Scout cooling fan alternative

C

cbmind

Member
For what it's worth, cruising around the junkyard today in omaha, 1998 mercury mountaineer uses a 10 (run out of fingers?) blade nylon fan, bolts right up to the back of the haydn #2705 thermal clutch fan I'm using. Saw them on older explorers as well, but looked like they were cracked. $6 at the u pull it. Measures 18" dia. Bolt pattern is 3.25" center to center, uses four bolts. Pictures manana I hope. $35 replacement Ford oem at the local Ford dealer too. You'll need the funky Ford big nut wrench for the water pump to remove it, need to pull out shroud also. I used the wrench and a hammer. Not very tight. Right hand threads. Could have used a strap wrench to hold the water pump hub still, but I got man hands,and no strap wrench.
 
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Re: Scout cooling fan alternative Added Photos

Here's some photos:

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Enlarge big hole 1/16" overall dia to fit over clutch flange, or grind down dia of fan clutch flange 1/16", drill out mounting bolt holes on fan to 5/16" to bolt up to fan clutch, bolt to engine with 5/16" hardware. Hopefully will have an install photo tomorrow, got dark on me as I was finishing up. You can see that the actual fan blades are longer, and the pitch is greater than oem fan of the Scout. I'm not running a fan shroud, work in progress, next on the list. Hope this is helpful for some.
 
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Re: Scout cooling fan alternative installed pics

Installed pictures. Works great so far, but it's 55 degrees out right now too:shocked:

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I imagine it's obvious, but remember to install fan the right way, it will only work one way. To make it easier Ford has stamped the front (radiator side) of the fan front. This helps if you forget how your old fan faced or didn't Mark it before removal.
 
It should, this one's 18" dia, my original oem Scout fan was 18" also. Blades are closer to radiator though, don't know how that will affect performance. Most shrouds the fan is half in/ out that I've noticed on the blades.
The previous owner put a body lift on the truck, jury rigged the shroud, looked like crap so I ripped it out. In the works of making a new one.
Think the hole on an IH Scout shroud is 19" dia.
Sure I'm not the only one who's done this, but all the cool jy stuff no one ever takes the time to give info on the part and the how to.
Hope this helps other Scout owners in improving their cooling systems. I don't want electric fans myself.
 
That fan is not going to work. It is for a reverse rotation water pump. The fact that the fan clutch it came off of was right hand thread instead of left hand was one clue, the fact that the belt was driving it from it's back or smooth side was another.

That fan will push air through the radiator instead of pull and since it is spinning backwards it will do a crappy job of that.
 
I just saw this, because I just drove from southeast nebraska to corpus christi texas and spent three hours in stop and go traffic with no issues.
Right or wrong, it does work, mods can delete if they like.
That fan doesn't push air, it sucks.
I had two pieces of paper side by side stuck to the radiator at 550 rpm after the install due to air being drawn through the radiator, a little test.
Rotation correct or not, my old fan wouldn't do that.

Edit: did some research, you're correct on usage of course, I thought I had the fan blade direction correct when I chose this. Guess not. Regardless, there is an improvement over the original. Thanks for the insight.
 
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I'm really puzzled by this. The IH engine only spins one direction, and that direction makes that fan a pusher, not a puller, as noted by eric. The blades are clearly backwards. I had thought that this would have been one of those really cool alternatives to the stock steel fan.

I know it is claimed to actually pull air, judging from the paper strip test, but I still don't buy it. I'd have to be standing there with my hand in front of the radiator and feel the draft myself.

Until then, color me an unbeliever.
 
He could have one of those elusive reverse rotation marine deals in there. But............. Then forward would be reverse. How do the 4 reverse gears work for you?? Must be a bitch to drive the freeway with one speed huu. :icon_rolleyes::idea:
 
I admitted that I was in error in an earlier post, after reviewing flexalite's FAQ page. However, I've got over 3k miles on this fan now, no problem. Doesn't mean I won't try something else. I wasn't looking for a fan at the yard just got antsy. Grabbed it without giving my oem a second glance, installed it too. The current orientation of the fan does not make it a pusher. The blade pitch is rolled opposite of the Scout 90 degrees, but still cupped towards the engine. To me, if it was in a pusher position, it would be flipped 180, where the cup of the blades were facing the radiator. Pointless argument.

It was not my intention to mislead anyone.

Robert, delete this thread please. I don't want any one blowing an engine on my info, even though it has worked for me, so far.
Apologies.
 
I think you have a good idea with the fan just a reverse rotation deal. I would keep looking and find one for a direct drive normal direction.


Don't take the friendly harassment to hard. It's all good fun. :p
 
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