Fan broke the fan shroud. Need water pump belt tension advice too

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98_Q45
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Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:12 am

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I don't know what the hell is going on. This is just crazy. This car is getting on my last nerve. So I had installed my new fan belt yesterday. In the process, as I got that off I noticed the water pump belt seemed real lose which is probably where the squealing has been coming from even though the fan belt was coming off in pieces around the ribs. So, I tightened it up a little bit. Put everything back together.

The squealing was gone but I felt the fan was running a bit faster with the tighter water pump belt. I did everything properly except I couldn't tell what the proper tightness for that belt is. I drive around for awhile.

This morning I start up and drive around, then bunch of noise. Fan shroud fell into the fan and cut it up a bit. The plastic broke the one bolt the shroud was hanging on.

When I started the engine after I put the fan on I'm noticing the fan is bouncing around awful it looks like. And something is making noise.

Someone please call me, I'm in trouble here I don't know what to do and my tools are in my storage unit right now and can't even get the car to drive with this issue: *REDACTED*
Last edited by Rogue One on Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: EDITED


98_Q45
Posts: 491
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:12 am

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Also my question is, should you be able to turn the fan belt by hand if it's the proper tension? Because prior to that I was able to turn it by hand. But as I was removing the fan belt, the fan clutch wobbled a bit on the water pump belt. Once I tightened it, I wasn't able to turn by hand as I was putting the fan screws back on.

I'm just hoping I didn't f*** up my water pump..

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Q451990
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Not sure that I can totally grasp what's going on here without some pictures, but a belt should not be able to be moved by hand with the proper tension. The old rule of thumb is that you shouldn't be able to turn it more than 1/4 of the way if you try to twist it, but that's not particularly accurate. I found that I've normally put not enough tension on my belts... I finally bought a tension gauge, and it's a great use of $14. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBGKR1

98_Q45
Posts: 491
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:12 am

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What happened was the entire fan pulley was loose as I removed the belts. I felt the water pump belt was too tight because it was making noises. Ended up loosening it too much and it jumped track and smoked up.

The fan has hit the shroud a couple more times. It's f*** up to where I had to tape what is left. Not driving it, just from test starts. It seems like when the engine is on, the entire fan pulley with the water pump is shaking. I also noticed I lost a screw to my fan...as you know I had the issue earlier this week. So now I'm down to 2 fan screws instead of 4.

Question: is the fan pulley attached to anything behind it besides the belts? It seems like there's nothing holding it except the two belts.

This all started after a changed my new belt. I had drove 800 miles this past weekend with no issues except the intermittent squealing belt issue...which is what prompted me to do this whole thing. The belt is fine, but something with that fan pulley is not right. And I'm feeling back there it feels like there's something lodged in there behind it. Just driving me crazy here....

98_Q45
Posts: 491
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:12 am

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If things couldn't get any worse, I started it up tonight just to see if I could drive it a couple blocks to the mechanic tomorrow.

There was still noise. Loud noise as I started it. Wasn't going to drive. Closed the hood, and guess the fan FELL OFF and hit the radiator and pretty much cut my radiator now.

I know I'm probably sounding like the worse amateur mechanic out there, but I've never had so many fails at once than with this car. This is devastating because I need my car and I'm out of town. Unless there's a radiator at the yard tomorrow, is stuck waiting for a new one to be mailed...super annoying considering the previous owners just put this radiator in not long ago.

Also showing the water pump belt slipped off again also. Another fan bolt had also broke off. I'm over my head with this, I'm about to break down. I was just about to pay $300 to get my control arms installed and then head home. Now this issue is cropped up. It's like something is not letting me take this car home


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