Mysteries of the fan clutch

[Stoner Dan]

Question: what does a fan clutch actually do? I've got one on my '74 F350 SCS's 460, while my old '73 F250 w/460 didn't have one.

What's the advantage to a fan clutch? I've always seen them, but never really knew what they actually did...

 

[m78]

They go bad. then you have to replace them.

 

[Mil1ion]

They are thermostatically actutated.

When the hot air flows through the radiator it tell the clutch in the fan assembly to GRAB on to the spindle that the fan/clutch is mounted on

When there is cold air flowing through the radiator.. it tells the clutch to let it feather spin.

That why when it is hot and you are pulling a trailer up a mountainside road the fan grabs and sounds like a supercharger lighting up.

Clutch fan vs Vicious fan difference can be nominal if you live in a hot climate.

 

[Stoner Dan]

Ah, that makes sense ––*I appreciate the knowledge-drop on this!

 

[fatherdoug]

Don't mean to hijack the thread - but can anybody verify that they have a 1978 or 1979 ford F-150,250,350 with a 400 motor that came from the factory with a fan clutch installed? Just curious.

 

[UNRULEE]

Don't mean to hijack the thread - but can anybody verify that they have a 1978 or 1979 ford F-150,250,350 with a 400 motor that came from the factory with a fan clutch installed? Just curious.

My '79 250 with the factory 400 didn't, but does now.



I think my Dad's 77 150 with a 400 does, but I'd have to look to be sure.

 

[BKW]

Can anybody verify that they have a 1978 or 1979 ford F150/250/350 with a 400 motor that came from the factory with a fan clutch installed?

E1TZ-8A616-A (replaced D4TZ-8A616-A) .. Fan Clutch / Marked: D4TA-BA or D5TA-CA / Obsolete

Applications:

1977/82 F100/350 & 1978/82 Bronco 351M/400 with and/or: Factory installed Integral A/C, Trailer Tow, Super Cooling Radiator.

1974/76 F100/350 390 2V/4V with and/or: Factory installed Integral A/C, Trailer Tow, Super Cooling Radiator.

1975/83 Econoline 351W, 1979/83 Econoline 302 & 1980/82 Econoline 351M/400 with factory installed Integral A/C.

1980/83: F100 302 & F150/350 & Bronco 302/351W w/factory installed Integral A/C.

The fan is different w/a fan clutch. Its center opening is 2 3/8" and can have (depending on the application) 5 or 7 blades.

1973/79 F100/350, 1975/91 Econoline & 1978/79 Bronco w/Factory installed Integral A/C: The A/C controls are in the same panel as the heater controls.

If the A/C controls are separate from the heater controls, the vehicle has dealer installed A/C.

(sigh) My long standing pet peeve when asking members a question like this inre to 30+ year old vehicles...is: How many of these vehicles still have the original equipment?

Unless members bought 'em branny new, most will no idea...how the vehicle was originally equipped, because...

Most have no applicable Ford literature of any kind and the vehicles prolly have had multiple owners who tend to swap parts around.

 

[fatherdoug]

Thank You, Bill and Lee. Good info. I understand that 30+ year vehicles are hard to find completely original. I was asking because I was told at one time that the Ford 400 motor did NOT come with a fan clutch in its original configuration.

 

[LEB Ben]

Don't mean to hijack the thread - but can anybody verify that they have a 1978 or 1979 ford F-150,250,350 with a 400 motor that came from the factory with a fan clutch installed? Just curious.

As you mentioned, stuff can change over 30 years, but I will say Red has one, and the Bronco originally had one, but the 78 400 I used in the swap, didn't have one...and the 79 400 I have on my trailer does have one...and the 77 400 I have in the shed does have one.

 

[m78]

Should have started a pole. Mine ( w/400) does not have one

 

[gsxr1238]

My '78 and '79 F250's both have direct drive fans as well.Both have 400 engines in them.Both came from the factory that way.