Radiator Fan Shroud Modification

Paul Gover wrote

It's VERY hard to turn the engine with the radiator in the way!

Its not the radiator so much as the fan. However, removing the fan involves moving the fan shroud out of the way which also involves removing the top hose and all the hassle of draining the coolant etc. (at least for the XJ6 SIII 86 - I notice earlier models have a removable top to the shroud). Frustrated with this I decided on a radical modification. I removed the shroud and with a hacksaw made vertical cuts to intersect tangentially at each side of the fan aperture. I made the cuts vertically downwards just adjacent to the raised shoulders on the top of the fan shroud (i.e. the LH cut passed just to the right of the embossed part number - CAC 4266) and approximately tangentially into the circular aperture for the fan. This leaves the removable piece held in place by the two retaining nuts at the top of the shroud. I used a couple of plates and self tapping screws to hold the separated parts together just above the point where the cut enters the fan aperture. I then affixed a couple of plates with self tapping screws to hold the thing together. I now can now quickly remove the top of the shroud and the fan. Then with absolute ease insert a 34 mm socket wrench into the crankshaft pulley and turn the engine with exquisite accuracy. To gain access to the crankshaft nut remove the torquatrol unit with the fan attached. Randy Wilson notes that the front crank nut is 1-5/16 but that 34mm is close enough to work.