tdatk944+S4

I am pulling out my fan housing this weekend in an attempt to restore its original luster.
Has anyone done this at home without a sandblaster and if so how? Before and after pics would be nice.

Tim

cobalt

Be careful the fan housing is made of a magnesium alloy. I believe it was anodized from the factory. If you sand blast it you will need to protect it. Magnesium will pit very quickly if you leave it exposed.

You can polish it if you have the time and interest but will need to clear coat it immediately after polishing and cleaning it with a dielectric cleaner. Be very careful not to leave any exposed surfaces. This will only last for a couple of years if the car is garaged,

If you have access to a coating facility you will want to have it dichromated type 1or 3 to protect it from the elements. If you plan on painting it you will need to have type 3 done before painting. I recommend having it dichromated within an hour of blasting it. Glass bead will give you the best finish.

If it isn't pitted to badly you may want to have it re anodized. unfortunately without access to these processes it may be cheaper to buy new.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

FWIW,....We've really had excellent luck over the years with glass-bead blasting the housing and fan assembly and then immediately following that with several coats of Krylon Clear.

It holds up pretty well.

tdatk944+S4

Thanks Anthony and Steve,
I do have access to a bead blaster at work. I will try the krylon treatment as I am kinda cheap when it come to painting engine parts.

Tim

Hetmann

I used a product called Speedy Metal Polish and then followed with their clear coat. Took a fair amount of elbow grease, but really only a couple of evenings in front of the TV. It's been over a year now and it still looks great.

http://www.speedymetalpolish.com/

tdatk944+S4

Well, here's how it turned out with glass bead blast cleaning and 3 coats of krylon clear coat. I'm satisified for now.....

Tim

Ian J

That looks great. Dumb question time ! How easy is it to take off the fan and its housing to do this ? Is this a simple DIY job or are you lot really expert mechanics in disguise ?

Any tricks for disassembly/re-assembly ?

Ian
Istanbul
'87 Cab

tdatk944+S4

Ian,
The fan assembly is not that difficult, it's the alternator wires and shroud(sp) thats a PITA. PNA should have made the wires a quick disconnect back there instead of terminals. You need to be a little crafty in there. Other than that , it's a piece of cake.
Tim

RoninLB

Chipping of fan paint is a PIA.. so my bright idea was for nickel plating. I was pretty dim by telling the plater that it was magnesium. I should have said Al. So after a week of BS he tells me he can't do it.. I think it has something to do with the dangers of mag. and the Fire Marshal. So I have the specs for what nickle to ask for.

cobalt

Just a bit of advice. Clean the parts thoroughly prior to painting with a dielectric cleaner and allow to dry prior to painting. I recommend allowing the paint to dry for at a minimum of 72 hours between coats and before reinstalling. I found the biggest problem was scratching the clear coat upon installation. It is almost impossible to fit the housing back in without catching some sharp edge. I would try to cover the surface with tape then reinstalling and remove the tape. Those little hair line scratches or nicks that appear to be insignificant will turn ugly quickly and eventually spread throughout the entire casting.

When removing your fan housing mark your wires and alternator for easy reassembly. Make sure you use all the lock washers and tighten properly otherwise they will work there way loose and eventually cause problems.

While you are at it, I highly recommend an inspection of all moving parts since you have the unit apart. Check the alternator bearings and armature surface. Pour surface contact of the brushes will determine your alternators ability to produce current effectively. You can use a meter to determine if you are getting constant continuity. You may even think about replacing the brushes.

Good luck

anh911

here's a link to a related and colorful pelican thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...n&pagenumber=1