Why don't we have fan blades for winter/summer?

[Cedar]

This has all been discussed to death, never definitively, so I figure its about time for an update of musings on the topic. Trying to replace my fan blade, it's all cracked, reading all the threads about fan blades/fan clutches etc., keep seeing it mentioned that we lose power in the winter from the clutch fluid being more viscous.

The disclaimer is, I'm stuck on fan clutches, don't bother me with electric wirey do-dads and ohm-meters.

Why not have a lower CFM fan in the winter, up to and including trimming down a cheap dorman fan and changing that in with the snow tires? The sensible thing would just be to have an equivalent unadulterated 9 blade for winter and the 11 blade motorcraft-tornado-vortex-whoopty-do for the spring/summer. I'm looking at highest highs of 59F, ave high of probably 45 through the next few months. My engine runs cool during the summer, I just replaced the thermostat and sender and I can't get above N on NORMAL. I wouldn't mind if it ran a little warmer. What pitfalls am I not thinking of? I haven't been up to the mountain recently, but I've never had any troubles doing that even in the summer.

If you're still reading and have an idea of where I could still by a top quality fan without paying the $82.80 my dealer wants for the blades, that's great, I couldn't find anything solid in the forums. Even a recent part number since #8600 isn't even recognized by fordparts.com when I use it. Local options are Murray and VDO.

Just an observation that I hope others have observed or can set me straight: I've read all kinds of accounts of how the 1991-1994 fan clutch should feel cold. I tried twenty today from cars in the salvage yards, they're all stiff and only rotate a few blades worth of rotation at most. That's what mine does, except they do it slightly differently and by the end it felt like I was testing mangos for ripeness in how little difference there was between rotational resistance of used clutches.

Last observation: the crow foot tool part of the W80585 ford clutch tool kit is absolutely diabolical. I spent an hour trying to get that thing to stay on the water pump pulley bolts. As little space is there is, there's more than enough room for it to slip off once I'm able to get any kind of tension on the assembly. I tried for an hour. I might try for a few more minutes, but after fiddling around with that ridiculousness, I think I'm gonna drill and tap it for a handle. Were it a wider tool like I see images of other professional grade crow -foot tools, it would be much thicker and not just dangle and dance all around the end of my socket wrench. :roll:

 

[Jason94sport]

Cause it's a mechanical engine driven fan & a 94 & below model. The X is so slow you really notice any power difference? Is a PITA to change it, You want to change it twice a year knock yourself out.

 

[Cedar]

Two of the Dorman blades already had the tips broke off at the local auto shop, I neither needed nor wanted to see the third one, they have to clear it with higher before I can take them home...hypo-cooling here we come...

 

[huntman58]

If you’re looking for a bit more power and a bit less cooling I would say stay with one fan but change the fan clutch.

Winter = light duty
Summer = heavy duty
The deference is in the slippage f the clutch and the light duty will slip more and easier then the heaver duty cooling one will. That’s the rout I would take instead of a fan change and not the clutch. Ether way you’re facing the same amount of work to change either one.

Last thought on the fan tools I use the crow foot cheap one and have no problem but I do use a larger normal wrench on the nut itself that I ground down a bit on one side so that it fits with the crow foot. When there both in there is little sloppiness some but little and it’s not to often it falls of like it did before I started to use the big wrench. went that way after the thin wrench the kit came with sprang open and would no longer hold even when bet back to size. Now it holds dose not round the nut edges and the changes are easy and fast well as fast as can be with that set up.

When I go to an all aluminum 3 row radiator I am hoping I can use a lighter duty fan clutch or may be even go to an e fan with the larger cooling capacity

 

[corkey]

my engine gets way warmer than yours in the winter, all the way to 190 f, and that is when it is about -40 out,, and that's with the stock fan,
so,

something else is wrong with your rig,,

 

[Anime]

Any power loss from the stock fan clutch is negligible. If you use an aftermarket one though, the heavy and severe duty tend to hold more than the stock clutch, which isn't even available for automatics, they just have the YB-463, which is the factory clutch for a manual. It might still be fine for most northern climates, but probably not for the warmer states.

You can get a stock replacement fan for $60 from our forum vendors that are Ford dealers.

10 Blade FAN ASY [Part# F3TZ8600C]
List Price:$92.00
Your Price:$60.72

The stock 9 blade was discontinued long ago, all you can get now is the newer 10 blade. Of course the 11-blades on the newer OHVs fit as well.

As for the fan blade tool, you're supposed to use a flex handle/breaker bar on the crowfoot-like one with the hole, not a ratchet. Either that or anything solid with a square drive that fits. Of course, just welding on the handle it should have in the first place makes it even easier.


If you're having cooling system issues, you first want to be sure the cooling system is cleaned out, with no rust or scale in there. After that be sure you're using a 50/50 mix of the right coolant and distilled water. After that it's the thermostat/radiator cap. Be sure you're using either a stock 190 degree Motorcraft or 195 degree aftermarket thermostat, not a 180 degree. Use a stock Motorcraft radiator cap. Burp the system when refilling so there's no air in it, and it should be good to go.

 

[Cedar]

If you’re looking for a bit more power and a bit less cooling I would say stay with one fan but change the fan clutch.

Perfect. I was looking at it the wrong way.

10 Blade FAN ASY [Part# F3TZ8600C]
List Price:$92.00
Your Price:$60.72

I just went through every single vendor meticulously, could not find this. This is the ideal solution. Where is this please?

Enlighten me on my cooling problems. I just did a very rigorous coolant flush and changed the thermostat and temperature sender. This car has always run cool right on the N or O of normal, now it's definitely only on the N in this weather. No problems overheating, but I'll be thinking of a lighter duty fan clutch for this time of year.

 

[Anime]

Our forum vendors for Ford parts are Tousley Ford:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264850

or Ford Super Center:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343697

You can PM either of them, visit their websites, or call.



It might run cool because it may have a 180 degree thermostat instead of a 190-195 degree thermostat, or it might be a thin/weak thermostat.

Mine runs slightly cooler in cool weather and warmer in warm weather though, so it might just be a good cooling system. Generally as long as it's between the N and the RM, it's about right. Better to have it around the N than close to the L.