How does a clutch radiator fan work?

As your engine heats up, the thermal spring on the front of the clutch expands, which opens a valve allowing the silicon fluid to drive your clutch at an increased RPM. This provides more air flow through your radiator, preventing your car from overheating.

How do I know if my 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.

What controls the fan clutch?

Most fan clutches are filled with a silicone-based oil. The oil is held in an internal reservoir when the fan is disengaged. To engage the fan, internal valves open and allow the fluid to fill the working area of the clutch. This creates friction between the drive plate and the housing, causing the fan to spin.

What can cause a radiator fan not to spin?

The most common reasons a radiator fan is not working are luckily due to a blown fuse, bad relay, or a broken wire. It can also be caused by a faulty coolant temp sensor, low coolant level or the fan itself can be damaged.

Is a clutch fan supposed to spin freely?

Expert Reply: If there is a fan clutch between the fan and radiator on your vehicle, then you will be able to turn the fan by hand when the engine is off and not running. If the fan is turning freely with no clutch, then there is a problem with either the belt being loose or the pulley will need adjustments.

At what temperature does a fan clutch engage?

about 170°F
At 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.

When should a fan clutch 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.

Can you drive a car if the radiator fan is not working?

As such, you should never drive your vehicle if the cooling fan isn’t working even though you can. If the radiator does not have cool air blowing on it constantly, it will overheat eventually, so you’d need the perfect combination of weather and traffic to drive effectively without a radiator fan.

What sensor controls the radiator fan?

coolant temperature sensor
On most modern cars, the cooling fan is controlled by the Engine Control Unit (ECU) which gets a signal from the coolant temperature sensor.

How stiff should a fan clutch be?

There should be a nice, consistent, deliberate rotating force such that when you let the fan go, it should start spinning back up at a rather rapid rate of rotation. If right after you release the fan to spin, and the fan spins ever so slowly, then your fan clutch isn’t working right.

Should a fan clutch spin freely when cold?

A fan clutch is a thermostatic motor conditioning fan that may freewheel at low temp when cooling isn’t required, enabling the engine to heat up quicker and reducing engine load.

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.

Why does my fan clutch spin when engine is off?

Fan spins after engine shut-down might indicate a weak clutch. 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 does an engine cooling fan work on a car?

The engine cooling fan is designed to move air through the radiator when the vehicle is at slower speeds or stopped. This air flow removes heat from the coolant created by the engine using the radiator as a conductor. An engine cooling fan is temperature controlled to only run when needed.

Do cooling fans turn clockwise or counterclockwise?

A cooling fan can turn either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the manufacturers design. One of the most common problems with a fan clutch is when the internal clutch stops working or wears out allowing the fan to freewheel which will cause the engine to overheat. When this occurs the fan clutch must be replaced.