Check Your Fan Blade!!!!!

[archlab]

I'm Gonna Give Myself A Reputation...

...but, this is yet another great example of a Designed Point of Failure - Too many people have seen this. I have also seen it on the 2 'Explorers' I have owned over the last 18 years.

 

[archlab]

I have a metal fan and clutch (hayden severe duty) left over from an 88 f-150 if that will help. We converted it to a Mark VIII fan and he is never going back (he likes his better freeway mileage).

~Mark

Hiya. Is that Mark VIII fan an electrical fan? Also, how much mpg did you pick up? Not to mention, extra pwr. I may try doing this myself.

 

[Maniak]

Hiya. Is that Mark VIII fan an electrical fan? Also, how much mpg did you pick up? Not to mention, extra pwr. I may try doing this myself.

Here is about the Mark vIII fan on that f-150.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219176&highlight=mark+vIII

~Mark

 

[niteklub79]

IMHO, if you have cracks at the fan blade & hub, replace the fan. It is just a matter of time as to when that fan will fail, the blade(s) separates from the hub.

Actually the white plastic cooling fans that always crack like this within a year or 2 or 3 are the cheapo replacement aftermarket ones made in China that AutoZone, O'Reilly's, Schucks, Pep Boy's, and eBay and Dorman etc. sell. Dorman used to be made in the USA, but no more-- as you all might know mostly manufactured in China.

I know this for a fact because I bought one of those cheapo replacement fans for my 94' OHV V6 and after 2 years, when I was going to change the serpentine belt I saw the big stress cracks all over the hub at the blade, as in the picture in this post. I could not believe it. I took a made in 1995 MY fan part, OEM Ford with the dates of manufacture cast into the part, from my 96 Explorer, with 170k miles, that was having the trannie rebuilt and THAT fan blade was fine. No stress cracks after 16 years of hard running and installed that in my 94.

I then ordered a new OEM Ford plastic fan blade from a Ford dealer in Buelleton, Calif. for my 96 Explorer and with shipping it was about $8 more expensive than the cheapo ones from AutoZone, etc.

The OEM Ford manufactured fans last much longer- And most of the older Explorers like mine, 1996 OHV V6 run much better with oem Ford / Motorcraft parts. I have owned 5 or 6 of these trucks over the last 15 years, all high mileage, do my own repairs and that's what works on them.

Unbelievable how bad the quality of the aftermarket parts are that are now being sold by AutoZone, etc., even with their " warranty ". Their crappy parts all fail within 2 years... I've started buying only OEM Ford / Motorcraft parts for my Explorers.

I've replaced my fan probably three times since I've owned my '93 (About 4 years now) with the plastic, cheap-o blades - I found that I just chalk up replacing the cracked fan blade as part of routine maintenance - A couple quick spins of the wrench, grabbing my saved receipt, and heading to the store to get a new fan within the warranty period has worked great for me - I paid about 21 bucks for the cheap-o blade originally, replaced it myself about three times - I usually buy the fan blade at Advance Auto, and they replace it for me every year, no questions asked, and I haven't been charged from my original purchase...

I can appreciate that it might be preferable to 'set and forget' with a quality replacement right off the bat, but I'm just throwing this out there for those who can't source or afford the good stuff...

 

[fast_dave]

Question:

* Will a Metal Radiator Fan off of a 1996 - 1998 V8 Explorer or Mounty fit the fan clutch that's used on a 1998 Ford 4.0 OHV V6?

 

[EvilTheCat]

Has anybody ever actually had one come apart?
I had a metal one come off on my '78 Chevy that I owned ten years ago.
What a mess.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Question:

* Will a Metal Radiator Fan off of a 1996 - 1998 V8 Explorer or Mounty fit the fan clutch that's used on a 1998 Ford 4.0 OHV V6?

Does someone know- I didn't know, but would like to see Dave get an answer... Are the fan clutches the same bolt pattern? I know the fan blades were different part numbers...

 

[Turdle]

I had a metal fan off a '98 v8 on our 93. It went on, and did clear, barely. Also, it was a bugger to get off, as the fan clutch bolts go back and almost block the fan wrench from getting in there. But, it does work on a 93 ohv---if this helps.

 

[mr cribb]

I had a metal fan off a '98 v8 on our 93. It went on, and did clear, barely. Also, it was a bugger to get off, as the fan clutch bolts go back and almost block the fan wrench from getting in there. But, it does work on a 93 ohv---if this helps.

That's good to know, thanks Jon

 

[fast_dave]

Thanks Turdle -

Since posing the question, I've noticed that the design of the V6 plastic fan is such that when mounted to the fan clutch, it sits back towards the water pump, while the V8 metal fan is exactly the opposite - it sits forward towards the radiator.

I had a feeling that there are clearance issues using a V8 fan on a V6 - and you've confirmed it - thanks for writing up your experience!

I had a metal fan off a '98 v8 on our 93. It went on, and did clear, barely. Also, it was a bugger to get off, as the fan clutch bolts go back and almost block the fan wrench from getting in there. But, it does work on a 93 ohv---if this helps.

 

[2xExplorer]

I agree with Joe, I'm the original owner of my 91' V6 X and the stock fan blade showed stress cracks within a few years. Replaced it in '98 with dealer bought blade and it cracked too. It's been runnin since then, cracks and all!

 

[DeepEmissions]

Instead of buying a new fan blade and clutch assembly, why not just go with an electric fan setup? Is there a reason to not want to do this to an Ex?

 

[Maniak]

Not everyone can get an electric fan to cool an explorer enough for their uses.

Specifically, fitting an electric fan onto a vehicle with the 2 core+ radiator when it used in extreme conditions (100F+ or 4x4 low range wheeling).

~Mark

 

[PeteK123]

just curious, I noticed no one mentioned using an electric fan to replace the mechanical one. Is there a reason for that ?

 

[general x]

The fan from my 91 sploder sport... Hasn't blown up (yet XD )

 

[Maniak]

just curious, I noticed no one mentioned using an electric fan to replace the mechanical one. Is there a reason for that ?

There are a bunch of threads on here about converting to an electric fan. BUT... It not done much on 1st Gen X's. There just isn't enough room for the really strong fans between a 2 or 3 core radiator (non manual trans radiator) and the water pump.

The fan most people use are Mark VIII and Taurus fans (3.6 taurus IIRC). I've seen some reports of Contour fans working but I don't think that was on a 1st Gen X used for wheeling..

~Mark

 

[PeteK123]

Hi Guys, yeah I saw more postings about this after I posted....... oooops, Great site ! lots of good info

 

[johnsonhalo]

living in a rather hot climate i needed more air over my engine so i added extra electrical fans on, but i didn't feel like replacing the motor driven one. i just stuck two pushers onto the front of my radiator. (manual radiator though, it's a little smaller)

 

[1998MM]

Fan Stress?

My 1998 v-8 Mountaineer has a plastic fan. I looked at it and at first glance they looked like stress fractures. But looking closer it's actually how the fan blades are molded onto the ring. At least on mine.

I found this Metal fan at O'Reilly Auto Parts.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...eer&vi=1305212&keyword=fan&pt=03388&ppt=C0331

 

[mr cribb]

1998MM--Here you go:

I had a metal fan off a '98 v8