Cooling fan(s) questions
 

So I have had an overheating issue develop in the last 2 years. Now my temp gauge stays at 210 to 215 when the ambient temp gets 70 and above. Also at speeds of 35 and lower it will get higher, much higher like 230-240. Now here is the question. I checked out my fan clutch by spinning it by hand. It spun with out stopping as long as I kept it going. I stopped after the 6th revolution, now it had been sitting for 3hrs, does it make a difference or should I let it sit overnight? The next question is what do guys think of adding an electric cooling fan, we are getting a travel trailer soon and my vehicle will most likely be used to pull it. Thanks in advance.

From what I've read and partially understand from my reading of threads on this forum, I believe the fan clutch has gone. on my rig, when i give it a spin, it goes no more than a quarter turn. However, someone who knows more will chime in and tell you what the problem may be.

Thats what I thought, I didn't know if it had to be completely cool or not.

adukart when you spin the clutch fan by hand you just give it a push and let go, how far does it go? that is the way to check it, all clutch fans will keep going as long as you are pushing them, the important part is how far they spin once you let go (just grab the top blade and give it a push across the front of the truck, tell us what happens)

maybe i should make a youtube video of checking the clutch fan to make it easier to explain to people . . .

Ok that makes sense. I would go out now but it is hailing out and our shop is separate from the house. Will update in the morning. Whats your take on adding an e-fan?

it will help since your truck didnt come with one from the factory, however buying new parts and getting it wired up to work correctly and automatically is alot of work and not cheap, if your clutch fan is fine and your not having any problems it might not be worth the cost

I was gonna put a switch in my dash to turn it on and off manually, but I was going wire it in with a spare fuse in the engine compartment fuse block. That way when the key is off the so is the fan. Also in the winter it won't be running when I have my defroster and everything else running and it is not needed.

thats the hackish way to do it, if you want to do it i suggest doing it the right way with a controller of some sort (try the spal, it seems to be the favorite in the dak section http://www.spalusa.com/store/Main.as...tem=FAN-PWM-V3)

Ok thanks for that link, I will keep that link somewhere if I can't solve my problem. I checked my fan right after I drove it and it spun about 1/4 to 3/8 of a turn. Now my other question is I can't hear it start to put out until my engine hits 230, now normally my fan is really noisy when it finally turns on but again it waits until 230 and it will only stay on til 215 and won't cool any lower. This happened today and it was only 72 degrees here.

Now that sounds like a classic bad clutch fan. Replace the clutch.

Ok, thanks again, you guys are awesome, I will pick one up tomorrow or Thursday and let you guys know how it works.

i agree that sounds like the clutch is bad,

and i usually try turning the fan on a cold engine

Put the new fan clutch on and now she only hits 200 under a heavy load. Also the fan doesn't stay on for a 1/2 mile on first start in the morning it only stays on ~1 block.

Ok sorry to bring up this old thread but I wanted some input from you guys, my cooling fan is working very well. But should it be having to run full blast when it is 56 degrees outside? The engine will stay at 200 then I'll be driving in town, have to sit at a stop light and it will kick on full blast all the way down to 52 degrees ambient temp. Do your guys' durangos do this? None of the gm's, dodges, or ford I've had experience with do this.

The outside temp has nothing to do with manual fan clutch. Its underhood temp. I run a Flex-a-lite Black Magic with 3300cfm with no problems here in the desert with 35s and me the the truck weighs in at 5400lbs. Summit Racing has it, FLX-180, has adjustable controler and manual switch. Pics on my cardomain page http://www.cardomain.com/ride/331247...-dodge-durango took 20+lbs off motor with that conversion. Use deep trans pan and cooler for towing to keep temps down too.

I've been thinking about adding a 10in. pusher, but my coolant goes up to 210 (which isn't bad) when I'm sitting still at 50. I guess my question is, is this normal?

Didn't want to start my own fan thread for one question so I thought is throw it in this fan discussion.:icon_beamme:

I've read a bunch on here about a fan conversion and wanted to know if that's what I have here. It looks out of place to be stock but this is my first dodge. Thanks for the info


And again sorry about the big pic, don't know how to change it.

Attachment 61741

99 D's came with a fan clutch and good ol' fashioned metal fan. That is a conversion the PO did since electric assist fans weren't put on til 2000.

Thanks, learning a lot about my new ride here. Does this cool better or were the oem fans prone to failure?

it just unloads the engine a little bit

if you tow the clutch fan is still better.

That tempature probe should be inserted into the vanes of the radiator. A pusher fan will fight with the stock fan causing turbulance and actualy blocks air. Try a 180 degree thermostate, but 210 was normal for me with 195 thermostate and stock fan. Cool your trans and this will help the trans fluid in the internal cooler. If you drop underhood temp this helps alot, get the heat out. Cheap air? Move the license plate. Heres a link for hood louvers, http://www.hoodlouvers.com/products.html Getting the heat out from under the hood helps performance and logivity of parts. The site say cop cars are droping 40 degrees under the hood. Not a good pic but can paint to match.

http://memimage.cardomain.com/ride_i...018_medium.jpg Here is my fan set up. I put it up agains the stock fan all day. At 3300 cfm it never goes past 220 in 110 degree day, plus it pulls air over condenser when air is on when stuck in traffic.

