Question on clutch fan pulley

Psomion · #1 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 08:53 PM

Has anyone had thier clutch fan pulley fail on them? my 96 xj only has 80k miles and the pully siezed and pushed out fromt the bearings... The part from Jeep cost near $300 and I'm feeling lazy about going to a junk yard for a part that might do the same thing. would switching to an electric fan be ok if i just used a shorter serp belt and totally removed the actual pulley? Thanks for your thoughts

TwistedCopper · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 09:23 PM

COnverting to an electric fan seems like a no brainer for you right now.

A worthwhile mod for many reasons, fuel economy and a slight boost in power are two of them.

Where are you in Huntingdon? My wife has a friend from Pole Cat Hollow...

Psomion · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 09:27 PM

Thanks.. I live in Barree.. about 7 miles west of the town of huntingdon and then 3 miles past alexandria. Middle of no where really (I live on a church camp property)

Bounty__Hunter · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 09:54 PM

Not much room for an electric, I'd check out www.car-part.com or find one online.

smell my dirty poodle · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2007, 10:27 PM

mine whent bad on my cj. i just cut the clutch off and welded the fan directly to the shaft. clutch eliminated. I read an article saying electric fans dont move as much air as mechanical. Im sure thats debatable but I figure I would throw that in. I plan to go electric still. More power. Less gas

98XJ · #6 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 01:18 AM

http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/electric.html
Look that over, I did it myself and it was pretty easier. If you can figure out a ziptie and a little bit of wiring then you're golden. Shouldn't cost more than $100 with new stuff.

TwistedCopper · #7 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98XJ

http://www.angelfire.com/my/fan/electric.html
Look that over, I did it myself and it was pretty easier. If you can figure out a ziptie and a little bit of wiring then you're golden. Shouldn't cost more than $100 with new stuff.

Nice write-up!

TwistedCopper · #8 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psomion

Thanks.. I live in Barree.. about 7 miles west of the town of huntingdon and then 3 miles past alexandria. Middle of no where really (I live on a church camp property)

That's okay... I don't even know where "Pole Cat Hollow" is. I tried to mapquest her directions home to Pole Cat Hollow Rd but it wasn't even on the map

Sparky-Watts · #9 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smell my dirty poodle

mine whent bad on my cj. i just cut the clutch off and welded the fan directly to the shaft. clutch eliminated. I read an article saying electric fans dont move as much air as mechanical. Im sure thats debatable but I figure I would throw that in. I plan to go electric still. More power. Less gas

The newer electric fans move as much or more air as mechanical. In fact, they move air more consistently than mechanical, also, since they run the same speed regardless of engine speed. A mechanical fan has only a small band of the engine RPM where they are efficient, hence overheating problems when running at low RPM's while crawling or in slow-moving road traffic.

Jeepr · #10 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 09:03 AM

Electric fans hate mud..

Psomion · #11 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Electric fans hate mud..

This is probably a sin to say here, but have to keep this jeep looking nice. Its the only car i own that my girl isn't ashamed of so it keeps my AMCs under her radar a little. Most of the mods at this point on the jeep will be strickly performance mods that she won't notice unless i hit the gas when shes around.

XJ98.. i actually came accross your write up via google prior to comming here. The ONLY problem I have with it is you still use the pully that the clutch fan was on.. and thats what is broken and $300. I can't remember the exact layout of the belt and was trying to figure if I could bypass that entire pulley somehow. I can't actually check at the moment (all this broke a week before i left for basic training... i'm stuck in arizonia now until april). I want to have the parts ordered and at my home so when i get back i'll have a running car the next day. Thanks again all.

98XJ · #12 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psomion

This is probably a sin to say here, but have to keep this jeep looking nice. Its the only car i own that my girl isn't ashamed of so it keeps my AMCs under her radar a little. Most of the mods at this point on the jeep will be strickly performance mods that she won't notice unless i hit the gas when shes around.

XJ98.. i actually came accross your write up via google prior to comming here. The ONLY problem I have with it is you still use the pully that the clutch fan was on.. and thats what is broken and $300. I can't remember the exact layout of the belt and was trying to figure if I could bypass that entire pulley somehow. I can't actually check at the moment (all this broke a week before i left for basic training... i'm stuck in arizonia now until april). I want to have the parts ordered and at my home so when i get back i'll have a running car the next day. Thanks again all.

That wasn't my write-up but from a friend of mine. As far as a modified serp belt routing I saw a writeup of that somewhere and Ive been working on doing it myself becase my AC is dead so they put the alternator where the AC is and remove a couple pulleys.

Ive asked this guy what size belt he used and such but he hasnt gotten back to me. But heres a quote by him : "To get rid of the A/C compressor and move the alternator up, use a junkyard 4cyl commanche alt bracket/idler with slight modifications. Then measure the belt length and go to the parts store and get it. Easy and cheap to do.

My set-up has the clutch fan eliminated also."
One of these days when I get the time. Just make sure that everything is spinning in the correct direction, that you have enough tension on the belt so that it doesnt slip and not move anything, and you should be set.

smell my dirty poodle · #13 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky-Watts

The newer electric fans move as much or more air as mechanical. In fact, they move air more consistently than mechanical, also, since they run the same speed regardless of engine speed. A mechanical fan has only a small band of the engine RPM where they are efficient, hence overheating problems when running at low RPM's while crawling or in slow-moving road traffic.

Thanx for the imput on the fan Ill feel much better going electric. Any brand you woud recomend for a 86 cj 258?

Sparky-Watts · #14 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smell my dirty poodle

Thanx for the imput on the fan Ill feel much better going electric. Any brand you woud recomend for a 86 cj 258?

Depends on what you want to spend and how long you want it to last. You can spend a few bucks on a fan from a Ford Taurus in a junkyard, and mod it to fit and work, but you'll never be quite sure how long it will last, or you can do as I did and go the lazy and expensive way and get a Flex-A-Lite fan. My Flex-A-Lite bolted right up with no modifications, has a great warranty, and is more efficient than an older used Taurus fan. I can't remember off-hand what I paid, but it was around $200-$300 and well worth it, IMO. It can be wired to run automatically or be switched (so you can shut it off for water crossings), and it comes with a thermostat that will turn it on and off (I guess that would be automatically, huh?

) Anyway, mine works perfectly, keeps a rock steady temp no matter what speed I drive or what the outdoor temp is.

smell my dirty poodle · #15 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 05:06 PM

Thanx for the info, I think flex a light is a fan some of the military guys were experimenting/adding to the hum v. to combat overheating.Sounds like a good way to go.