How do you know when fan clutch is bad?
To confirm the diagnosis, start with this simple test: Spin the fan as hard as you can on an engine that has not been started that day. If the fan rotates more than five times, you can bet the clutch is bad. You should feel some resistance and the fan may spin up to three times, depending on the ambient temperature.
What should I do if my fan clutch is going bad?
Silicone fluid leaking from the fan clutch would cause this problem. When the engine is off, there are a few things you can do to check the fan clutch: Spin the fan. Electronic types might freewheel, but most fan clutches should spin with a little effort.
What is an electric fan clutch?
The fan clutch is a cooling system component that controls the operation of the engine cooling fans. While many newer vehicles now use electric cooling fans to keep the engine cool, many older vehicles used a mechanical fan clutch to control the fans.
How does a thermal fan clutch work on a radiator?
A thermal fan clutch reacts to temperature of the air rushing over it from the radiator. As the radiator heats up, the air passing through it also heats up. This heats up a small bi-metallic coil in the face of the fan clutch, releasing an internal valve. The valve releases heavy silicone fluid, which locks the fan blades to the fan pulley.
How can you tell when a fan clutch is engaged?
You should be able to audibly detect when the fan clutch engages, with an accompanying rush of air. At idle, as engine temperature increases, a thermal fan clutch will engage at a certain temperature. Torque-limiting fan clutches will disengage at a certain engine speed. Alternatively, an optical tachometer can be used to measure fan speed.
How can I tell if my fan clutch is bad?
This problem can be detected by listening to the fan while the engine is running and hot, you should be able to hear the fan engage. If you do not hear the fan start working shut the engine off and open the hood. Try to spin the fan clutch it should give a fair amount of resistance.
Can a bad fan clutch cause an engine to overheat?
The second problem a fan clutch can have is the opposite problem. The clutch fails to engage no matter how hot the engine becomes. This condition will cause the engine to overheat because the fan fails to pull the necessary air through the radiator that cools the engine by the use of the systems coolant.
The fan clutch is a cooling system component that controls the operation of the engine cooling fans. While many newer vehicles now use electric cooling fans to keep the engine cool, many older vehicles used a mechanical fan clutch to control the fans.