Full Answer
Do fan clutches spin when cold?
No, most fan clutches don’t spin when cold. They can spin but with some effort from your end. If your fan spins more than three times, it means your fan clutch is going bad. And if the fan won’t spin at all, then there is some problem with the bearings. How tight should a fan clutch be?
What type of fan clutch do I need for my fan?
It really depends on the style of fan clutch you choose. The main types are non-thermal, thermal, and electronic — all of which use a silicone fluid to engage and disengage your fan. Non-thermal clutches operate solely based on the shaft speed of the water pump.
What is a thermal fan clutch used for?
Severe-Duty Thermal Fan Clutch: Severe duty thermal fans turn the fan at 80-90 percent of the shaft speed when engaged and 20-30 percent when disengaged. It’s used with deeper pitch fans and has a larger working surface to provide cooler running and longer life expectancy. Electronic – Viscous EV Fan Clutch Operation
How do I know if my fan clutch needs replacing?
According to Hayden, here are some signs your fan clutch might need replaced: Fan spins excessively when engine is stopped (three or more times when hot engine is shut off). Poor A/C performance at idle or low vehicle speeds. Fan speed does not increase when engine is hot. Fan speed does not increase until engine is excessively hot.
Should clutch fans spin freely when hot?
The fan should move freely by hand when the vehicle is off. Any strong resistance means its locking up. One may also ask, what temperature does a fan clutch engage? Answer: Most fan clutches engage at about 170°F air temperature (about 180-190°F engine temperature).Jan 12, 2020
How stiff Should a clutch fan be?
Turn the fan by hand. Too much free-wheeling is usually a sign that the clutch is prone to slipping. On the other hand, too much resistance means the clutch is binding and can't turn freely. In either case, it will need to be replaced. Ideally, the fan shouldn't spin more than 1-1½ times.
How do I know if my fan clutch is hot?
How to Tell If Your Fan Clutch Is Going Bad?Vehicle overheating. An overheating engine is often the first symptom that is commonly associated with a bad or failing fan clutch. ... Loose and Wobbling Fan. ... Excessively loud cooling fans. ... A decrease in acceleration, power & fuel efficiency.Sep 21, 2020
Should there be any play in a fan clutch?
If there is any wobble in the fan, there is a bad bearing in the fan clutch, or a worn bearing on the water pump shaft. A bad water pump bearing will usually cause the water pump to leak and/or make noise, but not always. Remove the fan clutch and see if the play is in the water pump shaft.
How do you test a fan clutch?
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.Mar 29, 2006
How do you manually engage a fan clutch?
1:264:26Robby J - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo now I add the fan clutch off I'm going to show you how to adjust it manually. And the operationMoreSo now I add the fan clutch off I'm going to show you how to adjust it manually. And the operation is quite simple this spring heats up or the hot air flowing through the radiator.
At what temperature does a fan clutch engage?
about 170°FAt 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.
How do you unstick a fan clutch?
1:254:39How to fix a fan clutch - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd what you want to do is you want to spray some liquid ranch wd-40 PB Blaster really anything intoMoreAnd what you want to do is you want to spray some liquid ranch wd-40 PB Blaster really anything into this little part there and let it sit for quite a long while.
How can you tell a bad clutch?
0:121:37How to Tell if Your Clutch is Bad with 4 EASY Tests in Under 2 Minutes!YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf it's fully depressed and won't come back up that also means your clutch is out now I'm in theMoreIf it's fully depressed and won't come back up that also means your clutch is out now I'm in the driver's seat here. And another way you can tell your clutches out is if you depress the clutch fully.
Are fan clutches universal?
Universal fan clutch part number 25100 covers over 90% of all domestic applications and fits both standard and reverse rotation systems. Fully illustrated instructions included.
What is a cooling fan clutch?
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.
Does a fan clutch have bearings?
Fan bearings' essential role Well, not quite. We may have gotten to the nitty gritty, but there's one more component to a fan clutch that you need to know about — the fan bearing. A fan bearing (or pulley bearing) is the part that the fan spins on, and requires reliable operation to keep it running smoothly.Oct 12, 2020
Why does my fan clutch slip?
Also, it could be that the consistency of the oil as lowered, resulting in added slipping of the clutch. Where this happens, the oil cannot cool the engine as needed, and problems will arise from the same.
Why does my clutch make a noise in my car?
People often complain of sounds in their cars when their clutches do not work as they should. It is common when facing issues such as fan clutch stuck engaged or fan clutch hard to spin. In this case, air will move through, and owing to the pressure; there will be the creation of a noise that is similar to a roar.
What is fan clutch?
It helps to note that the fan clutch comprises several internal components that are integral in its functioning. It has clutch plates as well as a coupling. The latter fills with oil and has a valve that controls the flow of oil between two compartments. One acts as a holding area while the other directs to the clutch.
How long does it take for a clutch to engage?
