Glen

I am new to this forum so applogies for any repeats or stupid questions. I screwed up, and I need help. The front main seal on my 92 SC-400 started leaking and bad (1 qt in 300 miles MOL). Anyway, finding books on this car is impossible. Being some one who works on classic cars for a hobby a decided to tackle this job despite having no available reference material. (I have since had a parts vendor for my old cars fax me a "All data" print out). Anyway, long story short. I thought the pulley on the fan pump would have to be removed (which I was wrong and did not need to be touched). Since many bolts needed an impact wrench to get them loose that is what I used on the fan pump pulley. However, I now believe that it may have revers threads (does it?). Anyway, the nut loosened (or I thought it did). In fact what happened is that it appears to have stripped the nut. It can be spun with difficulty by hand (easy with wrench) both ways. It does not tighten nor does it loosen. The pulley is still on the shaft and appears tight and spins with the shaft. End play while not measured does not seem like something that would draw my attention. Pump turns smoothly, and filling the pump with fluid and turning it that it is still in operation. So my question is, what do I do about this nut? The dealer can not even tell me if it is a reverse thread. If I try to brake the nut off, I fear I am opening a can of worms. My current thought is to weld the nut to the shaft at the end (nut and shaft are level which appears to be the way the pump comes) and also weld the nut to the pulley. I can at this point see little downside to doing this as the pulley apparently never has to be removed, and new pumps apparently come with the pulley. I quite litterally can not afford a new one (this is why I was doing this job myself). And I am having no luck finding a fan pump used so as to skip the risk that I caused more damage then I think. What is the lists concensus on how to get around snafu. Try to break the nut off? Just weld the end of the nut to the shaft & side to the pulley? Or is there someone out there who has one of these pumps, and believes in Darwin and will take sympathy on the lesser evolved (me) and let it go for a song? Anyway, all informed replys are appreciated. Thanks!

Glen
drivea356@knology.net

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

you either stripped the nut or the threads on the pulley.
if its just the nut it can be replaced.

Im not sure about the 400, but certain pulleys on the 300 take alot more than just taking the nut off for the pulley to come off. If the pully spins without a wobble and you cannot "move it" with a decent amount of force, its probably still fine at this point.
If it still works it works, dont mess it up further.

Glen

So you would not do anything to secure the nut just in case like tack weld it?

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

if you cant pull the pulley out by hand its probably not going to go anywhere, especially with a belt on it, as you said the nut is still difficult to move by hand.

you could tack the nut to the bolt to make it a done deal, that would prevent the pulley from coming off in worst case scenario.
tacking the nut to the pulley may not even be necessary, and depending on how the whole thing spins in relation to one another, could be a bad idea. but if they normally spin together and the pulley appears to be slipping, then it may be worth a shot.

Glen

The entire assembly (shaft, pulley, nut) are designed to spin together as if the nut has been tightened to hold the pully on (which I'm sure it originally was. Everything still spins together unless you hold the nut. Then the nut spins seperately. My thought is that the nut over time could finially come off or move down the shaft which could maybe cause the pulley to loosen. Or that while running the pulley may put pressure on the nut pushing it off. I can't think of any reason (now! Wish I had last night) to take the pulley off. As you said several small welds may be worth a shot. And the pulley is visible once together so I can keep my eye on it. My preferable choice right now for piece of mind is to find a good sub 150K mile part at a reasonable price and just swap it out. However, I don't have forever to find one. I have a line on a couple at wrecking yards. Prices aren't as bad as I thought. But I would have several hour drives to get to them. And one had 198K miles. I'm still waiting for a call back on the other for the wrecks mileage. Thanks!

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

if you can weld you might as well give it a shot before replacing it.
I think you will find another 150k+ part to be just as loose once you install it.
I really cant think of a reason why it wouldn't work or backfire, unless you need to take the pulley off to get at bolts for removing the whole assembly.

Glen

A used one would not likely be loose unless another dufus such as I took an impact wrench to it.