Cooling Fan Clutch Bearing Bracket

[md91ls]

hey guys. good news. not my oil pump, turns out to be my fan clutch & clutch bearing bracket/assembly. anyone know how to remove clutch bearing braket? thanks guys, you been a lot of help. I apreciate your advice. new member

md91ls

[N.C.O.]

hey guys. good news. not my oil pump, turns out to be my fan clutch & clutch bearing bracket/assembly. anyone know how to remove clutch bearing braket? thanks guys, you been a lot of help. I apreciate your advice. new member

md91ls

How many miles on the vehicle? If you haven't replace the timing belt, might think about doing that too, since the process is fairly close to that; just a matter of removing the crank pulley and the cover and the timing belt is right there.

N.C.O.

[md91ls]

hey guys. good news. not my oil pump, turns out to be my fan clutch & clutch bearing bracket/assembly. anyone know how to remove clutch bearing braket? thanks guys, you been a lot of help. I apreciate your advice. new member

md91ls

How many miles on the vehicle? If you haven't replace the timing belt, might think about doing that too, since the process is fairly close to that; just a matter of removing the crank pulley and the cover and the timing belt is right there.

N.C.O.

timingbelt has been done by mechanic. what all needs to be removed just to replace clutch bearing bracket?. thanks

md91ls.

[eatingupblacktop]

As NCO mentions, removing the fan bracket is part of the TB process. Item number 20 in the following link should get you there:

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

Item # edited

Here's a better pic:

[mejojo]

I would think your issue is the "Fan Bracket" and not anything to do with the fan/clutch. It's the metal body that holds the bearing. It's quite simple to replace, really. The only nasty part I recall was that I (for simplicity's sake) bent a part of the lower cover of the passenger-side distributor cover rather than remove all the stuff to get to it. Probably a more elegant way to get that done.

Search for "Fan Bracket".

[_mach_]

As NCO mentions, removing the fan bracket is part of the TB process. Item number 20 in the following link should get you there:

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

Item # edited

Here's a better pic:

Is the fan bracket's bearing serviceable? Can you replace the bearing and shaft only, or do you have to replace the entire piece?

[90LS400Lexus]

Thats a good question, because mine is bad too and I am having alot of trouble trying to figure out what all I need and have to do to replace it.

[_mach_]

Thats a good question, because mine is bad too and I am having alot of trouble trying to figure out what all I need and have to do to replace it.

I ended up getting one from a local salvage yard for $40 bucks. Hell of a lot better than 275-300 at the dealer

[90LS400Lexus]

Thats a good question, because mine is bad too and I am having alot of trouble trying to figure out what all I need and have to do to replace it.

I ended up getting one from a local salvage yard for $40 bucks. Hell of a lot better than 275-300 at the dealer

Thanks, but I cannot find any of these cars around here in salvage yards. There are times I wish mine was in the junkyard. <_< Especially when I price parts and labor repair costs. I see no reason why they could not attach the fan to the water pump like on most other cars... that way when the water pump was replaced, no more worries for awhile. Seems like this is a part that should be highly considered in replacing when doing t-belt and water pump, especially at the 2nd change around the 200K mark.

Cheapest genuine "Toyota/Lexus" part I could find was $165. My "Toyota tech mechanic" is going to do the labor for $120. Dealer wanted $160. $40 is $40.

[SKperformance]

The clutch itself is easy to get i think it is only $100 as you reuse the water pump bracket and fan itself.

I took mine off and replaced it with an electric one , Cost a bit more but the car is now dead quiet and smoother.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thats a good question, because mine is bad too and I am having alot of trouble trying to figure out what all I need and have to do to replace it.

I ended up getting one from a local salvage yard for $40 bucks. Hell of a lot better than 275-300 at the dealer

Thanks, but I cannot find any of these cars around here in salvage yards. There are times I wish mine was in the junkyard. <_< Especially when I price parts and labor repair costs. I see no reason why they could not attach the fan to the water pump like on most other cars... that way when the water pump was replaced, no more worries for awhile. Seems like this is a part that should be highly considered in replacing when doing t-belt and water pump, especially at the 2nd change around the 200K mark.

Cheapest genuine "Toyota/Lexus" part I could find was $165. My "Toyota tech mechanic" is going to do the labor for $120. Dealer wanted $160. $40 is $40.

To update - paid $155 for a Lexus (new) bracket, $125 labor and now she is fine. Now onto the motor mounts, valve cover gaskets... someday. ;)

[fisher972002]

Guys

What are the signs that your fan bracket bearing is going out... I hear a slight constant sound, but it may be my belt tensioner's and such, I've gone 100K since the TB was replaced, guess I need to take the belt off and roll the serpentine belt tensioners and idlers..

