Fan Blade Replacement woes

[iyafyl]

Well I did some great snow boggin last weekend, but had a chunk of ice fly up and break my radiator shoroud. Not worried about the airflow from the shroud because it's cool enough here in Alaska to not worry about it. Unfortunately, the broken shroud went up into the fan and broke off half of two of the fan blades :mad: So now I need to replace the fan (obviously) and can not find a good replacement anywhere. Before anyone suggests swinging to an electric....I may do that this summer, but right now I want to just do the regular fan replacement. It's extremely cold here now and I'm not about to go through the hassle of doing the electric mod right now. One of the blades on the old fan managed to cut the wires to what I am guessing is a oil sensor on the backside of where the oil filter is located. Anywho...anyone know any good aftermarket fans that will bolt on to the OEM fan clutch?

[iyafyl]

When I pull up a clutch for a VX I get two different types. One appears to have a thermostat on the front and one doesn't. Mine happens to have the thermostat. Do you know if the fan #8-97172-201-0 is for the clutch I have?

[iyafyl]

I was looking at an aftermarket site. I'm at work, and many sites are blocked from me. Thank God VX.info isn't!! I found a site that shows the fan you suggested and it has a schematic on how to install with a clutch that looks like the one I have. I really appreciate the help. I was having a hell of a time finding it and every thread I could find about it was talking about the electric mod.

[evillecutter]

NEVER trust the parts books on this vehicle! - if you cant read the part # on the broken part yourself this site and its super awesome helpful members are your only hope (insert "help me obi-wan" here)

[VX KAT]

I had my fan and fan clutch replaced a few months ago.

When ordering a new fan clutch from Merlin (Isuzu), he advised there's been a redesign in it and it now requires A NEW FAN BLADE too... and they're both much higher price now…

I still have my OEM fan blade, it's yours for shipping cost!


SEE POST #23-
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=22533&highlight=fan+clutch+blade+redesign

These threads have lots of discussion about various options.
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=20543&page=3&highlight=fan+clutch

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=23133&highlight=fan+clutch

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=23039&highlight=fan+clutch


Thread on replacing radiator with aluminum racing radiator with great cooling capacity (no electric fan involved)


OLD FAN BLADE:
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=23039&highlight=fan+clutch+blade+redesign

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN5728.JPG


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN5731.JPG

New fan blade required when redesigned OEM fan clutch is installed. Interesting, new has 9 blades, old has 11. Blade shape and curve are also different.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN5263.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCN5262.JPG

[iyafyl]

OOOOOOH O.o I'd love your old blade. That's awefully nice of you Kat. You just let me know when and how you would like to arrange the shipping and I'll get er dun. I'm in Juneau, AK, but it doesn't cost as much to ship here as one might think. I bought my VX with 110K miles on it. I'm assuming that, since mine currently has the older style blade on it, that my clutch must be a pre-redesign model.

[VX KAT]

OOOOOOH O.o I'd love your old blade. That's awefully nice of you Kat. You just let me know when and how you would like to arrange the shipping and I'll get er dun. I'm in Juneau, AK, but it doesn't cost as much to ship here as one might think. I bought my VX with 110K miles on it. I'm assuming that, since mine currently has the older style blade on it, that my clutch must be a pre-redesign model.

Sounds good. :thumbup:
When Merlin told me of the re-design when I was ordering it, I recall he said it was a new "er" change, as he didn't recall seeing it before, so maybe early-mid 2012 was when it changed. I'd love to know WHY / WHAT was changed at such a late date...:_thinking

Since he said the redesign was to the fan clutch, and then the blade had to be changed too, I'd guess you must have the "original" style fan clutch.

PM me your full name/addy and I'll reply with the shipping amount and my PayPal info.

[Marlin]

I put a torque cool fan clutch on mine when I first got it since the OEM one was shot. It was from autozone or advance for <100 bucks IIRC. I think it is supposed to have a thermostat, but this one doesn't. It sounds awesome! My truck has a very distinctive sound, like a semi truck in the first 3 or 4 gears. On the trail, everyone knows my truck by sound alone, a faint ticking, a roar of fan and a decent rumble from the flowmaster 40. I am sure the fan affects my mpg, but I don't care, worth it just for the sound...lol.

[VX-Man]

Marlin,
My OEM just went over the weekend and the VX started to heat up.
I went to Autozone (they were the ONLY outfit that had the part in stock) and got a Torqflo Fan clutch. after replacing it [had to tinker with the SC belt] and leaving the same OEM Fan.. The VX has a VERY distinctive sound.. Like a semi, you are correct. Is that normal? Or should check that I didn't do something wrong? :confused:
It could be that I never noticed cause the OEM fan was never that loud.. Or not working at all?
Any thoughts? THX!

[Marlin]

It is normal for that clutch. My thoughts, it isn't a clutch at all, or the thermostat for it is not right or it doesn't have one, so the clutch is always engaged. Been running it that way for 4 years, everyone always assumes I have a blower and definitely moves some air. It may affect your MPG a bit, but I will trade that for the cool semi sound:)

[VX-Man]

I see.. so normal to hear the blower all the time...
I wouldn't care much about the MPG either...
I wonder if the clutch does indeed have a Thermo.. it does have a sort of Spring on the back side.. [or is it the front?] but definitely it is always engaged...
If I can't deal the sound.. I will look for another solution... THX!

[BigSwede]

Is the fan/fan clutch different than on a 98+ Trooper? Maybe get one from a salvage yard, if the one from Kat doesn't work out.

[Marlin]

I see.. so normal to hear the blower all the time...
I wouldn't care much about the MPG either...
I wonder if the clutch does indeed have a Thermo.. it does have a sort of Spring on the back side.. [or is it the front?] but definitely it is always engaged...
If I can't deal the sound.. I will look for another solution... THX!

I don't care about the sound, between the kevlars, the exhaust and the removal of all the carpet and rear plastic, its plenty loud enough that the blower sound is a monior issue:bgwb:

[tom4bren]

I have an extra fan & clutch if anyone is interested. Shop decided to replace mine after the accident even though there wasn't any visible damage.

[VX KAT]

I wonder if the clutch does indeed have a Thermo.. it does have a sort of Spring on the back side.. [or is it the front?] but definitely it is always engaged...


Have you downloaded the complete Workshop Manual yet? It has all this detail in it, along with schematics.

[VX-Man]

Haven't yet.. but I surely will...!
I have been busy with little cosmetic things so far... the change of the Fan Clutch was easy... just 4 bolts [plus the Fan's 4].
I can certainly use the shop manual coming up...

THX!