I drive a 2002 Ram SLT 4.7 V8 170k miles

I've owned it for just over a year and in this whole time the cooling fan at the front of the engine block never shuts off and I mean never. I can drive it for 3 minutes or three hours and it never shuts off, it sounds like a bloody hurricane and I'm now getting fed up with it. I can turn the fan by hand when the engine is off, I mean its not like the wheel of fortune, but I can move it, however I honestly don't know how much it's supposed to spin by hand.

If it is the clutch then oh well, but I'd also read about a possible temp sensor or something along those lines that may be causing the fan to run all the time.

I have read countless posts on similar issues but never really come to a conclusion or a definitive answer, so I might as well ask for myself.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

At first, I thought you had an electric fan conversion. It since you know you have the oem clutch fan, why not just leave it as is since it does spin. I mean, it's not like you're going to overcool the engine

 

I completely get what you are saying and that has always been my thought, if it's spinning there's no way it's going to overheat. However, it is just so loud, any acceleration at all and this thing is roaring away, I've just had enough of it and am pretty sure that it's not meant to be this way. All my friends are always saying, how loud my truck is. I would just like to come to a solution. I've never seen or heard another Ram that has the fan roaring away like mine.

 

You're right and truthfully, it probably is time for a new one. Look into maybe replacing it with an electric fan or go back with the oem

 

Sorry to sound like an idiot, but replacing what exactly?

The clutch?

 

The fan clutch has probably failed.... you can either replace the fan clutch or just put an electric fan kit in and get an extra mpg or so out of it....

 

I *think* just the clutch is replaceable but don't hold me to that one. Check out the Parts Manual in my signature below

 

Clutch should be replaceable. Clutch might be going out or somebody at some point put a different clutch in it.

 

Convert to electric, it is much nicer being able to control exactly when it turns on and off.

 

How does the electric work? What do you mean being able to control why it turns on and off?

Any recommendations on a direct replacement fan clutch?

Just trying to weigh up my options.