MY build thread...'88 Bronco II Desert Rat Patrol Edition: MAJOR update 2/23/2025

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thanks @85_Ranger4x4 for weighing in, I very much appreciate it!

@lil_Blue_Ford mentioned that the body lift on his prevented the use of the shroud, which got me thinking that may be why mine doesn't have one to begin with...? I have a gentleman posting in my Wanted thread that he has a couple available and trying to work something out with him...

In the interim, I think the foam spacers are a no-brainer. I did already add Royal Purple Ice as a "water wetter" and I definitely noticed that it had a measurable decrease in temp.

Just looking at it I can see that there's WAY more space between the universal shroud and the fan blades at the top than needs to be. I'm going to cut the zip ties and reinstall the shroud and see if that helps (along with the foam spacers). The other idea I had was to buy another universal shroud and mount it upside down to enclose the entire fan. At the bottom, the fan is about even with the bottom of the radiator. Also, it looks like the shroud almost completely surrounds the fan, there's only about 1/8ths of an inch where the fan is outside the edge of the shroud...

The other idea I had was to get the OEM shroud; mock it up so it properly surrounds the fan, and to mount it drill holes in it and use a zip tie kit like I used on the universal shroud to mount that...

If I can get more information on the MB C230 e-fan that @PetroleumJunkie412 mentioned, that may be worth the old college try. I would need a fan controller and wiring kit in addition to the fan, so it wouldn't be cheap but 6K CFM REALLY got my attention! It looks like there's only an inch or so between the front of the radiator and the backside of the A/C condenser so my concern there is there's enough room for the fan to fit!

I said from the outset that keeping the vehicle cool and its occupants were a priority and to put that in perspective it's gonna be 112 here today, and we're still not near peak summer temps as I've already mentioned...!

I have the same fans as pj, I use a temp switch and a $40 Amazon relay block kit to turn them on both my engine temp and when the a/c is on. They are a tight fit with a condenser but do fit.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thanks @85_Ranger4x4 for weighing in, I very much appreciate it!

@lil_Blue_Ford mentioned that the body lift on his prevented the use of the shroud, which got me thinking that may be why mine doesn't have one to begin with...? I have a gentleman posting in my Wanted thread that he has a couple available and trying to work something out with him...

In the interim, I think the foam spacers are a no-brainer. I did already add Royal Purple Ice as a "water wetter" and I definitely noticed that it had a measurable decrease in temp.

Just looking at it I can see that there's WAY more space between the universal shroud and the fan blades at the top than needs to be. I'm going to cut the zip ties and reinstall the shroud and see if that helps (along with the foam spacers). The other idea I had was to buy another universal shroud and mount it upside down to enclose the entire fan. At the bottom, the fan is about even with the bottom of the radiator. Also, it looks like the shroud almost completely surrounds the fan, there's only about 1/8ths of an inch where the fan is outside the edge of the shroud...

The other idea I had was to get the OEM shroud; mock it up so it properly surrounds the fan, and to mount it drill holes in it and use a zip tie kit like I used on the universal shroud to mount that...

If I can get more information on the MB C230 e-fan that @PetroleumJunkie412 mentioned, that may be worth the old college try. I would need a fan controller and wiring kit in addition to the fan, so it wouldn't be cheap but 6K CFM REALLY got my attention! It looks like there's only an inch or so between the front of the radiator and the backside of the A/C condenser so my concern there is there's enough room for the fan to fit!

I said from the outset that keeping the vehicle cool and its occupants were a priority and to put that in perspective it's gonna be 112 here today, and we're still not near peak summer temps as I've already mentioned...!

So my body lift problem in relation to the fan shroud is two parts.

1) I did a 2” body lift. It ended up kinda borderline on a lot of things. Some stuff still fits right and some stuff not so much. A 3” would have required changing/extending things and really would be a problem for the fan/shroud. A 1” lift wouldn’t be so pronounced. Any body lift helps with working on stuff.

