Well I'm getting the engine accessories ready for powder coating and wanted to separate the fan shroud so the process can be applied to the interior and exterior of the two shroud halves. Problem is now that all the bolts and screws are out, I can't seem to spit the two halves. I can easily get a screw-driver blade all around the circumference but the two halves just won't separate. Is there a trick..?

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Thanks.

There are dowel pins in a few places around the perimeter. Find them and pry apart at those points and they should separate.

Double check for any other screws. Spray a liberal amount of PB Blaster (or = penetrating fluid) all around the perimeter seams and try again in a day or two. Rust can cause the dowel pins to stick pretty good.

I've been down the same road before, and having the same issue with the screws on my wife's 71 fan housing right now.

I can post pics of one apart if you like.

I had the same problem with mine. The perimeter was free but there was something near the middle (just to the side of the fan hole) that would not release.

I didn't want to break anything so I cleaned as best I could reaching all around the inside with scrubby pads and it came out nice. It's not a piece that will rust so I wasn't looking to paint/powdercoat the inside. I did spray "aluminum finish" spray paint on the outside. Looks good.