Cleaning The Cooling Fan Clutch???

[charliec]

The cooling fan and clutch that I bought is pretty nasty with caked on grease and dirt. What is inside the clutch package (some kind of composite material, for instance) that would be damaged if I just plopped the whole thing in a bucket of solvent to loosen the crud? I assume that if I did that it would wash out any lubricant in the clutch. Do I then need to re-lubricate, and how would I go about doing that?

 

[toolmanmike]

Caked on grease and dirt usually means the fluid inside has leaked out making the clutch non-working. Spray it off with some Brake clean or solvent. You can spin it by hand and feel the resistance and then heat the thermostat coil with a hair dryer and it should pretty much lock up. If it doesn't, it's no good.

 

[Dave999]

might have been left lying on its face
something in the Shop manual about careful storage
i.e upright as it would be on the car

probably not so much of an issue with modern ones

they are filled with what i'd guess is some kind liquid oil or silicone grease or easy melting waxy stuff

if its covered in crap the hub doesn't heat and cool as quickly so you lose some of the benefit

and as mike says what was inside might have all come out.....

Dave