Should a Fan Clutch Spin Freely When Hot? – Guide

The thermostatic car engine conditioning fan gets referred to as the fan clutch. It can feel freehub at significantly lower temperatures, while cooling isn’t necessary. It makes it possible for engines to warm up more quickly and use less fuel. The fan clutches transfer power for the blade from the driving shaft or the liquid pump pulley. The clutch engages as the temperature increases, allowing the fan to flow the required air to chill the motor. But should a fan clutch spin freely when hot? The self-contained mechanism and automated fan actuation are only two of the many creative features of the radiator fan design. This guide will discuss how the process operates and how to replace the fan clutch.

Quick Summary: A fan clutching must not rotate freely in a chilly or warm environment since a correctly working clutch must encounter enough friction to stop it from doing so. If a lot of force gets used, a decent fan clutch will spin easily; if there is little force provided, it will spin, indicating that it is faulty.

Read more about the symptoms of fan clutch malfunction.

The operation of your motor’s conditioning fans gets managed by a fan clutch, which functions as a conditioning system. Fan clutches come in a variety of forms. However, the thermostatic fan clutching is the most often used. It gets fixed to the water pumping or a pulley powered by a belt. Whenever the engine first starts, the fan clutch rotates freely. Once the temperature exceeds a certain point—roughly 180–190°F—the fan-clutching spring would stretch. As a reason, the fan clutch can completely activate. The fan operates at optimum efficiency once fully engaged. So let’s look at should a fan clutch spin freely when hot.

Should a Fan Clutch Spin Freely When Hot? – Everything You Need to Know

A motor’s fan clutches serve as the conditioning mechanism. However, they must achieve a particular temperature to perform at their best. The airflow temperature must be much below 170℉, as that is where the fan clutching will activate. In contrast, the motor temperature rises to between 180 and 190 ℉. When you turn on your engine, it and the fan clutching tend to warm up, which causes the fan clutch’s spring to stretch.

Only after the fan clutching is fully connected must it be allowed to spin freely and most effectively. Therefore, the fan clutching must be sufficiently tight to prevent spinning unless it reaches its engagement temperature. It will struggle to cool the motor whenever it gets too hot if there is no resistance, which indicates that it has failed.

What are the Signs of Failure?

Engine Overheating

Engine excessive heat indicates a problem with the conditioning system, which could include but is not confined to fan clutching breakdown. Driving your car on a warm summer day till the temperature reading hits its ideal setting is the quickest approach to determine whether the fan clutching is to blame. Then keep driving while keeping an eye just on the indicator.

Park sensibly whenever the temperature rises over the typical range and leave the vehicle to rest. Pop the bonnet and check to see if the fan is rotating. Whether you have previously suffered overheating and the fan isn’t spinning, it is evident that the fan clutching has collapsed.

Intermittent Fan Activation

The viscous liquid powers the fan section of the mechanical clutching by causing friction between the two parts. But, as the bi-metallic plate breaks down, it could suddenly shut and open, enabling the fan to operate and malfunction due to a shortage of fluid occasionally. The issue may produce several odd sounds, the most noticeable being the fan’s audible winching down and speeding. The only way to fix the problem is to replace the fan clutch.

Fan Move Freely 

The fan may be manually adjusted but cannot get turned up while the clutching is cold. The mechanism provides sufficient resistance to permit fan movement without causing it to spool up in response to airflow. The fan clutching has collapsed and will require to be examined and changed if you can spin it quickly. It keeps spinning without abruptly decelerating.

Fixing Fan Clutch

Servicing a fan clutching is critical since it keeps your automobile operating for an extended period. If your fan clutching is damaged and you are wondering whether it should a fan clutch spin freely when hot, you have two options: substitute it or attempt a workaround if you’re on the roadways.

Temporary Fix 

A tire stopper, masking tape, and a tubing clamp get required for it. Put the tire connector into the tiny space between the nuts holding the clutching together. Then, duct tape the rubber plug to ensure it gets securely fastened. Lastly, secure them with a tubing clamp to ensure the rubber plug remains in place when the tire spins. It must not be a long-term solution because it needs you to travel more slowly so the rubber plug will not melt and there is less spin per min.

Fan Clutch Replacement

To expose the fan clutching, you must first remove the air filtering and the piping from its head. After that gets finished, you must grab a wrench to remove the bolt holding the fan clutching to your car. Consider using your new fan clutching if you’re finding the way to turn your wrench challenging.

However, you must first use a ratcheting to turn one of the pulleys to release the belt gripping the clutching. The belting frame should then be detached from the clutching using the wrench. After that, you could use a twist to disconnect the clutching, swap out the old clutch for the replacement one, and afterward reinstall it.

Bottom Line

When a fan clutching works correctly, it must encounter sufficient resistance to prevent it from rotating freely in chilly or warm conditions. Anytime the fan clutch spins smoothly with little effort, irrespective of temperature, that indicates a faulty fan clutching.

You May Also Like

• The Car Keeps Dying Battery and Alternator are Good: Why?
• Will Disconnecting Battery Reset Airbag Light? – Guide