Overheated in Death Valley

[rsharp]

I "changed the fluid" in my eaton fan clutch last fall after discovering that it didn't engage at all when driving up silver canyon in the white mountains. After splitting the two halves, use a blow dryer on the coiled flat spring on the front half. This will cause the valve to open. Put a small screw in the opening to hold it open. Then invert it over some convenient catch basin, I used a pie tin. Drain the other half too! I was able to drain 55-60 ml total and replaced it with about 60 ml of 15,000 cst silicone oil. The fan clutch works great now and the temperatures are well controlled although it still doesn't make as much noise as you might expect.

 

[surfpig]

I "changed the fluid" in my eaton fan clutch last fall after discovering that it didn't engage at all when driving up silver canyon in the white mountains. After splitting the two halves, use a blow dryer on the coiled flat spring on the front half. This will cause the valve to open. Put a small screw in the opening to hold it open. Then invert it over some convenient catch basin, I used a pie tin. Drain the other half too! I was able to drain 55-60 ml total and replaced it with about 60 ml of 15,000 cst silicone oil. The fan clutch works great now and the temperatures are well controlled although it still doesn't make as much noise as you might expect.

Silver Canyon seems to be a good test for the cooling system...



As to the Eaton fan clutch, I did about the same as above and it helped a lot. I ended up switching it out for a modded Aisin blue a year or so later though.

 

[rsharp]

What helped more then overhauling the fan clutch was flushing then entire cooling system about 10x and then replacing the half clogged radiator with a new Toyota 3-row brass unit. Several trips to Anza-Borrego, the Orocopias and JTree have shown coolant temps running from 183-188 normally. Last month while going slowly up a sandy, gravelly road in the orocopias I saw the temp hit 201, then the fan clutch engaged and right back to 188. I can live with that!

 

[danthman114]

if your ac was still on you were under 124/5 degrees. its when your ac shuts off is when you need to take steps to cool it off. and remember NEVER put cool water in a hot engine. still you may look into a professional cooling system flush and fan hub mod. I live in Yuma where the weather is pretty much like death valley accept much more humid and was running hot. all I did was flush the entire system, front and back, add a blue hub with 20k, did the phh and removed the steel tube and re routed the hose and changed the hoses for the rear heater. all is well in the hottest time of year (120ish) with the ac on. runs around 198 on the pavement and cooler in low. 193ish.

 

[ARB777]

@Tugarin here are the pics of the expansion tank.

 

[ARB777]

I "changed the fluid" in my eaton fan clutch last fall after discovering that it didn't engage at all when driving up silver canyon in the white mountains. After splitting the two halves, use a blow dryer on the coiled flat spring on the front half. This will cause the valve to open. Put a small screw in the opening to hold it open. Then invert it over some convenient catch basin, I used a pie tin. Drain the other half too! I was able to drain 55-60 ml total and replaced it with about 60 ml of 15,000 cst silicone oil. The fan clutch works great now and the temperatures are well controlled although it still doesn't make as much noise as you might expect.

Thanks. I will try this method.

 

[ARB777]

Silver Canyon seems to be a good test for the cooling system...



As to the Eaton fan clutch, I did about the same as above and it helped a lot. I ended up switching it out for a modded Aisin blue a year or so later though.

Any major difference between the eaton with 15k vs modded aisin blue?

 

[Tugarin]

This is how should look like the expansion tank of the healthy cooling system