replacing fan clutch/coupling - How to's

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ShipFixer
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Location: San Diego, CA

Postby ShipFixer » Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:34 pm

disallow wrote:
I have huge ham-sized fists, and managed to do mine (twice!) without removing the shrouds or the electric fan... :)
Really not sure how you could pull that off!

Gotta go back and remove the shroud again sometime in the near future. I finally found my persistent front end oil leak and it's not in the oil cooler; it looks like it's the timing chain cover gasket. Probably from when I had the tensioner shoes replaced...


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ShipFixer
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Postby ShipFixer » Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:14 am

Got 19.0 mpg driving from 3000 feet to 8500 feet driving to Mammoth Mountain, at 80-90 mph trying to catch up to the rest of the group.

On the way back there was a crazy headwind so it dropped to 17 mpg for the first part, but came back up on the second tank near sea level.

Last year I think I got 15-16 mpg each way...

curvecrazy
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Location: Buffalo NY

This fan clutch is a PITA!!!

Postby curvecrazy » Tue Jan 13, 2015 9:58 pm

Ok. So I'm at 121K miles with an 05 Pathfinder. Replaced the original fan clutch two years ago with an autozone version because the original was locked all the time making the vehicle very loud and annoying not to mention robbing horsepower and gas mileage. Sounded basically like a B17 immediately at startup and ongoing. You know its buggered cause when you stand by the vehicle at dead cold startup the air is blowing hard right out the driver side fender well and the roar is apparent to anyone/everyone.
So two years later and the autozone one has gone the way of the original doing the same bloody thing. So went to autozone and got a replacement free on warranty. Did not look at it there and got home like dummy and took it all apart go grab the replacement and what is this? The bag has been opened inside the box, and there is a ground mark on the mount flange like someone dropped it on the ground. ???
I am stuck now you know having failed to check it at the store. Put it in and it roars just like the one I replaced.
Anyone know if it could be on for a reason? I took it for a drive and its 1 degree fahrenheit out, drove it maybe 6 to 7 miles got it up to temp and sure as can be its airplane loud and fan follows engine rpm when throttle is applied meaning its not slipping like it should. When I put the last one in it was like everyone says, at startup it spins up for a few seconds then idles off and slipped like it should. I will check it again in the morning but I am thinking I got a bad clutch fan someone had returned and they put it back on the shelf. Grrrrrrrr.

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Tue Jan 13, 2015 10:37 pm

Nobody here, including me, have had any luck with non OEM replacements of this component. I bought Beck-Arnley replacement from an online source and ended up returning it because it was worse than what i had.

For myself, next step will probably be getting an actual OEM one from AAANissanParts or similar, or the other way I was thinking was going electric cooling fan. Not sure on that one though.

As far as your question on why it might be locked on, I've given that some thought on my rig and wonder if the under hood temp is higher than it should be. But I've never checked it.

Good luck.

t

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08PathPounder
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Postby 08PathPounder » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:52 am

How long can one expect an original to last? I'm about to hit 52,000 on an 08 S. I take it they still don't have their stuff together on anything but a genuine Nissan replacements ?

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:54 am

I would agree with that, go OEM.

I've still not replaced mine. It definitely doesn't overheat.

Cuban Pete
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Postby Cuban Pete » Mon Mar 02, 2015 3:40 pm

I replaced mine yesterday - I took the whole thing apart as described at the top of the post. Even if I could squeeze my arms in there, I much prefer ample access.

I bought a Shimahide through autohausaz.com for $105 USD and free shipping. I don't know if it's what the OEM uses, but they also have a Beck Arnley option.

I thought my original one was engaging the fan too much, but this new one runs the same so I guess it's just that noisy. I used to have a 1995 Isuzu Rodeo V6 that had the same kind of fan clutch setup and was much quieter after the initial 10sec from start up. Maybe I should have driven another similar Pathfinder for comparison.

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Mon Mar 02, 2015 4:12 pm

Let it wear in a bit. Maybe it'll loosen up.

Mine didn't though. Took it off a month later and got my money back. Still have the original on, howling away...

curvecrazy
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Location: Buffalo NY

Postby curvecrazy » Thu Jul 23, 2015 2:47 pm

Well, round and round I go on this stupid fan clutch. And this stupid serpentine belt and tensioner too. The damn thing has been squealing away so long now I'm just used to it but it drives the miss's crazy cause she can hear that high pitched whine. I have since the last post a couple months ago replaced the fan clutch and serpentine belt and tensioner too. The serpentine belt and fan clutch were from autozone. The serpentine belt tensioner was from RockAuto. Belt began squealing again in approximately 50 miles!!! Fan clutch initially seemed to be quieter and then it got loud as can be again and now if the miss's takes the car down the hill to the store and back up I can hear her coming 100 yards away. No shit! ITS "THAT" friggin loud. I have finally gotten rid of the belt squeal by modifying the tensioner to increase the spring tension and that seems to have almost eliminated the squeal. Almost. The fan clutch is driving me crazy. Autozone warrants these for life so you can get as many of them as you want but they just spin all the time it seems from new. You can hear it all the time on the highway included. I am so sick of this nonsense.
Does anyone know if the oem fan clutch eliminates this situation? It would be worth it at this point and take my losses on the autozone fan clutch. Also, has anyone had any luck with the autozone serpentine belts not squealing or must you go oem Nissan belt and tensioner to get that quiet too? I am starting to wonder if my pulleys are worn cause there was belt slippage for a very long time. Also on the fan clutch hub it seems like the back of the serpentine belt has worn down into the face of it a 16th of an inch or so. fwiw I would love to just take that fan right out of there but afraid it would overheat. Grrrrrrrrr.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:10 pm

Refer this Nissan TSB regarding belt squeak:

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/fixur ... 6-072b.pdf

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wizeguy
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Postby wizeguy » Sun Oct 25, 2015 7:20 pm

Yup, my 05 with 70,000 miles stays on at start up and under approx 2000 rpm all the time.. I kinda didn't mind cause figuring it keeps the engine cool but can't amagin what it's doing to my gas mileage.
So what is the general consensus with the aftermarket?

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:20 pm

The general consensus is the the quality of the aftermarket fan clutches is pretty spotty. Stick with genuine Nissan.

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wizeguy
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Postby wizeguy » Wed Oct 28, 2015 8:02 am

Just checked the dealer and they want $200!
Hope it last longer then the first one!

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Wed Oct 28, 2015 1:48 pm

Try CourtesyParts.com or NissanPartsDeal.com. It'll probably be $30-40 cheaper.

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wizeguy
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Postby wizeguy » Wed Oct 28, 2015 3:51 pm

smj999smj wrote:Try CourtesyParts.com or NissanPartsDeal.com. It'll probably be $30-40 cheaper.
Cool gonna check it out... BTW I see your a moderator .. Is there a for sale section on here? Wanting to get a used Pathfinder (2008-2012) for the wife


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