Hello All.

Is there any way possible to install the two piece radiator fan shroud without disassembling the front of the engine?

Do I admit defeat and have a non-shade tree mechanic do the installation?

Enjoy your Easter Holiday.

 

You should be able to get it in there if you remove the fan and also unbolt the AC compressor and pull it forward to get the AC lines out of the way.

 

unbolt the AC compressor and pull it forward to get the AC lines out of the way.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your input.

I had thought about having the refrigerant removed so I could disconnect the a/c lines and move them out of the way but then I thought about what the cost would be to recharge the system's front and rear a/c. I don't know how much flexibility there will be in the a/c lines by going with your idea of unbolting and pulling the compressor forward...I will have to take a hard look at it. I must admit that I do fear trying to manipulate 20 + year old a/c components.

Even if I can get the shroud in, the hardest part may well be getting the fan and clutch reinstalled, as there will be almost no room at all to maneuver the fan into position and get it threaded onto its pulley.

Let me bounce this idea off of you and give me an honest and brutal opinion, please.

What if I drain the coolant and remove the radiator and the fan...remove the coolant tank and washer fluid tank...wiggle and jiggle the upper and lower shroud pieces through that opening into place then bolt them together....reinstall the fan....reinstall the radiator....bolt the shroud to the radiator....reinstall the coolant and washer tanks.....replace the coolant and be done.

Does that sound doable? Granted, there are more steps involved but it eliminates the major difficulty of reinstallation of the fan and the shroud might install without having to much trouble. I just don't know which way to go with this, which is the main reason for my joining up with you lot. There is so much collective knowledge and experience on this site that it is almost like the library of Alexandria for Dodges.

Thanks for reading and all inputs and considerations are greatly appreciated.
I remain 'Mostly Blind' Richard, in south Texas.

 

Shroud is top and bottom piece, right? So, install the bottom piece, install the fan, install the top piece.

 

Sounds simple,right?

The main issue is the width between the engine and the a/c lines that run right to left, looking from the front of the van. The lack of width there will not allow either top or bottom piece to pass through,but after mulling over the idea that I was spit-balling, I think that I may have hit on a simple solution.

Just now, I took another look and place the top piece of the shroud atop the new radiator, and the shroud is narrower than the radiator so, I drain and remove the radiator, drop in the bottom and the top, join them together, attach to the radiator, refill the coolant....done. I don't have to remove the fan at all.

I think that will work and will let you all know. If I had a functioning video camera, I would document the operation because if there is anything on youtube about this I could not find it.

 

Sounds like that should work!!!

 

Yes, please do get back to us, your final result might help someone else in the future.

 

Its in. I managed to get the shroud installed today and I used an abbreviated method of what I posted the other day.

I decided to drain the coolant and pull the radiator first so I could get to the fan. Well, when I pulled the radiator, I had about 5.5 inches of open space. Just a wide open gap between the a/c lines and the radiator for the a/c....the evaporator?

Anyway, I did not have to remove the fan....nor move the a/c compressor....or the coolant and washer fluid tanks. I dropped the lower and the upper parts of the shroud into the space and reinstalled the radiator. The hardest part of the operation was the securing of the shroud to the radiator, perhaps because it is not a stock radiator. I got worn out and called it a day around 4:00 pm so, I will refill the coolant tomorrow and hope to be finished by lunchtime.

So, if that project is in your future, measure the width of your radiator and the width of the shroud. I suppose to remove the shroud for whatever reason just pull the radiator first and don't destroy your original shroud like I did.

Peace,
\Mostly Blind