Viscous Fan Clutch - alternate part

DiscoJen

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Aug 27, 2004
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The Lou!
Over the past year or so there have been several threads regarding replacement of the viscous fan clutch. Some of the threads mentioned that they thought it was possible to get a replacement at NAPA by matching one up but there wasn't any consensus on part # that worked.

Does anyone happen to know if one can be found there and maybe have a # for one? (Joey was it you that mentioned this a while back??) Poor little Cooter is dead in the water as my old wore out clutch took out my water pump this weekend.

Disco dead, Rangie dead...I'm two for two! LOL And I bet the tires on my damn bike are flat too! :eek:

Thanks for any help,
Jen
 

RoverChic

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2004
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den Haag
Check with PT. He used to have a cross-reference for one...http://www.btlrovers.com/

Jen - I bought mine from a guy in FLA. (Mohammed) I know he does not have a good rap however he was the cheapest ($149). I want to say he was in Clearwater, FLA. Maybe someone will chime in.
 
S

ShaunP

Guest
I know there is a Ford unit that guys use in OZ but you need to use fan as well. I think the factory ones are about $200 AUD
 
D

dbdisco

Guest
Get a flexlite electric fan. The 210 kit works out good and your engine will be happy not to spin the airplane prop anymore.
 

Snipe

Member
Jun 1, 2005
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Dallas
I have used an Imperial #215157, from advance auto parts, it's a thermal fan clutch for some chevy application. Fits perfect and works great in the rover. Was cheap too.
Good luck. DC
 

DiscoJen

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Aug 27, 2004
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The Lou!
Excellent!

Thanks all. And thanks Snipe for posting a part #. I tried a Napa one #271304 today and it's close. I'll check out the Advance one tomorrow when the stores open. :)

I gotta get one of these darn cars working soon before they leave a permanent depression in my driveway from always being broke down there! LOL

Jen
 

p m

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dbdisco said:
Get a flexlite electric fan. The 210 kit works out good and your engine will be happy not to spin the airplane prop anymore.
sure'nuff, if you live anywhere with 6% highway grades and 100F temps, your engine will be happy not to spin anything anymore.

Snipe - thanks for the part number, I'll check it out tomorrow.
 

DiscoJen

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Aug 27, 2004
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The Lou!
Update

Yippee ki-yay mutha trucka! For all future kiddies, part # 215157 Imperial Fan Clutch from Advance Auto (among others) works lovely as Snipe has so lovingly provided.

Parts needed:
Fan clutch 215157 ($66.96)
4 Bolts (Help! kit # 14040 10x1.5x15mm four pack) ($5.98)
10mm drill bit or reamer (had an old bit laying around, think I used a 3/8" bit)

Installation:
Remove your fan blade assembly from the old clutch
Ream out the 4 mounting holes on fan blade assembly to fit the 10mm bolts from the Help! kit
Bolt your fan blade assembly onto the new clutch with your Help! bolts
Reinstall onto your water pump and you are good to go

Shoulda took pictures, but geez, this was probably the easiest thing I've ever done to my truck. Works in a pinch when ya can't wait for mail order goodies or you can't make it to the distance to the dealer cause you're overheating.

Thanks D-webbers for another DIY repair with minimal swearing,
Jen
 

Lutzgaterr

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Apr 23, 2004
578
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LUTZ, Florida
Awesome Snipe! Thanks since my clutch has died and the fan is ROARING all the time now.
I bought a used one for $50 less than 12 months ago... I was told it had only 50K miles of use, right....
With all that ROARING, even the alligators were fleeing the water crossings in the swamp-roads. Now without going broke, I will be able to once again hear the other truck issues.
 

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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Jen,

here's a sample:

Kragen etc.: Hayden 2786 (heavy-duty), Ready-Aire 4858R (heavy-duty), Imperial 215158 (severe-duty)
NAPA: TEM 271312 (severe-duty)
AutoZone: TorqFlo 922744 (heavy-duty), 922786 (severe-duty)

All - reverse rotation (serpentine belt!).

All list them for mid-to-late 90s Chevy 4.3l V6-powered trucks.
I'm going to try one tonight.
 

DiscoJen

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Aug 27, 2004
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The Lou!
Excellent info on all the fan stuff! I will probably go ahead and get one of those too before that ole plastic fan has a chance to break my newly repaired radiator. :D

Although I do have to admit, I sure do the miss the ROAR of my engine since I put the new clutch on. My truck is so quiet and smooth that I have to keep checking that it's still running.
 

Lutzgaterr

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
578
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LUTZ, Florida
Yea brag on... Now you can listen for that transfer case whine! :D
It's been so long since my entire rig has been silent... cats rattlin, T-case whine, fan roar.
One of these days I will get it silent again, only to hear something else.
 

p m

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okay, Hayden 2786 is in. Can't really say if it made a difference yet - I haven't pushed the LWB hard and long enough. The temp needle hasn't budged a bit - but the clutch is noisy indeed! It is noticeably tighter. I had to open up the holes in the fan to accomodate 10mm bolts. Also, with that clutch, the fan is offset closer to the radiator, by about 1/2". No interference, just FYI.
 

mikemeyer0

Well-known member
Apr 13, 2005
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Las Vegas, NV
Lutzgaterr said:
Yea brag on... Now you can listen for that transfer case whine! :D
It's been so long since my entire rig has been silent... cats rattlin, T-case whine, fan roar.
One of these days I will get it silent again, only to hear something else.
i was on a trip and on the way home on the interstate, all of a sudden a loud pop and coolant steam was blowing out, plastic was flying all over the raod and a nice quarter size dent was in my hood. Pulled over to look at the damage, and fan grenaded put a gash in radiator, stuck a piece of fan blade into the power steering resivor, big mess, limped her to pep boys, got some sort of metal repair crap to put in the fins of the radiator, electrical taped the crack in the powresteering resivor, it helped that it was a cylinder, and toped it off with collant and water limped home the 130 miles with no problem. :D
 

Lutzgaterr

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Apr 23, 2004
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LUTZ, Florida
When mine gernaded, we were far out in the swamps, I was in the lead truck and the trail dead-ended into a stand of Cypress. Just when I realized we had to turn around, the truck sank to the chasis in soft-ground and that damn plastic fan went bye-bye. You all know that type of soft ground where if your momentum stops, you are done.
Tread litely, we always adhere to, however by the time the 4 rigs got turned-around to get out, that area was nothing but a huge mud-bogg. Needless to say it was a long evening getting back out of those swamps and without a fan, I had to be towed back to the hard-road before I could limp-home.
 

Lutzgaterr

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2004
578
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LUTZ, Florida
Well thanks to Snipe, i dropped in the Imperial Fan Clutch (part # 215157) of course with the 4-helper bolts.
Now she is running quiet once again, all for $69.00. Killer! Just hope that clutch is up to the task.
 

nismopowered

Well-known member
Apr 7, 2005
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Ya know, I know some of you dont like the eletric fans but what about adding one to the front as a back up. Lutz might have been able to drive himself out with that and at least get home. I just thought I would chime in with a thought!

BTW The only way my Disco will ever get quiet is if I shut it off! :eek: