Help! Fan clutch won't come out!

[Qball]

I've read the Eatons are designed to drain while not running so they don't have the roar. I put mine in the oven and turned it by hand. I could not get it to lock up.

Thanks for the info and yes it doesn't lock up which isn't a bad thing on cold days.

Another update: so far it is working but not sure if there is that much improvement. I drove in traffic on a 75-80 degree day with AC and held 190 very steady where the old one would creep just above 190. But when driving on the street it got above 190. What the engine suppose to be running or what is the normal operating temp? 190? Although when I was running errands and started the truck up the temp was 199 and within 30 seconds of driving it was back down to 190.

Either way i got 30k fluid on the way so will be adding that and test again.

 

[Qball]

Found these posts from toolsrus:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=7751175&postcount=24
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showpost.php?p=8551836&postcount=72


Going to mix in 40% 30k fluid to get to 15k CST but think I'll won't be worried about the temp unless it's over 205-210.......but sure feels good knowing it's under 200 all the time.

 

[Qball]

Update: took some fluid out and added around 30ml of 30k. First start up it roared for a while and I was worries that it won't disengage. I can put a thick rag against it and cant stop the fan at all. Then after driving for a bit everything is back to normal. I was driving in 100 degree weather and traffic it got up to 196 but apparently from my search that is still within "normal range". On a slower hill It got up to 206 and the fan was pushing descent amount of air but not roaring, don't have a really long hill around the house. With freeway and hill as long as I am moving around 50-60 mph I don't see the temp go pass 195.

So.........has my clutch been improved? Or do I need to look at the thermostat on the clutch. If from factory it doesn't fully open till 200 degrees that mean it won't open till the coolant gets to at least 210. Am I over thinking this?

 

[Qball]

Ok finally was able to test the fan clutch. 90 degree day and a steep but slow hill behind the house I got up to 208 and stopped right away and the fan is not locked up. I put a rag to it and it had resistance but definitely not locked up.

So........I now know the clutch can lock up with 30k fluid in the clutch area so only 2 things left, not enough fluid or the valve is not open....right?

Guess I will put more fluid in it and maybe test the valve in the oven. Suppose to open at 200F?

 

[inkpot]

I've read the Eatons are designed to drain while not running so they don't have the roar. I put mine in the oven and turned it by hand. I could not get it to lock up.

There is no "lockup" mode on these fan clutches. They do not run at 100% engine speed when maxed out. They do not work like a torque converter on an automatic transmission.

 

[baggar11]

Interesting... I've been having almost the exact same experience as you on rebuilding my fan clutch.

I've got an original Aisin that was opening at 190F. I readjusted it to 95F and put in some 15,000 CST. I'm not sure if I'm low still, but I'm just not pushing any air either.Although, I've noticed that idling through traffic through stop lights it will push air and I can hear the roar. If I'm above 2k rpms, it's like the fluid doesn't do anything and the needle starts to climb.

The only way I can get the needle to stop climbing is to get under 2k rpms and sometimes back to idle. I wonder if I'm not running enough fluid still? Is it possible that even though the fan is adjusted and there is fluid in there that it's just broken altogether?

EDIT: I found this link that explains the fan clutch operation pretty well. I think I definitely have my fan clutch under filled. Especially since the 3rd opening is pretty close to the middle of the clutch.

http://neuralfibre.com/paul/4wd/tuning-and-understanding-your-toyota-viscous-fan-clutch

 

[Qball]

Thanks for the link and it was a good read. I'll add more fluid tonight and see how it goes. Too bad our clutch isn't as easy to adjust temp on.

BTW anyone has a picture(s) on how to adjust opening temp on these easton clutch?

Interesting... I've been having almost the exact same experience as you on rebuilding my fan clutch.

I've got an original Aisin that was opening at 190F. I readjusted it to 95F and put in some 15,000 CST. I'm not sure if I'm low still, but I'm just not pushing any air either.Although, I've noticed that idling through traffic through stop lights it will push air and I can hear the roar. If I'm above 2k rpms, it's like the fluid doesn't do anything and the needle starts to climb.

The only way I can get the needle to stop climbing is to get under 2k rpms and sometimes back to idle. I wonder if I'm not running enough fluid still? Is it possible that even though the fan is adjusted and there is fluid in there that it's just broken altogether?

EDIT: I found this link that explains the fan clutch operation pretty well. I think I definitely have my fan clutch under filled. Especially since the 3rd opening is pretty close to the middle of the clutch.

http://neuralfibre.com/paul/4wd/tuning-and-understanding-your-toyota-viscous-fan-clutch

 

[baggar11]

Landtank posted this a while back for the Eaton clutches.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/102633-blue-fan-clutch-mod.html

Thanks for the link and it was a good read. I'll add more fluid tonight and see how it goes. Too bad our clutch isn't as easy to adjust temp on.

BTW anyone has a picture(s) on how to adjust opening temp on these easton clutch?

 

[Qball]

Landtank posted this a while back for the Eaton clutches.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/102633-blue-fan-clutch-mod.html

Thanks for the link but that's for the blue clutch not eaton unless I missed something.

After some more searching it doesn't look like there is a way to adjust the eaton fan clutch. Has anyone successfully changed the clutch open temp setting on an eaton?

 

[baggar11]

Do you have adjustment screws inside your clutch? If so, they are mostly the same the way they adjust. If not, then all you can do is add/remove fluid.

If you don't have adjustment screws, dunk the spring half in some warm water to see where it's engaging. If it's crazy high, mine was opening at 190F, then you may need to toss it. Good luck.

Thanks for the link but that's for the blue clutch not eaton unless I missed something.

After some more searching it doesn't look like there is a way to adjust the eaton fan clutch. Has anyone successfully changed the clutch open temp setting on an eaton?

 

[Qball]

Do you have adjustment screws inside your clutch? If so, they are mostly the same the way they adjust. If not, then all you can do is add/remove fluid.

If you don't have adjustment screws, dunk the spring half in some warm water to see where it's engaging. If it's crazy high, mine was opening at 190F, then you may need to toss it. Good luck.

No adjustment screw. Doh!

I added 30ml of 30k and looks like the clutch is not unlocking now. But when I climbed the same hill the temp did not go up at all compared to before it would hit 200+ every time.

When I am driving I can hear the fan especially at low speed. The good thing is that my thermostat is working since it warmed up at about same amount of time and the whole time the temp held at 185-187. I am going to drive it to work to mix the fluid more and push more fluid into the reservoir although it should by now.....we'll see.

 

[baggar11]

A step in a the right direction it sounds like. Good to know. You might just remove a little fluid at a time until it's locking/unlocking as desired now.

I plan on pulling mine out again tonight and putting some more in until I can get it locking at higher rpms.

No adjustment screw. Doh!

I added 30ml of 30k and looks like the clutch is not unlocking now. But when I climbed the same hill the temp did not go up at all compared to before it would hit 200+ every time.

But when I am driving I can hear the far especially at low speed. The good thing is that my thermostat is working since it warmed up at about same amount of time and the whole time the temp held at 185-187. I am going to drive it to work to mix the fluid more and push more fluid into the reservoir although it should by now.....we'll see.

 

[Qball]

Opened the clutch and wiped all the excess fluid that's visible outside of reservoir, bolted it back on and still roaring fan!

The silver lining is I thought my AC was ice cold before now it is ICE COLD!

 

[Qball]

Ok I GIVE UP! After opened the fan clutch again to get rid of some excess fluid now it's back to before meaning doesn't lock up even when temp shot to 209. Looks like my eaton clutch valve is NOT working!

Ordered Aisin clutch from amazon and should be here by next tuesday, guess eatons clutches are just not cutting it.

 

[alia176]

Qball,

Please update your location under your name, helps with us understanding your environment.

I live in NM and only using 10,000CST w/o complains in the blue clutch. I did no clutch timing adjustment or anything. On hard hill climbs, I'll easily see 211° but it goes back down just as quickly. While towing the trailer, I'll see sustained 200° for hours w/o worries. I do have a new HG few years ago so I don't worry about these temp spikes. Usually I flog the s*** out of this engine like a whore on meth and she begs for more.

There is a fine line between going crazy with higher CST fluid and losing engine power. At my elevation, I need to balance the two so I went for the 10,000 CST. Anyway, just another data point for you.

Good luck with your research.

 

[Qball]

I'm in Socal and temp does get up into the 100+ rang on days. I have this hill behind my house that's slow and steep ~8-15%. When I drive slow that's when it heats up more.

I have the eaton clutch with no adjustment, I hope the blue fan clutch has adjustments so I can adjust valve opening if needed. Hopefully I just dump a bottle of 20k in there and be done. My old eaton is either full on locked or not locking at all.

 

[Qball]

Got my blue hub aisin fan clutch today and popped it on with 20k fluid and no adjustment. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow since it suppose to be about 90 tomorrow. I now believe eaton fan clutches cannot be rescued.

 

[Qball]

After a few days in the 90s and testing it in traffic and up the hill where my temp would soar I now can confidantLy say that my fan clutch has been fixed. For anyone who has an eaton fan clutch do yourself a favor toss that POS and buy the 80 dollar fan clutch and 5 dollar bottle of 20k fluid from amazon. I literally have taken my old fan clutch to change fluid, add fluid, remove fluid 6 times and it still won't work right. Some people say the eaton can be fixed with fluid change but not mine. Mine will lock fully with enough fluid but it won't lock and unlock like it suppose to.

 

[alia176]

Glad to hear that your issues have been resolved. However, I'd have liked to have seen how a new, unmodified fan clutch would have worked for you before you put 20k fluid inside. I do understand the PITA factor of having to do this work but the 20k is a big question mark in my mind.

 

[Mrtwooooo]

I ordered the new clutch and fluid from amazon the other day. Should be here soon. I'll probably try it in modified first and see how things go. I just replaced the fluid in my original clutch with 10,000cst fluid and it made no difference. Maybe slightly worse.