Fan busted.. any suggestion? (maybe electric?)

[SwaintaN]

The fan (the plastic piece) busted. noticed it today when i got stuck on the road because my tension pulley decided to freeze up with no warning... all 4 kids and wife in the ex and it does this.. nice... well fixed it on the road with a new one.. but noticed my fan is pretty much a pos dead fan soon, crack between each fan blade. the simplest thing to do would be go up to adv auto and just get a metal replacement.. but was wondering if there was any other suggestions? maybe eliminate the pulley fan and do electric? what is our CFM and are we a push or pull?

 

[Robert Nick]

My Fan had the same issue. I got a replacement Plastic Replacement at Advance Auto Parts for $29. I used my old Acetylene Bottle Wrench with a Pipe on the end to break it loose.

 

[SwaintaN]

The Adv Auto replacement is 30.00 but they said its metal.. well fingers shouldnt be near it anyway. guess i was just look at the other options as well before i yanked it off..

also im about to yank my A/C unit out, so what radiator do i replace it with that does not have the a/c connectors? might as well do it all at once. thanks guys

 

[Anime]

The easiest replacement is a Dorman plastic fan, which is a good deal at Advance Auto Parts if you buy online and use their 40% off coupons, though you might have to buy more stuff than a fan to get to the minimum purchase. I sprung for the fan clutch tools since I didn't have them, and a few small things.

It's pretty common for the stock fans to go at this age. The metal fans I've seen have all been for the 5.0 V8, though I imagine they might fit with the right spacer/adapter, but it will probably weigh more. The Dorman plastic fan says it's an "improved" design over the factory fan, and even though it's a 9-blade, there are reports it works just fine as a replacement for the 10-blade factory fans on automatics. Companies like Depo make aftermarket 10 and 11 blade fans if you want those (also rather inexpensive online, $20-40), or you can just hike it to the salvage yard, or maybe find smaller auto parts stores that can get stuff other than the popular Dorman replacement.

As for electric, that depends if it's worth your while to get into all that. Some people have had success and a little better throttle response without the fan resistance, others have had cooling issues. Personally I just stick with the fan clutch, and have a new Dorman 9-blade as a backup for when the factory fan goes...or maybe I'll just replace it next time I'm in there and let the factory one stay intact as a backup.


Radiators don't have A/C connectors...that's the A/C condenser in front of the radiator. Pull the radiator out, then once you disconnect the A/C, you can pull the condenser. That will improve cooling quite a bit, but you might want to put some kind of metal screen/grille in front of the radiator for protection, since the condenser won't be there anymore. You might also sell the condenser if it's still solid and you won't use it, and the compressor as well.

 

[SwaintaN]

im gonna try to take out the a/c stuff almost immaculate and throw it up for cheap price, i have dual tranny line cooler on already in behind the grille/ infront of the radiator. i thought it was all attached because when i would look up aluminum radiators for the ex it would give me w/ and w/out ac options


adv auto fan replacement

 

[Anime]

Some vehicles have different cooling systems based on whether the vehicle has A/C or not. The Explorer just has the standard condenser in front of the radiator deal like most modern ones. The only difference in Explorer cooling systems is the number of fan blades (9,10,11) and the fan clutch (standard, automatic, heavy duty). The ones without A/C also have a different heater box to replace the evaporator, which you should probably get to fill the space and have working heat.

Look here for the Advance Auto Parts coupons:

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/advanceautoparts.com


You can grab the fan and throw in any other stuff you need (tensioner, belt, fan clutch, tools?) and use the online coupon to save up to 40%. Order online and go pick it up a few hours later. The site is pretty slow though, so it can be pretty aggravating, having to choose your vehicle, and search for stuff.

 

[SwaintaN]

my wifes van took a ****e on us, so i was lucky enough to get the 50.00 off coupon, so when i order her brakes im ordering the fan to.

not sure if we are talking about same box, but the a/c heaterbox i was getting a non a/c box from a junkyard to put in place

 

[SwaintaN]

what the best.. easiest way to get the fan off and replaced?

 

[Robert Nick]

Get the Fan Wrench Set from Advance. It is one of their Loaner Tools. Loosen the Large Nut by turning it Counterclockwise.

 

[SwaintaN]

thats it? just counter clock wise and the fan unit will come off.. then just a couple more screws

 

[Maniak]

Pretty much.. Getting that big fan nut to turn without the water pump turning can be a pain depending on the condition of the fan clutch wrench.

The cheap set from Autozone (says 4.9L ford on it) when "new" works but once a few people have used it, it doesn't work well.

~Mark

 

[Roadrunner777]

You can use the write-up for the water pump for some pictures. You would skip a lot, since you are not opening the cooling system, but there is a part about how some fan nuts are clockwise, some counter-clockwise. I suppose you could leave the belt on too, although this is probably a great opportunity to put on a new belt, idlers, etc...

Here's the water pump thread:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273723

 

[Xeek]

an idea just popped in my head. the same method some people to remove their crank pulley bolt. attach socket, brace breaker bar on frame, crank engine over.

attach fan nut wrench to nut, add some pipe to extend the handle, brace that against frame, crank engine over, profit?

just as long as you get a fan wrench that isnt screwed up. i think advanceautoparts carries the set thats not universal-ish like the autozone one is. autozone one is "V'd", smaller near the handle, bigger further out, which doesnt work well

 

[Roadrunner777]

counting on FEAD belt to support that torque, especially on the smooth side of the belt, I think you'd throw the belt. I'd get the good tool, it's worth money down the road.

 

[Xeek]

so good idea, but just not possible. i forgot it was smooth also lol

this is the thread about the fan tool:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209262

 

[rustbucketMI]

Forget the mechanical fan. Those have been around for what 100 years? Go to the junk yard and get a set of electric fans off of a late 90s Taurus. I saw a write up on a different site, can't find it now, but those were the most efficient fans around, second was from a Nissan Altima. The X is already slow as a dog, getting rid of your mechanical fan, and AC should help a lot, and its really easy. The hardest part is getting the old fan off.

 

[SwaintaN]

so while im doing my ac to non ac conversion i got to a point where i was fed up with it and went to do the fan... however my fan doesnt have those two nuts like the walk through showed... this is what my fan looks like

 

[Maniak]

You actually do have the 2 nuts.. BUT, one doesn't look like a "nut".

Look at the 4 small bolts (10mm I think). Draw a line around the outside edge (around) the 4 bolts. That is the size of the nut. The really big wrench goes around all 4 of those bolts and those 4 bolts act like a single big nut.

~Mark

 

[SwaintaN]

oooooooo im sorry im a dumb arse! thank you!

 

[Roadrunner777]

I would have never known that either, thanks for asking, and thanks, Mark, for the information.