Bad Fan Clutch?

[MrSony]

I think my fan clutch is bad. The fan spins faster than hell at idle, and moves TONS of air, like, more than any normal fan should, which I attribute to the fast speed. And I can spin it by hand with almost no effort, with the engine off of course.

 

[MrSony]

Or are those signs of a properly working clutch? It spins a half turn at most when I fling it by hand. No squeaking or leaking that I can see. The spring is fine as far as I can tell.

 

[MrSony]

Also, if it is bad, should I get a thermal or non thermal fan clutch? What's the difference?

 

[Jeff L]

When my fan clutch went bad it was loose all the time. It never engaged fully. When I replaced it I could barely move, if at all, the fan when the engine was cold.The new thermal fan/clutch basically becomes free at highway speeds to reduce drag on the engine. After a drive the fan should spin freely until everything cools down from what I remember.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[airboatgreg]

If it is bad buy a thermal and get a name brand. To check a fan clutch but a towel in front of grill to block air flow. Warm up engine at about 2000 RPM. On a thermal clutch you will hear it and feel the air when it engages the fan. Remove the towel and when it cools down the fan will dis-engage but not completely. It will still spin

 

[Texas82GP]

A hallmark of a bad fan clutch is that when you turn the engine off, it will keep spinning.

I think you need a fan shroud worse than a new fan clutch.

 

[kalidromos13]

Sounds bad to me, clutches are pretty inexpensive, you can find then at auto zone etc. I accidently got a shop towel caught in mine a while back, it locked 1:1 so it was loud as hell.

 

[UNGN]

In my opinion, there are two kinds of clutching fans: 1) those that are bad and 2) those that will go bad.

Unless its a non performance car your mom drives, Electric fans are the solution (and you can buy one at the junkyard out of a Chrysler LH for the price of a reman clutch fan)

 

[Texas82GP]

I have a low opinion of parts store fan clutches. I've run a few Hayden clutches and wasn't happy with them.

 

[airboatgreg]

I agree on that. I would put on an A/C Delco. I have been burnt so many times on after market stuff. That being said there are a lot of great aftermarket parts. Some things it pays to stay with OEM