clutch fan, cooling, flow problems - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

azzli · 01-05-2006, 07:46 PM

i need help. before i start replacing things that aren't broken, i wanted to see if anyone could help figure this out.
i was driving when i noticed a squeal from one of my belts above 2500 rpm. the belts were just replaced this summer, they are still tight. i turned all electric off, lights, stereo, heat, etc... continued the squeal at that rpm. then i noticed my temp guage was bottom cold after driving for an hour and a half. i also noticed an unfamiliar noise wich turned out to be my clutch fan spinning with the engine. i replaced the thermostat since the other was stuck open and everything "seemed" ok for about an hour. i started it and at first the fan started doing the same thing, then stopped after a couple of min. after driving it for about 20 min. everything started over with the exception of the temp. guage.
i think the thermostat i replaced was a cooler temp one, because it would take so long to warm up. the new one seemed to warm up better according to the "factory temp. guage". but after limping it back to my apt, i noticed the temp guage about 3/4 the way up while in first gear. i parked and got out and felt the return hose to the radiator, not hot but warm after driving 30 mins., and the radiator cap was cool. i did notice after it warmed a little i could watch the needle climb a little on the temp. guage. and the clutch fan was blowing with the engine constantly again.
so if anyone can help i would appreciate it. i'm hoping i will just have to replace the water pump, but things are never that easy.

azzli · 01-07-2006, 07:49 PM

anyone have any ideas?

DJPimpFlex · 01-07-2006, 08:33 PM

the way you worded that makes me sad. Anyway usually when the water pump goes out there is a little hole on the bottom of it called the weap hole. It usually leaks coolant to let you know that its dead. Your still cooling well, so maybe its your clutch fan. Try replacing that, but like i said your discreption of your problem is kinda weak.

azzli · 01-07-2006, 10:28 PM

not leaking coolant, and it isn't cooling well. the temp guage goes up to quick. when it starts to warm up, it climbs too quick. the radiator cap is cool to touch along with the return hose, after extended driving. it appears, the clutch fan is attached to the water pump, so wouldn't that mean replacing the pump?

projectRDM · 01-08-2006, 01:32 AM

No. If the lower hose is cold, the thermostat is not opening. Bleed the air from the cooling system and try again.

azzli · 01-08-2006, 02:14 AM

i'll bleed the system tomorrow and see what happens. i also see that the water pump and fan clutch are seperate. would it be the fan clutch that is causing the fan to spin with the engine? what i mean by that is that as the engine accelerates in rpms, the fan is spinning at the same speed. what could that be from? a bad fan clutch?

RedtopTech · 01-08-2006, 07:10 AM

Thats what the fan is supposed to do.The purpose of the clutch is to alow the engine to accelerate without thefull drag of the fan.the fanwill gradually increase in speed to the engine speed. The clutch also dampens vibrations from the fan to the motor.

azzli · 01-08-2006, 02:34 PM

the fan starts up spinning at the same speed as the engine. there is no lag, it automatically starts spinning at what ever speed the engine is spinning at.

Chinoliro · 01-08-2006, 07:18 PM

your clutch fan is gone
same thing happened to me
just dump it and wire the a/c fan directly with a switch like i did
super easy and works great

BoNyG515 · 01-09-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chinoliro

your clutch fan is gone
same thing happened to me
just dump it and wire the a/c fan directly with a switch like i did
super easy and works great

yup...did the same thing, works good or you can buy one of those thermostatic control switch system and wire it to the AC electric fan. it puts a sensor in the cooling system and allows the AC fan to turn on at a certain temperature...

azzli · 01-14-2006, 07:42 PM

i just replaced the fan clutch and water pump. that seemed to do it. though the pump didn't really need it, i did it anyway to avoid doing it later and while i had easy access to it. but, the fan is still spinning up with the engine on start up for about 1 or 2 minutes before it stops and goes back down. it has never done this before. any ideas on this one?

