it and with all the bolt out take a hammer and a punch and spin the spacer free. Get it a little loose and give it another shot of penetrating oil. the aluminum gets corroded and it gets stuck.

 

[76cj7chick]

What if I don't want the whole pulley to come off, just the spacer? Would I still have to remove the entire pulley?

 

[76cj7chick]

Eeek.. If it is pressed to the shaft what kind of puller would I need to remove the spacer? And can I just put the pulley back on skip the spacer and then use shorter bolts... Why? So I can install an electric fan.
Thanks for your help!

 

[76cj7chick]

I've sprayed almost a half can of WD40 on the spacer over the last 5 days and tapped on the spacer with a hammer and tried to get a thin bladed flat headed screw driver between the pulley and spacer with no success...
However when I first tried to remove the spacer it wouldn't budge at all... But after working it over the weekend and week it now will slowly spin but shows no signs of releasing... Hope its not pressed onto the pulley.

 

[mtnwhlr]

I would just try and remove the pully like stated before it will give you more leverage all it takes is pulling one belt off of just that pully.

 

[fishinfool98]

It shouldn't be pressed

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[IOPort51]

so you can end up with something that looks like this??

do you see the little thing sticking out of the center of the pulley?? that is what is stuck in the spacer.

the pulley comes off when you replace the water pump.

 

[tinhorn]

I would just try and remove the pully like stated before it will give you more leverage all it takes is pulling one belt off of just that pully.

Yup, try that. It may be peened onto the pulley. Let us know how it turns out 'cuz I'll be doing the same mod soon.

 

[Old Dog]

I'm with removing the belt, it might be making the pulley and spacer bind up. You really want the belt off when you put the bolts back in the pulley anyway.

 

[viking4949]

Previous owner may have epoxied or glued it on. Try something wider than a screw driver, like a paint scraper. Also, WD 40 isn't the best penetrating oil. Maybe something stronger. Maybe use a hacksaw blade. I just pulled my spacer this week so my new radiator would clear the fan. Mine came off stuck to the fan.

 

[76cj7chick]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions... I think I will have to take the belts off..
Just hate re-torquing everything.. Why? Because I don't trust my self when it comes to fixing things... And yet, I still do it...

I will let you all know how it goes.

 

[76cj7chick]

By the way... Just for clarification... If I loosen up the belts should the pulley come straight off?

What about the middle rod? Do I re-use it or get a shorter one for the pulley?

 

[76cj7chick]

so you can end up with something that looks like this??

do you see the little thing sticking out of the center of the pulley?? that is what is stuck in the spacer.

the pulley comes off when you replace the water pump.

HEY! It looks like you and I have about the same amount of space between the radiator and engine pulley! Are you using an electric fan? If yes, which one and where is it placed? :drool:
Also, would you know which bolts and middle rod did you use for your jeep?

 

[76cj7chick]

GOT THE SPACER OFF!

So, my dad came over this weekend and "monkeyed' it off. In other words he tapped on the pulley with a screwdriver and hammer... Nothing broke...

Here are some pics. Thanks Everyone for your help!



The last picture is of me after I colored part of my hair HOT PINK... I guess to match my CJ7 ..

 

[tinhorn]

GOT THE SPACER OFF!

WooHoo!

 

[mtnwhlr]

Glad to to hear you got it off

 

[TroyaCantrell]

My dad always said if at first you don't succeed....Get a bigger hammer.

That never works for me, I just break .

Glad you got it handled, enjoy the time wrenching with your dad.