RngTrtl

Dear All,

When a vehicle is idling isn't the fan clutch always supposed to spin the fan? When I start the engine the fan clutch spins like it should at idle but after the engine warms up (say 15 minutes), the fan barely spins like the fan clutch in not engaging. Am I to sermize that this means that the fan clutch is toast? I am pretty sure that this means it has or is about to fail, but just wanted to check before I jumped in. Thanks to all.

Rufus Sanders

The way the clutch works is that there's a silcone filled vane system, and a plunger and a bi-metal plate that actuaes the plunger.

As the air coming through the radiator gets hotter, the bi-metal plate flexes, and pushes the plunger inward. This pushes silicone into the vanes of the clutch which engages the blades to spin at or close to the same speed as the pully shaft.

When the air coming through the radiator is cooler, the bi-metal plate unflexes, and the plunger is allowed to relax, and the clutch dis-engages. So, if your clutch is not engaging when the engne is obviously hot, you probably need to rebuild or replace the clutch. I've rebuild (or re-filled) mine and it has worked well for 4 yrs. here's the routine from the nicols site.

http://www.nichols.nu/tip482.htm

Good Luck. - Ruf

G Man

I did the refill procedure on mine, but the fan still leaks because the rubber seal that the plunger goes through is hard and brittle. Need to find a suitable replacement for the seal. Is there a replacement seal available? I wonder if a seal off of a domestic fan clutch would work. There must be thousands of them in wrecking yards.

RngTrtl

Thank y'all for all the info. It is looking like it has given up the ghost. Time for a new one.

WallyP

We will be happy to sell you a new one, but at $270.27, you might want to reconsider the suggestion to try refilling yours...

Call Jeannie at (828) 766-9280 if you really want a new one.