Radiator Fan | Smoke and Burnt Smell | 1998 MGM GS

[_Hacksaw]

I've been off the forum for a while. Not so now as of today! Briefly, if one can be brief in such matters, my '98 Mercury Grand Marquis GS filled with burnt smoke just as I parked today. When I lifted the hood and turned the engine off, burnt smoke was coming from the "center" of the radiator fan and all that is there in that assembly. I least I was able to get it home. I let it 'cool' off and checked the radiator fluid ( perfect level ) and started it up very briefly. Seems ok but I know it's not. My take on this crazy is that when it kicks into cooldown mode, something is seizing up as I could clearly "see" the damn smoke pouring out of the center of this assembly.

Off the top: What comes to mind in this matter? Is there a clutch in there? I do have the FSM, but have not studied yet and frequently it's difficult to see. What are the major components in that assembly and where and how do I begin to find what needs replacing? At least my '98 is safely parked and I am not stranded across the Bay some where. With this arthritis and bad back there is always a way, with some help, but I need to know where to start with this. The only other strange anomaly is my silly gas gauge goes far upwards beyond the fill point in a strange way, and this has never occurred before. It will go down to 3/4 of a tank full and then shoot all the way up to beyond full. Not sure if these are related though.

Best wishes;

_Hacksaw

[Tiggie]

Sounds like you need a new electric fan and a fuel level sender.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mercury,1998,grand+marquis,4.6l+v8,1305201,cooling+system,radiator+fan+assembly,2181

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/mercury,1998,grand+marquis,4.6l+v8,1305201,fuel+&+air,fuel+sending+unit,4436

[VicCrownVic]

Agreed, it sounds like the bearing(s?) ate themselves on your fan.
Also, a new fuel sending unit sounds right, but you can potentially get it cheaper (if cost is a concern) if you buy the whole hanger assembly with pump/sender.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...assembly,10147

[sly]

You will also need to make sure that both high and low fan circuits are not powered at the same time or the new fan will be burned up pretty quick too.

[gadget73]

should just be a pair of relays for that. Probably worth replacing them if the fan smoked. It would have drawn a lot of current and the relay won't appreciate the abuse.

[_Hacksaw]

My deepest thanks to all who are helping me with this mini-meltdown. At 4 am. and unable to sleep, the idea came to me when I was looking at parts on Rock Auto that there is that control module for this fan, probably under the hood in one of those black box assemblies. I wondered *if* I could remove such module on a temporary basis ( best to replace it as well in the end ) and then I could still drive my car around to the parts store or market. Now this would be to give me some wiggle room with all of this coming at me only. What are your thoughts on this as a temporary measure.

_Hacksaw

[massacre]

Forgive my ignorance on this-
Did the 98 come with a clutch fan, plus an electric fan that came on with the AC? Or am I thinking of 96?

Could you install a clutch fan temporarily while you fix the electric fan? I would hate to see you overheat the engine

[_Hacksaw]

@Massacre: Good question/s. I'm on page # 03-03-15 of the FSM for this vehicle. I also would prefer *not* to melt my engine. Let me start by asking some basic questions.

#1. Is the cooling of this radiator all done from this housing on the "back" of the radiator? Excuse my ignorance in this matter as I have not had to deal with one like this before vs. my old '85 Dodge Diplomat, which is now in recycled heaven, resting peacefully.

Question #2. Is *all* cooling done by this radiator fan assembly?

#3. Is this cool down cycling ( apparently 2 speeds ) done at idle, part of the exact same cooling process?

So I am starting to think that *if* I shut down this electric cooling fan, it may indeed toast my engine? Are there ( 2 ) fans working in this picture or just ( 1. ) doing double duty?

I'm going to take this very slowly as I treasure this car and it looks beautiful with 110k on the clock.

