Yes.
When the engine is cold, open the hood before starting up. Try and spin the fan by hand. The fan should spin with considerable resistance. If the fan free wheels with no resistance then the fan clutch is bad. If the fan does not spin at all, the clutch is seized.
If the clutch is bad, you would be able to hold the fan and start the car. The fan will not spin if the clutch is bad. If the clutch is good the fan spins at a high speed.
Yes, the clutch fan should run freely when the engine is stopped. This is because the fan is designed to engage only when the engine is running and the temperature rises, allowing it to provide additional cooling as needed. When the engine is off, the fan's clutch should disengage, allowing the fan blades to spin freely without resistance. If the fan is difficult to turn by hand when the engine is off, it may indicate a malfunction in the fan clutch.
Turn the large nut loose (1 7/16") by turning it counterclockwise then spin the fan and fan clutch off as an assembly. Separate the fan from the clutch on the bench.
To check the fan clutch on a 2003 Ram 5.9 diesel, first ensure the engine is off and cool. Start the engine and observe the fan operation; it should spin freely at low speeds and engage more as the engine warms up. You can also manually spin the fan; it should have some resistance but not be overly stiff. If the fan does not engage properly or spins too freely at higher temperatures, the fan clutch may need replacement.
You simply see if it spins freely. If it does, the clutch fan is shot! Do this while motor is turned off The fan should spin freely if the engine is cold. If the engine is warmed up, shut down the engine and check the fan. Warm, the fan should turn, but should have some drag to it.
No, it cant. Check your thermostat to see if it is functioning properly. Next and the most important check is to do a fan clutch test. 1. Shut of engine 2. Spin the radiator fan blade. 3. If your fan clutch is working ( dampened) it should only turn 1/2 to maybe 1 revolution. If it continues to spin, then the fan clutch is shot and you are not pulling in any air to cool the radiator. If this is the case, replace the fan ( clutch comes with the fan). This answer does not pertain to electric fans
They are controlled by internal hydraulics so they will always 'free wheel'. As the engine warms up, the valving within the clutch actuates it. Sounds OK to me.
The fan might spin slowly, or not at all. By not spinning at speed, the fan will not cool the radiator enough and the engine could overheat.
I had the exact same problem with my 2002 Sportage. My problem was the fan clutch was worn out. If your's is a thermal clutch then that is probably the problem. The problem is that the liquid in the fan clutch gets too thin while it is spinning and does not coagulate when your coming to a stop or slowing down and does not spin faster as it should.
if fan is belt driven you have a worn fan clutch check where shaft enters clutch if there is any leaks or clumps of road grime sticking to fan clutch its lost its internal oil supply causing slippage some clutches will slip when engine is cold and automatically spin faster as temp rises this is called a thermostatically controlled fan clutch also w/engine off grab fan firmly and check for any play between blade and shaft replace as needed
Auto Zone or any parts store that loans tools should have a fan clutch tool. it holds the pulley while you loosen the fan clutch nut