Cooling Issue

Post #22 is indeed a excellent “rule of thumb” , thanks Rx3. The hood seals have very little to do with over heating problem at low or idle speeds. The seals are usually a “C” shaped long strip of rubber, they are engineered to capture the rush of air to expand to cover the gap between the hood and radiator support and cowl area. This only happens at highway speeds and not sitting idling or at low speeds. Thermostatic fan clutch, is not really a clutch like a flywheel-clutch for a manual transmission. So the device never completely locks up, unless its bad. Ideally at idle and low speeds the fan clutch should cycle in and out, like an earlier post mentioned, you should hear the roar of air the fan is making while the thermostatic part of the fluid clutch is working properly. I would check this by spinning the fan blade while the car is cold, and then again while the car is hot, you should feel a measurable difference. Buying new car parts from the local parts stores don't always match up to except-able standards, we need for yesterdays cars. I have done what others suggested by holding the fan blade while the car gets into the hot zone, which indeed does a better test, but it is half hazard way of doing it, use caution. Drilling a hole in the thermostat, if you thinks it helps...it does. I have read an earlier post about having an issue much like yours, his pump vane was slipping on the shaft, I have never seen this but I guess it happens....Me I would try the fan blade without the fan clutch and if it works will, I would invest in a “world-class” fan clutch then.....