jimt_yz400

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Dec 25, 2000
314
0
I hope that someone can help me get this resolved since it'a making it a pain to go riding/racing. I have a Class A Flair motorhome that is based on a FOrd E350 chassis with a Ford 460 engine. The pblm is that the clutch fan is constantly kicking in when the engine is ONLY under a small load. I have changed the clutch once with a Ford clutch but this seemed to work for a few outings but now it's same as it was before I replaced.

Does anyone know if there is anything else that I can do like install a thermostatically controlled clutch fan or maybe you know of a better clutch fan that I can replace it with?
Thx!!
 

keith500r

Member
Jul 27, 2001
261
0
for most vehicles you can replace the belt driven fan with an electric setup. it would take a large fan(s) to move enough air for a 460 pulling a motorhome, but it may be possible. elec fans are thermostatically controlled, and also free up a tiny bit of power by eliminating the belt. I have a dodge ram van and i hear a lot of fan roaring at low rpms too. I wonder why its engaging the fan at such low speeds/temp?
 

nikki

Moto Junkie
Apr 21, 2000
5,802
1
May just be time for a new clutch fan.

Last summer I went up to Minnesota with some friends in a Class A Ford Gas motohome (700 mile trip) and on the way up the clutch fan kept kicking on and staying on for much longer than normal. Finally at about the 400 mile point of the trip it kicked on for good and didn't shut off. So we called it a night shortly after that and found a parts store first thing in the morning. Got a new aftermarket clutch fan (maybe between $60-$100) and installed it. Things were fine after that. I'm not sure what the new model was - but it wasn't anything fancy - just whatever they had in stock.
 

jimt_yz400

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Dec 25, 2000
314
0
Ok, Fan clutch then.......clutch fan isn't it the same?
Yes, it could be time for a new clutch fan but it was just changed with a new OEM Ford clutch. It's baffling why the thing is engaging so soon? I was also thinking that I may want to install a lower temp thermostat but I doubt that that will affect the fan clutch.
I thought that the new vehicles had electonically activated fan clutches using a thermostat installed in one of the radiator hoses. I was hoping that I could install something like that, but I haven't found anything yet.
 

Highbeam

~SPONSOR~
Jun 13, 2001
665
0
Many aftermarket electric fans use a temperature probe inserted into the radiator hose. When the fluid gets hot enough, a relay is tripped and the fan comes on. These fans can be impressive in terms of how much air they move. Pricey too.

The stock fan clutches allow slippage when the air passing over them is cool, but the slippage is not 100% so low rpm running is a common problem at all temperatures. You have a somewhat normal sticky clutch. The flipside of a sticky clutch is that it engages more fully when you need it.

There is an aftermarket company that makes electric fan clutches. I read a write up on the offroad.com site where they installed one on a cummins diesel. Extremely expensive.

You could remove the clutch and put on a solid mount flexalite type fan, cheap. Or you could remove the fan altogether and install an electric fan, expensive. Make sure you have a good temperature gauge and monitor it closely after you make any changes.

My vote is for the flexalite if you're really tired of messing with the clutch. Try a jegs or summit type catalog for plenty of options.
 

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