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Removing Fan Clutch From Water Pump


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I had to change my Water Pump on my 2003 Yukon, 5.3L. I have done this job on other GM 5.3L's 3 times before so I am familiar with removing the fan clutch. Normally I put my medium size pipe wrench on the large nut while the belts are still in place. My pipe wrench is long enough that the handle extends higher than the fan blade so it is easy to give it a good whack with the rubber mallet and in the past this was always enough to spin off the fan clutch and fan blade. This Yukon is 12 years old, 95,000 miles California car zero rust. I never expected to battle this one. After several hard whacks it would not come loose.

I tried many ways and it would not break loose.

Finally knowing I was replacing the water pump and that the new pump had the belt drive pulley on it I knew I could waste my old water pump belt drive pulley. I drilled a 3/8 hole in the pulley center facing up.

This allowed me to take my 6 inch 1/4 drive extension and put it in the hole. I rotated the WP pulley till the 6 inch extension came up against the tensioner pulley above. Now the Pulley could not rotate without either bending the idler pulley below the alternator or bending my 6 inch extension which is made from hardened steel.

Now I pulled on the pipe wrench and with all my strength applied it did not budge. I added a 2 foot bar extension on the pipe wrench and pulled, with the 2 foot extension it broke loose but only after a hard pull.

The 6 inch extension did not bend and the idler pulley did not bend but the fan clutch nut finally broke loose.

 

Long story I know but I fought for over 2 hours to do a job that took me less than 3 minutes on the previous 5.3L's I worked on. I hope this saves someone some time.

The nut on my Yukon showed a lot of rust on the threads. I will put it back on with some anti seize so I never fight it again.

When the water pump was removed the pump to block gaskets showed signs of a slow leak and two of my bolts were rusted from these leaks. GM should have used better gaskets on these. I had noticed a faint smell of hot antifreeze when I parked this car in my garage hot. I kept checking and never found a leak so I decided at 12 years old and 95,000 miles I would change all the belts hoses and Water pump while I was there so it is good for another 10 years I hope.

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