Fan clutch on 460

[Lt46]

Hi guys,
Need some help with my 97 Winne Adventurer 37rw. I'm new to this moho and Fords. On a recent trip, with many hill climbs through western MA. and southern NH, with temps in the low 90* I noticed (how could you not? With the roar it makes) the fan clutch engaging/coming on frequently. Being new to Fords, it seemed excessive. Most confusing was that the dash temp. guage never moved from its normal operating temp. position. Now, my chevy 454 has the fan clutch and when the temp. guage climbs, the clutch engages and you can watch the temp drop on the guage, not so with this Ford. Is this the way the Ford works or do I have an issue with a weak fan clutch or what? Ideas and thoughts welcomed.

[Lt46]

Hi guys,
Need some help with my 97 Winne Adventurer 37rw. I'm new to this moho and Fords. On a recent trip, with many hill climbs through western MA. and southern NH, with temps in the low 90* I noticed (how could you not? With the roar it makes) the fan clutch engaging/coming on frequently. Being new to Fords, it seemed excessive. Most confusing was that the dash temp. guage never moved from its normal operating temp. position. Now, my chevy 454 has the fan clutch and when the temp. guage climbs, the clutch engages and you can watch the temp drop on the guage, not so with this Ford. Is this the way the Ford works or do I have an issue with a weak fan clutch or what? Ideas and thoughts welcomed.

[auto]

For many years ford has not used a real time gauges. Ford stock binary gauge is heavily buffered and works more like an idiot light than a true gauge. This is most noticeable in the oil pressure gage. A real time oil pressure gauge at idle will be lower than at rpm's but most fords always stays near center. A temp change of 20-30 deg. is buffered and will not show on stock gauges. You can find many posts about this at http://www.ford-trucks.com/ Search idiot gauge.

[Lt46]

Thanks Auto, never knew that site existed and should be a big help with Ford issues. Thanks.

[JamesT]

Mine does the same thing.

I do have a 'real' temp guage on the tranny and it doesn't seem to move much either.

Not to steal the thread, but I got stuck on "11 Mile Hill" here a few weeks ago when it was about 105*F. (Stuck as in traffic jam) I couldn't get the RPM's up, because the pace of traffic and no air was moving through the tunnel. That time the temperature gauge definately moved and I thought I was going to have problems. Luckily traffic started moving just in time.
Any advice on how to handle this situation?

[jupoa]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by JamesT:

Not to steal the thread, but I got stuck on "11 Mile Hill" here a few weeks ago when it was about 105*F. (Stuck as in traffic jam) I couldn't get the RPM's up, because the pace of traffic and no air was moving through the tunnel. That time the temperature gauge definately moved and I thought I was going to have problems. Luckily traffic started moving just in time.
Any advice on how to handle this situation? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

On a recent trip I was stuck in traffic on a flat street for about an hour in 100+ degree heat. With the dash air conditioning set to the max and the trans in drive, the engine temp gauge was at the very high end of the normal range. I noticed the temp gauge drop about 25% over time if I kept the transmission in neutral as much as possible.

Also, climbing the grade North of Baker on the I-15 in third gear on a very hot day at 65+ mph, my engine temp gauge also crept up to the high end of the range. Cutting back on the dash air until we crested the hill helped then.

I wonder what the actual engine temperature is when the gauge is at the high end of the normal range?

[teddyu]

There is an increase in the heat load with the transmission in gear while idling that may not be removed with the engine at idle. The installed thermo-clutched fan may not be engaged until the temperature increases significantly or the RPM increases. With a high temperature, the ECM usually kicks the speed up from idle to help cool the engine. One additional suggestion to combat this conition would be to add a thermostatically controlled 12V ELECTRIC fan unit. My 460 had a dual fan unit running directly from the chassis battery. Sometimes after shutting down the engine, the fans would start and blow air thru the radiator until the temperature dropped. This helped to cooled the tunnel, engine hatch and the cab.

[JamesT]

Was your electric fans mounted in front or behind the radiator?
In either case there is not a bunch of room.

Thanks,

[teddyu]

In front. It was very thin, about 2" thick. Mounted on the AC condenser.