Fan wobble
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More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2014
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Fan wobble
Hi all,
Slowly making progress on my truck. First the brakes, then the carb, got the timing and distributor all set. But that brings me to my latest concern. I am noticing that the fan wobbles. It doesn't wobble so much that the engine is shaking but if I am standing at the side or overhead and watching I can tell it's just a bit off, a bit of a wobble.
Is this common in the FE? She's a stock 360, auto trans. All the blades appear to be there, nothing obvious seems missing, no free play when I grab it...with the motor off of course... Should I be concerned? Any thing I should be looking for?
thanks,
Binkowski
Slowly making progress on my truck. First the brakes, then the carb, got the timing and distributor all set. But that brings me to my latest concern. I am noticing that the fan wobbles. It doesn't wobble so much that the engine is shaking but if I am standing at the side or overhead and watching I can tell it's just a bit off, a bit of a wobble.
Is this common in the FE? She's a stock 360, auto trans. All the blades appear to be there, nothing obvious seems missing, no free play when I grab it...with the motor off of course... Should I be concerned? Any thing I should be looking for?
thanks,
Binkowski
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 783
From: Simi Valley, CA
Worn water pump bearing can cause the fan to wobble. With engine OFF, place your mitts on both sides of the fan, try wiggling it back and forth. If it does, time for a new water pump.
It's rare to have a fan with bent blades. The only time this could occur is if the fan contacts the radiator.
On a truck this old, the fan can develop minute cracks radiating outwards from the 4 mounting holes. If the fan is cracked, replace it.
It's rare to have a fan with bent blades. The only time this could occur is if the fan contacts the radiator.
On a truck this old, the fan can develop minute cracks radiating outwards from the 4 mounting holes. If the fan is cracked, replace it.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 5
From: San Francisco East Bay
Hi all,
Slowly making progress on my truck. First the brakes, then the carb, got the timing and distributor all set. But that brings me to my latest concern. I am noticing that the fan wobbles. It doesn't wobble so much that the engine is shaking but if I am standing at the side or overhead and watching I can tell it's just a bit off, a bit of a wobble.
Is this common in the FE? She's a stock 360, auto trans. All the blades appear to be there, nothing obvious seems missing, no free play when I grab it...with the motor off of course... Should I be concerned? Any thing I should be looking for?
thanks,
Binkowski
Slowly making progress on my truck. First the brakes, then the carb, got the timing and distributor all set. But that brings me to my latest concern. I am noticing that the fan wobbles. It doesn't wobble so much that the engine is shaking but if I am standing at the side or overhead and watching I can tell it's just a bit off, a bit of a wobble.
Is this common in the FE? She's a stock 360, auto trans. All the blades appear to be there, nothing obvious seems missing, no free play when I grab it...with the motor off of course... Should I be concerned? Any thing I should be looking for?
thanks,
Binkowski
Slip the belts off of it & see if the fan hub wobbles when you manhandle it. Make sure all the mounting bolts are in place and tight. If the hub doesn't wobble, then it's probably a (slightly) bent blade. If it does wobble, you should probably R&R the water pump.
If you do opt for a R&R on the water pump, be sure to replace the short hose too, so you don't have to replace it later. It is SOOOO much simpler when the water pump is off!
Assuming that it's a bent blade, depending on the severity of the bend I might or might not live with it. If it's a small wobble and you still have the radiator shroud in place, it probably wouldn't make enough of a difference in cooling efficiency to matter. If it's a seriously bent blade, or if it's cracked and growling "Let me out!", then you probably have a safety issue to resolve.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
I seen fans get bent from guys doing engine swaps when some guys are installing or removing the motors with all the accessories on them.
The fan gets pulled/pushed on or gets hung up on the cross top bar of the radiator support.
I'd laid a long breaker bar/wood dowel on the valve cover gasket edge with the end sticking out just enough to touch the fan blade. With fan belt loose turn the fan slowly as it comes to the wood dowel can be used as a clearance gage to find the bent blade.
