Is my fan clutch going bad ?

[Explorer_PL]

Recently, upon start up of the truck, I get the radiator fan roaring like crazy. It will go down a little, then come back. Fluid level is OK, radiator was replaced about 27k ago, no leaks. Temperature never goes over the mid mark so theoretically I should be OK.

What are the signs of the clutch going bad ?

06 v8, 177k miles

Thanks in advance

 

[Flag Gibby]

With these fan clutches they are electronic-viscous clutches so they typically send an error code when they are going bad. See here: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=402053&highlight=fan+clutch

 

[Explorer_PL]

OK

Thanks

 

[Explorer_PL]

So I did more search here and on other ford forums, and there are 50 /50 verdicts. Some replaced the clutch and that fixed it, some replaced the thermostats, and someone had to replace the temperature sensor in the tranny that was sending a bad reading to PCM.
I might try the clutch first but here is the question:

the OEM assembly is about 250-300 bucks, but I see just the "clutch" part for 40 bucks. Is there a reason I would need the whole assembly with the bracket, wire and plug ?

 

[Flag Gibby]

Well, with a good code reader you would be able to monitor the temperature being sent from the sending unit and decide if that is where the problem is (sending unit or thermostat). As far as going just the clutch route, that seems pretty cheap for just the electronic viscous clutch and as long as the design hasn't changed then no reason you cannot go that route.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Is my fan clutch going bad - fixed.

The noise was unbearable, so I decided to order the clutch and see if that helps.
First, I ordered just the cutch on eBay for $ 35. It took me a good hour to loosen up the nut on the water pump. I had the set with both wrenches, but the 36 mm is too large for the nut. I ended grinding "up" a cheap Chinese 32 mm open box wrench to the exact fit. Once I got the clutch/fan assembly out, I realized that the part I got was nowhere near the original in shape or bolt locations. I put the truck back together, and ordered an OEM Motorcraft assembly from Amazon for about $ 150 plus shipping. Now, that of course fit perfectly, it came with the wires and brackets.
I drove so far about 200 miles, and the fan is quiet, temperature never goes over the mid mark, so I can say that in my case the clutch was the problem.

 

[Flag Gibby]

Glad that fixed it. I guess that I shouldn't be surprised that everything sounds/works so much better now with 177K miles on the original fan clutch, but it makes me wonder what it takes for one of these viscous clutches to send a trouble code to the system.

 

[Explorer_PL]

No trouble codes whatsoever. I noticed that the old clutch would not disengage when it was warmer outside of If AC was on. Once the AC was on, it was a Boeing 747 effect

 

[Boomyal]

.....If AC was on. Once the AC was on, it was a Boeing 747 effect ......

What was actually making the noise? I can hear the fan blades on my E150 4.6, when I first fire it up in the morning. It soon goes quiet. I do not think mine is electronic.

 

[Explorer_PL]

The fan blades pushing the air were making the noise. It was nothing mechanical like bearing or something.

 

[tsneden]

I had the same problem that started out being intermittent and continued to get worse. No trouble codes present. I had it in the shop and they noticed the telltale signs of leakage at the thermostat housing. They replaced the complete thermostat package and the problem has disappeared.