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Anyone have a "singing" fan clutch????

idrivemopar

idrivemopar

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So, I was curious to know if anyone else using a fan clutch, if yours sings or whines? When I start up the car there is a very distinct high pitch whine and it goes up and down slightly in frequency and goes is present most of the time, its really annoying, its a new flex-a-lite clutch, ball bearing type thermostatic clutch. It has done it since it was installed.

Is there a better brand?
 
I use a Hayden. It's just humming along. Must not know the words.

It sounds like yours might have an unbalanced load or maybe bad bearings.
 
Thanks for the reply. Considering that no one else responded with this issue, I am assuming that may be that I just got a bad one, and I suspect as you indicate the bearings are at fault and causing this noise. It was a new one, but I am sure its passed the warranty, since I bought it 3 years ago, and it was only installed this past spring. Thankfully they are not too expensive so I may just get a new one this coming spring.
 
Are you sure it's not your water pump? Spray some WD40 and see if that would temporary stop the singing. I had this singing happen to me 40 years ago on my daily driving muscle car with a flex fan. Turned out to be bad bearings in the water pump.
 
Block the rad to get the temp up so clutch locks up and see if noise goes away
or remove fan and try to check water pump bearings and seal
every now and then the ceramic seal sings
 
thanks, now something else for Sonny to be preoccupied with..:icon_pale:


I think I hear it and have not started my '63 up!
 
Car Nut said:
Are you sure it's not your water pump? Spray some WD40 and see if that would temporary stop the singing. I had this singing happen to me 40 years ago on my daily driving muscle car with a flex fan. Turned out to be bad bearings in the water pump.
Click to expand...

I really hope its not the water pump, as its a hd mopar performance pump, and the hard to get type with the shaft stock that has the full double supports to the bolt holes. I have sprayed lube on the fan and it went quite for a bit, so I will check some things when I do my 500 mile break in checks here in the spring.
 
I had the same problem as Car Nut. Went crazy trying to "fix" the fan - even drilled & tapped a hole in the hub to add lubricant (viscous fan, not a flex) & finally fixed it by replacing the water pump. This was on a 305 Olds motor but could apply to any engine.
 
I removed my clutch fan last summer and put in a Griffin Radiator and Hayden push fan. The car and I are much happier now.
 
moose1 said:
I had the same problem as Car Nut. Went crazy trying to "fix" the fan - even drilled & tapped a hole in the hub to add lubricant (viscous fan, not a flex) & finally fixed it by replacing the water pump. This was on a 305 Olds motor but could apply to any engine.
Click to expand...

This happened on my 68 442, miss that car.
 
So, I got a stethoscope for automotive use, been needing one anyway, and listened to the water pump, ac compressor clutch and everything else I could on the front of the car, and they are all sounding smooth, so I suspect as I first thought, its the bearings in the new clutch fan that are making the noise. Unfortunate that its new and out of warranty since I got it about 3 years ago, so I guess I will order up a Hayden fan to replace it.
 
WElp, I guess its my water pump, installed new Hayden fan clutch, like it better then the flexalite fan clutch anyway, but I still am hearing that high pitch whine occasionally, so I guess I may have to replace it, which blows, because its brand new pump, and one of the hard to find ones. I will keep an eye on it, was hoping maybe it was break in issue, since the car only has 500 miles on it.
 
idrivemopar said:
WElp, I guess its my water pump, installed new Hayden fan clutch, like it better then the flexalite fan clutch anyway, but I still am hearing that high pitch whine occasionally, so I guess I may have to replace it, which blows, because its brand new pump, and one of the hard to find ones. I will keep an eye on it, was hoping maybe it was break in issue, since the car only has 500 miles on it.
Click to expand...
That sucks, what motor do you have?
 
So.. if we got a few of these cars together, with the singing fan clutch, at the same time, would they be " a cappella" ? {drum rimshot }
 
Relax and keep an eye on the weep-hole for water seeping past the seal. It's there for a reason.
Did you try any "belt dressing" on it?
 
Yes, I will certainly be keeping an eye on it. As far as belts go, I got to thinking about that the other day, and it has brand new belts, but the one thing that is different are all of my pulleys are powder coated, including the channel, and I was wondering if that may be causing the noise I hear.
 
Spritz them with some water to see if it hushes up. If so, belt dressing or simply running some Emory cloth along the grooves to break up any glaze might help.
 
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