Thanks for the links, I just thought it was odd that it gets that hot. But with how that 360 is crammed in there it is understandable. Would header wrap work also to bring down the under hood temps? I know it works on drag cars just wondering if anyone has tried it on our trucks.

Think of it as a midsize suv with a v8. My beast weighs 5400# with me in it. With options I have its a small Ramcharger, minus the staight axle. Same motor and transfercase, trans with one extra gear. Header wrap works, do you want to pull out the headers again? If you have ceramic coated headers there is no need. Try taking the inner plastic fenders out. The heat will exscape. With the temps your in its should run normal. Towing, you should run synthetic in rear diff(factory recomendation-see manual) run a deeper trans pan and larger cooler. But if you tow alot get the louvers or a cowl induction hood and get as much heat out of the engine compartment.

Ok thanks, if I take out the in plastic wheel well piece I will just pack it full of snow in the winter. If I continue to tow like this summer went then I will definitely look at a deeper trans pan. I don't have headers but I was thinking that it might work on the factory manifolds.

I dunno if I can agree with that 'shrps, my temps when towing stay lower since I did the Flex-a-Lite on my truck.


Also, a good test for the temp coil on the clutch fan is to disconnect it (the round coil connected to the fan), it causes the fan to spin all the time. If this fixes your overheat issue, it's the coil, replace the fan (since they are not removable)...

My temps stay down, I was just wondering if it is unusual to have the fan running full on at 50 degrees, sitting still for 30sec.

the clutches on the durangos is a bolt on piece to the fan hammer
http://info.rockauto.com/getimage/ge...den/2736-2.jpg


unless i missunderstood what you were trying to say, if so my bad.

Are you talking about a flex fan or a electronic fan?

I do believe flex-a-lite is an electric fan brand.

My pal has the Flex-a-lite(Ram truck)...I kinda like how he can adjust the controller(,quite a bit for all it matters) summer/winter,plus the switch (3-way) on=off-full...it's a nice rig....

I would not want my truck to be running at 220 degrees anytime. Your heads will eventually crack from the extra heat. Even then, the PCM will put your engine in limp mode when temp heats 210 so you will lose alot of power.

With a fan pulling that much cfm, you may have to check your cooling system to see why it is reaching 220 on a 110 day?

This year in DFW, it's been a very hot summer. With heat index reaching 110 or higher and my truck barely reached 210 with a faulty stat. After replacing the bad stat with a new stat, I never go over 200 degrees on a 110 day. And I am using the stock clutch fan/oem electric fan combo.

+1 Kensai<------- That's too hot for my liking!

There are belt driven or electric setups. The name "Flex-A-Lite" is a name brand. The actual model would help and that is why I asked the question: http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/index.html

I like 180-200 for my temp, Idling at 98 degrees out the new fan clutch kept it at 205-210

What I meant is that after I replaced the mechanical fan I never got that hot. With the mechanical fan I was hitting that on 110+ days once in a blue moon and we dont have moisture like Dallas to help in cooling. When the asphault is 180 and the heat of the cars around you. With the Flex-A-Lite I run 185-195 with a 180 Thermostate. But I have droped the under hood temps without the inner fenders also. Which I will have to cover if I goto Wy this winter. Trucks warm but not the driver. Plus at 5400# with me in the truck its 700+ heavyer than stock. I also dont have to shift into neutral and hi Idle like the manual says. Flip the switch and go. If you run into the store turn it on and cool it down, you know the A/C could use the help. If Dodge would have put in a realistic radiator in the first place the truck would run cooler and the air would work better with larger parts.http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...028_medium.jpg

I run the Flex-A-Lite thermostate and had to replace it and just JB welded it back together. Just put it some where other than on top of fan. Asume it bumps around to much. No temps on it, it is a dial and its up to you to find that spot. I figure about 180 summer and 195 in winter to get the heater to warm up.

So you jus had to replace it and moved it? My buddy's swearing by his,telling me to get one everytime i see him....I'm thinking it's a good idea. Looking at Kensai's photo which is the thermo,is it on the top left in that pic?

I replaced the first one, JB d this one. In my pic it is in the uper left side. The probe gives you about 2ft of reach. The board is not secured to anything it floats in the box off the two screw that hold the box together. I have burned the wires twice. Could be from water or vibration. This time the Blue wire came off the board. Could not find one of the 2 soder rolls I have and jb to the board. Redneck survival kit: Duck(duct)Tape, Bailing wire and JB Weld. Have use 100mph tape to strap camera on offroad race car.

When I has my Blazer the fan worked like this. When the truck was cold and you spun the fan it would spin free. So I thought it would be the same with the Durango.
The Durangos are the opposite. They are not supposed to spin free. I was getting ready to change mine a while back because I thought it was stuck. I told a guy at Autozone about it he came out and looked at the fan and explained how they work different then the old ones. Then he said mine had been replaced and it was one you'd use if you were pulling trailers.

That's how they work isn't it?? They spin 1/4-1/2 turn when cold and as things get hot the bimetal spring tightens and locks it to get full fan....it's shouldn't spin free
when cold but up to 1/2 turn is ok right?? They all work that way don't they?