If you have enough working room force the blade back into alignment. You may have to place a pipe wrench on the lower part of the blade for better leverage. Also use a rag in areas so you won't mar any paint or anything from the teeth of the pipe wrench while bending back into place.
Spin fan by hand to check the run out repeat above as needed..
Orich
The fan gets pulled/pushed on or gets hung up on the cross top bar of the radiator support.
I'd laid a long breaker bar/wood dowel on the valve cover gasket edge with the end sticking out just enough to touch the fan blade. With fan belt loose turn the fan slowly as it comes to the wood dowel can be used as a clearance gage to find the bent blade.
If you have enough working room force the blade back into alignment. You may have to place a pipe wrench on the lower part of the blade for better leverage. Also use a rag in areas so you won't mar any paint or anything from the teeth of the pipe wrench while bending back into place.
Spin fan by hand to check the run out repeat above as needed..
Orich
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More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2014
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It's the water pump
Hi all,
Yep, it's the water pump. I got my hands on both sides and sure enough there is play there. In fact after messing with it I might have loosened it up more as it's clearly weeping a bit now.
I'd rather learn about it this way than have it lock up going down the road. I am only hoping the bracket for the AC doesn't make it too complicated.
One follow up question...will the four bolts take the fan off or do I have to try to take the large nut in the middle of the fan off too?
Thanks all
Yep, it's the water pump. I got my hands on both sides and sure enough there is play there. In fact after messing with it I might have loosened it up more as it's clearly weeping a bit now.
I'd rather learn about it this way than have it lock up going down the road. I am only hoping the bracket for the AC doesn't make it too complicated.
One follow up question...will the four bolts take the fan off or do I have to try to take the large nut in the middle of the fan off too?
Thanks all
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
Hi all,
Yep, it's the water pump. I got my hands on both sides and sure enough there is play there. In fact after messing with it I might have loosened it up more as it's clearly weeping a bit now.
I'd rather learn about it this way than have it lock up going down the road. I am only hoping the bracket for the AC doesn't make it too complicated.
One follow up question...will the four bolts take the fan off or do I have to try to take the large nut in the middle of the fan off too?
Yep, it's the water pump. I got my hands on both sides and sure enough there is play there. In fact after messing with it I might have loosened it up more as it's clearly weeping a bit now.
I'd rather learn about it this way than have it lock up going down the road. I am only hoping the bracket for the AC doesn't make it too complicated.
One follow up question...will the four bolts take the fan off or do I have to try to take the large nut in the middle of the fan off too?
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
Large nut? What motor do you have in that truck? If you have a the large nut type coupler screw on fan. Those are left handed. The pulley must be held while you turn the nut left to remove the fan from the water pump shaft.
orich
orich
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
FYI...The OP stated in his first post the rig has a 360FE/AT combo
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 632
Likes: 41
my bad
Tough crowd. That was my mistake. It looked like a larger, if not large, nut on the end of the fan in the center. It is close to the radiator so once I got in direct sunlight I could see it's round and not actually a nut.
It is the stock 360.
Gathering parts. Work starts soon. Thanks.
It is the stock 360.
Gathering parts. Work starts soon. Thanks.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
Tough crowd. That was my mistake. It looked like a larger, if not large, nut on the end of the fan in the center. It is close to the radiator so once I got in direct sunlight I could see it's round and not actually a nut.
It is the stock 360.
Gathering parts. Work starts soon. Thanks.
It is the stock 360.
Gathering parts. Work starts soon. Thanks.
Orich
Thread Starter
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More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 632
Likes: 41
All fixed
Just wanted to thank everyone on here for recent and not so recent posts about how to change the water pump. She is all fixed. No leaks. No more fan wobble.
Kinda of amazing that the parts stores have so many parts still in stock. $41 for a new water pump.
This job was the biggest job I have done on an engine. I thought it was wild that I could take the whole front of the motor/pulleys apart with three wrenches.
Thanks all.
Kinda of amazing that the parts stores have so many parts still in stock. $41 for a new water pump.
This job was the biggest job I have done on an engine. I thought it was wild that I could take the whole front of the motor/pulleys apart with three wrenches.
Thanks all.