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Fan Clutches are ‘fluid’ coupling devices that provide air flow through the radiator by using the water pump shaft to power the fan blade. When the pump is cool or at normal operating temperature, the fan clutch will partially disengage.Mar 4, 2017
The fan clutch is one of the most essential components in the operation of cooling fans and greatly contributes to the overall operation of the engine. While many new vehicles use electric cooling fans, many older vehicles utilize a mechanical fan clutch to help control the fans.
Yes, technically your engine does not need a cooling fan to operate. Logically, however, the cooling fan keeps the cooling system at the optimal temperature to prevent the hotter than normal engine temperatures, as mentioned above.
Answer: Most fan clutches engage at about 170°F air temperature (about 180-190°F engine temperature). They reduce the temperature about 20°F before disengaging.
The fan should move freely by hand when the vehicle is off. Any strong resistance means its locking up. Thats when they get noisy.
A failing fan clutch can actually cause the engine fan to become loose and wobble. Sometimes this wobble can be heard while driving, especially at freeway speeds. You can turn on your car’s engine while the vehicle is in park or neutral, pop the hood, and see for yourself that the fan is wobbling as it spins.
A decrease in performance is another symptom of a bad or failing fan clutch. A faulty fan clutch that leaves the fan permanently engaged will not only cause a noisy engine, but can also cause a decrease in performance. … When it fails, the engine can be put at risk of serious damage due to overheating.
Yes, a bad fan clutch will cause A/C issues. The condenser needs air flow to cool hot refrigerant.
If your fan clutch is not operating the way it should, it’s likely due to a fluid leak or a bad thermostatic spring or valve.
A fan clutch replacement cost will range anywhere from $75 to $200 for just the part, without the labor costs. When labor is accounted for in the overall fan clutch replacement cost, the total price can range between $285 to $500 to replace the fan clutch only.
ELECTRIC COOLING FAN PROBLEMS
Defective temperature switch, coolant sensor or other sensor. Engine thermostat is stuck OPEN (engine never gets hot enough to turn on the fan) Faulty fan relay. A wiring problem (blown fuse, loose or corroded connector, shorts, opens, etc.)
Determine whether your radiator fan is manual or electric. To check an electric radiator fan, start the car and let it get up to the temperature where the fan normally kicks on. Use the volt meter to test if there is power to the wires. Normal voltage for a radiator fan is around 12 volts.
Engines operate at their most efficient when they’re hot but not too hot. The fan turns on when you’ve stopped driving because no more cooling air is flowing into the engine bay. This causes the temperature to rise, automatically triggering the fan.
Your radiator fan should kick in at about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. If you notice your vehicle is overheating or at the very least running hotter than it normally does, listen for the fan to see if you can hear it.
A thermal fan clutch is engaged on a cold startup because the fluid drains into the working area when the engine is shut off. The fan clutch will slow down shortly after startup as result of a pumping action produced by a difference in speed between the shaft and the body of a clutch.
There should be a nice, consistent, deliberate rotating force such that when you let the fan go, it should start spinning back up at a rather rapid rate of rotation. If right after you release the fan to spin, and the fan spins ever so slowly, then your fan clutch isn’t working right.
The average failure rate of the radiator clutch fan shows that the fan clutch failure that needs replacement is most typical around an average of 140,00 miles. This is no guarantee, but the repair data has shown that around 140,000 miles are the average rate for failure and the average time of fan clutch replacement.
The fan clutch on most vehicles take less than an hours labor to replace. You would need to supply the vehicle year, make and model with engine size to get a more accurate labor for this job.
While there are times you can repair the fan clutch, in most instances it’s best to replace it. … Your engine may have a hard time cooling down (overheating) or heating up since the fan clutch isn’t working.
Sometimes the fan clutch in your car will start making squeaking and squealing noises. … If you start your car and turn on the air conditioner or heater and the noise is a scraping or squealing noise that goes away when you turn off the fan, it is probably the clutch.
If your coolant level is low, then it might not feel as if your car is getting cool, even with the radiator fan turned on and working. If you don’t replace your coolant level when it’s low, then this can cause the engine to become seized.
A bad water pump bearing will usually cause the water pump to leak and/or make noise, but not always. Remove the fan clutch and see if the play is in the water pump shaft. If it feels tight (no play or wobble), replace the fan clutch.
You can run both but 2 won‘t cool it any better.
In a normal pickup situation, even in high ambient temperatures, the electric fan system will only draw a maximum of about 5 horsepower from the engine. This significant savings improves fuel economy, and, in turn, reduces emissions while improving vehicle performance.
A key advantage of electric fans is increased engine cooling and improved air conditioning cooling at idle, when it is most needed. In addition, replacing an engine-driven fan can increase horsepower and improve fuel economy as the engine drag from turning the fan is eliminated.
All water pumps with bolt on pulley or fan. Water pump hub loosens or comes off, snapped shaft or failed bearing. Defective or out-of-round pulley, defective clutch assembly, damaged fan, or improper installation of fan and clutch assembly. … Failure to do so will lead to premature pump failure and VOID THE WARRANTY.
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