cooling fan fit issue

1998 xj, 4 door, 4x4, 4.0, 88,xxx miles

OK. Let me try to give you as much info as I can in as compact form as I can. The P.O. of my cherokee had installed dual e fans and removed the clutch fan. I had some over heating issues in rare cases so I took it in to my mechanic to have the fans wired to the stock thermostat relay. After I got the xj back, it was dieseling so I took it back in. It was apparently a fuse to the emergency shut off that was bridged by accident. When the mechanic was doing a test run one of the e fan motors burned out so I told him to install everything back to stock. (oem fan, clutch and efan)

NOW THE ISSUE: He has returned it to "stock" or is trying to at least, but the fan blades (out of a 97) hit the ac compressor...:banghead:We don't know how since it should be back to stock. So in order to clear the compressor and an ac line he had to add a 1" spacer (anything less is still too close, anything more hits the radiator) Well it clears but now it hits the top radiator bracket (not the radiator itself) we tried different compressor too but nothing clears properly. Motor mounts are good, radiator is stock. It has had front end damage but nothing major and has been repaired.

Any tips, ideas or whatever is appreciated!

djb383...don't bother posting either

Stupid question, but does he have the fan blades installed backwards? I just ditched my Taurus fan and went with a fan clutch for a ZJ (or for a 4cyl XJ). I noticed that the fan blade assembly has "Front" stamped on it and if not put on correctly then it will not fit. Also, the belt MUST have the tension relieved from it or it will pull the pulley to the point where the fan/clutch assembly will be canted and hit the AC compressor.

Let us know what the problem was.

hth
stewie

Not a stupid question. I honestly don't know and didnt consider. I'd assume he knew better but I guess I'll check Monday afternoon. Explain the belt tension issue again maye a little more detail...are you saying that in order to install the fan, the belt has to be loose, then once it's installed you tighten it? I'm pretty sure the belt is tight while he's installing it. I'm on my phone and don't have the ability to look back at your post without losing mine. Was having the belt tight without the fan and clutch on for so long possibly damaging to the pulley?

Any members close by?
sorry im not much help, I am unfamiliar with the late models.

Cherokee Outlaw said:

Not a stupid question. I honestly don't know and didnt consider. I'd assume he knew better but I guess I'll check Monday afternoon. Explain the belt tension issue again maye a little more detail...are you saying that in order to install the fan, the belt has to be loose, then once it's installed you tighten it? I'm pretty sure the belt is tight while he's installing it. I'm on my phone and don't have the ability to look back at your post without losing mine. Was having the belt tight without the fan and clutch on for so long possibly damaging to the pulley?

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All or nearly all the belt tension has to be off the pulley before you put the fan on or the tension will pull the pulley off center. The reason being is that the nuts that hold the fan on also hold the pulley on. When those are off, it allows the pulley to become canted off center (on my 96 which as the late model belt routing being OBD II it pulled the fan up and into the AC compressor). I thought that if I loosened the belt quite a bit it would be ok, but it still pulled the pulley enough to cause troubles. So I loosened it some more and slid it off the idler pulley that also handles the adjustment. that is located on your power steering bracket and has a long diagnal slot running from lower drivers side corner towards the valve cover. To loosen the belt, loosen the bolt on that idler pulley, then loosen the long bolt that runs along with that long slot. It will take quite a bit of loosening on that long bolt. You will notice that pulley slowly travel in that slot as you turn that bolt. To tighten is the reverse procedure.

I would remove the fan and fan pulley and inspect the fans pulley to make sure that it did not deform when tightened down. If it is deformed, it could shred your belt, usually at the most inopportune time. And if it is deformed, its on the mechanic to replace at his cost since he did not follow correct install procedures resulting in damage. But cross that bridge only if and when that is the case.

ok ok that makes sense. At first I was thinking "well, wont it just re bend if I tighten it after the fan's installed too?" but now I get you. If I don't have it in front of me I can't picture it.

Thanks for the info on how to tighten and loosen the belt, but I'm a little more skilled than that . haha still, thanks. I'd say on a 1-10 scale I'm mechanically a 5.0-6.5 depending. I just work 14 hr days and have no time to do it myself so that's why its at the mechanic and now that its apart over there, I cant get it home to work on myself for the weekend.

