Re: Exploding fan saga

[bgiller@mitre.org (Bruce Giller)]

>A couple of questions.  My manual ('86 spider) says I should refill
>coolant by a multi-step procedure, involving use of two bleed screws: a
>lower one on the top of the waterpump, and an upper one somewhere around
>the thermostat housing.  Well, maybe it wasn't bright enough by the time
>I got to that part, but I was unable to FIND this upper bleed screw (no
>problem finding the lower one).  The only thing that seemed to be in
>about the right spot was a mounting screw for the thermostat housing.
>The illustration in the manual is not all that clear.  Am I looking in
>the wrong place, or is this something that doesn't occur on all cars?
>If I don't have one, is there an alternative way to properly bleed the
>cooling system?

	This top most bleed screw is sorta hidden.  Look at the top of the
FI's intake plenum.  You'll find two coolant hoses attached to a brass
fitting.  Inbetween where the hoses are attached you'll find a brass bolt
head; this is the bleed screw.  It is really a hollow bolt with a hole
drilled near the head of the bolt.  Pour in the coolant until it flows out
of the water pump screw; tighten screw.  Pour in more coolant until it
comes out of the 2nd bleed screw; tighten screw.  Don't forget to open the
heater core inside the car.  Also do this when the car is on a level
surface otherwise the highest point of the coolant system won't be at the
2nd bleed screw.

>Also, there hasn't been an A/C belt on the car since I've owned it.
>Seems like this might be a good time to install one, and see if there's
>anything left of the A/C system.  Do I remember a thread a while back
>about the complexity and general hassle of installing/tensioning this
>belt?  (maybe this is why there was none when I bought the car?)  Any
>help here?

	You need to remove the radiator to change the A/C belt.  The main
pulley is really in two parts held together by bolts.  Unscrew the bolts
and pry the two sections apart; you'll find a bunch of adjustment shims on
the front of the pulley and between the two sections.  Put the new belt on
the A/C pulley and around the half of the main pulley then put the second
half back on.  You adjust the width of the main pulley by the shims you put
between the two sections; just like the VW Bug generator pulley.  To test
the thickness, you need to tighten down all the bolts and turn the main
pulley so that the belt is its normal operating position; push down in the
middle of the belt - your manual should have the deflection amount listed.

	Before you do all this work, check to see if the A/Cs clutch isn't
frozen stiff - maybe the compressor froze up and the belt snapped.


>A couple of people suggested that I consider an electric fan, but I
>believe the consenus is that there's no room to install one on an A/C
>car.  There is, however, what appears to be a push-type fan in front of
>the a/c condenser.  Could this be wired to a thermostat and used for
>engine cooling?  The car never gets hot, except in traffic (and when the
>fan puts a whole in the radiator, of course...).

	Don't forget that the A/C fan has to push air thru the A/C
condenser coils just to get the engine radiator.  You could put in a
thermostat in the radiator and wire it up but you might not get much
cooling effect.

>And why couldn't somebody design an electric fan with a belt, so the
>motor wouldn't have to sit in the tight spot (between water pump and
>radiator)?  Any thoughts.

	Never found a fan that had a belt drive; all the ones I've ever
come across have been direct drive.

  Bruce