Then why is there a fan clutch?

 

It is made to slip or drag or lock up depending on temp. But will always spin.

 

^^^ What he said...

 

I had the same noise and like you said, i thought it was my power steering pump but i just replaced my alternator because it took a s**t and low and behold it was the alternator making the noise.......bushings going out making that noise your hearing.

 

The reason for a clutch fan is to cut down on wasting horsepower driving the fan when engine coolant is being sufficiently cooled by ram air as the vehicle is moving. The ram air will keep cooling the underhood area as the vehicle is moved. When stopped there is no ram air and the underhood temperature risies and the clutch fan engages to assist in lowering the temperature of the coolant by sucking additional air over the radiator.

 

WOW.. I never knew that's what a cooling system did!! I figured the engine was air cooled! Now I know BETTER! Thanks for the lesson in fluid dynamics! lol

I am being very sarcastic... I'm sure we all know how the colling system works!


btw.. i checked my **** and everything was tight.. little play in the alt.. but when I put the belt back on the noise went away... weird I know

 

The belt tensioner was probably stuck and not traveling enough to tighten the belt,so the belt was slipping a little. When you took the belt off it freed it up a little. Spray some penetrating oil into where the spring is and work it back and forth till it's nice and free.