OK Guys... Get in here and brainstorm!

[PEZi]

I can't for the life of me figure out how this assembly is actually put together, so for those who have done the clutch fan delete... tell me if its even possible!

I just want to remove the actual clutch for the fan on the front of the engine, the fan is already removed but not the clutch. There are 4 screws for the '85 on the front of the clutch, but they are literally impossible to get off. I'm to the point where I'm ready to drill them out, but I'm weary. I know the clutch and water pump are part of one unit, so I don't want to drill them out and not be able to get them back in if taking off the clutch messes something up.

Anyone done this? Or have any other info on this?

Right now, for reference, there is no fan but the clutch for it is still on.



To answer your question before you ask... yes, I am doing an electric fan.

[fastboatman29212]

Pezi,
I get the prize for 1st correct answer. Straight from the FSM (1984) it says, "The water pump and fan coupling cannot be disassembled and should be replaced as a unit."

Soooooo . . . . . maybe you can't . . . . . but with the guys on this forum, I never say never!

[captainzeros]

Right. The clutch and the waterpump are all one unit not designed to be separated. If you remove the screws that just helps you take the clutch itself halfway apart but not off. I read on ratsun a while back a method for basically carefully smashing the clutch apart then cutting off the end of the shaft to delete the clutch but that seems like an awful lot of work and risk in my opinion. Another direction to work down is I believe (but don't quote me on this) that a L series water pump will swap in just fine, then you just need to find a pulley to bolt to the thing.

edit: I have one sitting here on my desk, have some pictures:

[captainzeros]

I ordered it off ebay to fit my '81 truck, but I didn't feel like hunting down a pulley so I just put on a pump with a clutch and just let the clutch hang out in space when I put in an electric fan.

This ebay page says my exact model will fit on the engine, but alas no pulley.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Wate ... 0080575322

(also, one more thing to consider is that it doesn't come with the one captive screw that the Z series water pumps with a clutch have, either)

[captainzeros]

One more reply, I just found my old waterpump so here are some comparison photos if you wanna gamble that route.

[fastboatman29212]

That reply was WAAAAYYY more helpful than mine. Nice job Captain!

[PEZi]

Well crap... I just feel like a 5lb weight on the front of my engine is pointless, but I guess until I do an engine swap its not a huge deal. Thanks guys!

[captainzeros]

Here we go, found the writeup I was thinking of for removing the fan clutch from the waterpump. Basically a lot of careful grinding.
http://www.datsunnissandrivers.com/phpB ... =11&t=1884

[Rev_D21]

I was going to say that water pump on my 81 720 Z22 didn't have a fan clutch but someone said it before I did. Maybe that will help.

[86 720]

There's a water pump you can get off a Z car that is all the same bolts, etc. minus the fan clutch. I'll see if I can find it.

[86 720]

Try looking at a 1978 280Z water pump and compare it to the 720 WP.

[captainzeros]

here is a sidebyside of my '81 720's old waterpump with fan clutch laying haphazardly next to my '73 240Z's waterpump. Dunno about the 280Z but the distance from the block to the pulley is a lot greater on my truck waterpump than on my Z.

[flinterman2000]

This should be the decider. Z20 pump with a pulley from an L18. Worked for me for 6 years before I sold the car. Bolt for bolt application.

[synack7350]

did you end up deleting the fan clutch pez? oh and what electric fan set up are you running? Also did you replace the radiator or are you running stock still? oh and Bump!

[PEZi]

I'm running a miniature aluminum racing radiator out of a honda civic for weight savings. Clutch is still attached, as it appears it will either take more effort than it is worth, or just a new water pump all together. Fan is a 13" 1350cfm electric fan to fit said mini radiator.

With no thermostat, I am currently running 190 degrees with no fan, and 160 - 170 with the fan.

[synack7350]

I'd have to add transmission cooler. A/T here It looks sick though man! Looks like you have a ton of room too! I'll prolly go bigger than 13" I think stock the fan is 15"? A little extra cooling for those long desert sojourns isn't a bad thing for us non racing types. I might as well invest in a water pump while I'm down there though. I guess I'll give the z20 pump a go. Not to worried about the pully. I have a ton of options there. I just kind of wanted to make sure the z20 pump sized up ok on the z24. Are those the american racing outlaw 2 aluminum wheels?

[PEZi]

Yep. Those are the 'street' setup wheels. 15x7 with 225 BFGoodrich Radial T/A's.

[synack7350]

sweet I've had my eye on them on summit for a while. I'll shop around for the best price though I need me sum aluminums. summit is quoting $104 a wheel but I think If I look hard I can find them cheaper. Metal center caps are high though.

[PEZi]

I think I paid $90 a wheel... but that was about 4 years ago. I have some coupons for Discount Tire I could send your way... just need to make sure they work at all locations and not just my local ones. $50 off any 4 tires... $100 off any 4 wheels and tires.

[synack7350]

sweet I'll look into it and get back to you. I'm not even sure where there is a discount tire around. I like local I just have a hard time with our parts local here. hell I checked all the junk yards for a 100 miles no 83-86 720's they are really really rare here. I freak out when I see one! I know wheels are pretty standard though. what is it 6*5.5 with a 4inch center ?

[synack7350]

oh btw who'd you get the fan and rad from and what'd you pay? is it a 2 pass or three pass rad?

[PEZi]

The wheels are 6x5.5... anything that will fit a chevy will fit the 720. The fan I sourced from autopartswarehouse.com... dual pass aluminum racing rad I snagged for $100. I had to have custom hose adapters made, as the civic I got it from uses smaller hoses than the 720. They look sweet

[synack7350]

hell yeah nice shiny aluminum hose barbs. Prolly didn't take much to turn them out on the lathe. 100 bucks is a good price!!! everything I was looking at was in the 170 range. I'll take a look see it might be more economical to divorce the transmission cooler I see a super cool truck on my immediate horizon! I'm going to pull my pump and if it looks good I'm going to try the fan clutch delete mod. I know a fellar that has a press here local he might be able to pop it off the shaft and then its just a matter of deleting the shaft. Band saw would prolly do a job on it!

[synack7350]

oh lemmie know on those coupons! I'm going to price 4 and 4 at my local discount tire.
speaking of is this the same chain?

Williams Discount Tire
maps.google.com - 3929 US Highway 431, Albertville - (256) 878-4895

or this

Discount Tire World
www.discounttire.com - 3000 McClellan Boulevard, Anniston - (256) 237-0034

[PEZi]

It'll be that second one... Discount/America's tire are what I have coupons for. I'll look on them to see of any restrictions, and if there are none, I'll double check with them anyway once I go get the tires rotated on the Frontier this week.

[synack7350]

sweet thanks man. Oh I priced rads. Unfortunately i do better price wise just going with a rad with an integrated transmission cooler. Ebay has some nice prices on double fan kits of various colors. I'll prolly just clean up my rad inside and out and then just add an electric fan. Supposedly an electric fan over a mech fan is supposed to be 15 to 20% more efficient. No worries about overheating at a stand still either!

[captainzeros]

Junkyard electric fans are even cheaper than ebay. I got one out of a geo metro for $15 from a pick a part.

[PEZi]

And the coupons are good nationwide! I can mail one out if you're interested.

[synack7350]

oh yeah I need to find a decent junkyard . 15 bucks is much nicer than 40. I can rattle can it. Hell yeah pezi do you still have my addy?

[PEZi]

Sure do! Check your mail in a few days.