2) This is my real issue. When I did the 4.0 swap, I could not find a decent stock intake tube. The one that I got with the donor motor had holes in the bellowed sections. I wrapped it with electrical tape to seal it as best I could, but have thus been unsuccessful at finding a non-damaged stock one. Finally gave up the search and as my electrical tape repair was a concern, I redneck-fabbed an intake tube. Two 3” Fernco plumbing fittings, some 3” ABS pipe, a 45* ABS fitting and an ABS street 90* fitting plus a modified CPVC fitting and hose barb and I have an intake tube that works. It’s a slightly less than ideal fit, it runs right up to the radiator and being it’s round and not oval like the stock tube, coupled with the body lift, it’s really, really in the way of a fan shroud. Eventually I’d like to re-visit the idea of an intake tube and try to come up with something a little better fitting, but it’s been kinda low on the priority list so far.

So I can’t really say how much a stock intake tube will be an issue. I do know that the stock shroud doesn’t fit with a body lift without modifications. I have been kicking around the idea of doing an E-fan and/or modifying a shroud to work. Both almost require that I do something different with the intake tube or relocate the radiator.

 

[Peter Griffin]

I have the same fans as pj, I use a temp switch and a $40 Amazon relay block kit to turn them on both my engine temp and when the a/c is on. They are a tight fit with a condenser but do fit.

Which of these two fans is it?

Mercedes Benz C Class W202 220 230 280 36 43 Amg Radiator Fan Lh 0015001293 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mercedes Benz C Class W202 220 230 280 36 43 Amg Radiator Fan Lh 0015001293 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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or

Radiator Cooling Fan Assembly for Mercedes-Benz W203 W209 C230 C350 CLK350 | eBay

Front Lower Radiator Grille Airflow Shutter Fit 2018 2019 2020 Ford F-150. Upper Radiator Grille Air Shutter Not fit Raptor For 2018 2019 2020 Ford F150. Front Left&Right Fender Trim Driver & Passenger Side For 2011-2018 Dodge Durango.

www.ebay.com

I would think it's the stand alone fan without the shroud but wanted to ask since I'm not sure.

Do you have a link for how/where you wired up the relay, etc.? There's all sorts of fan controllers and wiring harnesses on Amazon too. I like the Dakota Digital fan controller which saved my life/truck after the Flex-A-Lite almost left me stranded with my ride burned to the ground but it's a spicy meatball and I'm pretty sure I can accomplish the same thing with something WAY less sexier (meaning expensive!).

I have a 180-degree thermostat and my daytime lows don't get much below 60 during the winter with nighttime lows in the high 30s/low 40s so the extreme heat has always been the primary concern since it really doesn't get cold here...getting to operating temp is NOT an issue here!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

PJ actually snagged my fans out of a JY for me.

I think it would be your first one, they are actually the condenser fans in the Mercedes, they also have an actual puller fan for the engine cooling which I THINK is your second one. I am far from a Mercedes expert.

My relay is like this one but wasn't prewired.

Amazon.com

Anyway I have each fan on its own relay. My temp switch switches on the ground side. The dash switch is 12 to the compressor.

So I have the temp switch activate one relay on the ground side, have the A/C switch activate the second relay on the hot side and then have them both switching grounds for the two fan relays. So if the engine is up to temp and mama wants cold air the fan relays are just double grounded.

My testing has been jumping the temp switch to to make sure the fans run and putting 12v to the other relay to make sure the fans run. I drove the truck out of the garage to let it get up to temp and check operation and noted in the process of doing all this I broke the line for my oil pressure gauge and it sprayed oil all over. I fixed that, backed it back in the garage and haven't gotten back to it (its been a little over a week) So it works but I am still considering it somewhat experimental.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Thanks @85_Ranger4x4 for that extremely detailed/informative reply, I appreciate it!

