Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

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Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

February 19, 2017, 09:14:27 PM

The fan clutch on my ’87 5.0 seized, and while changing it, I realized a blade on the plastic radiator fan looks like it’s about to fly off. I believe it needs replaced, but can’t find OEM replacement. What I pulled out is an original Ford fan, E65E-8600-AA. I can’t find that part number online, so have some questions about the best thing to replace it with.

Is E65E-8600-AA the stock fan for this car?
The blades are not in a symmetrical pattern; it looks as if two had not been added to the design.
Would a fan for a Mustang or other higher-output engine fit, without being too powerful?
I do not have overheating issues with my stock non-HO engine; in fact I think it takes too long to warm up. I don't want a higher-duty fan sapping power.
Are the $30-40 generic metal flex fans any good?
I have read mixed reviews on Mustang, Explorer, and truck forums, mostly negative, especially on Flex-a-Lite.
Is there an inexpensive electric fan conversion kit that’s worth it?
I want to only spend enough to replace the amount of cooling I had (with stock fan I was able to go 90 MPH up a 2 mile long very steep desert hill on a 100°+ day, with my A/C on despite signs at the bottom warning to turn A/C off to prevent radiator boil over, without the temp gauge rising). However, if there is a benefit to switching to electric and it can be done for about $100, I might do that. How much horsepower might it free up?

Alright guys, what wisdom can you share?

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #1 – February 19, 2017, 09:56:32 PM

Also I have not installed the fan or shroud, but still need to drive. The temp around here has been around 45°. Would I cause damage driving without a fan if I shut the engine off when at a stoplight for more than 30 seconds?

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #2 – February 19, 2017, 10:28:25 PM

Hayden part #2783 for the clutch. It's miles better than a stock replacement.

https://www.amazon.com/Hayden-Automotive-2783-Premium-Clutch/dp/B000C3DD3G

For the fan itself, upgrade to a 9 blade for a Fox Mustang. The center hub is smaller, but blades are the same size so it's actually a smidge smaller in overall diameter, but doesn't prove to be an issue.

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-8600A/86-93-Ford-Mustang-Fan-Blade

Putting an electric fan in one of these cars will necessitate a 3G alternator upgrade. Even gathering up salvage yard parts to do such will run you more than the cost of the parts I linked to new. That clutch has 90% engagement as opposed to the stock 65% or so. You'll notice a difference.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #3 – February 19, 2017, 10:44:55 PM

I've been running the Mustang fan for years without issue. Works great.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #4 – February 19, 2017, 11:37:38 PM

Quote from: V8Demon;459355

Hayden part #2783 for the clutch. It's miles better than a stock replacement.

https://www.amazon.com/Hayden-Automotive-2783-Premium-Clutch/dp/B000C3DD3G

O’Reilly has a fan with that party number, and one PN 2723, both of which are branded “Murray Temperature Control” but otherwise appear identical. I’ve already bought 2723 – it was the same price as the heavy duty one you linked on Amazon. Is it the same manufacturer just rebranded? If I’m able to return the one I bought and order the Hayden 2783, I would do that if Murry as a junk brand (it came in an unlabeled white box). But why go with a 90% engagement? The clutch and fan I just took out already sounded like an airplane.

Quote

For the fan itself, upgrade to a 9 blade for a Fox Mustang. The center hub is smaller, but blades are the same size so it's actually a smidge smaller in overall diameter, but doesn't prove to be an issue.

https://lmr.com/item/LRS-8600A/86-93-Ford-Mustang-Fan-Blade

If it fits and the bolt holes line up, this is what I’ll do. Does it require the heavy duty clutch?

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #5 – February 20, 2017, 12:20:49 AM

I did a 3g and tarus electric two speed fan. I burned up two controllers and eventually threw a toggle switch in hooked to relays. Worked great minus the cheapie ran controllers dying. After I gutted them for the relays and hucked em in the art bin, I figured out that the fuse holders were melting, the controllers themselves were probably fine otherwise. If the junkyard alt would have worked out, I would have done the swap for less then $100 all together.

Driving freeway, you do not need a fan unless you need to floor it up a moutain pass. My fan clutch died and blew apart my fan and shroud while I was about 50 miles away from home. I ended up just pulling the waterpump pulley back on and drove it that way for a few weeks. You can do 40+mph all day long without temps climbing, but ideling once warm or stop and go, you will overheat quick.

The heavy duty clutch will lock sooner and stay locked longer, meaning it will cool better and zap more power. Stick to the cheapie one imho. Also make sure the thermo stat is a 190° f. Lots of guys throw cooler ones in, just not worth it, that will make it take much longer for the heat to come on.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #6 – February 20, 2017, 12:30:09 AM

Regarding electric fans: flexalite makes a pretty good electric fan controller. It has a temp "sensor" you stick through the radiator and itll kick on you electric fans when they hit temp. Also, you can dial in that temp.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flex-A-Lite-31147-Adjustable-Electric-Fan-Controller-Thermostatic-Switch-Kit-/131481632186?hash=item1e9cea7dba:g:obIAAOSwHnFVu90h&vxp=mtr

-Kyle

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #7 – February 20, 2017, 12:39:58 AM

Why go with 90% engagement?

