What can a bad fan clutch cause?
A stuck fan clutch will cause excessive, unnecessary drag on the engine, which can cause a drop in power, acceleration, and fuel efficiency, sometimes to a quite noticeable degree. As the fan clutch is one of the main cooling system components, it is very important to the proper operation of the engine.
What does a fan clutch reduce?
A fan clutch is a thermostatic engine cooling fan that can freewheel at low temperatures when cooling is not needed, allowing the engine to warm up faster, relieving unnecessary load on the engine. As temperatures increase, the clutch engages so that the fan is driven by engine power and moves air to cool the engine.
What are the symptoms of a bad or failing fan clutch?
As the fan clutch is a cooling system component, any issues with it can cause overheating and other issues. Usually a bad or failing fan clutch will produce a few symptoms that can alert the driver of a potential issue.
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 torque limiting fan clutch work?
A torque-limiting fan clutch reacts to engine speed. A centrifugal valve opens to allow the flow of heavy silicone fluid, locking the fan blades to the pulley. At idle and low engine speeds, this fan clutch is fully engaged, gradually disengaging as engine speed increases.
When to know if your car fan clutch is binding?
Activity that’s louder than normal may indicate binding. A binding fan clutch will typically be accompanied with warm air flow from the A/C, since the fan isn’t turning the way it should be. Start your vehicle and listen for the fan to engage. Give the engine a little time to warm up. After 4-5 minutes, the fan clutch should come to life.