Fan clutch question

[net_kitten]

There is a wealth of information on here about these but I wanted to post my specific issue and see if it's a problem or not. This is the first year I've owned my blazer during hot months so I'm not sure if this is normal or not.
It's a 2002 4wd roughly 71,000 miles.

The past two days its been extremely hot here, about 95-100 degrees to be exact so I've been running the ac on high. At almost every stop, when I go to take off again, I get the roar of the fan clutch that I normally just get when firing the truck up for the first time. Yes it settles down after a certain rpm but does it again at the next stop light or stop sign. Today for the first time the truck actually sputtered at the stop light like it was going to die but didn't, thats the only time it has done that so I don't know if it's related or not. Also on 3 really hot days, while sitting idle for a while, I noticed the temp go above 210 which I have never seen it do. The first time it happened I had a new thermostat put it in, but it has happened twice since. Again...not sure if this is all tied in but wanted to mention it.

Is this normal and if not what would you suggest. My husband has mentioned putting an electric or did he say electronic fan on it? sorry, can't recall. So my other question is, are these easy to swap out yourself and would you recommend them?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[blazes9395]

When its hot outside, like it is these days even up here, the heat puts a lot more stress on the cooling system of the truck, or any car for that matter. Now when your running your A/C too, that puts more load on the system, again generating more heat for the cooling system to expel. The fan roaring each time you leave a stop light sounds about right, its already running hot, and when its at a stop, no air, or very little is going through your radiator to remove that heat, and as such the clutch engages to pull air through your rad, so you won't overheat. So at least you know your fan clutch is working. As for it running a little hot, its pretty much normal when its hot outside, again because the ambiet outside air is warm, heat transfer from the rad to the outside surrounding air is not as effecient and as such you'll run hotter. Thats why its important to have your cooling system flushed and running as good as it can, as the heat puts a lot of stress on the system when its hot outside.

[BRD]

Reads like your fan clutch is doing its job OK. You may be due for a cooling system flush and re-fill 50% Dexcool 50% clean water. Check radiator cap too, replace if it doesn't hold pressure. The sputtering, well, when the weather gets hot enough so does everything else, including the fuel-air mix. Remember vapor lock, back when we had carburetors? Same thing, cept now we have fuel injectors & computers. I'd say try a new air filter for now, do a clean-out on the throttle body if that doesn't smooth up the idle.

[MT-2500]

As said it sounds normal.
When you hear the roar the fan is kicking in and working.

If you are thinking about a electric fan.
I would suggest keep the regular fan and just add a electric helper fan in front of rad/AC condenser to help cool it at stop lights and slow traffic.
MT

[Iggyblazer619]

There is nothing wrong with that sound besides the fact that is extremely annoying.