| From | Message |
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
6/28/2001
00:42:06
|
 Subject: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
I'm having problems keeping my stock fan clutch running the way it should. I was wondering if anybody else is having the same problem I am? I am going to have my third one put in within the next week. I have already decided that if I knock this one out too, and Dodge won't solve the problem, them I'm gonna have to buy a Chevy. Please let me know if anyone else has had to replace theirs too. Thanks.
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
6/29/2001
14:54:08
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
felicia look under the general board,'high reving noise' post the guys posted the TSB for that
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/03/2001
00:50:46
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Thanks for the leads, but that is not the problem I am talking about. My fan clutch keeps on going out. It is not my cat, clutch, or tranny. It is just the fan clutch. If anybody has any information or opinions as to why it keeps on going out, they are very much welcomed at this point.
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
7/03/2001
01:27:13
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Just what is the prob,does it not lock up when hot or locks up all the time what?What do you mean by going out?
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/12/2001
23:34:14
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
When you press the gas it should speed up, the higher rpms the faster it should spin. Mine doesn't do that it spins at one very slow speed. That is when you know your fan clutch is out.
|
jt
Dodge Dakota
7/12/2001
23:41:54
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
sounds normal to me. mine hardley ever engages is your temp gauge reading to hot? if not save your money or time for something better.
|
Duner
Dodge Dakota
7/12/2001
23:42:07
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
No, the fan shouldn't always speed up with higher rpms. That's what the clutch is for.
Does your truck run hot? As in past 210-220 mark? The fan clutch is only supposed to engage and actually work when the temp gets high enough to need it. It will be engaged when you 1st start the engine in the morning, then after about a block, it will free-wheel. It shouldn't engage again unless you get hot enough. This saves you lots of fuel. It takes power and fuel to drive the fan if it's engaged all the time. When it's freewheeling, the fan doesn't run at engine speed. It more or less just idles along slowly.
You should only hear the fan if the engine is too hot for the electric to handle. Now if your engine is running hot.....then that's a problem.
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/19/2001
21:23:12
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Thanks for the insight but your fan clutch should speed up when you press the gas, ask any Dodge mechanic. I know what I'm talking about since my third one will be put in this week. And yes the truck runs hot. 210 - 220 is normal for a Dakota since they have 200 degree stats. I can pull my 5x10 fourwheeler trailer on a 85 degree day and heat my truck up to 250 - 260. And I even found out that the needle can go past 260 on your temp. gauge. Oh and jt I am saving my time by getting rid of the Dakota and getting a Chevy Z71.
|
jt
Dodge Dakota
7/19/2001
23:46:39
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
What are you smokin? relax, just trying to help. it only took you 4 post's to tell us every symptom. you deserve a cheby
|
Todd
Dodge Dakota
7/20/2001
00:29:04
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Really? Dakotas run that hot? Man...
I was thinking of getting a 180 T-stat, then I realized I've never seen my thermostat go over 180... on the factory T-stat!
Maybe it's the 3.9L...?
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
7/20/2001
02:35:54
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Sorry but felicia you are out to lunch,your fan clutch has a viscous clutch it is NOT to be engaged fully at idle or when you rev it up that has nothing to do with it.What does not spining enough mean?the t-stat is a 195 and so is a chev and a ford from factory,I have owned all of them and the dakota 4.7 is the coolest running engine I have ever had,you have a big rad,big primary fan and a back up electric fan there is no way your truck is getting up to 260,Mine being a 01 model there is no #`s on the temp gauge but I checked my coolant temp with my digital thermometer,it was 27c thats about 85f and the true water temp was 193f,maybe you dont know how to drive?
|
QuadCab
Dodge Dakota
7/20/2001
22:32:28
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Hotter than 260 Degrees Fahrenheit for a while and the aluminum heads would warp or probably crack.
|
doctor dakota
Dodge Dakota
7/21/2001
13:50:31
|  RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Very interesting forum item. It once again proves my theory...there are people that will always argue the answer is wrong when they ask a question. Even when the answer is correct. These folks usually already have made up their minds what the answer is before they ask the question.
|
Rascal
Dodge Dakota
7/22/2001
09:08:30
|  RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Sorry to hear about your fan clutch problem...I just inherited a 98 Dak with a 5.2...first thing I did was REMOVE the fan and clutch, (one easy operation), and install an electic fan with adjustable thermostatic control, (under $100), also put in a 180 degree thermostat. Do this and not only are your clutch fan problems over, you will pick up more hp, torque, and gas mileage..your water pump will also last longer. I hope this helps.