When you start your car, it should take about five minutes for the clutch to engage, and you should hear this. After this comes the roar of the fan, designed to give you an enjoyable driving experience. If you turn the car on and the engagement does not take place, you could have a problem.
What is the role of clutch in a car?
The clutch, though small, plays a vital role in the functioning of your car. It gauges the temperature of the air coming into contact with the radiator and protects the engine. When this component does not work as expected, you can look forward to a myriad of problems.
How does oil work in a fan?
One acts as a holding area while the other directs to the clutch. As the valve opens, the oil enters the clutch, and this leads to the fast movement of the fan. When the valve closes, the oil moves back to the holding area, and this leads to slipping in the clutch. Eventually, the movement of the fan slows down.
What happens if you turn on a car and the engagement does not take place?
If you turn the car on and the engagement does not take place, you could have a problem. The same also holds when the engagement takes place slowly, or the fan comes to life as soon as you start the car. It helps to pop the hood so that you can hear the engagement take place.
How Does A Fan Clutch Work?
As a cooling device in your engine, the fan clutch helps to maintain proper cooling by regulating the operation of your engine’s cooling fans. When considering the fan clutch, it’s important to remember that it has many internal components that are critical to its operation. Along with a connection, it is equipped with clutch plates.
Signs That Your Fan Clutch Is Failing
Overheating of the motor is one of the first indications that the fan clutch is malfunctioning or has failed. Specifically, the fan clutch is responsible for controlling how well the air conditioning fan works. A defective fan clutch may fail to engage properly, making the fans unusable or preventing them from operating at their maximum capacity.
Should A Fan Clutch Spin Freely When Cold?
While an electronic fan clutch may spin at will, a decent fan clutch will only spin when you exert some effort to make it a spin. Now, if it spins more than three times, it is indicative of a faulty fan clutch, as previously stated. When a fan clutch is cold, the maximum amount of spin it can produce is approximately ½ to ¾ of a turn.
Arising Issues
If you have a problem with the fan clutch, it’s quite possible that it’s adequate to the sensitive spring. It’s also likely that the oil’s density has depreciated, making the clutch slip more. Whenever this happens, the oil is unable to adequately cool the engine, succeeding in difficulties.
How to diagnose a bad fan clutch
There are several indications to check for in this situation, ranging from fan clutch roaring to fan clutch sounds. The clutch, despite its little size, is critical to the proper operation of your vehicle. It protects the engine by measuring the temperature of the air that comes into contact with the radiator.
How Do You Test A Fan Clutch?
Find out how to identify a faulty or failing fan clutch if you think yours is the case. Additionally, look for any of the following problems in addition to the fan not spinning freely:
FAQs
If you want your fan clutch to spin easily, it should be tight enough. The object should be resistant to being twisted, and if you attempt to spin the object, it should spin approximately ½ to ¾ of a turn. The fan clutch is not tight enough if it does three rotations. You should get it checked for issues.
Why is fan clutch important?
The oft-overlooked fan clutch doesn’t get a ton of credit or attention, but it’s an essential piece of the cooling equation in many vehicles. It helps your cooling system operate effectively and your engine operate efficiently. But let’s start at the beginning.
How does a thermal fan clutch work?
The thermal fan clutch operates in response to underhood temperatures. As hot air blows across the radiator, it heats a thermal spring mounted at the front of the clutch. As the spring is heated, it turns and allows valve ports to open within the clutch. Silicone fluid stored inside a reservoir is allowed to pass through these open ports and enter the working area of the clutch. This engages the clutch and drives the fan. Once the engine is cooled down, the thermal spring rotates back and closes the valve ports, disengaging the fan.
What is non thermal clutch?
A non-thermal clutch provides a steady flow of cooling air but is always engaged, so it offers lower fuel savings than a thermal-style fan clutch. However, non-thermal clutches are a lower-cost option than thermal-style clutches.
What is the ratio of a fan clutch?
At low and idling speeds, the clutch allows the fan blade to turn at almost a 1:1 ratio. At high speeds, the silicone fluid within in the clutch will lose its ability to transfer the energy from the shaft to the fan clutch body (and therefore, the fan) and the fan is then allowed to almost free-wheel, removing its load from the engine.
What type of fluid is used in fan clutches?
Types of Fan Clutches. The main types are non-thermal, thermal, and electronic — all of which use a silicone fluid to engage and disengage your fan.
Why does my fan make a noise?
Excessive fan noise at all speeds due to failed bearing. Vibration that increases with engine speed. Leaking fluid or oily build up around the bearing or thermal spring. These problems are often caused by a bad bearing, which may be seized or have excessive play, or by a worn or loose thermal spring.
Does fan speed increase when engine is hot?
Fan speed does not increase when engine is hot. Fan speed does not increase until engine is excessively hot. Fan blade tip moves more than 1/4-inch front to back. Fan turns roughly or does not turn at all. Excessive fan noise at all speeds due to failed bearing. Vibration that increases with engine speed.
