Fan shroud missing?
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,956
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From: MD
Fan shroud missing?
Just purchased a 1979 F-250 2wd, it has the infamous missing shroud issue. It is a true 400, with C6. No A/C or any options whatsoever. Should it have a shroud from factory or what? It looks like it was never there. 
Senior User
Joined: May 2003
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Yes there should be one, it would help the engine run cooler in the hot weather by pulling the air through the radiator rather than from the engine compartment. It depends on the climate your driving in, and the type of driving that you do if you really NEED one or not.
I had left the shroud off of my truck when I had swapped the motor, and it ran fine while not under any load. When I started towing a travel trailer with the truck it started running hot when climbing hills in the summer. I put the shroud on, and it seems to run cooler now on the hills while towing.
-Hope this answers your question.
I had left the shroud off of my truck when I had swapped the motor, and it ran fine while not under any load. When I started towing a travel trailer with the truck it started running hot when climbing hills in the summer. I put the shroud on, and it seems to run cooler now on the hills while towing.
-Hope this answers your question.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Oregon
When dropped my 400 into my 79 and started her up, it was out in the dirt, so did some wheeling right off the bat (still no exhaust hooked up, no hood and no shroud). Rallied it around a bit, and it started to overheat and blow steam out of the cap. Put a shroud on it later, and never had the problem again. I'd recommend picking one up from a junkyard if you can, as the new ones aren't cheap. It's better to have one and not have to worry about it ever becoming an issue.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Elkton, MD
If I had an extra one I would give it to you with the truck, but some of mine are missing them still, and most of them are cracked, these are really hard to find in good shape. I think you can buy new ones somewhere.
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Posting Guru
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From: Oregon
Hell, if you can find a cracked one for cheap or nothing, just get it and glue it or duct it. Mine's taped up where it got sawed through at the junkyard 
. I pulled my radiator out of a rig with a 460 though, so it's huge, just had to drill a couple of new screw holes in the shroud to get it to line up. Works great now.
. I pulled my radiator out of a rig with a 460 though, so it's huge, just had to drill a couple of new screw holes in the shroud to get it to line up. Works great now.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Oregon
The one I picked up at the junkyard is black plastic, compared to that weird material the old one was made of. Left the old one in the bed of my truck when I was tearing it all down and putting the new motor in it. Some of the people living on the property started throwing their random junk in it, and it got smashed. Tried to glue the little pieces together, didn't work. Ended up drilling and zipping part of a PBR box over the missing piece, and ducting over that. Really didn't work too well, too much flex, and It kept getting sucked into the blades when I'd get the motor going and just shred the box...
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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All of them are black plastic. Some just different grades. Usually a FRP compound or ABS.
The fan shroud is made to prevent air recirculation in the fan. The fan is required on vehicles traveling slow or with insufficient speed to push air thru the radiator. At highway speeds the vehicle motion pushes air thru the radiator and the fan just freewheels if it is a thermostatic clutch unit type.
The fan shroud is made to prevent air recirculation in the fan. The fan is required on vehicles traveling slow or with insufficient speed to push air thru the radiator. At highway speeds the vehicle motion pushes air thru the radiator and the fan just freewheels if it is a thermostatic clutch unit type.
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Simi Valley, CA
Originally Posted by Jermafenser
Just purchased a 1979 F-250 2wd, it has the infamous missing shroud issue. It is a true 400, with C6. No A/C or any options whatsoever. Should it have a shroud from factory or what? It looks like it was never there.
Fits: 1977/79 351M/400. Used on: std cooling or xtra cooling or with a/c. Not used for super cooling. Shroud engineering number: D7TA-AA = located upper left drivers side of shroud.
Note: 351M engine (engine code: H -4th digit in VIN) used several different shrouds, but only this one I listed above is correct for a 400. If junkyarding...verify fan shroud engineering number I listed above.
400 = VIN code is: S
Last edited by NumberDummy; Mar 19, 2007 at 12:26 AM.
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From: Fresno, CA.
My shroud is currently sitting in my bedroom. I took it off, because it is missing a 6 inch piece of plastic on the upper right corner by the upper radiator hose, and when I accelerated ihard the fan would hit the piece that hung down. I will get zip ties, and put that back on before the summer hits. 