when should my clutch fan engage?????

[richardkeith97]

i'm trying to figure out why my car is overheating when its not moving. when should mthe fan start? where should the needle be on the gauge? it was at half way and the fan still wasn't on.

[jlevie]

The fan clutch should engage when the radiator is hot. The test for the fan clutch is to drag a rolled up newspaper against the fan blade tips while the engine is idling. With the engine and radiator cold the fan should be easy to stop. With the engine and radiator hot (gage at or near 12 o'clock) it should be hard to stop the fan.

[richardkeith97]

the gauge is a little past 1/2 right now and its still easy to stop the fan..... i need a clutch fan?

[jlevie]

It isn't so much what the gage reads as how hot the radiator is. If the car has been driven for a while at low speeds, the radiator should be hot and the test will be meaningful.

[be34st]

If your car is overheating when stationary but not while its moving it's most likely your fan clutch. (have you bled the system already?)

If your gauge is past halfway and your radiator should be plenty hot and your fan clutch should be engaged.

If it's still easy to stop your fan using the test jlevie posted earlier then you definitely need a new fan clutch.

[richardkeith97]

ya i bled the system a few times. like the last 3 days when i get home i park it on a hill and wait for it to cool down then undo the bleeded. i saw like 1 bubble today so i think its allset. i got clutch fan so i'm hoping that it does the trick. also got a new switch for the electic fan. sometimes it will turn on but doesn't stay on. it will just turn on for like 10 sec then shut off. then turn on randomly again for another 10 sec.