Fan Clutch Failure?
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Fan Clutch Failure?
Has anybody experienced a fan clutch failure in their V10? My coolant temps are occaisionally spiking up to 230+ (SPA guage) when the ambient temps are only in the 50s, but it's becoming more frequent. I sometimes hear what sounds like a pump noise after the truck warms up, and that too is becoming more frequent. I had it to the dealer several times with this noise but they "could not duplicate" 
. The pump noise corresponds to the fan spinning down after shut off, which takes about 1-2 seconds after the engine is off. The wierd thing is that depending on where you stand, the noise sounds like it's coming from different places? Just wanted some input before I go buy a $140 part that isn't what I need. Thanks!
Robb
1999.5 F250 CC SWB 4x4 V10 Auto
. The pump noise corresponds to the fan spinning down after shut off, which takes about 1-2 seconds after the engine is off. The wierd thing is that depending on where you stand, the noise sounds like it's coming from different places? Just wanted some input before I go buy a $140 part that isn't what I need. Thanks!Robb
1999.5 F250 CC SWB 4x4 V10 Auto
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From: Denver, CO
When a fan clutch goes bad it usually locks up. At freeway speeds or under hard acceleration the belt will slip. I had a bad fan cluth in my '86 F250 and 2 different Ford garages couldn't figure out why my belts were slipping. You should be able to spin your fan when the engine is off with little drag. If the fan will not spin at all then the clutch is bad. I have never had any cooling problems associated with a bad fan clutch. Maybe it is possible that a clutch can go bad so that it doesn't engage at all? I just replaced a fan clutch in a 2001 E350 PSD and the symptoms were belt slipage on the freeway and poor fuel economy. No over heating.
Sounds more like you have a sticking thermostat or something going on.
Sounds more like you have a sticking thermostat or something going on.
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Robb
I think it is possible for the fan clutch to fail "loose" but in my last 25 years of mechanization on these danged things I have never had one fail that way. Every clutch I have replaced was failed "tight" and they make too much noise, and can cause problems with water pump bearings if they are on the way out.
I have never done the drain flush refill yet on a V10 (haven't owned one long enough yet) But Here is a idea... many of my other vehicles are very sensitive to "trapped air" and exhibit higher than usual water temps. Purging out all the air on some systems is a real pain (one truck I had to get front end 5 feet in the air). Eventually I started using a very long 4 foot and large diameter 2.5" hose necked down to the heater hose size and suspended from shop ceiling to keep it above radiator level. I use clear pool hosing from Lowe's and fill it 2 feet up with coolant. I run the motor at high rpm to get as much trapped air out as possible.
I think it is possible for the fan clutch to fail "loose" but in my last 25 years of mechanization on these danged things I have never had one fail that way. Every clutch I have replaced was failed "tight" and they make too much noise, and can cause problems with water pump bearings if they are on the way out.
I have never done the drain flush refill yet on a V10 (haven't owned one long enough yet) But Here is a idea... many of my other vehicles are very sensitive to "trapped air" and exhibit higher than usual water temps. Purging out all the air on some systems is a real pain (one truck I had to get front end 5 feet in the air). Eventually I started using a very long 4 foot and large diameter 2.5" hose necked down to the heater hose size and suspended from shop ceiling to keep it above radiator level. I use clear pool hosing from Lowe's and fill it 2 feet up with coolant. I run the motor at high rpm to get as much trapped air out as possible.
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From: Vancouver Wash USA
Originally Posted by Fredvon4
Robb
I think it is possible for the fan clutch to fail "loose" but in my last 25 years of mechanization on these danged things I have never had one fail that way. Every clutch I have replaced was failed "tight" and they make too much noise, and can cause problems with water pump bearings if they are on the way out.
I have never done the drain flush refill yet on a V10 (haven't owned one long enough yet) But Here is a idea... many of my other vehicles are very sensitive to "trapped air" and exhibit higher than usual water temps. Purging out all the air on some systems is a real pain (one truck I had to get front end 5 feet in the air). Eventually I started using a very long 4 foot and large diameter 2.5" hose necked down to the heater hose size and suspended from shop ceiling to keep it above radiator level. I use clear pool hosing from Lowe's and fill it 2 feet up with coolant. I run the motor at high rpm to get as much trapped air out as possible.
I think it is possible for the fan clutch to fail "loose" but in my last 25 years of mechanization on these danged things I have never had one fail that way. Every clutch I have replaced was failed "tight" and they make too much noise, and can cause problems with water pump bearings if they are on the way out.
I have never done the drain flush refill yet on a V10 (haven't owned one long enough yet) But Here is a idea... many of my other vehicles are very sensitive to "trapped air" and exhibit higher than usual water temps. Purging out all the air on some systems is a real pain (one truck I had to get front end 5 feet in the air). Eventually I started using a very long 4 foot and large diameter 2.5" hose necked down to the heater hose size and suspended from shop ceiling to keep it above radiator level. I use clear pool hosing from Lowe's and fill it 2 feet up with coolant. I run the motor at high rpm to get as much trapped air out as possible.
