84 Regal Fan Clutch

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Steve84

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Jul 8, 2018
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Not sure what happened to this forum but I don't care for the new layout. The old one was better. Anyway past couple days my "Water Temp" idiot light came on for about 8 seconds and then a second day it came on for about 3 seconds and then went off both times and stayed off. Never stayed on any of those times. First day was super hot outside and it happened right after starting to drive to destination. Second day it wasn't as hot but again it came on briefly after just starting out. Also never in the 22 years I owned the car did it come on. Since the thermostat seems to open and it never over heated I believe the thermostat is fine. In my experience over 30 years I only seen thermostats go bad by freezing open and in the winter the heat does not function correctly. Never had one stuck closed on any car in my life.

So I was watching my fan clutch and listening to the fan from a cool engine until it got hot. And the fan never got louder (that roar) when hot like it used to do drawing more air through the radiator. Isn't that what it should do? Blow more air and stiffen up when hot? The fan just stayed at its slipping speed from when cold to hot. I think it is bad, am I correct? I don't hear the fan get louder as it gets hot anymore. Also the fan spins so easily when you spin it while off of course. Any help would be appreciated.

**IN ADDITION*** Does the 84 Regal have a thermal or non-thermal fan clutch and what is the AC Delco #?
 
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UNGN

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 6, 2016
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Southlake, TX
An engaged clutch fan is super loud and blows a tornado over 2500 RPM. If it doesn't its dead.

I've had clutching fans fail on and fail off. Failing on is terrifying. I put on my last Clutching fan about 7 years ago. If it was my car, I would tear it all off and put on a $35 Intrepid fan from the junkyard, before buying a new chinese fan clutch, but that is just me.

When Richard Holdener makes a video with a Heat gun blowing on a fan clutch, EVERYONE will finally see how absolutely terrible they are for a performance car.
 

Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
140
35
28
An engaged clutch fan is super loud and blows a tornado over 2500 RPM. If it doesn't its dead.

I've had clutching fans fail on and fail off. Failing on is terrifying. I put on my last Clutching fan about 7 years ago. If it was my car, I would tear it all off and put on a $35 Intrepid fan from the junkyard, before buying a new chinese fan clutch, but that is just me.

When Richard Holdener makes a video with a Heat gun blowing on a fan clutch, EVERYONE will finally see how absolutely terrible they are for a performance car.

Wouldn't this one work? https://www.carid.com/1984-buick-re...ssional-engine-cooling-clutch-2569214440.html

I believe I have a thermal fan clutch. There is also this one https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-fan-clutch-7-thermal-regular-duty-215043/6013740-P?searchTerm=fan clutch

**UPDATE** I ordered this one but not from amazon or summit racing.

ACDelco 15-80250 Professional Engine Cooling Fan Clutch
by ACDelco
 
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UNGN

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 6, 2016
3,048
3,264
113
Southlake, TX
Wouldn't this one work? https://www.carid.com/1984-buick-re...ssional-engine-cooling-clutch-2569214440.html

I believe I have a thermal fan clutch. There is also this one https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-fan-clutch-7-thermal-regular-duty-215043/6013740-P?searchTerm=fan clutch

**UPDATE** I ordered this one but not from amazon or summit racing.

ACDelco 15-80250 Professional Engine Cooling Fan Clutch
by ACDelco

Yes, that will probably work, but "work" is relative.

A big problem with fan clutches (besides they siphon off 25 lb-ft of torque on a hot day) is no OEM has put one on a passenger vehicle in nearly 5 years and 20+ years for a performance car), so without an OEM threatening to pull a multimillion dollar contract, every year the quality gets worse and worse as the low bidders eat each other.

Ever noticed how batteries suck, now, yet they are more expensive than ever?

In a few years, when you have to buy a new fan clutch to replace this one, remember that you heard why on G-bodyforum, first.
 
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Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
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Yes, that will probably work, but "work" is relative.

A big problem with fan clutches (besides they siphon off 25 lb-ft of torque on a hot day) is no OEM has put one on a passenger vehicle in nearly 5 years and 20+ years for a performance car), so without an OEM threatening to pull a multimillion dollar contract, every year the quality gets worse and worse as the low bidders eat each other.

Ever noticed how batteries suck, now, yet they are more expensive than ever?

In a few years, when you have to buy a new fan clutch to replace this one, remember that you heard why on G-bodyforum, first.

Not worried about any power loss since I only have the V6 and it is just my daily driver. I always thought the reason they no longer use fan clutches or any type of metal fan attached to the water pump and driven by the engine is because today's cars suck so much with their crappy 4 cylinder rice burners that the engine could not handle a mechanical fan so they switched to the electric fan that could fail while driving and leave you stranded. Also they want cars as light as possible to get better gas mileage and they crumble to dust in accidents. like the Eistein invention called the "Smart" car of which it is not. I never had a mechanical fan stop spinning completely with the belts intact. I prefer mechanical fans. Also I never owned any car newer than 1989. I think that was even pushing it to my uncomfortable level. I prefer cars made 1980 and prior.
 
