Roaring clutch fan when cold?

[Mkt1]

Hey guys quick question. I have a 2007 Lincoln Navigator with 160k miles. Vehicle would start overheating when idling then AC would blow warm. I bought a new clutch fan from Amazon. The manufacture was GMB for $127. The overheating stopped but the issue is I hear that loud roar every time It takes off in first gear then goes away. It happens wether the engine is cold or warmed up. Is this normal or should I replace it with a more expensive one or oem. I don't remember it doing that before, but the clutch fan has been acting up for a while.

 

[Barjrob1972]

Nope. That's normal.

 

[Habbibie]

Nope. That's normal.

I don't recal that as being normal, what you're referring to is the loud roar upon starting the engine I think but while in gear it shouldn't act that way, I'm not sure what is the exact cause of that but maybe someone who has experienced this can chime in.

 

[ExplorerTom]

I replaced what I can only imagine was the factory fan clutch at 16 years and 190,000 miles. I didn't have any overheating concerns. The old clutch probably worked but I never heard it. I replaced it with a severe duty clutch. Now the clutch is engaged at the beginning of every cold start. It goes away once I get above about 30 mph. And then if it heats up over 200, the clutch will be heard again at speeds under 30 mph.

I read somewhere that the average fan clutch loses 100 RPM per year. If that's true, and was down 1600 RPM.

 

[Barjrob1972]

I'm not going to type up an explanation of how a viscous clutch works as there is plenty of information out there already but what is being described is normal operation, particularly when they are new. It should be stiff to turn by hand and it should sound, usually but not necessarily every time, like a jet engine when you first increase the RPM's of the engine. They have worked this way forever. They are at a 1:1 ratio until the fluid settles and then it will decouple. If the bi-metal spring gets heated, it will open the fluid reservoir and re-couple the fan to the clutch causing the fan to roar again. Although it can be parasitic to HP and TQ when coupled, it's probably the best engine cooling fan out there pulling upwards to 10,000 CFM of air. It sounds like the OP installed a heavy duty fan clutch particularly giving the price that was paid.

 

[Big Brian]

another quick test is after the engine is completely warmed up, have a helper shut off the motor as you watch the fan. It should stop with the engine, if it continues to turn then its wearing out

 

[Mkt1]

Barjrob you explain it exactly right. We bought the vehicle brand new and I don't ever recall ever being that loud. Wondering being an aftermarket part would it be different from oem. Hopefully it does quite it down over time. I did recheck the part# and didn't say anything about being a heavy duty clutch fan. If it was me I would leave it alone but it's for the wife so I'm stuck lol

 

[stamp11127]

Well consider where you live and the summer temps. You have a fan clutch that "tells" you it is working at every engine start. Tell her to worry when she no longer hears it....

 

[Barjrob1972]

Barjrob you explain it exactly right. We bought the vehicle brand new and I don't ever recall ever being that loud. Wondering being an aftermarket part would it be different from oem. Hopefully it does quite it down over time. I did recheck the part# and didn't say anything about being a heavy duty clutch fan. If it was me I would leave it alone but it's for the wife so I'm stuck lol

So, I looked up what you bought based on your post and what I'm describing is an old school mechanical fan clutch which, from description only, is working as it should or at least as all mechanical fan clutches I've ever had dealings with have operated. It would seem yours is an electronic viscous clutch so maybe there is a sensor involved that's not working properly? At this point, I'm not sure. Regardless, I did find this video. It seems it works on a PWM and electronically controls the viscous fluid.

 

[lbv150]

I only buy OEM fan clutches or any other parts if I can including brake pads.

 

[ParadiseComputer]

Just had clutch fan replaced in my 97 expedition 2 days ago. Very loud on startup, and 1st gear as well. Did you have any issues with high rpm and trouble with tranny shifting out of first gear? My truck seems like it's losing power and has no acceleration from dead stop until it finally gets out of first around 3500-4000 rpm. Also had radiator replaced at same time clutch fan was installed.

 

[ExplorerTom]

While the clutch fan is engaged, yes. Mine is sluggish. But as soon as I speed up past 30-35, it goes away until it heats up enough to re-engage. Only an issue on that initial cold start and up to 30-35 (get out on the main road).

 

[ParadiseComputer]

I finally found what was causing my fan clutch to ROAR, and trouble with high RPM and shifting.