01-05-2006, 07:46 PM	#1
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	clutch fan, cooling, flow problems i need help. before i start replacing things that aren't broken, i wanted to see if anyone could help figure this out. i was driving when i noticed a squeal from one of my belts above 2500 rpm. the belts were just replaced this summer, they are still tight. i turned all electric off, lights, stereo, heat, etc... continued the squeal at that rpm. then i noticed my temp guage was bottom cold after driving for an hour and a half. i also noticed an unfamiliar noise wich turned out to be my clutch fan spinning with the engine. i replaced the thermostat since the other was stuck open and everything "seemed" ok for about an hour. i started it and at first the fan started doing the same thing, then stopped after a couple of min. after driving it for about 20 min. everything started over with the exception of the temp. guage. i think the thermostat i replaced was a cooler temp one, because it would take so long to warm up. the new one seemed to warm up better according to the "factory temp. guage". but after limping it back to my apt, i noticed the temp guage about 3/4 the way up while in first gear. i parked and got out and felt the return hose to the radiator, not hot but warm after driving 30 mins., and the radiator cap was cool. i did notice after it warmed a little i could watch the needle climb a little on the temp. guage. and the clutch fan was blowing with the engine constantly again. so if anyone can help i would appreciate it. i'm hoping i will just have to replace the water pump, but things are never that easy. Last edited by azzli; 01-05-2006 at 08:20 PM..

01-07-2006, 08:33 PM	#3
DJPimpFlex Post Whore! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Age: 39 Posts: 6,158 Trader Rating: (115) Rides Gallery: DJPimpFlex Feedback Score: 115 reviews	the way you worded that makes me sad. Anyway usually when the water pump goes out there is a little hole on the bottom of it called the weap hole. It usually leaks coolant to let you know that its dead. Your still cooling well, so maybe its your clutch fan. Try replacing that, but like i said your discreption of your problem is kinda weak. __________________

01-08-2006, 01:32 AM	#5
projectRDM Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Atlanta Age: 51 Posts: 13,812 Trader Rating: (12) Feedback Score: 12 reviews	No. If the lower hose is cold, the thermostat is not opening. Bleed the air from the cooling system and try again. __________________ FORMERLY R240NA Learn what's really going on and protect your assets now before they're gone forever: www.paypalsucks.com

01-08-2006, 07:18 PM	#9
Chinoliro Leaky Injector Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tijuana, Mexico Posts: 50 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	your clutch fan is gone same thing happened to me just dump it and wire the a/c fan directly with a switch like i did super easy and works great __________________

01-07-2006, 07:49 PM	#2
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	anyone have any ideas?

01-07-2006, 10:28 PM	#4
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	not leaking coolant, and it isn't cooling well. the temp guage goes up to quick. when it starts to warm up, it climbs too quick. the radiator cap is cool to touch along with the return hose, after extended driving. it appears, the clutch fan is attached to the water pump, so wouldn't that mean replacing the pump?

01-08-2006, 02:14 AM	#6
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i'll bleed the system tomorrow and see what happens. i also see that the water pump and fan clutch are seperate. would it be the fan clutch that is causing the fan to spin with the engine? what i mean by that is that as the engine accelerates in rpms, the fan is spinning at the same speed. what could that be from? a bad fan clutch?

01-08-2006, 07:10 AM	#7
RedtopTech Zilvia Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Age: 40 Posts: 293 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Thats what the fan is supposed to do.The purpose of the clutch is to alow the engine to accelerate without thefull drag of the fan.the fanwill gradually increase in speed to the engine speed. The clutch also dampens vibrations from the fan to the motor.

01-08-2006, 02:34 PM	#8
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	the fan starts up spinning at the same speed as the engine. there is no lag, it automatically starts spinning at what ever speed the engine is spinning at.

01-14-2006, 07:42 PM	#11
azzli Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: lexington, ky Posts: 46 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i just replaced the fan clutch and water pump. that seemed to do it. though the pump didn't really need it, i did it anyway to avoid doing it later and while i had easy access to it. but, the fan is still spinning up with the engine on start up for about 1 or 2 minutes before it stops and goes back down. it has never done this before. any ideas on this one?