Quote:
Originally Posted by gamefreakgc
Don't go e-fan unless you have a reason to, this is coming from an e-fan user. It makes the system more complicated. Mechanical fan will always work, even if the clutch seizes it will still work great just always be on lol.
Were you planning on doing the timing belt anyway or are you doing the timing belt because you figured on changing the water pump, which you figured on changing because of the overheating issue? If you are, start with just the radiator and hoses and see if that's all it was. Changing out a radiator is waaaay easier than an entire timing belt change.
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Well, fan clutches don't just fail one way. They can like you said stay locked up and lower your fuel efficiency but they can also fail to lock up when your engine reaches the magic temperature. The fan looks like it's spinning effectively but it really isn't. When the fan clutch fully locks up, it should be turning at the same rpms as the engine. When it's not locked or not fully locked, it's turning slower than the engine.
A bad fan clutch failing to lock up like it's suppose to has quite often been the culprit of why an engine overheats especially when the vehicle is stopped or not moving fast. When the vehicle is moving at a decent speed, air is being forced through the cooling fins of the radiator and the effectiveness of this cooling is directly related to the ambient air temperature. Basically, your engine is going to run hotter in 100 degree temps as compared to 70 degree temps. When you come to a stop, you no longer have air being forced through the cooling fins of the radiator. The only thing helping with the cooling at a stop or at a crawling speed is the fan clutch pulling air through the cooling fins. If the fan clutch isn't locking up like it's suppose to, the engine will overheat.
Here's a couple videos that explain very well how a fan clutch works:
YouTube
YouTube