Re:Fan clutches and such

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>     Also the clutch fan is very difficult to find as I think that there 
>are no 
>more 'new' manufactured clutches.  I ended up turning my clutch into a rigid 
>mounting.  The rigid fan and clutch fans require two different water 
>pumps, and 
>I'm not sure if you can find a clutch fan that will bolt on the IH rigid 
>pump 
>that will not put the fan blades into the rad.

Another alternative would be a flex fan which when speed and wind 
resistance gets up to a certain point feathers itself into not being a 
part of moving the air. There have been many good comments on this digest 
about flex fans, and I am very happy with mine. 
>
>     There would be no noticable inprovement in fuel economy with e 
>clutched fan
>than a rigid one.  The engine temps are not appreciable unless you are 
>changing 
>the temp greatly during the day.  What kind of outside temp change is it?  
>20 at
>night to 100 during the day?  Usually you can change the thermostat 
>cheaper than
>a clutch.
>
>Good luck,
>
>
>     -Joel Brodsky

Joel,
I don't understand what you just said. Isn't the idea behind a fan clutch 
to disengaage the fan from trying to move air when the vehicle is going 
fast enough to have more air coming through the radiator than the fan 
could move, and when that fan shuts down, isn't there a gain in 
horsepower, and isn't the engine working easier thereby increasing fuel 
economy? 
I've never heard it suggested that fan clutches were designed to control 
engine temperature (beyond the normal function of the fan itself), rather 
I believe that they are to disengage the fan when it isn't doing anything 
worthwhile anyway.
John


John Hofstetter  "Ol'Saline's Web Site" www.goldrush.com/~hofs
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