How to Install a Water Pump Fan Stud Kit

The fan on most rear wheel drive cars is secured to the water pump using four studs that are threaded in the water pump impeller drive snout. Over time, with repeated service, these studs can become damaged and required replacement. The most common issue is the last person who removed the fan either stripped the threads on the studs or cross-threaded a nut or two onto the studs, making the fan unstable. Changing these studs can be done in a matter of an hour with the right tools. The following process describes replacing the studs on an engine equipped with a serpentine belt.

Instructions

1

Remove the fan shroud. There will be either two or four bolts that you will need to turn counterclockwise with the ratchet and a socket to do this. Carefully remove the shroud if there is enough room.

2

Remove the serpentine belt. Depending on the car, you may have to rotate the tensioner up or down to relive the tension on the belt to do this. On some cars this will be done by inserting the ratchet square drive into an opening on the tensioner and turning while on others you will turn the tensioner with a wrench.

3

Hold the fan firmly with one hand and turn the four nuts that hold it to the impeller snout counterclockwise with a ratchet and socket or wrench. Remove the fan. You may have needed to wait until this step to remove the shroud also. Remove the water pump pulley.

4

Thread a nut onto one of the studs until it bottoms out on the unthreaded portion of the stud. Thread another nut onto the stud on top of this nut. Hold this nut with either a wrench or the ratchet and a socket. Turn the inside nut counterclockwise to lock it to the outer nut. Rotate the outer nut counterclockwise with either a wrench or the ratchet and socket to remove the stud.

5

Hold the inner nut with the wrench while turning the outer nut with a wrench or the socket and ratchet.

6

Repeat steps 4 & 5 on the other three studs.

7

Thread the new studs into the impeller snout by turning them clockwise by hand. Thread two nuts onto a stud and lock them together by turning the inner one counterclockwise with a wrench and the outer one clockwise to lock them together. Tighten the stud by turning the outer nut clockwise with the wrench or socket and ratchet until it won't turn. This will require approximately 30 foot-pounds of torque.

8

Remove the nuts by holding the inner nut with a wrench and turning the outer nut counterclockwise with the ratchet. Once the outer nut is removed, remove the inner nut. Reinstall the water pump pulley.

9

Reinstall the fan and shroud. Thread the nuts onto the new studs by turning them clockwise by hand. Torque the nuts to approximately 30 foot-pounds. Reinstall the serpentine belt.

10

Torque the fan shroud bolts to approximately 15 foot-pounds.