How does a torque limiting fan clutch work?

A torque-limiting fan clutch reacts to engine speed. A centrifugal valve opens to allow the flow of heavy silicone fluid, locking the fan blades to the pulley. At idle and low engine speeds, this fan clutch is fully engaged, gradually disengaging as engine speed increases.

What happens to the engine when the fan clutch fails?

As the fan clutch is one of the main cooling system components, it is very important to the proper operation of the engine. When it fails, the engine can be put at risk of serious damage due to overheating.

What to do if you have a bad fan clutch?

Raise the hood, with the engine off and cold. Reach in and spin the fan blade by hand. If it continues to spin freely for more than five turns with no signs of drag, you have a bad fan clutch.

What is an electric fan clutch?

The fan clutch is a cooling system component that controls the operation of the engine cooling fans. While many newer vehicles now use electric cooling fans to keep the engine cool, many older vehicles used a mechanical fan clutch to control the fans.

How can I tell if my car has a fan clutch?

If your car has a fan clutch, common signs include the vehicle overheating, the cooling fans working very loudly, or engine performance decreasing. 1. Vehicle overheating

How does a water pump fan clutch work?

The fan clutch is a thermostatic device, which means it operates based off temperature, and is usually mounted on the water pump, or another belt driven pulley. The fan clutch will spin loosely until the temperature reaches a certain level, at which point the fan clutch will fully engage…