Clutch fan

[clemsonteg]

Is a clutch fan supposed to lock up, or does it only get harder to turn? I put in a new clutch and 7 blade fan to replace my old 4 blade clutch less fan. I also replaced the radiator and the water pump and the truck seems to run at it's normal temp for the most part, but it will spike to around the center of the gauge and return back again. The fan was the only part that I could think would possibly be an issue.

[MagmaJct]

Check your coolant level? My gauge will behave in this manner if the level gets low. I'd imagine this is more of a coolant or thermostat issue more than a fan issue.

Does this happen during stop & go driving or highway?

Regards,
Mike

[clemsonteg]

I just replaced the coolant this morning, so it's possible I still have some air in the system.

It actually seems to act fine in stop and go traffic. It's when I'm running at a maintained speed that it acts up. Kind of opposite that I would expect.

[Stocker]

May be some info here will help... http://www.aa1car.com/library/cooling_fan_clutch.htm

[clemsonteg]

Originally Posted by Stocker

May be some info here will help... http://www.aa1car.com/library/cooling_fan_clutch.htm

Thanks! That is helpful. It is a new fan clutch, but parts these days are hit or miss. Sounds like the clutch is working fine. My weird cooling problem may be related to a bubble in the cooling system

[1968aj]

could be your thermostat sticking. I just had same problem. I went with a 160 degree thermostat.

[clemsonteg]

Originally Posted by 1968aj

could be your thermostat sticking. I just had same problem. I went with a 160 degree thermostat.

Possibly. Although it was working fine a few weeks ago before I replaced everything and the thermostat is fairly new, maybe a year old.

[MagmaJct]

Originally Posted by 1968aj

could be your thermostat sticking. I just had same problem. I went with a 160 degree thermostat.

I've never experienced this. But that isn't to say it can't happen. It sort of makes sense if you think about it logically. If it sticks closed, and continues to heat up, the opening force will continue to increase until it "pops" open.

I have seen thermostats fail open, twice. One of them was designed to fail open, unfortunately. I say unfortunately, because that version doesn't really fail open, instead it has a ratcheting mechanism that locks it open if the temperature reaches a certain level. If you find yourself pulling a mountain in the middle of summer your engine temp may go higher than "normal" and lock the thermostat open. Now you have to pull the thermostat for a one off event. But, I digress.

If your thermostat is bad, there's no need to go with a cooler one. Just replace it with a like temperature part.

Regards,
Mike

[cdowns]

if it is just getting hot to the center of the gauge setting that is a completely normal good operating range to b at nuttin to worry about not worth the effort to discuss

[clemsonteg]

Originally Posted by cdowns

if it is just getting hot to the center of the gauge setting that is a completely normal good operating range to b at nuttin to worry about not worth the effort to discuss

It's hard to tell with no numbers! In the past the gauge would only get to the first hash mark on the gauge. That was with a clutch less fan too. I believe things are running more efficiently now.