How do I know if my fan clutch is locked?
From the exterior, a locked-in fan clutch will be hard to diagnose with just a visual check….Locked-in fan clutch symptoms.
- The fan fault is logged in your engine management system.
- A noisy, constant droning noise from the fan.
- Engine seems to ‘roar’ when you set off in first gear.
- Using more fuel than normal.
Should there be any play in a fan clutch?
Get in there and give it a wiggle, it should rotate, but if there’s any play or wobble in the clutch or water pump, it’s time to park it until you can get it repaired.
How much play should a fan clutch have?
It should be close to zero play. That amount of wobble is going to take out your water pump pretty quick.
How do I know if my electric fan clutch is bad?
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Fan Clutch
- Vehicle overheating. One of the first symptoms that is commonly associated with a bad or failing fan clutch is an overheating engine.
- Excessively loud cooling fans.
- Decrease in power, acceleration, and fuel efficiency.
What temperature does a fan clutch engage?
about 170°F
At what temperatures do fan clutches engage? Answer: Most fan clutches engage at about 170°F air temperature (about 180-190°F engine temperature). They reduce the temperature about 20°F before disengaging.
What should I look for in a bad fan clutch?
With an inexpensive infrared tachometer, a bad viscous fan clutch is much easier to diagnose by comparing fan speed to shaft speed. An engaged fan clutch will approximately read 80-90% of shaft speed. A disengaged fan clutch will approximately read 20-30% of shaft speed.
What does it mean when the fan clutch won’t disengage?
If the Fan clutch is seized or the valve is stuck open, the truck would give a code, if the PCM is telling it to go full speed (and no fan circuit codes) then a input to the PCM (EOT…etc) is telling it and if they are faulty they would produce a code.
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.
What’s the difference between standard and heavy duty fan clutches?
Standard-Duty Thermal Fan Clutch: This design turns the fan at 60-70 percent of the water pump shaft speed when engaged, and 20-30 percent when disengaged. It’s made for fans with a lighter pitch. Heavy-Duty Thermal Fan Clutch: This fan style turns the fan at 70-90 percent of the shaft speed when engaged for increased cooling.