 

[Peter Griffin]

Sooooo I ordered another universal shroud from eBay thinking that enclosing the bottom of the fan and completely enveloping it should help to keep the temps down. I had to cut both ends off after the lower most mounting tab on the new shroud and one side off of the one I had in there and got it mounted up. The passenger side required some additional finagling as the fourth mounting point of contact can't go through the radiator due to clearance issues so I zip tied both of them together and then used the A/C line as an anchor point. It's not under tension but keeps it out of the way. I used some Gorilla Tape to cover the seam between both shrouds...and to say I used Gorilla Tape on at least one spot on the truck.

There was about an 1.5-inch gap between the bottom of the radiator and shroud and I considered blocking that off but didn't want to get carried away before a test drive. I also installed foam spacers to seal the sides of the radiator and A/C condenser.

At 108 it wasn't the hottest it's been this year, but it was still plenty toasty. Once I started my low speed driving loop I found it was taking longer to get to operating temp and settled at just below horizontal on the temp gauge, which is cooler than it had ever been before.

The extended idle was the test I was more concerned about as when I did it the other day it started to rise immediately and was at the top of "NORMAL" range in under 4 minutes when I shut it down so it wouldn't overheat. Today it didn't start to increase it's idle temp until past 4 minutes and stabilized at a needle's width under the top of the "O" which while on the higher side of normal, is the coolest it's run yet.

With that being said I'd rather not reinvent the wheel and start an e-fan install so I'm pretty happy with where I'm at which while not perfect, is as closest as I've been yet!

I also noticed my A/C wasn't as cool as it was just a few weeks ago and attributed it to the increasing ambient temps and the vehicle running warmer. Also, the insulation on the evaporator core "box" was completely detached and laying on the motor, so I replaced that as well and noticed an immediately difference and significant drop in A/C temperature, especially once it was up to operating temperature.

The bad news? Well in the suspension/alignment department I was NOT tickled to hear that I needed both radius arm and axle pivot drop brackets for such a modest lift so that was an expense I was not anticipating. Skyjacker was kind enough to sell them to me separately, only problem was when my shop went to install them the radius arms brackets fit perfect but the axle pivot drop brackets were massively oversized and looked like they were for a full-size Bronco/F-150 so now I need to get with them and hash that all out. They didn't match the picture on the website either so it seems like an honest packaging error...

Good news is the new AOR rear bumper should be here next week and I'm really looking forward to getting that put on!

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm gonna send you a stress ball and a punching bag...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, just wait till you hear all of my B2 adventures. I’ve decided that I want to do my build thread right from the start which means digging in my picture archives on my desktop and that’s just not a high priority at the moment so I’ll leave everyone in suspense until I can get to it, lol

 

[bobbywalter]

So my body lift problem in relation to the fan shroud is two parts.

1) I did a 2” body lift. It ended up kinda borderline on a lot of things. Some stuff still fits right and some stuff not so much. A 3” would have required changing/extending things and really would be a problem for the fan/shroud. A 1” lift wouldn’t be so pronounced. Any body lift helps with working on stuff.

2) This is my real issue. When I did the 4.0 swap, I could not find a decent stock intake tube. The one that I got with the donor motor had holes in the bellowed sections. I wrapped it with electrical tape to seal it as best I could, but have thus been unsuccessful at finding a non-damaged stock one. Finally gave up the search and as my electrical tape repair was a concern, I redneck-fabbed an intake tube. Two 3” Fernco plumbing fittings, some 3” ABS pipe, a 45* ABS fitting and an ABS street 90* fitting plus a modified CPVC fitting and hose barb and I have an intake tube that works. It’s a slightly less than ideal fit, it runs right up to the radiator and being it’s round and not oval like the stock tube, coupled with the body lift, it’s really, really in the way of a fan shroud. Eventually I’d like to re-visit the idea of an intake tube and try to come up with something a little better fitting, but it’s been kinda low on the priority list so far.

