replace fan clutch because of a noise?

Already got it replaced ($250) on my truck (which has about 90k miles), but what's "haunting" me is should you replace things like that just because they make a squealing/screeching/.... noise? At the time, i just listened to the mechanic who said i should replace it (because "bad things can happen if it dies..."), and he said it couldn't be fixed because it's a "sealed" part. The noise wasn't so loud as to really annoy me, but it was fairly noisy. But who knows if a noise like that is really a predictor of failure...is it like a 3- fold risk of breaking down within a year, or what? It seemed to definitely be the fan clutch making the noise, since when he twirled it around with his hand, with the engine off, it made the noise .

Now that it's "fixed", the truck has a new "feature" (that i've read about...other people seem to have this problem).....The first mile of driving (at under 30 mph) has that roaring sound....and the truck never did this before....but from what i've read, that's not really a mechanical problem, just a "feature" of some of the cooling fans.

p.s. i also replaced the serp. belt (after only about 12-13000 miles (but 3 years), because it looked a little bit glazed (and some people said it looked almost already to replace). .

Reply to
mac
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If it was screeching and making funny noises I would change it without question. Ever see what happens when fan clutch fails catastrophically! I saw one come apart and take out the radiator and water pump! As for the roar, it is normal. I think they do it until the clutch warms up a bit. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

Your "roaring" fan clutch is working as designed. Never was sure why they designed em that way. Serpintine belt .. My"glazed" belt has

210k miles on it. I carry a spare, just in case.

"Leroy"

Reply to
Leroy

I also drove mine for 90+K miles and had to replace the fan clutch, and now, anytime it's under 1500 RPM starting out it makes that JET Noise.

The chap that replaced it for me replaced that clutch with another and it does the same - it's like it doesn't kick out in time. It takes longer to kick out when cold.

Reply to
Leythos

i currently have four dodge trucks on the road. two dakotas and two full size rams. all have seen at least one fan clutch. the low speed roar is quite normal. that means it is doing its job and bowing air like crazy.

my personal work truck is a 97 ram 4x4 w/360 and has 260k miles. it is on it 4th fan clutch. this truck runs almost all day during the summer. i go from job to job and am usually out of the truck for 10 to 20 minutes then back in. rather than having to let the a/c have to start the cooling process over and over. (i wanna be cool when i am driving) i just let the thing idle while i am out of it. many days it will run all day in the georgia hot sun alternating from idling 20 minutes at a time to driving for about the same. that is tough on the fan clutch but replacing it is better than the truck overheating or me. michael

Reply to
nunya

OK, I agree the roaring is normal. So, during those 90000 miles, when the first/original fan clutch never did that, it obviously was abnormal the whole time. I wonder if that's at all related to (a cause of) the squeaking noise it developed, which led me to replace it (and now i have the normal roaring).

Reply to
mac

the fan clutch is a high wear item. grab ahold of the blades every once in a while and see if there is any wiggle. if so it is a sure sign of clutch wear or waterpump wear. when it starts squeking just go ahead and replace it. very cheap insurance that keeps your truck from overheating. michael

Reply to
nunya

The first 5 years I drove my truck it never made that sound - was new from the dealer, so I can't believe that the ROAR is normal. I can believe that we've come to accept the ROAR as Dodge is not doing anything to correct it, but, I can't accept that it's NORMAL for a properly designed fan system.

Reply to
Leythos

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