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/22/2001
22:43:40
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Thanks Art for your opinions even though I have had three mechanics look at my truck and tell me the same thing. I do know what I'm talking about here. And I do know what it is like to have my truck hotter than 260 on the temp. gauge. Tell me I don't know how to drive? I've owned three Dodges in my life and knew how to drive every one of them. One question for you Art, where do you live anyways? Any place that by 10 in the morning it's already 90 degrees outside?Doesn't sound like it to me. My truck stayed past the 260 mark for about 20 minutes and my truck has no head damage. I didn't ask for an answer to the problem, doctor dakota, I was just curious if anybody else was having problems with theirs. It sounds like to me their are too many computer mechanics than Dakota mechanics out there, at least on this page there are. Thanks Rascal for your advice. I already thought of this but the set up I was going to do was going to cost around $600, so I changed my mind and about to change trucks.
|
jt
Dodge Dakota
7/22/2001
22:56:49
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
600.00!!!? Wow, must be one of the 3 mechanics you have seen hehe.I don't know about everyone else but you sound like a hoax. Or your gullable enough to think 3 fan cluthes could go out in a row!
|
Duner
Dodge Dakota
7/23/2001
01:40:06
| Bad Temp Gauge?
IP: Logged
Message:
Felecia,
I can tell you this.....I live in Phoenix AZ. It get's plenty hot here. I have driven my truck without the mechanical fan or viscous clutch and relied solely on the electrical fan that's standard equipment with your 4.7. My truck never got that hot. I suspect you have another problem other than the fan clutch.
I think that if your truck looks like it's running 260 degrees and it still actually runs, then I would look at the temperature sender. There is a possibility that your gauge is showing you wrong information. The difficulty of diagnosing automotive problems in a setting like this, is that the information that helps diagnose problems (or solutions) is held hostage. Since I can't physically touch or see your truck, all I have to go on is the information you give us. Until this last "wave", we didn't know what temperature your truck was running at. I can appreciate the fact that you are frustrated. I'm sure most of this frustration is due to the fact that you can't fix the truck yourself.
Before I spent $600 on a new fan system I would try a couple of things first.
1 - New water temperature sender
If this component is faulty, the gauge is showing 260 degrees, when in fact it might actually only be running 200 degrees, which is about right.
2- New 180 degree thermostat
If your thermostat is faulty, it may not be opening correctly or flowing enough water thru the system to cool efficiently.
The problem could be many things, but I seriously doubt the problem is your clutch fan. If you are set on purchasing another brand of vehicle to "fix" the problem, then that's your perogative. More power to you.
|
Todd
Dodge Dakota
7/23/2001
08:36:45
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
They are right, the aluminium heads won't handle 260 degrees for any period of time. My brother had a Mercury Cougar that overheated to about that, the heads warped almost immediatly.
I'd be questioning that reading. And $600 for an electric fan replacement? I just saw a flex-fan and space for about $40... if you're clutch is dying, pull it out and go with a flex+spacer.
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/23/2001
23:33:09
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
First thing, the $600 wasn't just a new electrical fan. It was a new radiator and electric fan.
And jt I have put three fan clutches on my truck and I don't care whether or not you think I have or not. I know what my Mopar/GM mechanics have replaced, and that every time after it is replaced my trucks runs fine for about two weeks then it goes out again.
To you Todd, I have had my truck past 260 for about 20 minutes. Fluid poured out of the overflow for the entire time. I'm no mechanic, but I do know that I seriously doubt my heads are warped or cracked. If they were wouldn't they have replaced them already? This time they are also replacing the thermostat and flushing my radiator when they replace the fan clutch.
Like I said in my last post, I'm not asking for solutions, I just wanted to know if anybody else has had the same problems. You don't have to come on here telling me what's not happening to my truck. I'm not some stupid city girl that doesn't know a thing about trucks. I have owned 2 other trucks before this one. I do know enough to get me by.
To everybody, thank you for your solutions and misguided opinions, I already knew most of them. It is nice that people offer their opinion to try to help, but when you start tell me what's going on and you don't even know yourself it's just not right.
|
Duner
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
02:36:09
|  RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Why did we even bother?