So I can’t really say how much a stock intake tube will be an issue. I do know that the stock shroud doesn’t fit with a body lift without modifications. I have been kicking around the idea of doing an E-fan and/or modifying a shroud to work. Both almost require that I do something different with the intake tube or relocate the radiator.

what style intake do you want....??? we just flopped in a different box...i could not find the tauraii box i like for snorkels...was plannin on doing a full snorkel instead of just the inversion for more cold air....moab really pushes the under hood temps.....i have one somewhere. i ass u me you would want the single tube into the bullet filter style?...goes right into the inner fender on the passenger side??


its funny....because for a 4.0 i just leave the stock fan in place...its just not worth the time to put an e fan on to me unless the clutch is shot or the blades are ghosted.......with a 3 in body lift just cut the lower section of shroud off so it clears and leave it...or if it is a manual trans application, no shroud at all..... they just work.

the smaller engines are worth the time and effort to do an e fan.....they really need that power back...



and a v8 really benefits from an e fan....especially at low engine speed and road speed.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

what style intake do you want....??? we just flopped in a different box...i could not find the tauraii box i like for snorkels...was plannin on doing a full snorkel instead of just the inversion for more cold air....moab really pushes the under hood temps.....i have one somewhere. i ass u me you would want the single tube into the bullet filter style?...goes right into the inner fender on the passenger side??


its funny....because for a 4.0 i just leave the stock fan in place...its just not worth the time to put an e fan on to me unless the clutch is shot or the blades are ghosted.......with a 3 in body lift just cut the lower section of shroud off so it clears and leave it...or if it is a manual trans application, no shroud at all..... they just work.

the smaller engines are worth the time and effort to do an e fan.....they really need that power back...



and a v8 really benefits from an e fan....especially at low engine speed and road speed.

Well, I have a stock flat filter 4.0 air box in there currently. Apparently though when I was at Southington with it, it got muddy water in it because when I went to replace the engine and pulled the air box, it was full of mud and I didn’t hit the mud pits there so I’m thinking I need to do something entirely different and add a snorkel at this point. I’m thinking that muddy water may have had something to do with helping the last engine along on its destruction…

 

[bobbywalter]

well it was 117 degrees out there and we were beating the dogballs off of a severely wounded 4.0....and only overheated the clutch....


apparently....410 gears and 36 in tires with 1 low range wont get you through hells gate....but we went till she was on fire...


though, that is with a relatively intact factory shroud....with a beat to shit leaky radiator. and merely a 1 inch body lift...

for sure......manual trans and no ac really go a ways towards cooling load.


even though you seem to have this at hand...you are in an extreme environment. with a powertrain that loves to crack heads or pop a gasket at the first sign of an air bubble...

you need to put a real temp gauge in there for a minute.....even if you leave it under the hood....just a parts store unit so you have good data.... changing ground and voltage conditions with heat spike will give you crap readings....


if i were to really have any issues with cooling...i would put a taurus or similar fan in. there is no mechanical fan for this application that can come close to cooling at hot idle. your ac will drop at least 8-10 degrees from whatever the stock fan does.

as good as the mechanical explorer fans do with the v8.....the intech fan blows it away.




but.....for anyone reading this.... even if you have a 3 inch body lift...which i prefer for cooling and maintenance and powertrain repair....


it is extremely easy to make an effective fan shroud with the investment of a rivot tool....some snips...a drill...some zip ties.. and some race car body plastic from allstar or some aluminum from home depot...and only takes a few minutes....to relocate the shroud to the fan.

with more time and some foam tape invested... it will out perform the factory sealing and pull.

with that....rob the shroud and actual fan off of a hd explorer....or ranger....and a b2 will likely have to be in an inferno to overheat...

