[T3] Removing fan housing while engine still in car?

[timothy kuehn <keen_tj@hotmail.com>]

...  it looks like it is possible to swap the housing only -- but I
suspect those instructions are Beetle-specific and therefore not
necessarily applicable.

Is this possible to do on a squareback?

...

Sure it's possible.  You may end up inventing new curse-words as you do it.  The only bit that's even mildly difficult is removing the fan itself.  It's really torqued in there, so you need a big tool to break it loose (I use a 3-foot non-ratcheting bar, 1-foot extension, and big ol' 1 3/8" socket).  Trick is locking the engine somehow, so you can loosen that big bolt.  Some recommend feeding rope down a SP hole, to hold the crank in place.  I've had better luck removing the starter, and arranging vise grips & several stout screwdrivers so they jam against the flywheel teeth (try to jam 2 or 3 teeth if you can).
It's easier with two people - if only because, once you start to cuss & swear real good, the other guy starts to laugh, which can make the job go smoother. 
Once the fan's out of the way, the housing's a breeze.  When installing the new one, some threadlock & new star lockwashers aren't a bad idea - keep all those little mounting screws (especially the ones that live BEHIND the fan) from pulling out & making you take this whole mess apart again in a year.

Let us know how it goes.

--timmy
'72 square
redondo, ca

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