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fan clutch? is it necessary???

  • Thread starter Thread starter deftsound
  • Start date Start date Oct 8, 2004
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deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost
Apr 6, 2004
945
1
39
Texas City TX
Oct 8, 2004
#1
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #1
hey guys i just have a quick question, my car does not have a fan clutch, it never did have one when i bought it, right now it just has a spacer and no clutch, so the fan turns at a continuous speed the whole time. My question is, how much hp am i losing by not having a fan clutch, and two, is it really necessary to have a fan clutch?
 

bmorrisj

Member
Sep 26, 2003
449
0
17
Buena Park, CA
Oct 8, 2004
#2
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #2
well with the fan clutch the fan will spin loosely and leech less while the engine is cool/cold or your at speed on the freeway without your foot in it...
 
V

v8only

Active Member
Jul 3, 2003
2,378
22
49
Oct 8, 2004
#3
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #3
you're gonna be losing a decent amount of power. just recently, my brothers fan clutch started to fail on him, and completely lock up after 5 minutes of driving, even though the temp was cool. everytime it was locked up, it would considerably bog the engine down, it def was VERY noticable. Get yourself a fan clutch so it's not robbing your hp all the time. consider a good electric fan setup too.
 

Boss_Mustang_69

New Member
Oct 6, 2004
34
0
0
BC, Canada
Oct 8, 2004
#4
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #4
The difference in horespower will not be noticable, it can be fixed down the road, but don't stress about it. You would lose 5-8 hp tops, nothing that would even be apparent in a quick race on the street.
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
6
79
Charlotte, NC
Oct 8, 2004
#5
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #5
I see it differently - even with the thermal clutch, the mechanical fan robs 5-8 HP. With no clutch to limit things, if it has the stock fan on it (are you sure someone didn't put a 'flex-a-lite' fan on it - those require removing the clutch) and it's spinning at engine speed, I'd bet it takes a good 12-15HP to turn it at 5000 rpm - and most of that wasted. If it's a stock fan, get a clutch, or switch to electric fan.
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
33
129
Oct 8, 2004
#6
  • Oct 8, 2004
  • #6
nicely put Michael.

Deft, if it is hot in your neck of Texas, get a proper fan clutch (I recommend the HD units). you should notice a nice difference.

good luck.
 

HardmanGT

Founding Member
Oct 5, 2001
500
0
17
Thomaston, CT
Oct 9, 2004
#7
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #7
I once swapped a Flex O Lite fan into my 90GT. A very noticable drop in power. That thing was outta there after a week. I went with a Black Magic electric after that. Quicker warm up and more power. The car was also quieter and felt smoother, too.
 
R

racerraj

Founding Member
Dec 17, 2001
493
32
39
Dickson, TN
Oct 9, 2004
#8
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #8
I noticied a seat of the pants difference going from a working clutch fan to a electric fan. Without the clutch, I would think the higher the rpm, the more power you are losing.

Go electric, maybe a Taurus 3.8 fan with a DCCONTROL fan controller.

Roger
 

87TTopGT

New Member
Dec 21, 2003
173
1
0
Oct 9, 2004
#9
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #9
The fan doesn't turn at constant speed, it varies directly with engine speed because it is driven by pulleys connected to the crank. My fan clutch went out on me a few months ago, and when I would wind out the RPMs that damn fan sounded like a 747 taking off! Replaced it with a Taurus 3.8 electric and it made a very noticeable difference. Feels like it revs much quicker and better throttle response. Cleans up the engine bay nicely, too.
 

PNY PWR

New Member
Jul 23, 2004
522
0
0
Wichita, KS
Oct 9, 2004
#10
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #10
I tried a flex fan once, it killed the power big time. If it's a stock fan mounted direct then that's really killing it. Go with an electric fan, might as well free up power that's already there.
 

Turbo6

New Member
Sep 17, 2004
15
0
0
Oct 9, 2004
#11
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #11
You might want to look into a "police service" fan clutch as an upgrade although at $100 or so the money may be better spent on an electric fan set up. I put a cheapo parts store clutch on mine and two years later when I sold the car it was still going strong.....
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
6
79
Charlotte, NC
Oct 9, 2004
#12
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #12
"I would think the higher the rpm, the more power you are losing. " Correctomundo.
 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost
Apr 6, 2004
945
1
39
Texas City TX
Oct 9, 2004
#13
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #13
no its not a stock fan, not sure what kind but i know its not stock, its a 6 blade. Yea those fan clutches arent cheap, i guess i mine as well just use that money and save up for an electric fan, my only qustion is how would you wire an electric fan? Id have no idea how to set it up...
 

latham83

New Member
Jul 24, 2003
496
0
0
Oct 9, 2004
#14
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #14
yea dude i think i wasted my money on a HD fan clutch..i dunno everyone said it should be impossible to spin after its hot? should it? when i shut off my car its not like extremely loose but u can turn it easy..and when its cold its like harder to spin?? wtf....i spent like 80 dollars on that..and 40 on the stupid fan blades..ugh...
 

Look Its Aaron

Your car looks like it came straight from Mexico.
Founding Member
Nov 18, 2001
2,634
0
48
Fontana, Cali
Oct 9, 2004
#15
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #15
Boss_Mustang_69 said:
The difference in horespower will not be noticable, it can be fixed down the road, but don't stress about it. You would lose 5-8 hp tops, nothing that would even be apparent in a quick race on the street.
Click to expand...


Hey not to sound like a prick dude, but I have had that Avatar since I registered here. (November 2001), and right now I got really ****ing confused saying to myself "when they hell did post this crap?"

I'd appreciate it if you changed it.

thanks.
 

Look Its Aaron

Your car looks like it came straight from Mexico.
Founding Member
Nov 18, 2001
2,634
0
48
Fontana, Cali
Oct 9, 2004
#16
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #16
your probably have a flex fan. I have one as well. Will ditch it later for an electric set up.
 

latham83

New Member
Jul 24, 2003
496
0
0
Oct 9, 2004
#17
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #17
well also when my car was geting dynoed he didnt like that while it was idling there it was hitting 195,205...so he told me a trick to do is get a water pump pulley from a 93 Cobra..it is smaller..and spins the water pump faster..so i ordered one from ford..like 25 bucks..think it will work?
 

Look Its Aaron

Your car looks like it came straight from Mexico.
Founding Member
Nov 18, 2001
2,634
0
48
Fontana, Cali
Oct 9, 2004
#18
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #18
uhm, if the water pump pully is smaller wouldn';t the water pump turn slower?

If you go to get a set of underdrive pullies, the water pump is actually an over drive pulley, it is larger than stock.
 

latham83

New Member
Jul 24, 2003
496
0
0
Oct 9, 2004
#19
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #19
lol no...go tell that to the guys that sponsor pro charger and win drag champonships cause one of them just told me it was a good trick for cooling...in person
 

latham83

New Member
Jul 24, 2003
496
0
0
Oct 9, 2004
#20
  • Oct 9, 2004
  • #20
think about physics dude...its just like when you get big mudder tires on ur truck...the gauge reads different than what ur acutally going...the bigger the wheel.the long time its going to take to spin that thing...if it didnt even have a pully and the belt sat directly onto a shaft, it would be a direct spin.
 
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