Clutch fan working?
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2009
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Clutch fan working?
I have a feeling I'm gonna get flamed, but I don't personally know anyone locally to ask. My 460 powered f350 4x4 uses stock mechanical clutch fan to cool it, the clutch CAN spin freely from the fan by testing it with engine off, but when it's running, it constantly runs. And I'm not stupid enough to try and stop it while it's running. I thought this was funny, so I replaced the clutch pack and low and behold, still always spins fan. I put my original fan clutch back on, and because it's summer, I didn't think of it much. I though heat causes the stator to lock up and spin the fan, but at a cold start, it wouldn't spin the fan???
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
There is nothing wrong with you fan, the clutch does tighten up some more when it gets heated up which means there is less slip and the fan spins faster but you will never know from the drivers seat.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 56,984
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From: Virginia
It had better spin some if you have A/C. I converted a truck to dual electric fans, and forgot about the A/C system and having the electric fans come on with the A/C system. I was soon reminded one morning when I turned it on and about a minute later the high pressure pop-off blew off and sent freon and oil everywhere.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
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Were you having a cooling issue that prompted you to change the fan clutch? Or was it just because the fan clutch didn't seem right?
From your description, your fan clutch sounds perfectly normal. They never release 100% even when cold, meaning the fan will always spin with the engine. They also never lock up 100%, so there is always some slippage, even when hot. Sounds odd, but that's how they work, and very well, I might add.
Typically when the radiator's discharge air is hot enough for the fan clutch to draw extra cooling air, you will know it. It sounds like a hovercraft under the hood, able to be easily heard from the driver's seat. If you've never heard it before, your engine probably never got hot enough. On my truck, I have to be hauling a heavy load uphill on a hot day to get things hot enough for the fan clutch to kick in.
One caveat: If the radiator stays cool for whatever reason (low coolant, thermostat stuck closed, etc.), the discharge air won't be hot enough for the fan clutch to lock up. That's not really the fault of the fan clutch. It's just something to be aware of if an engine runs hot but you don't hear the fan clutch kick in.
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