Raised top & 5% pulley install problems

MadMike1331

Registered User
Well i just received my raised blower top and 5% overdrive pulley and i was hoping to get atleast one of them on tonight, but with no luck. I ran up against 2 problems between the two.
With the pulley i try to turn the nut on the end off but the whole engine turns over.
With the blower top the large coupler on the top wont turn off.
Any suggestions with these 2 problems would be greatly appreciated. Im currently in the process of becoming a Nuclear Qualified Electrical Operator in the NAVY so i have very very little free time and i would like as much time as possible to drive my 1995 SuperCoupe.

-Mike
 
Well I just had my spanner nut off with no special tools. It takes a lot of balls but I used a very large water pump pliers and while sqeezing them together with one hand as hard as I could I hit the pliers with a soft faced mallet with the other hand in the lefty loosy direction and it loosened up for me. You might get a small tooth mark on the nut from the pliers. As far as the pully, have a buddy hold the pully with a pipe wrench while you loosen the nut.
 
GOD help our NAVY, find a mechanically inclined friend before you break something. Well at least you're enthusiastic and willing to wrench.

OK, on the pulley, note that the pulley itself has a large nut shaped hex on the front. Use a big wrench to hold it while using a smaller on to remove the smaller retaining nut off the end of the shaft. You might want to take the belt off before you try to remove the pulley, by the way you'll need a stout three jaw puller to get it off, and the upper radiator neck is going to be in your way big time. You might want to get a new thermostat housing gasket so you can get it out of your way when swapping pulleys. And if you're going to do that you might as well throw a new thermostat in there also. Stock works best for you right now, trust me.

The large coupler, aka spanner nut, needs a special type of tool to turn it. It's called a spanner nut wrench. There's one made specifically for these by OTC tools for Ford and whoever else wants one. You should obtain this before you try to swap the tops. The top needs to be retorqued to 148 lbs/ft on install and there's no way you will be able to do this accurately without the spanner wrench. Check out www.supercoupeperformance.com to purchase one. Also get a intercooler gasket set from TBIRD88 (do a search) to make life easier for you. I don't think you can handle the factory teflon tape type resealing job.
 
Here is what I did. I used the largest screw driver I had and tapped it lightly with a hammer clockwise till lose. As for the pully you will need a Three finger pully puller after you get the nut off. Good luck
 
Thanks for the help. Oh and I am the mechanically inclined friend. Ill admit that im not the most mechanically inclined but with the minimum 12hr days Im willing to take advice and not waste time. 'Preciate it guys and if anyone else has any other experience theyd like to share ill still be checking on the thread.
Well i got to get to bed Ive got a 16hr day tomorrow starting at 0500.
-Mike
 
Better Get it Done Now

I imagine that the "Comp" is only 3-4 weeks away. Unless you stay ahead of the "Curve" at prototype, 16 Hour days get to be the norm in a hurry. I know, been there and done that! Mechanical Operator, last duty station USS Enterprise. EAOS was 10/14/83. You might try using a strap wrench to hold the pulley while you turn the nut. An impact wrench would be your last resort...
 
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I got that pulley on alright I didnt notice the nut made into the pulley since it was dark. The next problem is getting that spanner nut off, Ive got a few ideas for that.
Im in the new class up in New York at the MARF plant. Im at about week 3. Yea i noticed that staying ahead of the curve is going to take effort this week. Unfortunatly my 16hr day today didnt quite cut it so ill be coming in on Sat. for about 8hrs. Oh well Im actually accustomed to it after Power school.
 
Be careful with your ideas. People have cracked their tubes by trying something other than the proper tool. Notice how those that tried other methods mentioned Tapping Lightly.

I used a short piece of 2x4 and a rubber mallet. Not ideal, but it worked.

If the new top didn't come with a big nut (I don't know if all of them do) then you'll need a spanner wrench or more thought to get the inner nut off that retains the outer nut. The inner jut is a left hand thread and it has an o-ring as well.
 
When in the area

Hey, if in the area, look us up at NJTACC.COM. Its the New Jersey Super Coupe Club. If in the location of Jersey, post it there and we could maybe get a few guys to come and say hi. God Bless you for helping us guard our GREAT country!!!!!


Anyhow, Union Electrician myself....good luck on training.


Don
 
It hasn't really been clearly said yet, so I wanted to point out that the collar nut is a reverse thread. Just wanted to make that clear.

Thomas
 
Thomas are you saying the collar nut is left hand thread?

I seem to remember mine being a standard thread. Turn to the right to tighten, like putting a trap together under a sink.
 
The big nut is right hand thread like most things. The inner nut that retains the collar on the top is left hand threads.

Confusion over the big nut comes from people viewing it from either the drivers side, front, or passenger side.

Now since the big nut is on the top, you would think turning left if standing behind it. But if you are on the IC tube side it will seem backwards. Most people see it from the drivers side because you can get a better angle on it. But fron that direction, you need to remember you are on the back side of the fastener thus it will seem reversed threads, thoug it's not.
 
Right. You pull down on the ol torque wrench towards the front of the car when you tighten the top intercooler nut to 148 ft lbs.
 
Yes, I suppose it does matter which way you are looking at it. Never thought about that. So...

LOOSEN:toward the windshield
TIGHTEN:toward the IC.

There we go :D

Thomas
 
You can just use some copper RTV sealant to seal the intercooler tubes. Just make sure you use copper, so it fills in all the little pits.
 
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