My sound is kind of a squeaky sound, is that the fan clutch from your experience what does it sound like

[90LS400Lexus]

Well mine went bad and I had to have it replaced... in fact, I have the old one here- looks identical to the one above.

Mine started all of a sudden. I pulled out of a drive-thru and it sounded like a rod knocking in the engine! @ first I thought it was the water pump, then I was told by someone here that the water pump cant be seen and it was the bracket bearing. I decided to drive the car home about 11 miles like this - with it knocking, banging and grinding.

When its bad, you will definitely know it. It literally sounds like the engine is falling apart.

Guys

What are the signs that your fan bracket bearing is going out... I hear a slight constant sound, but it may be my belt tensioner's and such, I've gone 100K since the TB was replaced, guess I need to take the belt off and roll the serpentine belt tensioners and idlers..

My sound is kind of a squeaky sound, is that the fan clutch from your experience what does it sound like

[glenmore]

To update - paid $155 for a Lexus (new) bracket, $125 labor and now she is fine. Now onto the motor mounts, valve cover gaskets... someday. ;)

You got a deal! Mine failed when I was far from home and a local garage nailed me for over $600!

glenmore

1990 LS400

1991 300CE

2000 C280

[glenmore]

Guys

What are the signs that your fan bracket bearing is going out... I hear a slight constant sound, but it may be my belt tensioner's and such, I've gone 100K since the TB was replaced, guess I need to take the belt off and roll the serpentine belt tensioners and idlers..

My sound is kind of a squeaky sound, is that the fan clutch from your experience what does it sound like

Mine failed suddenly at the tail end of a trip from Los Angeles to Berkeley. All was calm for the first 340 of 350 highway miles then all hell broke loose. Like marbles in a can. Nosiest at low RPMs and less so at highway speeds. Stopping at a gas station, I could not see anything visually but on start up what a racket. At the garage, the guy pointed out a pile of aluminum shavings by the pulley.

Yes, remove belt and check all your pulleys, but the sound should change with engine RPMs.

glenmore

1990 LS400

1991 300CE

2000 C280

[LSMami]

As NCO mentions, removing the fan bracket is part of the TB process. Item number 20 in the following link should get you there:

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html

Item # edited

Here's a better pic:

Is the fan bracket's bearing serviceable? Can you replace the bearing and shaft only, or do you have to replace the entire piece?

I'm new to the forum.... just bought my second 91 LS400 had one about 3 years ago traded for a 95 GS300... They don't compare! So I'm back to the luxury of a 91 LS400. I just bought it Tuesday for $750.00 yes 750. Anyway I was told the Cats were bad but when I started it, wow it sounded like the engine was about to fall out. I'd been looking for someone to tell me what the problem was instead of going to the dealer. Had a mech look at it, started it up and found out that it is the fan clutch. Reading these posts has also helped me understand what the problem is.

[plysobey]

I just did the fan pulley bracket on my 1995 LS400. Not as easy as some say but it is doable if you have enough tools and a whole Saturday to do it.

First,you should have a fan pulley wrench (Harbor Freight belt type) to hold the pulley while removing and installing the four nuts on the hub. Removal of the fan and clutch may be difficult if it is on tight but I used a long piece of steel bar and a hammer to knock the pulley loose by positioning the end of the bar at the back of the pulley and while holding the other end of the bar firmly with one hand and hitting the middle section of the bar with the hammer. the pulley will eventually come loose.

Removal of the upper radiator would also make the job a little easier.

You need to really loosen both the left and right plastic timing belt covers but you don't need to take them completely off.

The two 14mm bolts on the air conditioning compressor unit are a bear to locate and remove but I think I used a short box wrench or ratchet to get to those two bolts. You need to completely remove them.

Once you get the two nuts and three bolts holding the pulley bracket in place, you should then be able to start wiggling the bracket loose and you may need to bend back a metal tab by the a/c compressos to get the bracket free from the front of the engine. You will need to bend back the black circular portion of the passenger side timing belt cover while pulling the bracket free from the engine. Then you need to put the new bracket in place while fighting with and bending the two timing belt covers to get the bracket back into position. Also make sure to get all of the bolts and nuts back into position before tightening everything down. I hole this helps.

[landar]

Thanks much for the info, Patrick! And welcome to the Club.

[sha4000]

Good work and welcome to the club.

[billydpowell]

my nephew just replaced the fan pulley bracket on a 2002 LX470 with a blower on it, and I got the bracket from TRDparts4u and got a very good price on it and the belt (belt was 54$ and cost me 17$ from them ..