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Greeno
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
14:33:52
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 Subject: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
I've noticed that my clutch fan almost never locks up and does any cooling work. On the 2000 4.7L's, when does the clutch fan lock up and cool the engine? I've only witnessed the elecric fan coming on at about 210 degrees and the clutch slipping and moving slow at idle. And when I revved the engine at idle, the clutch fan still doesn't move any faster. Whats the deal?
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jjj
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
22:57:14
|  RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
Does it lock up some when you first start the engine cold? If not it may be shot.
Otherwise they don't lock up till I think 230 or so. It is pretty hot but the stock electric is good enough for most cooling needs.
Jeff
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handi2
GenIII
8/11/2002
22:58:10
|  RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
The clutch fan should definately be locking up going by the info you gave. It must be bad.
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dragrdan
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
23:39:35
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
there are two types of clutch fans and im not sure which kind your truck has so ill explain both.
speed operated- at lower engine speeds the fan spins more closely to engine speed and slips more at higher engine speed. theory being the vehicle needs more air drawn throught the radiator at those times than cruising down the road or highway when air is forced through the radiator naturally.
thermostatic(temperature) operated- the clutch "senses" underhood temperatures and grabs more at high temperature to pull more air through the radiator and cool it down. these typically have a little bi-metallic spring on the front of the clutch(looks like a clock spring).
btw, the clutch fans never truly lock up(unless they've gone bad) but you can test their operation pretty easily with a piece of chalk and a timing light. mark the water pump pulley, and one of the fan blades. hook up the timing light normally and flash the light at the marks. the strobe effect from the timing light lets you compare the rotation of the two.
to free up some hp, remove it completely and let the electric fan handle the cooling chores.
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dragrdan
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
23:41:21
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
just for clarification the fans dont lock up just slip more or less.
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Greeno
Dodge Dakota
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8/12/2002
17:45:35
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
I know it works first thing in the morning. I hear it. But besides that, it moves slower than engine speed at idle, like you could almost touch it and stop it. The only air being pulled to the engine is from the electric at around 210 degrees. Should I have the dealer check it on the next oil change??
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FredDQC
Dodge Dakota
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8/12/2002
18:04:58
|  RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
If your fan clutch would lock up, you would have a noisy truck. I have done that as a last resort when my fan clutch went out and the replacement part was due two weeks from then. it was a grand marquis.I took it to a small muffler place and asked the guy to weld the clutch to the shaft(lock up).I tell you that thing was noisy. everytime a will step on the gas, it sounded like if Iwas driving next to the airport and a jet was taking off. So really you don't want your clutch to lock up and they don't. Of course unless you do what I did. What you should do is to check for leaks in the clutch area(thick oil) or check the temp coil infront of the clutch. Which ever you have.
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Demon-Xanth
Dodge Dakota
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8/13/2002
10:40:46
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
I strongly advise against locking the clutch fan. A mechanic did effectively that (removed the clutch entirely) on my dad's '78 GMC pickup. Fans don't take rapid acceleration and decelleration well, they like to go at a constant speed. Long story short, the fan hit the sh1t :)
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Texas Todd
Dodge Dakota
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8/13/2002
11:02:16
|  RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
Gewt rid of it! Belt fan? We don't need no stinkin belt fan!
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Greeno
Dodge Dakota
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8/15/2002
20:36:43
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
Ok, that still didn't answer my question about when it's supposed to lock up normally. At what temp?
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jjj
Dodge Dakota
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8/16/2002
20:48:19
| RE: Does the clutch fan ever lock up??
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Message:
Greeno,
I told ya it is 230 or above, it is thermostatic. How do I know how hot? Cause I put one on my 99 Dak and found out. There may be some variance as they are not precision instruments. But it isn't supposed to lock during normal operation only if it get very hot. That way people aren't whining like they did with the older one. You know where they locked up at around 210 or so. And yet it will lock pretty solid so keep your fingers away. If you really want to find out disconnect the electric and when it gets hot enough it'll lock. If you want you engine that hot.
Jeff
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