To fan clutch non beleivers

[Denisefwd93]

Last year when I obtained this old beast (93 4.0 4wd) I found out real quick the fan clutch was bad.

I picked up a new fan clutch for HD service (towing and such) Had it installed by a friend in less then an hour!

During this heat wave in the high 90s it's a champ! Even when sitting on the interstate parking lot going into Philly, with the ac on the gauge only hits normal mid range.

So, to anyone having overheat problems at low rpm or idle. CHANGE IT OUT! or at least make the fan clutch the 1st thing on the list of why she's overheating! Jus Sayin...

stay cool!

 

[tcbaklash]

My truck is just dandy in 100+ (no A/C). If you maintain your vehicle right, you shouldn't be overheating...

 

[adsm08]

Fan clutch isn't a maintenance item, but it isn't indestructible either. You can do everything right and still have a clutch fail just because.

Your argument is similar to saying that if rotate your tires regularly and check the tire pressures you will never get a flat from running over a nail.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If I was to randomly throw parts at an overheating vehicle, me being the tightwad that I am I would start with the $3 thermostat.

 

[tcbaklash]

Fan clutch isn't a maintenance item, but it isn't indestructible either. You can do everything right and still have a clutch fail just because.

Your argument is similar to saying that if rotate your tires regularly and check the tire pressures you will never get a flat from running over a nail.

No, because that's not what I mean. Because if you maintain your vehicle well, you'll have a usable spare tire and you'll be back on the road in 10 minutes.

Parts break, I'm well aware of that. If you take the steps to help prevent breaking parts, or replace broken parts, your vehicle should be working fine when these parts aren't broken.

 

[adsm08]

No, because that's not what I mean.

In case you haven't noticed, nobody cares what you mean these days. They care what you say. You said that if you maintain a vehicle properly it shouldn't overheat. The implication to be drawn is that if you change fluids and grease joints, etc regularly things like the fan clutch won't go bad and cause another issue.

 

[Mightyfordranger]

I changed my entire cooling system and I still have cooling probs from time to time if I don't run the truck just right I even installed a elec fan to help some

 

[Denisefwd93]

Funny those without the problem are making nullifying statements. Oh and yeah the new thermostat was actually more work!

Fan clutch 101 should be a sticky

 

[black_demon69]

Funny those without the problem are making nullifying statements. Oh and yeah the new thermostat was actually more work!

Fan clutch 101 should be a sticky

don't thinking anyone is nullifying it. just saying that there are other more common causes.. i for example have seen more issues from radiators, and thermostats.

 

[Denisefwd93]

don't thinking anyone is nullifying it. just saying that there are other more common causes.. i for example have seen more issues from radiators, and thermostats.

Yep, And I went through all that crap to finally arrive back where I started thinking "could it be it the fan clutch? Nah they don't go bad and it doesn't freewheel" but It sure was FC.

 

[tcbaklash]

Funny those without the problem are making nullifying statements. Oh and yeah the new thermostat was actually more work!

Fan clutch 101 should be a sticky

I blew my last engine up because the original owner thought it was a great idea to clog the radiator with stop-leak when they were losing coolant. I replaced my entire coolant system and clutch fan, in addition to a new engine. Whole thing works completely fine.

I'm not disagreeing with you by any means. Thousands of engineers would be wrong if a clutch fan wasn't sufficient to keep your engine from overheating.

 

[Doofy]

Don't understand the animosity on this thread. When a person has tried almost everything to solve a problem and finally hits on the solution and DUH! It was the fan clutch! This should generate "Kudos" not derision. Glad you found the problem!

 

[wildbill23c]

Only fan clutch issue I've had was on my 1988 F-250, but luckily it was stuck in the engaged position LOL, as if it didn't get crap for fuel economy as it was, it got far worse with the fan clutch stuck LOL.

They do fail, not often, but they're not invisible to failing either. I've had a few electric fans fail in the past, and have found the engine driven fans to be far more reliable...unless you break a fan belt LOL.

 

[alaskan155]

alot of people forget about the fan clutch

i have replaced a few over the years on my vehicles, only 1 i destroyed on accident

99-f150 water crossing, fan clutches don't like water....
my current 02 f250 and my 88 bronco both replaced due to worn out with play in them.
haven't done my rangers yet, it seems to working, combined with a lower thermostat i haven't had any issues with it.

also had co workers dodge that was also overheating, he couldn't figure out why and i mentioned the clutch fan, said he hasn't had a overheating issue since.


my point is, Hayden(the main manufacture) is junk, i end up spending the $50 or so and replacing them around 100k-150k miles. i have even gotten bad ones from the parts store before and had to exchange them.

they are a viscous coupler

i think the fluid inside them gets wore out or the bearings start to fail over time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_GkuTgJr3w


most fans(*not all) usually will kick on a few seconds in the morning when its cool outside(fluid is thicker) and you can hear it. you should also be able to hear it on a 90-100* day running around town when they are working properly.


now i just need to figure out how to get a Horton fan clutch on my super-duty, if the hayden goes out again.

 

[Doofy]

Yeppers. I hear that! The wife's Jeep has only an electric fan and it worries me to death. I can't hear it unless I am stopped and the window is down. Those 3.7 liter motors had overheating and valve dropping problems. This one has 170,000 miles so I think I am safe. Haha