Backwards Compatibility for 04.5+ Clutch fan and Shroud on an early 03?

[Darkbloodmon]

Haven't looked at to many 04.5+ engine bays so I'm not sure, but never the less....

Will an 05 clutch fan and shroud work on an early 03 truck? While sourcing a factory air box on my local 4x4 forum, I came across an individual with a few trucks and parts. Wondering if I can plug and play the clutch fan an/or retro fit the shroud from an 05 on my early 03.

Why would I want to do this? I put a new Mopar clutch fan on with a cracked and ziptied shroud, and it quickly nullified that premium Mopar price I payed when the harness got chopped. I'm not really looking to spend Mopar money and these "OEM" used parts will be much cheaper.

I've been running with out a working clutch fan for a while now and without issue thanks to a Mishimoto Radiator and Fleece Coolant bypass... I'd like to have A/C though as I'm about to tear into long needed HVAC work. Nearly all my doors are dead and the only thing that works is the HEAT, and A/C at highways speeds only.

 

[bcbender]

FWIW, I would not want to deal with that 04+ shroud. It is bolted to the engine NOT the radiator and make it a PITA to work on some things... The 03-04 shroud is much easier to R&R as needed IMHO. Sounds like doors are in your future, I did the heater treater metal ones,.. not to bad a job if you follow the FSM and pull the dash as a assembly (ask me how I learned that). I did all doors w/o discharging the a/c or pulling the cases, just have to be clever and make a few openings with a zip cutter (then plastic weld back). Should not really need that fan clutch for a few months, Id keep looking for the right shroud... FWIW, my lower section broke and I glued it back to gether with some of the panel bond material that is used commercially to repair bumpers.

 

[Tuesdak]

The MOPAR fan clutch is the only item I would insist come from a dealer or reputable source. I wouldn't go used unless you were sure of the AGE of the said MOPAR clutch. After 5 years they are considered used up as they loose 200 RPM per year - the EV design allows the ECM to compensate for that RPM loss till it can't.

The aftermarket ones are not worth the headache of "IF" they are the problem of dumping the AC refrigerant through the high pressure safety valve due to extreme condenser temp/pressure. The OEM setup is iffy enough without another might work variable:

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...rams-ecm-defect-opening-the-ac-relief.258779/

The shroud wasn't that expensive for my 2003 years ago YMMV.

From that thread shroud P/N's:

New big part is: 52028912AF
The small bottom part is: 52029081AD

 

[Darkbloodmon]

FWIW, I would not want to deal with that 04+ shroud. It is bolted to the engine NOT the radiator and make it a PITA to work on some things... The 03-04 shroud is much easier to R&R as needed IMHO. Sounds like doors are in your future, I did the heater treater metal ones,.. not to bad a job if you follow the FSM and pull the dash as a assembly (ask me how I learned that). I did all doors w/o discharging the a/c or pulling the cases, just have to be clever and make a few openings with a zip cutter (then plastic weld back). Should not really need that fan clutch for a few months, Id keep looking for the right shroud... FWIW, my lower section broke and I glued it back to gether with some of the panel bond material that is used commercially to repair bumpers.

Aye, I'll be going through the HVAC in the same manor with the metal doors and new OEM motors. I'll gladly take any tips you have on the job. I'll be needing that clutch fan/shroud soon, I'd like to get an functioning engine fan working before tuning. No set date but I'd like to be tuned by next fall. I might just try making a pigtail for the one that's on there with a used connector.

I tried zip tie stitching the shroud with the aid of Gorilla glue, but it didn't hold as well as I'd hoped.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

The MOPAR fan clutch is the only item I would insist come from a dealer or reputable source.

I'll trying making a pig tail, current one is OEM with very little run time. I did a cold start before I sent off my CP3 for bench testing and to my surprise the fan clutch had locked and I heard that unfamiliar roar until it disengaged.

I'd kill for a good parts truck, but my HOA would be thinking along the same lines about me. That and these trucks don't hit yards down here, no Pull Apart, LQK, etc.

 

[Ozymandias]

Hardware, I don't see a problem.
But can the ECM work with the new style clutch, that's something we don't know. Part# for sure is different between the two.

 

[Tuesdak]

I'll trying making a pig tail, current one is OEM with very little run time

You already tried this bailing wire and duct tape ... I would also be livid at ruining a $500 part. However I would eventually simply write it off as my "education" and use the proper new parts that can do the job. I have learned that "education" with cooling fans can get more expensive starting with trashing the A/C system and finally overheating the engine to ruin. The patched wiring harness can break the fan if it snags it just right at RPM: The hook, radiator, and/or hoods are not cheap. There are places like Death Valley or around AZ where it's a survival situation in the 121F heat and the engine, to get Cell Phone reception, becomes expendable.

The harness length is critical as well as the strength of the repaired wires. Assuming the wires weren't pulled out in the fan clutch itself or connector. I would do no less than soldering and heat shrink, but, $500 to me isn't worth saving vs. A/C failure cost to repair.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Aye, I'll be going through the HVAC in the same manor with the metal doors and new OEM motors. I'll gladly take any tips you have on the job.

Dampers were changed in my truck with OEM ones before the aluminum ones came out, years ago, according to the invoices I got in the paperwork with the truck. I hope I never have to go into them. I have not found any evidence of a hack job on the case but its difficult to tell as not much of the HVAC box is visible.

However, the very best series of videos I have found on this are listed below. The guy is a great instructor and the videos are well scripted.

Pt 1 - Removal from the truck youtu.be/dBAtCnIxC2A
Pt 2 - Replacement of damper doors on workbench youtu.be/_sRvLSDALLc
Pt 3 - Unit re-installation in truck youtu.be/sN9VUyZzLKg
Pt 4 - Mega cab damper replacement youtu.be/G-Ri_XFdREk

Videos produced by https://www.youtube.com/user/flopster843/videos

I had to re-edit twice to stop the software from embedding the videos. You will need to copy and paste the links to your browser window for them to play, or right click and open in another window. You may need to add the https://www. to the beginning, depends on the browser.

Hope this helps
Charles

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Thanks for the information and advise. Hopefully a lower mileage 03 04 parts truck turns up in my area otherwise I'll be getting new components again....

 

[CharlesinGA]

Having just today replaced the water pump, idler and belt for a neighbor on his '06 (he had surgery and cannot do anything for a while, and the truck broke the belt) I would say, absolutely no to installing the engine mounted fan shroud. It makes access darn difficult. I had to remove the air filter box to get a place where the idler and water pump could be removed and installed. The A/C compressor (actually the entire system) is new and outer pulley and the compressor both turned fine, the top center idler turned good, and fan shaft bearings, pwr steering, alternator, everything was fine. I almost hated to replace the water pump, it turned nicely and was made in England. It looked original but at 403K mi, I cannot see how it could be. The crank pulley took an hour or so to scrape all of the rubber out of the grooves.

But yes, I was shocked at the differences. Radiator overflow bottle (looked the same as the one on my '03) was mounted behind the RH battery, and that complicated system of mounting brackets for the shroud and boot to the radiator really made for a bear to work on.

Charles