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Thanks for the replies guys! I will attempt to burp the system and I'm going to change the t-stat again in the event that I got a bad one. The temps spike when I've been on the interstate and then get off onto surface streets where I don't have as much air being forced across the radiator. The wierd thing is the noise that I have under the hood. It sounds like an electric pump motor that is going bad, and it corresponds to the movement of the fan blade? The other thing that occurs to me is that I started getting some spiking last summer BEFORE I changed the coolant. I think it spiked up to like 220 once or twice, but not nearly as often as is happening now. And of course the 3 dealers that have looked at it "could not duplicate". Might be the fact that they would never get it hot enough to cause the noise??? 
Anyway, when I figure this out, I'll let you all know. And keep the ideas coming!
Robb
Anyway, when I figure this out, I'll let you all know. And keep the ideas coming!Robb
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Okay, here's an update. I haven't solved the heat spike problem yet, but I was finally able to track down and fix the "electric pump motor" sound that the Ford "mechanics" could not duplicate . It turns out that the PCV valve, which was still functional at 87,000 miles, was creating some kind of harmonics. I have checked and cleaned it several times in the past, but I guess the plastic body had finally started to deteriorate, allowing the plunger to make the pump noise as it operated. Anyway, new PCV valve, no more noise! 
Next step, isolate the heat spike issue. Thanks for the help!
Robb
. It turns out that the PCV valve, which was still functional at 87,000 miles, was creating some kind of harmonics. I have checked and cleaned it several times in the past, but I guess the plastic body had finally started to deteriorate, allowing the plunger to make the pump noise as it operated. Anyway, new PCV valve, no more noise! Next step, isolate the heat spike issue. Thanks for the help!
Robb
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From: Long Island USA
Originally Posted by ken04
Heya Fred, have you heard of any water pump replacements yet on the V-10 ? The past three days at idle I've heard a very faint growl, or clatter in the front end. I can't hear it unless I **** my head just right, and it's intermittant. But it sounds kinda like a water pump rattle. I have had the hood up and tried to poke around in there, but yeowzers, there isn't much room to see let alone thrash around in there in the van. Other than a water pump, I can't guess what it could be other than that, the alternator is new.
I've also had the tensioner pulleys make noise, the bearings seemed OK, but they certainly did make noise. Bought aftermarket replacements and never a sound since. My V10 is making slight belt noises, like the 4.6L did. I'm sure it's the tensioners... already replaced the belt with a good Gates toothed one, because it would slip on rapid deceleration (TSB for it, I believe).
Side note: The '97 Cougar has only 21K miles on it now... when the water pump made noise, it had only 10K on it... but 10K in 4 years is a lot of sitting. And I did do the belt and tensioners on my '96 t-bird 4.6L too, because it too was making belt noises at around 10-15K miles.
art k.
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From: Vancouver Wash USA
Originally Posted by krewat
Ken, I've replaced the water pump on my '97 Cougar 4.6L because it was "squeeking" - sounded like a belt or tensioner noise, but I put a few drops of oil in the top breather hole (yes, it has a TOP breather hole), and the noise went away. I haven't look at my V10's water pump, but it might have the same hole. Just put some 5w30 in the hole and see if the noise gets better.
I've also had the tensioner pulleys make noise, the bearings seemed OK, but they certainly did make noise. Bought aftermarket replacements and never a sound since. My V10 is making slight belt noises, like the 4.6L did. I'm sure it's the tensioners... already replaced the belt with a good Gates toothed one, because it would slip on rapid deceleration (TSB for it, I believe).
Side note: The '97 Cougar has only 21K miles on it now... when the water pump made noise, it had only 10K on it... but 10K in 4 years is a lot of sitting. And I did do the belt and tensioners on my '96 t-bird 4.6L too, because it too was making belt noises at around 10-15K miles.
art k.
I've also had the tensioner pulleys make noise, the bearings seemed OK, but they certainly did make noise. Bought aftermarket replacements and never a sound since. My V10 is making slight belt noises, like the 4.6L did. I'm sure it's the tensioners... already replaced the belt with a good Gates toothed one, because it would slip on rapid deceleration (TSB for it, I believe).
Side note: The '97 Cougar has only 21K miles on it now... when the water pump made noise, it had only 10K on it... but 10K in 4 years is a lot of sitting. And I did do the belt and tensioners on my '96 t-bird 4.6L too, because it too was making belt noises at around 10-15K miles.
art k.
The noise, this is weird, but I filled up at an AM/PM last week, and my CEL came on, and it was after this I heard a noise that sound faintly like a waterpump, or a bearing. This morning I put good gas in her again, the CEL went off, and the noise is gone. I'm thinking the CEL is a dirty O2 sensor, since it's original, but I'm going to stop by somewhere today and plug in an OBDII scanner and see.
As always, I thank you for your input, Ken
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108 K on the original waterpump is phenomenal. I remember my Dad had a 66 Meteor and that is a Canadian Mercury. It had a 289 in it and you never saw a big Merc with a 289 down in the states but the fan had a long extension and that thing killed a waterpump every 30 K. Some of them would start leaking with a seal failure but most the bearing would go, by the time you heard it you could open the hood and see the pulley wobble.
They were cheap and easy to change and maybe he was buying rebuilts and might have had better luck with a new waterpump. There used to be a waterpump lubricant that you added to your coolant.
They were cheap and easy to change and maybe he was buying rebuilts and might have had better luck with a new waterpump. There used to be a waterpump lubricant that you added to your coolant.
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