Cooling Fan Replacement for 4.0L

[TrueTexas]

I need to replace the cooling fan on one of my 1999 TJs with a 4.0L engine as one of the blades has a pretty decent bend in it.

My searches come up with a bunch of Dorman options. It seems the TJ fans are around $130 but the ones for a YJ are around $40.

Anyone know the difference between the fans and if there are other, more affordable options available to replace the fan?

 

[mrblaine]

I need to replace the cooling fan on one of my 1999 TJs with a 4.0L engine as one of the blades has a pretty decent bend in it.

My searches come up with a bunch of Dorman options. It seems the TJ fans are around $130 but the ones for a TJ are around $40.

Anyone know the difference between the fans and if there are other, more affordable options available to replace the fan?

I think you should get the 40-130 dollar one for a TJ.

 

[TrueTexas]

@mrblaine damn autocorrect. The $40 one is for a YJ.

Haha - At least my spell check knows which Jeep is the only one we should be talking about

 

[CharlesHS]

There is probably either a difference in blade size, number of blades or a difference in blade pitch.
As Mr.Blaine said, purchase the TJ fan blade.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

TrueTexas - Is the bend bad enough that it can't be hammered back into shape?

 

[Jodh]

I'd check the junk yards.

 

[TJ4Jim]

I need to replace the cooling fan on one of my 1999 TJs with a 4.0L engine as one of the blades has a pretty decent bend in it.

My searches come up with a bunch of Dorman options. It seems the TJ fans are around $130 but the ones for a YJ are around $40.

Anyone know the difference between the fans and if there are other, more affordable options available to replace the fan?

Reach out to Davey ay Davey's Jeeps, should have a replacement fan available. Do a parts request as not everything is listed on the page.

https://daveysjeeps.com/

 

[TrueTexas]

TrueTexas - Is the bend bad enough that it can't be hammered back into shape?

It could be bent back which would improve it slightly but my concern is that an unbalanced fan will put stress on the water pump causing it to fail.

 

[TrueTexas]

Thanks @Jodh and @TJ4Jim. I hadn't thought about going that route. I've bought random screws and stuff from Davey's in the past. Great idea!!!

 

[Brianj5600]

Why would it be out of balance if you bend it back?

 

[TJ4Jim]

Why would it be out of balance if you bend it back?

Not really a weight/balance issue but a fan blade bent or out of curve that was straightened will eventually cause issues.

 

[TrueTexas]

Why would it be out of balance if you bend it back?

The service manual is pretty specific on how to check the balance and what constitutes good from bad. The problem is that one of my fins is bent at the bead along the fin and although bending it back will improve it, there is no real way to get it back to spec. If a replacement fan was around $40, it's a no brainier. At $130, it's a little more painful. Especially since this is on my second TJ that I barely have driven in the past year

 

[Brianj5600]

I'd straighten it and run it with out a thought.