2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Up Front Pusher Cooling Fan

[hammersley]

Ok - again - when running in the high desert mountains (Steans) - very hot - 100 - FWD - AC on (NO TOWING ) - temp on the needle went to the bar which I think is maybe 220 (as the guage says 190 and then 240 - the bar is about half way between. ) Had to turn AC off and temp went down a bit! I wanted to install a pusher fan and looked at the data on the TDR and called these guys and they said that this fan will work as an auxillary front mounted fan... .

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/trimline.htm - the model 114. Has anybody done this?

BTW - the folks at flexline told me that Schuck's has them for about $100 and an additional $25 for the thermostat switch. THEY also told me that they don't have a product that will move enough air to handle removing the stock fan and tow.....

 

[B.G. Smith]

Fan

Put in a new thermostat and save your money. bg

 

[hammersley]

BG?????

Do you think this one is going bad or I have one at to high a temp etc...

 

[SRadke]

Is your factory equipped fan clutch working? If it is you should be able to hear it and it will kick up a nice cloud of dust on a dirt road, such as in the Steans. If your fan clutch is working properly and your radiator isn't plugged up then I think you've got a thermostat problem. I do a lot of traveling in the Owyhee drainage (similar country) and my old 96 never began to heat up.

-Scott

 

[hammersley]

Mine's an auto

Since yours is a manual - I don't think you have the same heat load - and you know I've taken this in to the Dodge Dealer and they can't tell me if the fan is working or not... . To tell you the truth I don't think so - she doesn't make a huge sound like I'm use to hearing when a fan kick's in - is there a test?

 

[B.G. Smith]

Thermostat

I think it is(thermostat) probably defective(bad). On my first one to go bad, the temp would go up past the center mark then drop back to normal when I would stop for fuel or whatever and get back on the road. It would only over heat on a hard pull or if I got up over 70 mph towing. With the new thermostat, can't get it above 190, mine is the 180deg. bg

 

[hammersley]

You may be right

But on these thermostats - can they go just a little bad - I guess what I mean is that when I've had bad thermostats in the past - not on the Dodge- the beast either heats up real bad or doesn't heat up at all... . This heats up some but doesn't boil over... .

 

[SRadke]

I don't think your fan clutch is working right. If you can't tell that it has turned on then it aint on. On both my trucks now the fans have turned on when I first start the rig and stay on for about a minute. After that I don't hear them until I start pulling in hot weather. Other than heraing them turn on I don't know any way to test em.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Re: You may be right

Originally posted by hammersley

But on these thermostats - can they go just a little bad - I guess what I mean is that when I've had bad thermostats in the past - not on the Dodge- the beast either heats up real bad or doesn't heat up at all... . This heats up some but doesn't boil over... .

Yes, my second one, one side of the yoke broke, ran ok unloaded but a little above normal when towing. The first one, the seat came loose on the bottom of the TS, was restricting the full flow of water even when open. I never tested the third one, it just didn't act right to me. bg

 

[SRadke]

Sounds like the thermostat is still a good possibility. It only takes about an hour to swap one of those out.

 

[hammersley]

Does anybody have the correct

procedure for changing the Thermostat? Also - can you get these at Cummins?

 

[tractorface]

Fan Clutch

I am in a similar situation and am certain my fan clutch is bad. Almost certain enough to try stopping it with my hand while running (the ultimate Test!) No, I did not do that, but as soon as I shut the truck down I tried spinning the fan and it spins freely. I think it should be locked up at that point and its not. I have a little 4 cyl. Isuzu Trooper and the fan roars on startup for about 30 seconds before unlocking. If I can hear that little thing the CTD should really make some noise. I ordered a Hayden severe duty fan clutch and will try and remember to post results as soon as it is installed. The other test I did was too see if a leaf would stick to the radiator while running, if not I say bad fan clutch. Try any of my scientific tests and let us know how it goes... that is if your hands are not too badly damaged

 

[JGK]

hammersly,



Changing the thermostat is easy.



Get a bucket and drain out a couple of gallons of coolant and save it - you'll pour it back in when your done (unless its ugly, of course, and you choose to change it all). If your '01 is like my '98, your alternator bracket is bolted to the thermostat housing. Remove the belt from the alt. and unbolt the bracket from the housing. Then just unbolt the thermostat housing and swing it out of the way. May have to remove a hose or 2. Pop out the old thermo and install the new. Put it all back together. Pretty staight forward. No special tricks or concerns as I remember.



I'd get a new thermostat from Cummins rather than an aftermarket, personally. A little more $, but I prefer using OEM when possible. Can't remember the price off hand. Don't go any where near a dealership for this.



As to what goes bad in them, the only thing I've seen mentioned a few times here, and what happened to me, is that it got jammed. There is a rubber gasket like a wide rubber band that goes around one end of the thermostat. It comes loose and gets pulled into the mechanism. It jams it open. Then it just seems to run cooler than normal.



-Jay

 

[jtwcummins]

The clutch for cooling fan will be fully engaged for a short period after starting. More noticable first time its started after setting for a long time. If you can't hear it the clutch is bad.



Thermostats are 2 stage. They will open to allow coolant flow at about 160. When running in town w/air on or pulling the temp will approach 190 and the stat will open fully. Coolant temp will drop quickly to around 160 again. When the 94 Ram came out sales really took off. Several owners complained about the engine not warming up, mine never got much above 140. Cummins changed the stat to let the engine run about 160. Change to newer one and I have never seen much over 180.



Driving on hiway unloaded will allow enough air to flow across rad. to keep temp down, under load it's a different story.



Electric pusher fan. Put one on, but not for overheating. Around town a/c performance wasn't great because of air flow thru condenser. Fan is on a relay that turns it on when a/c compressor cycles. Now have air as cold at idle as freeway speed.



Friend bought an 03 1500 and low and behold, the condenser for a/c moved off front of rad and has it's own electric fan.

 

[WestTN]

test fan clutch

You can test the fan clutch by blocking the radiator and running the truck at a high idle speed with the hood open. When the water temperature reaches about 205 degrees the clutch should engage. You will definitely hear it, because it will move a lot of air.

A blanket or other porous item will work well, but make sure it cannot get into the fan. A little air flow is necessary to carry the heat frm the radiator to the fan clutch.



PS. I am NOT a fan of electric fans. I tried Haydens on my old truck, and they didn't control the temperature as well as the stock fan. I also went through four of them in a couple of years and required repairs to the A/C system because of fan failures. The A/C never worked as well as stock. After putting all new stock parts back on, the A/C worked good again.



As for the fuel mileage increase, it just isn't there. A properly working stock fan setup does not use any more power than necessary, as the fan is blowing a small amount of air until needed. An electric fan blows all or nothing. This is why the A/C does not function well.

 

[bmoeller]

Re: Does anybody have the correct

Originally posted by hammersley

procedure for changing the Thermostat? Also - can you get these at Cummins?

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/Facts/01ISBspecs.html



Scroll down for the parts list. The t-stat is in there.