no forward progress to report but friday this happened:
fan support bearing failed when arriving at a job walk with a client. i muscled it into the parking spot (PS went out too) and after ward removed the fan shroud and fan and limped her home from Rancho Cordova to Colfax.
Very glad the water pump is timing belt driven and not by the fan pulley like most or i would have really been stranded.
Ordered one off amazon thanks to Squadoosh's too tall thread and she has arrived today so i should be able to get her installed tonight if the rain behaves some.