Bad Fan Clutch or something else?
#1
03-26-2017, 02:46 PM
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bad Fan Clutch or something else?
Hello, I have a 1999 Dodge Durango SLT 5.9L 2 wheel drive with automatic transmission that has been having a temperature problem lately.
I first noticed it while driving my kids to school one morning. Temp gauge went almost into the red zone, and then it suddenly dropped back to normal and stayed there.
Coolant was low so I did add some, and thought that was the end of the problem.
Then the next day it started rising again while in drive thru. It rose to the red zone, a light came on(which I couldn't read very well because I didn't have my reading glasses with me) which I think said "Check Fuses". A little while after starting to drive again, the temp gauge went back to normal again and stayed that way, again. That warning light also went off then.
Began researching about fuses, but then thought if it was a blown fuse for the fan or something, the temp gauge would have stayed hot.
Researched some more, and thought maybe it could be a faulty fan clutch. Fan seems to work, in time, so would that be it?
Also read that some Durangos have aux fans, so am wondering if main fan isn't working(haven't checked it yet) and the reason the temp gauge goes down is because the aux fan finally kicks in.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
I first noticed it while driving my kids to school one morning. Temp gauge went almost into the red zone, and then it suddenly dropped back to normal and stayed there.
Coolant was low so I did add some, and thought that was the end of the problem.
Then the next day it started rising again while in drive thru. It rose to the red zone, a light came on(which I couldn't read very well because I didn't have my reading glasses with me) which I think said "Check Fuses". A little while after starting to drive again, the temp gauge went back to normal again and stayed that way, again. That warning light also went off then.
Began researching about fuses, but then thought if it was a blown fuse for the fan or something, the temp gauge would have stayed hot.
Researched some more, and thought maybe it could be a faulty fan clutch. Fan seems to work, in time, so would that be it?
Also read that some Durangos have aux fans, so am wondering if main fan isn't working(haven't checked it yet) and the reason the temp gauge goes down is because the aux fan finally kicks in.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Last edited by grayson1; 03-26-2017 at 02:49 PM.
#2
03-27-2017, 08:30 AM
THE ULTI-MOD
a couple things here.
1) what you are describing sounds like an air bubble in the coolant system, i would check to see if you are low on coolant again, if so then you have your starting point to keep topping it off and drive cycles will purge the air from the system on the 5.9l cooling system.
2) the light that came on likely read 'check gauges' your fuses are probably fine.
3) the auxillary fan wasnt added until 2001 model year so your 1999 doesnt have one unless it was added aftermarket.
4) your temperature when back down after you started driving because as you drive you push air through the radiator, the same as a fan would pull air through it.
If your coolant levels havnt dropped again and you are still having the issue i would be looking at the fan clutch as a possible culprit. Or a dirty radiator that doesnt flow enough AIR over it.
1) what you are describing sounds like an air bubble in the coolant system, i would check to see if you are low on coolant again, if so then you have your starting point to keep topping it off and drive cycles will purge the air from the system on the 5.9l cooling system.
2) the light that came on likely read 'check gauges' your fuses are probably fine.
3) the auxillary fan wasnt added until 2001 model year so your 1999 doesnt have one unless it was added aftermarket.
4) your temperature when back down after you started driving because as you drive you push air through the radiator, the same as a fan would pull air through it.
If your coolant levels havnt dropped again and you are still having the issue i would be looking at the fan clutch as a possible culprit. Or a dirty radiator that doesnt flow enough AIR over it.