Like I said, you have some other problem that's causing the overheating or apparent overheating. Obviously, if it were just the fan clutch, they wouldn't be doing the other things to it. If it has in fact been running 260 and puking coolant, you might have pushed a head gasket out. But don't listen to what we may say..... you apparently have 3 mechanical experts in your corner already. That's why it's fixed already?
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
03:30:32
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Lets get this straight questions for you 1)what kind of truck cc,reg or quad? 4.7 right? mopar/gm mechanics?what are you doin with the truck?What year is it?Did it do this when you first got it?Just so you and your mechanics know if you took off the clutch and primary fan fan your engine still shouldnt overheat you have a electric backup fan.nother question like the guys said did they verify the temp of the coolant with a thermometer?You are not clear in stating just what happened and just what is wrong we are trying to help you but as you can see your the only person I`ve seen with this complaint,of all the little glitches the trucks have overheating isnt one of them.Start from scratch felicia,lets see if we can help you,gimme your truck specifics powertrain and so on,ie 4.7right? auto or stick ac or no ac tow package or not,know what I mean?
|
Wayne
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
04:32:23
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Felicia, unlike most of the others I believe that you know what you are talking about. All the conditions that you describe points to bad clutch fans. This is a rare to have clutch fans go out and to have 3 in such a short period of time is unheard of. That is why most people are having trouble believing you. Anyway, If I were you and had the money, I would get rid of that truck. Sorry to see you go to Chevy. I would suggest trying another Dakota. Also, some of the ideas about flex fans or electric fans sounds like the cheapest route. Good luck.
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
14:04:42
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
See wayne this is the prob you can take the primary fan off and it still shouldnt overheat,so its something else causing this,the 4.7`s have a backup electric fan that comes on at about 200,you have to verify the water temp with a outside thermometer,she could have a block thats pluged with casting slag or something else
|
Dr.Q
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
14:24:16
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
OK lets say its the fan clutch. I'm no mechanical whiz but, let's look at this statisticly. For the sake of argument lets say the quality control people at Dodge let 1% of faulty fan clutches get by. Now Felicia is saying that she's had it replaced three times and now her fourth is going. that 1% X 1% X 1% X 1%. this would make the chances of the cause of your problem being the fan clutch 1 in 10,000,000. I'm not saying your wrong but I would have replaced the thermostat 3 clutches ago. just my .02.
|
Dr. Q
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
14:35:11
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
OOOPS! but I didn't I count the zeros right. The odds of it being your fan clutch is 1:100,000,000. I regret any inconvenence that this error may have caused.
|
Dr. Q
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
14:36:15
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
OOOPS! but I didn't I count the zeros right. The odds of it being your fan clutch is 1:100,000,000. I regret any inconvenence that this error may have caused.
|
Duner
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
14:51:00
| Brain Trust?
IP: Logged
Message:
This is one stupid thread. We have someone that has been told her fan clutch is the problem with her truck. She claims to know what she's talking about and is sure it's the fan clutch. OK, let's go with that. Then why is it that between her and the three geniuses she has working on the truck they haven't done any of the most basic diagnostic tests to find out what the REAL problem is? She didn't comment on any of my suggestions, so the "brain trust" must have everything under control. How many more fan clutches do you think it will take before you figure out why it's overheating? Why isn't this being taken care of under warranty?
Felicia: Good luck with your new ford, chevy, nissan, toyota or whatever. I'm sure if you get into trouble with a vehicle again, the "brain trust" will have you on the road.........sometime. Besides, I'm sure there are plenty of other sites for those trucks.....that way you can just ignore any of their advice also.
Like I said, this is one stupid thread!
|
Rascal
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
16:20:19
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
THREE fan clutches and you and your buddies think you know what you are talking about? If you did know, then why are you asking us? (I concur, I would replace the crappy thermostat first...after all, its only $3)...
my 2 cents also..
|
Todd
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
16:30:45
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
You know, I bet the overheating is whats causing those clutchs to fail...
Like others have said, I 4.7 running correctly will be cooled with just the electric fan. Anyone ever here of a fan clutch dying because of heat? Curious as to that.
