How can you tell if your 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.
Why do you need a fan shroud on a radiator?
It’s critical that the fan be positioned properly within the fan shroud and that there is just enough clearance around the fan blades. The first thing we want to make sure is that you actually have a fan shroud. If you rely on a belt-driven fan for engine cooling, a fan shroud is a must to pull the air through the radiator.
Do you need a fan shroud for a belt driven fan?
If you rely on a belt-driven fan for engine cooling, a fan shroud is a must to pull the air through the radiator. Without a shroud, air will take the path of least resistance, pulling air from over and under the radiator instead of through it.
What happens when you have a bad fan clutch?
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.
How does a 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.
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.
Judging from the calculations above, you can see that without a shroud directing the airflow across the entire radiator, you are effectively not using 44% of your radiator. By simply adding the proper size shroud behind your radiator, you’ll ensure that 100% of the radiator’s surface area is used to cool your engine.
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.
Which is the correct position for a fan shroud?
A commonly held thought is that fan blades should recess 50% into the shroud for optimum cooling. To get your fan in the correct position, use fan spacers or shims.