bizzare radiator/fan collision
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 164
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From: Gray, TN
bizzare radiator/fan collision
Ive got a big circle carved into my now leaking radiator and a matching bent blade on my radiator fan on the 1990 F150 in my profile. The fan clutch is threaded on all the way and seems to be tight. The fan is nowhere near the radiator now. I did have it off a few months ago and only had a crappy pair of pliers to tighten it back to the water pump with. What are the odds of the fan loosening up, coming off the water pump, hitting the radiator and then threading back on due to the engine rotation? I did hear a screech of the drivebelt before seeing steam come out from under the hood a minute later. I cant think of any other explanation. Any other ideas?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 320
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From: Northwest BC. Canada
Had that happen to my 77 Mustang II. But I neglected to bolt the radiator back in properly and the collision occured. 
You should check for the rusted out support. Is the circle on the bottom or the top?
You should check for the rusted out support. Is the circle on the bottom or the top?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 164
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From: Gray, TN
Its about half a circle on the passenger side. Right through the tubes all the way down. Radiator support and radiator are, i mean were, in good condition. Nothing is loose. I have seen those badly rusted radiator supports on other trucks as you have mentioned. Fan clutch ok. The fan must have spun loose, hit the radiator and then the water pump spun it tight again. Im awaiting the arrival of my new radiator.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,670
Likes: 13
From: Sand Lake, MI
Id check the passenger side motor mount and tranny tail shaft mount. I can't see it unscrewing itself, hitting the radiator then screwing back on. Would likely hit full circle if the fan would hit before coming all the way off the threaded stud on the pump. Stranger things have happen I guess.
But it hitting just one side sounds like engine/tranny mounts being as you found that the radiator is still solid mounted and wasn't pulled back into the fan.
That and check every blade on the fan to be sure one is not flying loose or bent/kinked allowing it to flex out, again you'd be more apt to see a full circle if that was the case.
But it hitting just one side sounds like engine/tranny mounts being as you found that the radiator is still solid mounted and wasn't pulled back into the fan.
That and check every blade on the fan to be sure one is not flying loose or bent/kinked allowing it to flex out, again you'd be more apt to see a full circle if that was the case.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Lakewood, Ohio
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: vernon hills IL
check for a cracked frame in the front, i had a similar issue , now its just bad body bushings, lol
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New User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 16
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From: Greensburg, IN
I think I can tell you your problem. The exact thing happened to my 90 f150 when I was younger. I use to do a lot of burnouts and my truck would always hop reel bad in the back. One day it hopped so hard that the motor mount broke, putting alot of strain on the tranny tailshaft mount. At this point the bolts stripped out of my tranny mount and the entire engine tranny combo heaved forward from my burnout and the fan went through the radiator. This happened to me again about 2 years later when I was acting like a stupid teenager again. My truch has the 300 with 5 sp mazda tranny. Hope this helps.