The fan clutch is an automatic device that is frequently used in a vehicle’s cooling system. Thus, when the engine is cool or even when it is at a normal operating temperature, the fan clutch will disengage the engine’s radiator cooling fan to a certain degree (which is mechanically compelled). This is typically found at the front of the water pump and it is driven by a belt and pulley that is attached to the engine’s crankshaft. This process will then save power because the engine will not have to completely drive the fan. But, if the engine’s temperature gets hotter than what the settings for the clutch are, the fan will then become fully engaged; this will then uphold or even lower the temperature of the engine.
You will find that most fan clutches are viscous or ‘fluid’, which is the internal friction of the fluid that is made by movement of its molecules against each other. It is what causes the fluid to resist flowing. Couplings that are fitted with a bi-metallic which is a strip that is used to convert a temperature change into mechanical displacement and it typically consists of two layers of copper and iron sensory systems that are similar to that in a thermostat.
Sometimes fan clutches will fail on you but they are usually quite dependable so this does not frequently happen. You will find though that a common indication of the clutch fan failure is the car overheating whilst idling. If you have a bad fan clutch, it can also cause very poor performance in the vehicle’s air conditioning system. The reason for this is due to the fan cooling the air conditioner’s condenser and that is found right in front of the radiator. The other possible symptom if the fan clutch fails is that it will draw the air at a very high rate, so in the cold weather the heating system will blow out lukewarm air and it will not ever supply hot air sufficiently.
It is best to leave the replacing of the fan clutch up to a professional mechanic, unless of course you know exactly what you are doing. But if you are finding that the vehicle is adequate on the highway, yet when you are in traffic or you are stuck at a red light and the heat gauge goes up instantly and gets too hot, then it may be time for you to get it changed.
If you are in need of fan clutches of the best quality at a reasonable price then please feel free to contact Universal Coolers for more information.