 

[sgtsandman]

Sooooo I ordered another universal shroud from eBay thinking that enclosing the bottom of the fan and completely enveloping it should help to keep the temps down. I had to cut both ends off after the lower most mounting tab on the new shroud and one side off of the one I had in there and got it mounted up. The passenger side required some additional finagling as the fourth mounting point of contact can't go through the radiator due to clearance issues so I zip tied both of them together and then used the A/C line as an anchor point. It's not under tension but keeps it out of the way. I used some Gorilla Tape to cover the seam between both shrouds...and to say I used Gorilla Tape on at least one spot on the truck.

View attachment 94819

There was about an 1.5-inch gap between the bottom of the radiator and shroud and I considered blocking that off but didn't want to get carried away before a test drive. I also installed foam spacers to seal the sides of the radiator and A/C condenser.

At 108 it wasn't the hottest it's been this year, but it was still plenty toasty. Once I started my low speed driving loop I found it was taking longer to get to operating temp and settled at just below horizontal on the temp gauge, which is cooler than it had ever been before.

The extended idle was the test I was more concerned about as when I did it the other day it started to rise immediately and was at the top of "NORMAL" range in under 4 minutes when I shut it down so it wouldn't overheat. Today it didn't start to increase it's idle temp until past 4 minutes and stabilized at a needle's width under the top of the "O" which while on the higher side of normal, is the coolest it's run yet.

With that being said I'd rather not reinvent the wheel and start an e-fan install so I'm pretty happy with where I'm at which while not perfect, is as closest as I've been yet!

I also noticed my A/C wasn't as cool as it was just a few weeks ago and attributed it to the increasing ambient temps and the vehicle running warmer. Also, the insulation on the evaporator core "box" was completely detached and laying on the motor, so I replaced that as well and noticed an immediately difference and significant drop in A/C temperature, especially once it was up to operating temperature.

View attachment 94820

The bad news? Well in the suspension/alignment department I was NOT tickled to hear that I needed both radius arm and axle pivot drop brackets for such a modest lift so that was an expense I was not anticipating. Skyjacker was kind enough to sell them to me separately, only problem was when my shop went to install them the radius arms brackets fit perfect but the axle pivot drop brackets were massively oversized and looked like they were for a full-size Bronco/F-150 so now I need to get with them and hash that all out. They didn't match the picture on the website either so it seems like an honest packaging error...

Good news is the new AOR rear bumper should be here next week and I'm really looking forward to getting that put on!

An option I’m considering is a sandwich adaptor for the oil filter that has a thermostat and mounting an oil cooler.

That will give more cooling to the engine but in a controlled manner so it isn’t getting over cooled in the winter.

 

[Peter Griffin]

Well the saying goes that even the sun shines on a dog's back end some days, and since it's 111 here today, it must be this particular dog's lucky day!

Started out chatting with Skyjacker since I hadn't heard back from them about the axle pivot drop brackets being incorrect. Turns out the photos I attached caused my email to get flagged as spam and they were able to pull them up and to paraphrase their response, "oh no, those are NOT the correct brackets y'all got...". So they're sending the right ones out with a call tag for the ones I received...

I can now join the @Uncle Gump Cool Guy Front and Rear AOR Bumper Club! Third time was definitely a charm and I'm calling this bumper Cinderella because it fit PERFECT. Bolted up the same way their front one did, with no issues whatsoever. MAN am I glad this particular hassle is over, just need to get the other one shipped back to them.

Definitely a day where all the aggravation and hassle made it worth it, but then again if it was easy, everyone would do it!

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yours sure looks like it sits lower... you still body lifted?

I think you should send it back for a new one...

 

[Peter Griffin]

Yours sure looks like it sits lower... you still body lifted?

View attachment 94998

I think you should send it back for a new one...

I have a 2-inch body lift with new body mounts. The bumper mounting brackets are flush with the top of the bumper. I also haven't reinstalled that stupid mud flap deal that will fill in the space you see between the top of the bumper and the bottom of the tailgate/floor pan...