Fan clutch stuck on...

[bergs]

Not going to be able to address it until next weekend (no replacement parts in hand). I really don't feel like listening to that damned thing for a week while my gas mileage gets killed.

I'm thinking I can remove it for now so long as I mind my coolant temp...?

What say the forum?

 

[TRDCal]

Not going to be able to address it until next weekend (no replacement parts in hand). I really don't feel like listening to that damned thing for a week while my gas mileage gets killed.

I'm thinking I can remove it for now so long as I mind my coolant temp...?

What say the forum?

Not sure If I'm re****ed for saying this or not, but I'll go ahead anyways.

You hear your fan running? And does it really effect mileage that much?

I've noticed it in my car (I realize its different since its an electric motor and not run by the engine) but I've never noticed it on the 4runner. Maybe I just listen to music too loud or the rumbling coming from my dual exhaust muffles the sound. Not sure but personally I wouldn't worry about it, next week will be here before you know it.

 

[Burt]

If I were in this situation, I would park it until being repaired on Monday. I think motoring extended miles with fan engaged may not be worth the risk of additional failures.

 

[settytb]

Personally i would rather take the mpg hit and know my engine is cool rather than taking it off and possibly overheating. I would leave it until you can replace the clutch.

 

[bergs]

Not sure If I'm re****ed for saying this or not, but I'll go ahead anyways.

You hear your fan running? And does it really effect mileage that much?

Yes I hear it and yes it has the potential to noticeably reduce MPG. I'll know for certain during my commute.

If I were in this situation, I would park it until being repaired on Monday. I think motoring extended miles with fan engaged may not be worth the risk of additional failures.

Parking it is not an option.

Personally i would rather take the mpg hit and know my engine is cool rather than taking it off and possibly overheating. I would leave it until you can replace the clutch.

I really didn't want to admit it to myself but this was pretty much what I was thinking from the time I noticed the issue until I posted.


Why does everything break all within a week of each other?

Dog tore himself open two days after having a lump removed resulting in a trip to the vet last Sunday.

The dishwasher broke. I replaced the heating element then it started leaking.

The chain brake on my saw busted right after I tested it and now my truck.

:bash:

LOL

Ahh fuggit!! I realize it could be a whole lot worse.

Thanks for the replies, all.

 

[MikeInNH]

You can probably drive it at highway speeds because the air at highway speeds will keep it cool. But driving around town or idling...no way.

 

[Sungod]

Sure you can remove it. It is really worth over heating your engine just to save a few cents worth of gas? As Mike stated at speed you will be fine, but stopping at a red light an you will see it rocket up in no time. There is no way I would take a chance with it. Just consider yourself lucky that yours locked up instead of like mine that stopped spinning.

 

[bergs]

I highly doubt the engine will overheat after sitting for one stop light during the winter and even less so with the cabin heat cranked up. Hell, even the '86 BMW I owned years ago would take several minutes before the needle creeped into the red (the fan would not engage at all) and that was during the summer. Regardless, I won't be removing it as I will have my replacement part tomorrow.


...and for those who are wondering, yes, the MPG drops off considerably (IMO) in this scenario. The computer was showing 19.9 in the driveway before I left for work this morning. That number ended up being 18.1 after a 53-mile highway commute at 60-ish....nevermind the noise above 2000 rpm....:nono:

 

[Sungod]

You can doubt whatever you want. It is your engine. When mine went out and seeing the temp fly up even with the heat on full, I figured it wasn't worth the risk. It doesn't take much heat to cause problems. No matter how cold it is, when your coolant isn't getting the air flow over the radiator it can't release the heat and pumps that heat back into the block. Not really sure why you would ask a question if you didn't want to hear the answer.

 

[bergs]

You don't have to get snippy.

The question was asked as a means to get opinions as well as garnering knowledge as to how robust the cooling system is.......that and seeing numerous grids of race bikes without cooling fans (and 1/4 of the radiator area compared to these 4Runners) all idling away during the race season waiting for a green flag and none of them steaming away into oblivion.

Didn't think the 4Runner was that sensitive when compared to other vehicles, hence my doubts that the duration of a stop light will give the engine enough time to overtemp, but apparently it is.

 

[corrado]

Interesting, I thought the fan always ran. I hear mine on startup, and can't remember ever seeing it stopped in the bay. guess my clutch is fried too...

 

[bergs]

The fan will typically always spin due to bearing friction.

With the exception of bearing friction, the fan assembly freewheels on the clutch assembly until heat causes the clutch to lock the fan to the rest of the rotating assembly. When the heat has been reduced to the point where the clutch unlocks the fan returns to freewheeling.

The bearing on mine went south and that's why it's on "perma-spin".

When the engine is cold you should be able to easily spin the fan by hand. When you start up the (cold) engine you should be able to relatively easily stop the fan with your hand.

 

[aha2988]

you should be able to relatively easily stop the fan with your hand.

I've done a lot of mechanics in the past but i have to say this is one thing i would never do.. if you want to make sure your clutch fan free wheels spin it with the engine OFF!!

also you shouldn't run into any problems if you ever had to run with the clutch fan always spinning just dont neglect it for hundreds of miles, if the rollers in the bearings allow play on the fanged shaft that bolts to the water pump pulley the fan blade can begin to wobble into things such as that big radiator hose that's ever so close to the fan blades.

 

[bergs]

I've done a lot of mechanics in the past but i have to say this is one thing i would never do...

Well luckily I have some idea as to what I'm doing and even luckier to be alive with all 8 1/2 fingers to tell you about it.

:wink2: