Fan Spins Freely..Fan Clutch bad?

[4Jenna]

I was messing with my 89' today and for some reason decided to spin the fan (car was off)...well she spun as free as the elec fan on my 95. Now with the stock fan clutch setup...should there be some kinda tension on the fan?
Just wondering if my fan clutch is going out.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Mustang5L5]

Yup it's gone. Time to replace it.

It should stop almost immediately after you let it go....especially if it's warm

 

[PNY PWR]

It's probably gone. It should be thermal meaning it will engage more when it heats up. If the engines has been run to temp. and it still spins like that then it's toasted. I'd go electric, Your plastic fan is more than likely cracking and by the time you buy a good clutch and the fan you can throw on a good electric fan.

 

[4Jenna]

thanks guys...gonna go warm it up and try it

 

[4Jenna]

There ALOT more tension when warmed up. I spin it hard and then it slows to a stop...not free spinning like when cold.
HMMMMMMMM

 

[PNY PWR]

It still shouldn't spin that freely cool, I don't think. Cool it should maybe spin 1/2 turn after you let it go.

 

[Mustang5L5]

There ALOT more tension when warmed up. I spin it hard and then it slows to a stop...not free spinning like when cold.
HMMMMMMMM

That's how it should work, but how long does it spin when you let it go? It should stop almost instantly. Maybe make a 1/4 turn at most.

 

[4Jenna]

like a 1/4 to a 1/2 it spins hot
Cool it spins like more than 1 revolution

 

[88stangmangt]

all sounds fine to me...........^^^

 

[maverick0716]

I still think the fan is on it's way out. When mine is cold it spins about 1/2 turn.

 

[JB66]

Does anyone have the "cold fan freespin by hand revolutions" specification? If it's cooling the car, don't worry about it. When it's not sufficient to keep the temp. down anymore, replace it.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Does anyone have the "cold fan freespin by hand revolutions" specification? If it's cooling the car, don't worry about it. When it's not sufficient to keep the temp. down anymore, replace it.

Mine will freespin when cold like its on bearings. I'm talking 8-10 full revolutions. Flex fan cured my overheating until I can upgrade the alternator for an electric.

 

[HISSIN50]

Does anyone have the "cold fan freespin by hand revolutions" specification? If it's cooling the car, don't worry about it. When it's not sufficient to keep the temp. down anymore, replace it.

the problem is that it would be hard to articulate how hard to spin the fan for the test.

at best, most clutch fans lose a few hundred rpm a year. a lot of these clutches are oem = lots of lost rpm.

 

[1hot5.0]

Yea Chris, I am pretty sure that it is on it's way out. I had this same problem when I had my 91, so I decided to replace it.

Once I replaced it, it only turned about 1/4 of the way when cold, as well as hot. My vote, I would replace it. Also, does your car heat up alot when you are doing stop and go driving?

 

[Ray III]

lot of BS in this thread...

Normally functioning viscous coupling fans are like this: (END OF DISCUSSION)

When they have not been in use for a while, they will be stiff. They turn with little effort, but wilol not spin freely.

When exercised either by yanking the fan back and forth by hand for awhile, or starting the cold engine and allowing to idle a few minutes, they will freewheel as if spinning loosely on a shaft.

When the clutch housing warms up, it will gradually increase the resistance to fan motion independent of the driven shaft in proportion to the temperature. An engine running above normal operating temperature just prior to shutdown will have a very stiff fan.

Under no circumstance should the fan exceed 80% of engine RPM at maximum throttle.