Hi guys
I want to get rid of a non-working clutch fan, I replaced it once (the clutch) and it's gone out already after 6 months?!
Looking at flex fans online but cant figure out which spacer I need or if I need a spacer?
EDIT: its a 1986 F-150 with a 4.9L straight six, factory air, automatic trans, 2wd
Was looking at this one
JEGS Performance Products 52194, JEGS Lightweight Mechanical Fans | JEGS Performance Products

Thanks

 

I would not do it, been there, done that. Flex fans are noisy and they like to fly apart. I had one fly apart on me and luckily the blade stuck in the fan shroud and did no harm. A friend of mine had one come apart on him and it went through his radiator.

If your other clutch is only six months old it's probably under warranty. You could also try a electric fan but if you have AC the wiring gets a little complex

 

Mmm I hate electric fans too, they go out all the time too.
Damn, there must be a good regular fan somewhere, no clutch and no electric.
I had a 1989 Isuzu truck and it had a plastic fan that lasted forever.
I need something like that, cant have my engine depend on clutch or electric junk
Thanks though didnt know flex fans came apart

 

You can get junk. the stores sell junk everyday. But the junkyard is full of OEM fans that are pretty good and flow lots of air. And it sure does open up the front of the engine getting rid of the stock fan shroud. But since you have the long six you don't have much of a shroud.

What happened to the clutch you bought? Did it start leaking?

 

I got burned by a flex fan too. A bit too many rpms and it actually bent the water pump shaft. Never again will i run a flex fan. My '86 has the stock clutched fan (new clutch from O'Reillys and it works just fine. The other has an electric fan. That flex fan went into the vertical file.

Doesn't that have a thread-on clutch, not the bolt-on? Or are you going with an older style pump?

 

thanks guys
The clutch that was originally on there when I bought it never worked and I got one from Napa and I dont really think it ever worked either, it spins whether the truck is warm or cold, same spin, no resistance. Mine is a bolt-on clutch, 4 bolts.
I bought it in 2013 and drove it for a year before I discovered someone had also installed the thermostat in backwards?! Ive never seen steam come out of it but something is wrong with it cause it gets hot a lot, neither clutch leaked anything
Radiator flow is almost nil though unless I hit the gas with the cap off, maybe radiator is clogged a little?
I drained and flushed it, no real improvement.
Guess Ill get another clutch but which one?
Around me are Advance auto, fisher auto, napa, and autozone
thanks

 

That's not necessarily a sign it's not working. Do you get a big roar when you start it in the morning after it has sat overnight? And once it runs for a few seconds it gets quiet? If it does that, I am sure it's working.

When the clutch sits still overnight the fluid in the clutch settles in places it shouldn't, and it locks the fan. But as soon as you start it, it spins and throws the fluid back where it's supposed to be for unlocked operation, and it releases the fan.

You are correct also, if the radiator is clogged and hot air doesn't hit the spring in front of the clutch, it will never lock up.

Also some people have different ideas of "running hot". Your engine will probably get close to 230 degrees before the clutch fan kicks in. Of course if you don't have real temp gauge, you really don't know what's going on with it.

 

yeah my temp gauge is buggy too, as soon as I start it the gauge goes to HOT side?!
Its the gauge cause even if I unplug it at the water outlet it still does it.
But, after starting it does sometimes work.
I think it may be runing hot cause the upper radiator hose will be very hot and the radiator cap sometimes only lukewarm?
I just replaced thermostat 160degree one,
Fan has never made a roaring noise at startup, with prior clutch or this one?

 

I have had some that didn't roar, but most do when you first start it. I would go to the store and get a real temp gauge and put it under the dash. Go by what it says for your troubleshooting, you may be fine.

 

Those wires are for the computer and have nothing to do with the dash gauge...

For the gauges, there are single wires leading to sensors... one is red/white-stripe and one is white/red-stripe... one is for the oil pressure sender and one is for the water temp, I forget which is which.

IIRC the oil pressure sender is on the passenger side of the block back by the firewall but I could be wrong... water temp, no idea... locate and trace your wires and begin there...