I appreciate your input. Much more help and better attitude than I've been getting from another forum...

Cherokee Outlaw said:

ok ok that makes sense. At first I was thinking "well, wont it just re bend if I tighten it after the fan's installed too?" but now I get you. If I don't have it in front of me I can't picture it.

Thanks for the info on how to tighten and loosen the belt, but I'm a little more skilled than that . haha still, thanks. I'd say on a 1-10 scale I'm mechanically a 5.0-6.5 depending. I just work 14 hr days and have no time to do it myself so that's why its at the mechanic and now that its apart over there, I cant get it home to work on myself for the weekend.

I appreciate your input. Much more help and better attitude than I've been getting from another forum...

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No problem for the help. Sorry for being so basic, but on the net I dont know how skilled the person on the other end is, so sometimes I tend to go basic just to cover all the bases, especially if a mechanic is involved- they may know cars in general, but not have as in depth knowledge of our XJ specifically as we do. I understand the working too. I was working 10 hours a day and commuting 100 miles each way to and from work from phoenix to gila bend AZ. Thank God thats over for now.

Maybe the OP installed a triple-core radiator, those are somewhat thicker and can cause interference with stock fans

ah no apologies needed! Yikes...I wouldn't even want to live in gila bend and work in gila bend let alone commute from PHX. I live in Yuma

ehall said:

Maybe the OP installed a triple-core radiator, those are somewhat thicker and can cause interference with stock fans

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I thought maybe that could be the case after the spacer but wouldn't explain the issue of clearing the compressor, but I'm almost positive thatits an oem rad

Dumb question, but he did get the right fan, yes? Reason I ask is the Grand Cherokees had the -6 in them, and have the compressor mounted in a different location. Could your mech. gotten it wrong? Not uncommon for parts people to assume "Grand" in front when you say "Cherokee".
(Heck, I had the parts guy at the local Jeep dealer going crazy because he couldn't understand "leaf spring eye bushing" - all because a Grand Cherokee doesn't have leaf springs.)

tbburg said:

Dumb question, but he did get the right fan, yes? Reason I ask is the Grand Cherokees had the -6 in them, and have the compressor mounted in a different location. Could your mech. gotten it wrong? Not uncommon for parts people to assume "Grand" in front when you say "Cherokee".
(Heck, I had the parts guy at the local Jeep dealer going crazy because he couldn't understand "leaf spring eye bushing" - all because a Grand Cherokee doesn't have leaf springs.)

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I'd like to ***-U-ME that he got the right fan...I know it was out of a 97....I was trying to look up fan sizes by year but can't find anything...ANYTHING I can't even find fans to buy. I was going to just buy a new set up and see if it fits better, but they are all YJ or universal flex fans of all different sizes.

Hit the pick and pull yard and bring him a fan

IslanderOffRoad said:

Hit the pick and pull yard and bring him a fan

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No pick n pull here in yuma...there are maybe 2 or 3 salvage yards but nothing big like a pick n pull. I do plan on going thursday afternoon or friday morning to pull one and see if they fit different. I'd just love to have a new oem fan and clutch...

I like that there's a few of us AZ brats on here too.:cheers:

If it has to do with cooling issues, us in the SW part of the country are the ones that have or are experiencing them!

stewie said:

If it has to do with cooling issues, us in the SW part of the country are the ones that have or are experiencing them!

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When it's 110deg, you find out quick if there's anything wrong.

110. I'd kill for 110. Ha ha

Does anyone out there have a 98 with their original fan and clutch? Or at least exact replacements? Id like some measurements to pass on to the mechanic (btw I hate saying that. It's like saying "my wife's boyfriend"). If anyone can get me their fan diameter and back spacing (fan to clutch and fan to pulley) distance from fan to rad and any other measurements you can think of, I'd appreciate it.

Also, I'm going to the wrecking yard tomorrow to pull a fan myself to make sure it's from the correct model and year.

Oh and what's the easiest way to make sure it a 98 at the yard? The vin?