Thermal Fan Clutch

[texasmike]

Quick question: when the engine is shut off and the fan is still turning, does that indicate the clutch is bad and needs to be replaced?

 

[Bextreme04]

You should feel resistance when trying to turn the fan with the engine off. It should continue to rotate for a short while after engine shutoff. If it won't turn at all when the engine is cold... it is bad. If it turns very easily(freely) when the engine is off and cold... it is bad.

 

[WP29P4A]

I learned the wrong way to test a fan clutch when I was 16. I was cruising Van Nuys Blvd and the car was over heating. We stopped at a 7/11 to check under the hood. As I was looking for anything out of place I noticed the fan didn't look like it was spinning properly, I reached out and grabbed it with my hand, it stopped immediately with out removing fingers. After talking with several mechanics I learned there are safer ways to test a fan clutch.

 

[Matt69olds]

The fan will spin just a little when you shut off the engine. The clutch doesn’t engage until the airflow thru the radiator gets warm enough.

You can test fan function pretty easily. Throw a heavy blanket over the grille, the idea is to restrict airflow thru the radiator. Start the engine, hold the engine at a elevated speed. Watch the temp gauge, don’t overheat the engine. After a while, there should be a very noticeable increase in airflow, along with a loud roaring noise. Once you notice the fan noise/airflow, let the engine idle a d remove the blanket. After several minutes, the noise should stop, along with the airflow.