I should have checked this first instead of messing with TPS, Tranny Module, and testing every other control module. Anyway, I just had my radiator replaced on 5/8/17, and they put in a new fan clutch at the same time. I got it back from the shop, and the damn thing sounded like a 747 aircraft ready for takeoff. I ASS-U-MEd that the shop knew what they were doing, and the guy told me it was just loud because it was a new fan clutch, and that's how it's supposed to sound.....but, no dude..I don't buy that for a second. After checking everything else I could think of I just said why not, (5/14/17 @ midnight...) took everything apart again, and pulled back the fan housing.....sure enough spiral thingymajigg freeballin' just hangin' out. They didn't insert the end of the temperature sensitive spiral into the slot on the front of the new clutch, so it was just running fan wide open with no clutch action at all. I pulled it over and into position, put everything back together, started her up...problem solved. Then drove it back to shop on 5/16/17 and made them put a new fan clutch in.

 

[ParadiseComputer]

Pictures...ahh on my phone...will update shortly.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

I finally found what was causing my fan clutch to ROAR, and trouble with high RPM and shifting.

I should have checked this first instead of messing with TPS, Tranny Module, and testing every other control module. Anyway, I just had my radiator replaced on 5/8/17, and they put in a new fan clutch at the same time. I got it back from the shop, and the damn thing sounded like a 747 aircraft ready for takeoff. I ASS-U-MEd that the shop knew what they were doing, and the guy told me it was just loud because it was a new fan clutch, and that's how it's supposed to sound.....but, no dude..I don't buy that for a second. After checking everything else I could think of I just said why not, (5/14/17 @ midnight...) took everything apart again, and pulled back the fan housing.....sure enough spiral thingymajigg freeballin' just hangin' out. They didn't insert the end of the temperature sensitive spiral into the slot on the front of the new clutch, so it was just running fan wide open with no clutch action at all. I pulled it over and into position, put everything back together, started her up...problem solved. Then drove it back to shop on 5/16/17 and made them put a new fan clutch in.

Glad you solved the problem. Did they give you any trouble about installing the new fan clutch?

 

[ParadiseComputer]

Glad you solved the problem. Did they give you any trouble about installing the new fan clutch?

At first, they didn't want to warranty the work since I worked on it instead of taking it straight back. I took lots of pictures, and video though so they decided it would be better for them to just do it rather than get a bad rep online...not that I would go out of my way to discredit their business, but better safe than sorry.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

At first, they didn't want to warranty the work since I worked on it instead of taking it straight back. I took lots of pictures, and video though so they decided it would be better for them to just do it rather than get a bad rep online...not that I would go out of my way to discredit their business, but better safe than sorry.

I don't mind paying professionals to do the work but I do insist they do it correctly. I could screw it up on my own so why pay them? As I have gotten older, there is less and less work that I want to do on my vehicles, but I have done enough work over the years to know what the hell I'm talking about so it really ****** me off when someone tries to act like I don't know what I'm talking about. In your case you clearly had enough evidence to prove what you were saying. Glad it worked out!

 

[ParadiseComputer]

I don't mind paying professionals to do the work but I do insist they do it correctly.

Exactly! ...and here we go again. To make long story short...installed HID ballasts, and bulbs for projector housing (low beams), but then high beams quit working...was tracing down wires tonight to run new circuit with relay to get high beams functional to pass inspection tomorrow. Anyway, in the process of doing this I noticed some white repair tape on my lower end coolant hose where it connects to the radiator.

Remember, this whole ordeal started with getting the radiator replaced in the first place. On my bill for the work done, I was charged for new upper and lower coolant lines. Apparently what that really means is "We put a new line up top, and then Eff'd up your lower line when we cut it off the old radiator because we didn't take the time to read the tag that says pull tab and twist. However, we wrapped some tape around it, and cleaned it with windex." I would actually be ok with this if they had really wrapped it, but nah, they just had enough tape on hand to patch it a bit. Now I have a coolant leak on the lower end.

From top looking down.


From below looking up.

 

[ExpeditionAndy]

Exactly! ...and here we go again. To make long story short...installed HID ballasts, and bulbs for projector housing (low beams), but then high beams quit working...was tracing down wires tonight to run new circuit with relay to get high beams functional to pass inspection tomorrow. Anyway, in the process of doing this I noticed some white repair tape on my lower end coolant hose where it connects to the radiator.

Remember, this whole ordeal started with getting the radiator replaced in the first place. On my bill for the work done, I was charged for new upper and lower coolant lines. Apparently what that really means is "We put a new line up top, and then Eff'd up your lower line when we cut it off the old radiator because we didn't take the time to read the tag that says pull tab and twist. However, we wrapped some tape around it, and cleaned it with windex." I would actually be ok with this if they had really wrapped it, but nah, they just had enough tape on hand to patch it a bit. Now I have a coolant leak on the lower end.

From below looking up.
View attachment 20497

I think what you are looking at is a new hose with a loose clamp. The white that you see on the hose are the tags that the manufacturer puts on the hoses so they can be identified. Normally when the hose clamp is good and tight you see a little rubber sticking up through the drive slots in the clamp.