Cooling Fan Clutch

[Cbpcop]

I recently read (here I thnk) that the belt driven cooling fan should disengage after a few minutes of initial run-up to engine/road speed. Mine is a problem child - Bi metallic spring controlled clutch I believe. I live in south Florida and even at 5:15 am this thing is howling like a banshee - even at speeds up to and including 75-80 mph. It's the 2nd clutch I've had on this thing and it acts like the original did. Takes temps in the mid to low 60's before this thing disengages at all. A real fuel vampire. Is there a different style of mechanical fan clutch I can switch out to or am I screwed until I can switch over to an electrical fan setup? I'd appreciate any insight I can get here. Thanks!

[Brian R.]

The original fan clutch has a fluid coupling, not a bi-metallic spring. You will need to replace the fluid coupling.

I don't know of another fan coupling that will bolt on.

I bet if you bought a new one from Toyota, you will not have that problem. If you got your replacement from a salvage yard, then you are taking a chance since you can't test it. Maybe you can return it for trade on a different one.

[Cbpcop]

I appreciate the reply info on this thing. Now for the dumb question of the day: Howzit work? Does this thing have some sort of internal valving that gets stuck/old and inoperative in some way? Thanks in advance for the help!

[Brian R.]

The only mode of failure I know of is that the oil can leak out.