I don't doubt that Felica knows what she is talking about, but I really doubt that the clutch is the cause. It seems more like a symptom to me. I'd be checking that cooling system right good after the second clutch failure. Maybe some debrie from assembly (IE: Little marker tags, stuff like that) was left in one of the coolant channels and is gumming the entire works up. Dunno. I'd think Dodge would want to take the truck back and do a complete teardown on it, odd that they haven't asked to do that yet...
Felica, have you gotten ahold of a Dodge Rep? Not the ones at your dealer, they are just trying to cover their butt.
|
Felicia
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
18:07:13
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
To Art, 2000, 4.7L, Club Cab, 4x4, 5-spd, 3.92 gears, ac, towing package.
I only get my truck serviced at my dealership and yes it is all warranty work.
I do know that when it gets fixed and then I put my truck in 4wd in some sand or mud it goes out again. (the fan clutch) My truck cannot sit outside idling for 20 minutes without it heating up to 245 or so.
Here's ya'll some more info to beat around like ya'll all already have all the other stuff I have said, but none of ya'll are really listening.
I don't want answers to the problem!! I was just curious if I was the only one with a bad Dakota.
|
Rascal
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
18:12:56
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Nah, unlike you, we know what we are doing...
(ya'll)
|
Rascal
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
18:13:14
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Nah, unlike you, we know what we are doing...
(ya'll)
|
Duner
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
18:53:33
|  Who's Not Listening?
IP: Logged
Message:
Felicia - I listened very well. I get the picture. You don't want any answers because the "brain trust" has it all taken care of. You said when the truck gets fixed. By that do you mean when the "brain trust" puts another fan clutch in it? Do you actually like the truck other than this "problem" you are having with your dealer?
You're not listening......it's not the fan clutch that's bad! Something else is wrong with it! I realize that you aren't the one doing the work, but these guys don't sound too sharp. It sounds like you live in a place where you only have one alternative for service. If you have a chance to take it to another dealership, you should. It shouldn't take 3 trips to get any problem taken care of at the dealer.
You will end up trading your truck off for another one because of a $3.00 part and some idiots at the GM/Dodge dealership. After 3 trips to the dealer for the exact same problem.....your truck should qualify for "lemon" status. They should buy it back from you........or is that the entire point of this excercise?
|
Bruce P.
Dodge Dakota
7/24/2001
21:00:13
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Your fan is NOT supposed to speed up with the engine RPMs. To save fuel... the fan is NOT firmly connected to the engine. The 4.7L V8 has an additional ELECTRIC radiator fan that complements the fanclutch operation. I have memorized most of the DC service manual and KNOW what I am talking about.
Ask your "mechanics" if they even OWN the DC shop manual for your Dakota!
If the answer is "yes" tell them to read about the operation of the fanclutch in that document to set them straight.
If the answer is "NO",RUN FROM THOSE MECHANICS AS FAST AS YOU CAN!! Do not let them even open the hood if you want your Dakota to last.
|
DarkFury
Dodge Dakota
7/25/2001
00:45:10
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Ok guys... I guess everyone sees the point here.
Why don't we all just grant Felicia's request and just state that "No, we don't have this problem... it must only be happening with YOUR truck. Isolated incident" and then just move on?
There is no point in trying to prove anything to anyone who has already made their mind up... so why bother? I guess if y'all really didn't care, you wouldn't have offered your advice in the first place, but since she isn't looking for it, just let it be...
It's not like her decision to go to some other option (even Chevy) is gonna stop Dodge from building more Dakotas and selling them. I say just let it be and have her dealership deal with it and if that should mean that she trades it in something else... then so be it. That just means that the next person will have to figure out what went wrong and will probably inherit a pretty nice truck after they fix it.
Can everyone just agree to disagree or what?
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
7/25/2001
01:09:52
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Answer to your question no I do not have a overheating problem at all.Like I`ve said and everyone else on here the fan clutch is not the problem felicia,something else in your cooling system is at fault its just that the shop you take it to just doesnt care unfortunately this happens all the time no matter what make of vehicle it is.So everytime the (fan clutch) goes out what do they tell you?If you read all our replys to your question,those are the things you should be asking the so called mechanics.
|
Wayne
Dodge Dakota
7/25/2001
22:26:00
| RE: Fan Clutches in 4.7s
IP: Logged
Message:
Art, You are right - I forgot about the electric fan on the 4.7s.
Felicia, the answer to your question is: No! I have never had this happen to me or anyone else that I know of.
|
| | P 1 Next Page>> |
