How does a cooling fan clutch work?
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.
Why are Clutch fans used in a car?
The primary objective for making clutch fans in vehicles was for saving engine power to get better gas mileage for the engine. In the past, when there was no fan clutches, a fixed fan was attached directly into the engine.
Why do you need a centrifugal clutch in a car?
Due to this problem engine cannot perform properly causing damage to the engine. So, the centrifugal clutch is suitable for an engine having high speed but not for a lower speed engine. So, the centrifugal clutch protects driven equipment and saves the engine with a vast range of speed. Centrifugal clutch cannot create high torque.
How is the clutch connected to the engine?
It has teethes in the centre hole which rotate with main shaft. It means it is connected with the engine. Clutch Plate: There are two types of plates in clutch plate. One is Drive (friction) plate another is Driven (Steel) plate Drive (friction) plate: The friction plate is ring shaped and coated with fiber.
Why is my Clutch not working in my car?
If your car has a cable-operated clutch and you find that the gears are difficult to engage, the pedal action is stiff, or there is any sign that the clutch pedal is reluctant to come back up again, then the chances are that the clutch cable is damaged.
How does a fan clutch work on an engine?
by Allen Moore. A fan clutch is the assembly that your engine cooling fan rides on and that tells the fan when to turn on and off. A central core, which locks and unlocks based on the temperature, allows the fan to spin with the engine crankshaft or freewheel on its own.
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.
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 long does it take for a fan clutch to come to life?
After 4-5 minutes, the fan clutch should come to life. Assuming it doesn’t, or that it’s sluggish when it finally gets moving, it may be on its last legs. The same is true if the fan speed accelerates as soon as you start the vehicle.