Community Forums

ChasA · 07-11-2015, 07:01 AM

Why? I already have enough junk.

Starxd · 07-12-2015, 08:46 AM

Having last posted on this topic back in February, before we went back to Lake Havasu City, AZ to get the aftermarket fan installed, I thought I'd update interested parties on the outcome.

We made it back to Havasu OK, and they installed the new direct drive fan after addressing the bolt damage on the fan support plate by replacing the original bolts with grade-8 bolts that they Locktighted in. The only drawback was, one of the top bolts was broken off below the top of its hole, and they would have had to remove the radiator and the intercooler to get to it to drill it out and tap it. So the owner of the shop and tech agreed that, with the much lighter direct drive fan and the use of the grade-8 bolts, there was a 99.9% certainty that the one new top bolt and the bottom two would be sufficient to hold it for the life of the engine. (With the disclaimer that I should check it periodically to be sure all is OK.)

So now, many miles and 5 months later, I am pleased to report that we have driven up and down grades in ambient temps up to the high 90s, and no overheating. Plus the new fan cannibalizes half the horsepower from the engine than the OEM fan did, so we have had a slight increase in fuel economy and improved performance on hills.

Bottom line, I am a firm believer in getting rid of the OEM fan and replacing it with an appropriate aftermarket direct drive fan.

PushedAround · 07-12-2015, 01:33 PM

How many bolts hold the fan? Also what brand of fan did you buy?

Starxd · 07-13-2015, 09:05 AM

The fan is manufactured by Source Engineering, Inc. out of Eugene, OR. The fan support, which fastens to the engine and to which the fan pulley and hub are bolted, is held to the engine by four bolts.

If you're interested, you can do a web search for Source Engineering RV. When their home page comes up, click on the products tab at the top of the page, then scroll down and click on "high performance fan blades."

RoadWarrens · 09-10-2015, 12:19 PM

This is PRECISELY what is happening with our 2010 Tiffin! Thank you for making this post -- and thanks to everybody who responded!!!

Slateous · 09-19-2015, 11:14 AM

Same thing here. 2010 Tiffen Red. 26,000 miles. Fan clutch replaced in Grand Rapids Michigan. Freightliner Solution # 3737 did the trick. Don't waste time with the diagnosis they like to do. Expensive and a waste of time. Freightliner covered 50% of the cost. Runs great again!

Skip426 · 09-19-2015, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoadWarrens

This is PRECISELY what is happening with our 2010 Tiffin! Thank you for making this post -- and thanks to everybody who responded!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slateous

Same thing here. 2010 Tiffen Red. 26,000 miles. Fan clutch replaced in Grand Rapids Michigan. Freightliner Solution # 3737 did the trick. Don't waste time with the diagnosis they like to do. Expensive and a waste of time. Freightliner covered 50% of the cost. Runs great again!

RoadWarrens & Slateous.

Glad you've joined us here in the forums, and found helpful information.
Safe Travels.

deSanford · 09-19-2015, 11:33 AM

On our 2011 Monaco Navastar Cayman with 6.7 L 340 ISB at 5,000 miles I replaced the OEM fan with the Source Engineering one. Much quieter and uses less HP to turn........NO FAN CLUTCH. Sanford

Triker56 · 09-21-2015, 04:09 AM

No fan clutch for 17 years has worked good on my ISB.
I was thinking about getting a auto one. but after all these post I have changed my mind.

RoadWarrens · 09-21-2015, 11:06 AM

Sanford - I called the folks at source engineering. VERY knowledgable. It was going to cost about the same amount, so I went with the fan clutch as FL was able to discount the price for me. I will absolutely opt for the direct fan if I have the issue again.

f14av8r · 09-22-2015, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starxd

Having last posted on this topic back in February, before we went back to Lake Havasu City, AZ to get the aftermarket fan installed, I thought I'd update interested parties on the outcome.

We made it back to Havasu OK, and they installed the new direct drive fan after addressing the bolt damage on the fan support plate by replacing the original bolts with grade-8 bolts that they Locktighted in. The only drawback was, one of the top bolts was broken off below the top of its hole, and they would have had to remove the radiator and the intercooler to get to it to drill it out and tap it. So the owner of the shop and tech agreed that, with the much lighter direct drive fan and the use of the grade-8 bolts, there was a 99.9% certainty that the one new top bolt and the bottom two would be sufficient to hold it for the life of the engine. (With the disclaimer that I should check it periodically to be sure all is OK.)

So now, many miles and 5 months later, I am pleased to report that we have driven up and down grades in ambient temps up to the high 90s, and no overheating. Plus the new fan cannibalizes half the horsepower from the engine than the OEM fan did, so we have had a slight increase in fuel economy and improved performance on hills.

Bottom line, I am a firm believer in getting rid of the OEM fan and replacing it with an appropriate aftermarket direct drive fan.

I'm glad Starxd got his fan situation resolved and his happy with his solution. My mechanical mind perked up though when I saw he installed a direct drive fan and believes that it reduces the horsepower load on the engine.

It is my understanding that the whole purpose of a fan clutch is to disconnect the fan from the engine when the additional cooling provided by the fan isn't needed. When disconnected, the horsepower load consumed by the fan is reduced to near zero. So, while a more efficient fan design (like Source RV provides) may reduce the horsepower load when the fan is needed, the problem is that a direct drive fan will always be sucking up horsepower even when turning it isn't required to cool the engine. A fan clutch is designed to improve the efficiency of the engine.

Your thoughts?

markmiiler · 09-22-2015, 05:39 AM

i have noticed my temp gauge going up to 3/4 and I hear the fan clutch engage and watch the temp go down to half and the fan disengages. Should this temp be lower? I run engine at idle and the temp goes to half way also. Gauge inaccurate?
Maybe the direct drive fan is the fix.

PushedAround · 09-22-2015, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f14av8r

It is my understanding that the whole purpose of a fan clutch is to disconnect the fan from the engine when the additional cooling provided by the fan isn't needed. When disconnected, the horsepower load consumed by the fan is reduced to near zero. So, while a more efficient fan design (like Source RV provides) may reduce the horsepower load when the fan is needed, the problem is that a direct drive fan will always be sucking up horsepower even when turning it isn't required to cool the engine. A fan clutch is designed to improve the efficiency of the engine.

Your thoughts?

I agree. The question though is how much the fan is running vs coasting. Remember that the clutch is either on or off. I found out when mine failed that I really didn't need the fan much until I started climbing hills, at least not when it was 40 degrees outside. I think that the times when you may notice a lower HP fan is when you are climbing, because that is when the OEM fan is running 100%.

Slateous · 09-22-2015, 05:51 PM

Ticket History
Tom Slater (Client) Posted On: 22 September 2015 07:19 PM

Just a note from my previous post, FL Grand Rapids quoted me $600 for part & 300 labor. Some have paid $3,500! I think cost goes up when they go through diagnosis & if you want Corp to pay they run them through a long list of protocols raising labor charge. Nonsense. They may be in line for a class action some day soon. This is happening way too much and at very low miles for Corp not to pick up the entire tab and upgrade the part.