Loud Fan Roar

[AZ59apacheguy]

Hi all. While driving for a while in the afternoon Arizona temps, my fan starts to sound REALLY loud, almost like a jet engine. It doesn't do it in the morning while driving to work ( cooler morning temps ), only while driving in the afternoon temps. But since it's a thermo style fan clutch, shouldn't it engage AND disengage, this clutch seems to come on and get stuck on until it cools over night. The engine is not overheating at all, does this sound like a bad fan clutch??

2000 Expedition Eddie Bauer 4x4
5.4L engine

 

[ExplorerTom]

Curious as well. Although I've only noticed mine being excessively loud with a cold engine.

 

[houlster]

Hi all. While driving for a while in the afternoon Arizona temps, my fan starts to sound REALLY loud, almost like a jet engine. It doesn't do it in the morning while driving to work ( cooler morning temps ), only while driving in the afternoon temps. But since it's a thermo style fan clutch, shouldn't it engage AND disengage, this clutch seems to come on and get stuck on until it cools over night. The engine is not overheating at all, does this sound like a bad fan clutch??

2000 Expedition Eddie Bauer 4x4
5.4L engine

It should stop after a few seconds as the engine revs. Mine's noticeable after stopping at a light. I take off and the fan is roaring and seems to suck half the power, but once the rpms come up it only takes a few seconds for it to disengage.

--Dan

 

[AWD EXPY]

The best time for a loud fan roar is when the home team is winning the ball game. That's all I have.

 

[rtbrjason]

Mine did this in extreme heat and on cold starts as well. It was also underpowered while it was making the "jet engine" like noise.

I replaced the fan clutch and it wasn't really much better as all I could find was a heavy duty replacement. You can try a standard duty fan clutch if you can find one. I went the e-fan route and problem solved.

 

[AZ59apacheguy]

Thanks for all the replies. Mine ended up being a combination of many things. Not only was my original fan clutch bad, but over 100 deg F the engine lost tons of power and it was roaring all the time; I could barely drive up a small hill. My mechanic found a Ford Bulletin on this exact problem.

ISSUE:
TSB 02-12-3: " Drivability, lack of power condition when operating in ambient temperatures above 100 deg F. This may caused by the PCM calibration which retards the ignition timing to prevent detonation when the air inlet temp AIT reaches 140 deg F or above. This may be more pronounced during stop and go driving. "

Fix:
"Verify the condition. Reprogram the PCM with the latest calibration and on 2000 and 2000 F-150's, install body plugs behind Coolant Overflow Bottle if missing "

Engine would fine in the morning and upon cold start up, but here in the desert summer temps hit over 100 deg F daily. I was loosing sooo much power in the afternoon heat that the engine was not producing enough power/torque to overcome the fan clutch, intern making it " roar " constantly. So my mechanic updated my PCM with the latest software, he also found my air filter nose cone separating ( replace with new ) and removed the " GOTTS Mod " putting everything back to stock. So far this is a TOTALY different vehicle, It's never run better. I seem to have all my power back, the transmission even shifts different ( in a good way ). Now the fan cutch does what it is supposed to do, it's loud upon cold start up, when the clutch engages during normal driving conditions ( stop and go traffic ) the engine has enough power/torque to overcome the fan clutch and it gets quiet again. It's been a very frustrating past week, I hope my my post will help others when they encounter this problem.

 

[AZ59apacheguy]

I guess I spoke too soon. Last couple of days have been in the mid 90's here in AZ and the truck ran great. Yesterday it got up to 103 and the truck fell on it's face again after I turned the a/c on, up till then it ran great. Between the outside air temp, the heat created by the a/c being on, sitting in traffic, this thing just does NOT want to go. I did a TON of research last night and apperently even after the software upgrade this is still an issue with 5.4L in hot climates. Apperently the issue is in hot climates when sitting in traffic, the engine compartment builds up heat, the hot air gets sucked into the enigne and the PCM retards the timing to avoid detontaion issus. I have had other brand trucks and cars and I do understand that engines in hotter climates loose some power because lack of air density, but they NEVER did this. Has anyone who has had this issue been able to fix this problem????

 

[ExplorerTom]

So this is a long shot, but along the back side of the engine bay, right below the windshield, there is a strip of rubber that seals the engine bay. I wonder if you removed that, if the engine heat would get pushed out more easily.

 

[Mediamonkey11]

My guess is GOTTS mod should take help because it'll pull from the fender...

 

[Bowesmobile]

I thought the same thing mediamonkey11. You get cooler air in the motor from outside of the engine bay. Seems to make sense to me.

 

[AZ59apacheguy]

Thanks for the responses. I do get air from the fender well via the stock air filter assy snorkel.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Yep. The GOTTS mod just opens up that hole.

 

[Mediamonkey11]

But shouldn't the air from the fender even with the stock setup be less than 140*? I'm wondering if hat sensor is reading correctly...

Just thought about this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[98EXPnSRQ]

Connect to a scanner and read the air intake temperature. I'd also check the coolant temp sensor and the fuel pressure. Does this year have the Limp mode, otherwise called the engine failsafe mode?

 

[ExplorerTom]

I was watching my intake temp on the way home. Dash temp was showing 87 degrees, coolant temp was right around 200, intake temp was about 105 degrees. And I was experiencing the ignition retard power loss. AC was on.

 

[AZ59apacheguy]

Went and talked to my mechanic this afternoon. The one thing I forgot to mention is I am missing the plastic radiator core support cover. We think maybe the engine compartments heat is migrating over the empty space that the missing cover sits. This bleed over heat might be getting into the fender well where the snorkel opening is and in turn the engine is sucking in that hot air causing this " Loss of power/retarded timing " condition. It's a thought anyway. I have a radiator core support cover ordered from a local salvage yard. Do you guys think this might contributing/causing my issue?????

 

[rtbrjason]

Went and talked to my mechanic this afternoon. The one thing I forgot to mention is I am missing the plastic radiator core support cover. We think maybe the engine compartments heat is migrating over the empty space that the missing cover sits. This bleed over heat might be getting into the fender well where the snorkel opening is and in turn the engine is sucking in that hot air causing this " Loss of power/retarded timing " condition. It's a thought anyway. I have a radiator core support cover ordered from a local salvage yard. Do you guys think this might contributing/causing my issue?????

Did you replace the fan clutch? If so which manufacturer/part#.

I think you're having the same issue I dealt with for a year or so before I went with the e-fan setup. The only part I could find to replace my worn OEM fan clutch was the "Severe Duty", which I think just tends to run the fan a bit harder.

 

[Mediamonkey11]

I am switching to an efan setup now, replaced my factory clutch with a severe duty Hayden, which has failed on me twice now and is stuck on permanently. Hopefully efans will prove better!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk