Weather here is 90° and my 1997 was getting warm yesterday at idle. A/C quit working when idling, and temp gauge would climb to Atleast 3/4.
As soon as I’d start moving again, temp gauge would go to the middle and a/c would cool nicely. I popped the hood and it appears the clutch was not working properly. Fan was turning slowly and throwing much air. After 1 hour of stop-and-go, the problems mostly subsided and things were working as they should.

It’s an aftermarket clutch that’s been on for about 5 or 6 years but only about 10k or 15k miles.

Thoughts? Any maintenance/cleaning/testing I can do to it? Is OEM still available? Aftermarket parts are JUNK.

 

It would be really wise to find a way to check between condenser and radiator. It's amazing how much dust, pollen etc can pack in there over the years.

I would be shocked if OEM fan clutches are available. I'd buy the best aftermarket you can get, but I don't know what that would be.

 

So there is no way to test a clutch?

 

Cold engine, fan should spin fairly freely. Hot engine, it should not. (test with engine NOT running please. )

 

Thanks @Hey You

 

Finally got around to doing some testing tonight.
75°F ambient temp. Truck hasn’t run for a week.

started it tonight, and I immediately attempted to stop the fan with a rolled up magazine. No dice. Fan had lots of power with a cold engine.

Drove 10 miles, then idled for a couple minutes and temp gauge started climbing. I opened the hood and could tell the fan was turning slower. I stuck the magazine in and could stop the fan. Once stopped, I could turn it backwards, forwards, do anything I wanted. It wasn’t engaged at all.

Isn’t that strange- engaged when cold but not when hot?

New fan clutch order tonight.