fan cluctch issue

popman · Jul 11, 2016

Hi
While having other things going on with my 01 ranger 3.0 edge My
Fan clutch siezed up. I replaced with a dorman clutch and now when it engages is has a high whining noise like a jet or something and I seem to loose lots of power when it engages. I thought it was on backwards at first but it pulls air through the radiator. I believe I still have the orginal plastic fan blade itself which has 12 fins. I could not stand the noise this puts out and had Autozone replace it and the second does the same thing. So what is the deal on this and why is it acting like that? Sometimes when I pull away from a light it engages and bogs me down and makes that noise...I need help to understand this issue.

Thanks in advance

RonD · Jul 11, 2016

Something is wrong.........obviously

Never used Dorman brand fan clutch but something doesn't read right.

Fan clutch has a fluid inside and there is a valve
On the front of the fan clutch is a bi-metal spring, it expands and contracts when heat and cooled, and it controls the valve inside.

The Radiator is what heats up the fan clutch spring, not engine heat.

When you first start a cold engine, the fluid in fan clutch is cold and thick, so fan will be engaged for the first 10seconds until fluid thins out.
People often hear that fan noise at start up but it goes away very fast.

fan will stay disengaged until engine gets up to operating temp and thermostat opens, this sends warm coolant into the radiator and it starts to heat up
As center of rad gets warmer spring starts to heat up, valve starts to close and fan slowly engages.
It isn't an ON/OFF setup, it is variable based on heat of the spring, so heat of the radiator.

So why the noise, and why the power loss?
fan only sucks up a few horse power, even when fully engaged, nothing like you describe
And at a stop is when rad gets hotter so fan should be fully engaged when stopped, as you start to move air flow cools rad off so fan is more likely to disengage a bit not engage more.
So if fan is sucking up power it would happen right when you step on the gas not a moment later.

If possible remove the fan clutch and go for a drive, make sure that is the problem, not power steering pump, which can get VERY loud on Fords.

It is fine to drive without the fan for 5-10 minutes just don't let it sit idling for a long time.
Low speed and idling is the only time fan is really needed, or when AC is on.

Electric fan is also an option, better MPG and a little more power, one of the ONLY modifications that can do both

stmitch · Jul 11, 2016

Ditch the clutch fan completely, convert to an Efan, and never look back

cowboycowboy91 · Jul 21, 2016

The fan clutch sounds like it is engaging properly. There shouldn't be a whining noise from it though or a noticable loss of power. As others mentioned, it is only a few hp. Are you sure it isn't the water pump making noise when the fan engages? Any coolant loss or heating up at idle or anything?

fan cluctch issue

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