Oct 14, 2008
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Melville,Saskatchewan
Factory electric fans are usually pretty reliable. The only one I had that failed was on our 2010 Dodge Challenger. I run 2000 Dodge Stratus fans, actually Plymouth Breeze, same car on my 88 Cutlass. They move a lot of air and are now 20+ years old. Much like cheap clutch fans, the cheap aftermarket controllers fail all the time. Everything from the wiring, sensor probes to the relays. I run a direct to battery with a 30 amp fuse for high on a toggle switch and a Flexalite 40 amp relay controller for low. It runs with key on as I have fuse in place of the bad out of package sensor probe. As said Clutch fans fail just as often as electric fans, if not more with these cheap Chinese replacements. Pretty sure the Clutch fan failed on my Dakota, stuck on. This was the little V6 fan, probably didn't help the 3.9 turd. The 8 blade clutch fan which I just threw on the 5.9 for the Summer works fine and actually less noticeable than the 5 blade it replaced. The GM 4 blade non clutch fan is another option and cools quite well and never fails. I have one on my 70S, all factory non A/C cars had them without a shroud.
 
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UNGN

Comic Book Super Hero
Sep 6, 2016
3,048
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Southlake, TX
A hot clutch fan takes 20-30 lbft of torque to run. If you live up north, its probably no big deal, but in Texas with the A/C on a V6 would benefit more from an electric fan than a V8 for a daily driver.

My '86 T-type still has the 34.5 year old original Electric fan. With a more modern Junkyard Electric fan, replacement are plentiful and $35. If you have a 10mm socket and wire cutters, there is at least 4 Intrepid fans in every Pick n pull junk yard. Run it with three relays (on off + high/low) and most of the time its in series and it draws less than 6 amps max at fan start up.

Replacing the fan clutch is easy, but if it was my car, I would use the clutch failure as an opportunity to upgrade.
 
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Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
140
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Factory electric fans are usually pretty reliable. The only one I had that failed was on our 2010 Dodge Challenger. I run 2000 Dodge Stratus fans, actually Plymouth Breeze, same car on my 88 Cutlass. They move a lot of air and are now 20+ years old. Much like cheap clutch fans, the cheap aftermarket controllers fail all the time. Everything from the wiring, sensor probes to the relays. I run a direct to battery with a 30 amp fuse for high on a toggle switch and a Flexalite 40 amp relay controller for low. It runs with key on as I have fuse in place of the bad out of package sensor probe. As said Clutch fans fail just as often as electric fans, if not more with these cheap Chinese replacements. Pretty sure the Clutch fan failed on my Dakota, stuck on. This was the little V6 fan, probably didn't help the 3.9 turd. The 8 blade clutch fan which I just threw on the 5.9 for the Summer works fine and actually less noticeable than the 5 blade it replaced. The GM 4 blade non clutch fan is another option and cools quite well and never fails. I have one on my 70S, all factory non A/C cars had them without a shroud.

On my former Nova I had that 4 blade clutch fan on the V8. I kept it, but I put on a performance 5 blade FLEX FAN that was all metal and had steel fins that flexed. Never had a problem with either fan. When I sold the car, I gave the new owner the original 4 blade GM with it. When I go back to my older classics like I plan I will resume what I used to do when I was 16 years old. Make a few improvements but keep everything close to stock and run points and condenser again. I plan on buying a car with one belt only. With manual brakes and steering. And an external regulator on the fender. I kept my dwell meter and timing light so I am all set. I am getting tired of these new cars like my '84 Regal. I can't work on most things like I used too, because I can't get to the engine and there are too many wires all over the damn place. I hate my power windows and seats. The A/C is nice and I still run R-12 in my Regal, but I may have to sacrifice comfort for simpleness. I used to put on my own shocks, my own exhaust systems, water pumps, distributors, manifolds, motor mounts etc. Now I can't do sheet with this Regal. It's a freakin nightmare to work on sometimes. The only thing GENIUS about the '84 Regal is the HEATER CORE! I must say the engineer who designed this car had his head screwed on straight. They made it simple. Just open the cowl area and the damn thing lifts right out and drops right back in. No going under the dash like on the 60's cars. I did my second Nova with a straight six heater core once and it was a pain in the *ss compared to my Regal.
 
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Steve84

Greasemonkey
Jul 8, 2018
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OK I received the New fan clutch. Ordered Friday, got it today. Does anyone think the torque is critical. Or is it OK to just hand tighten with a wrench? My torque wrench is a 1/2" drive and it may not go as low as 15-18 ft. lbs. Is there a problem guessing how tight?
 
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