Simply put no clutch fan is 100 percent. Most top out around 70 percent of the speed of input. The SUPPOSED power lost between a standard and heavy duty one is not enough to notice. I do notice that it does cool down better in traffic and stopped though as is intended. Read the following link which will explain clutch fan operation.

http://www.haydenauto.com/upload/HaydenAuto/Dospoogeents/Cat_Hayden/2007-hayden-fan-clutch.pdf

As far as the Murray brand, I have no idea.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #8 – February 20, 2017, 01:02:54 AM

I’ll go with the standard duty clutch – it worked fine, and with a stock engine every HP counts. If the Mustang fan proves too much for it to handle, then I get to say 'you told me so’ :p

Quote from: Haystack;459358

...Also make sure the thermo stat is a 190° f. Lots of guys throw cooler ones in, just not worth it, that will make it take much longer for the heat to come on.

Would a cooler thermostat throw a code? I haven’t had any codes relating to that, but when I bought the car the guy said there was a code indicating the thermo was stuck open and replaced it. It warms up eventually, and definitely quicker than a car with one stuck open, but not as fast as I would think it should.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #9 – February 20, 2017, 03:21:41 AM

I switched to electric after my stock fan clutch locked up during a hard rev. Destroyed the fan, radiator, water pump and timing cover. Launched one fan blade into the battery, rupturing it. Another blade completely exited through one of the scoops on my TC hood.
I got a salvage yard crown vic electric fan, and bought a nice fan controller from DCC for 80 bucks. I ran it with the stock alt for awhile, but wouldn't recommend it. I'm running a 130A 3g now.

In your case, sticking with the clutched fan makes the most sense cost-wise. I wouldn't worry about the clutch you bought, should be as good as any. The heavy duty would only matter if you were having cooling issues, basically makes the fan run more. The mustang fan is nothing special, its not gonna overload the clutch or something.

A cooler thermostat won't effect your cars warm up time, it simply opens at a lower temp. So installing a 180* thermostat will still allow the engine to heat to 180* in the same amount of time as a 210*, your temps will just never go over the thermostat's temp if the cooling system is adequate and working correctly. A 180* was fine with no codes for me. I wouldn't go lower than that on a stock motor.

I wouldn't recommend driving without a fan as its too easy to forget for a minute and overheat your car. The fan doesn't really matter while moving, but when stopped temps will rise amazingly quick. You can do it if needed, but be very careful.

Chris

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #10 – February 20, 2017, 04:45:32 PM

A 180°f thermostat opens fully by 180°f, which will make the heater work worse and make the car cool down more on the freeway, and yes it will take longer to reach proper temps, if it would at all.

The stock computer needs to see 180° before it will run properly and you start to get good gas mileage. Try getting a 180°f thermostat up to 180° or more when its 15° outside. The radiator should cool temps a minimum of 20°f, so basically a 180°f thermostat should make the car run about 160.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #11 – February 20, 2017, 05:39:25 PM

That sounds about right. When it snows, I’ll see the temp go back down at stoplights. It’s old enough to be replaced soon anyway.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #12 – February 20, 2017, 07:53:40 PM

Quote from: Haystack;459369

A 180°f thermostat opens fully by 180°f, which will make the heater work worse and make the car cool down more on the freeway, and yes it will take longer to reach proper temps, if it would at all.

The stock computer needs to see 180° before it will run properly and you start to get good gas mileage. Try getting a 180°f thermostat up to 180° or more when its 15° outside. The radiator should cool temps a minimum of 20°f, so basically a 180°f thermostat should make the car run about 160.

The thermostat temperature rating is actually the temperature at which the thermostat starts to open. A thermostat is fully open 10°-15° above its rated opening temperature. So a with a 180° thermostat the engine minimum temp, when warmed up, should be about 180°, with a higher temperature in operation.

I've been running a 180° thermostat in my Thunderbird for 10 years. The engine runs about 190°-195° in regular operation in the summer. I've never had it run below 180°, but I don’t drive the car in the winter.

The EEC-IV will usually go into closed loop between 160°-170°, depending on input from other sensors.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #13 – February 20, 2017, 10:14:41 PM

I drive mine year round, -15°f to 115°f just about every year. With a lazer temp gun, you would be surprised how much temps change crossed the engine bay. When I had a 180° thermo stat in my 86 cougar it would cool down on the freeway and get bad gas mileage even in the middle of summer and take forever to warm up in winter.

Basically the temps going into the radiator should be 20° hotter then what comes out, if 180°f is going into the radiator, then the engine will be getting 160°f or so inlet temps. If you are doing 60+mph, the temps arent going to go up much past that if everything is working right.

Now on a modified setup with gears, more fuel or higher compression, I could beleive more heat would be generated, but on a stock setup, a 180°f tstat is a waste of time.

Stock cooling fan cracked on 5.0 – what to replace it with?

Reply #14 – February 20, 2017, 11:29:32 PM

Quote from: thunderjet302;459373

The thermostat temperature rating is actually the temperature at which the thermostat starts to open. A thermostat is fully open 10°-15° above its rated opening temperature. So a with a 180° thermostat the engine minimum temp, when warmed up, should be about 180°, with a higher temperature in operation.

I've been running a 180° thermostat in my Thunderbird for 10 years. The engine runs about 190°-195° in regular operation in the summer. I've never had it run below 180°, but I don’t drive the car in the winter.

The EEC-IV will usually go into closed loop between 160°-170°, depending on input from other sensors.

The full open temp will vary depending on Manufacturer and style.

The 180 in my Cougar is fully open by 185... I tested it before I installed it. It's a Mr. Gasket. I've always had good luck with their t-stats.

That being said, I'll agree with Haystack. If you're still running stock heads and cam, you do not need a 180 degree thermostat in a Windsor motor.

Side note:. The S197 4.6 3v comes with a 180 degree thermostat from the factory.