_Hacksaw

__________________________________________________ _______
"First God made man, and then there was the car..."

[massacre]

My question was do you have only the electric fan?
Or do you have both an electric fan + a clutch fan?
Clutch fan mounts to the water pump pulley. It should be fairly obvious
You could just purchase a stand alone electric fan and get rid of the factory stuff

[_Hacksaw]

Sorry to misunderstand anyone so soon in this thread. The answer to your question is 'No". I have a serpentine belt on this beast. Nothing else coming from the water pump. So apparently I have just the electric cooling fan assembly on this V-8. I can triple check it tonight in the dark here with my tactical flashlight, however I belive it's the 'simple' electric assembly that apparently cools all of the engine if I am correct? If so it's critical that I proceed *very* carefully with this so as not to endanger this wonder vehicle. I'm going out now to check it to make 101% certain. Good, just got back in. This is pretty straight forward. It's all electrical this cooling radiator fan assembly, and as intimidating at it may appear, has only two screws to get at it once one removes the coolant reservoir. Famous last words now: Maybe this might be easier than I thought it would ( grin ).

Sincerely;

_Hacksaw

[_Hacksaw]

My selection of replacement Radiator Fans' has been narrowed to this VDO / CONTINENTAL OEM replacement from Rock Auto as per the suggestion on the thread: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...+assembly,2181 Would someone confirm for me that this should ( provisionally ) slip right in, after the usual life and death struggle/s? My intent is to also replace that now heat-hardened connector. It's probably welded on and deeply corroded. It must have a number or name to it and yet if I do replace it I will have to splice it into the existing harness I believe as per the Ford Motorcraft version at the bottom of this fan replacement list ( they include one in the assembly I see ).

What other parts should I order to do this well so nothing goes bonkers down the road in the next 100k miles? There is some relay I belive with all of this that turns this off and on. If it's in the ECM I should not worry about it. Again I deeply appreciate your assistance, suggestions and advice with all of this. My back will be killing me along with my swollen hands, but I want to move forward, however doing so w/o having to worry about a corroded connector etc. as I run it through the carwash as much as I can, so lots of dielectric grease on *any* electrical connection.

_Hacksaw

[massacre]

If it were me I would go with the Motorcraft unit.

[sly]

There's also the option to replace with a 2-wire fan that uses a large resistor for the low speed and completely prevents the both channels on smoke failure.
Get a 2001-2003 electric fan and F8AB-AA-14370 pigtail. Replace the current connector with the new pigtail and plug in the newer fan. It mounts exactly the same.

pigtail is eBay only at this point. I think I got the last one that was in the dealer network when I did the F150 dual core radiator swap in my 93.

The fan is only about $10 more so only about $25 more with the newer connector, and I don't have any issue with the Dorman fan I have (cheapest I could find at the time). 5 years now and no issues.

[VicCrownVic]

Correct, a '98 only has the electric fan. There is no mechanical fan. I believe the early 4.6 panthers had a mechanical fan, but I don't think any of them had both electric and mechanical.

Sly, that's good info on the newer fan being less self-destructive (if I'm understanding you right). Looks like a simple enough swap for me. JY should be a good source for that pigtail (well, in the Detroit area anyway).

'98 connector:


'02 connector:


The fan bearing on my '98 squeaks a little, I think this may be the route I go to replace it.

Also:

...I don't have any issue with the Dorman fan I have (cheapest I could find at the time). 5 years now and no issues.

To live in that Texas heat and not have problems is pretty good for Dorman part.

[gadget73]

95-97 I think had electric and clutch. The clutch fan was the primary cooling, electric was for AC and I think it would engage if the engine got too hot. For a bit people thought the cool free power trick was to just yank the clutch fan and force the ECM to turn on the electric fan for panic cooling. I guess it works but personally I think its a stupid idea. Not enough power gain to be worth the extra abuse on the engine and cooling system.

don't know if the 98 pump has the threaded snout for a clutch, but if it does not I expect you could swap it for the older pump and get a shroud and fan assembly from an older car to upgrade the reliability of the cooling system. I did electric fans for a while, when it failed and caused the engine to overheat and blow a hose when I had no tools and no way of getting any I put a clutch fan back on the car.