Jeff's Classics

I was having problems with my AC temps in stop and go traffic, and I've always thought this car ran hot since I bought it a couple years ago, so I bought a new fan clutch and installed it yesterday. Sure enough, the old one had leaked the viscous fluid all over the back of itself, and the new one had more resistance even at room temperature.
The problem is now I can really hear the fan, even when the car is first started up and not yet hot. I have replaced fan clutches on a lot of older cars/trucks, and I don't remember any of them being noticeably loud, but this is a convertible, and a pretty quiet car over all. Most of my cars/trucks had headers, louder mufflers, and other things which would cover up a noisy fan.
Your thoughts?
Thanks,
Jeff

jensenracing77

I had a clutch fan from the parts store on a 72 Cutlass and it did the same thing. It was terribly loud. I took it off and found a good original. Sounded much better and worked like it should.

Jeff's Classics

Any tips on where to find a good original?
I'll run this noisy one until I can find an original, at least it seems to cool and keeps the AC temps lows in traffic.
Thanks for the reply,
Jeff

jensenracing77

There are several guys here that will have one. Post in the parts wanted section and you will likely find a good one. I should have some good ones somewhere. If I get time tonight I will see if I can find one. Are you sure your radiator don't need attention also? I find that many of these cars had the cooling system neglected for so long that they need radiator work. Obviously the lack of fluid in your clutch fan was your biggest problem like you said.

Eric

Jeff's Classics

Thanks for the info, Eric.
The cooling system looks pretty good, the coolant is nice and green and the radiator passages that I can see don't have corrosion build-up, I think it was just the fan clutch causing problems. The temperature idiot light has never come one, it just felt to me like the car was running hotter than it should.
Overall this car seems to have been very well maintained by the previous owners. It's very original and I received a ton of receipts for parts, maintenance, and repair work dating back to the early 2000s.
Thanks again,
Jeff

oldcutlass

The real question is what temp is getting to, I suggest buying a mechanical gauge and installing it temporarily. Some clutch fans sound like a garbage truck, not necessarily a bad thing is the noise means its cooling.

kitfoxdave

Put on some Thrust Mufflers and you'll never hear it ;-) yeah, mine is noisy too...

BlackGold

It's normal for a thermal fan clutch to be engaged (ie, loud) when you first start up. But if it doesn't get quiet within about 30 seconds of driving, it's wound too tight, so to speak. And if it's constantly engaged once the engine's warmed up AND the engine isn't too hot, then it's not the right clutch for your application (even if it was sold that way).

Macadoo

When I was doing my resto I bought a heavy duty clutch thinking HD would be better. It wasn't. It almost never disengaged and was as loud as a 747. It even overpowered my loud exhaust. It drove me crazy! I picked up a stock replacement from Napa (I think) and never looked back. My temp never goes above 190*, and that's sitting in traffic with the AC blasting.

Allan R

A noisy fan clutch is normal when the car first starts. That's been my experience anyway. Usually quiets down after about 30 -40 seconds.

Lady72nRob71

If you put a heavy duty clutch on a car with a standard fan blade, there might not be enough air resistance for it to disengage. Happened to me a few years ago. I put on a standard one and it worked much better.

Macadoo

Yup, that's what I did.

67442nut

I got into a similar problem with one on a '69 "98" I had years ago..
The correct thermal type replacement fan was considerably more expensive than
what was described to me as a "mechanical" type fan.
Not sure about the operating principle of this "mechanical" fan, maybe centrifugal, but,
that damn thing was so loud I had to take it back off.
I was warned it would be "a little louder" than the original, but, it was more than a little louder.
You might want to check into what type of fan you were sold.