Loss of Power after New Fan Clutch

[jonaz]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 and it blew the water pump and fan clutch at the campsite. Got it towed to a auto repair store in San Diego and they replaced the fan clutch, water pump, and thermostat.

Since they replaced everything, I noticed that new the fan clutch is unusually loud and tends to stay on a lot (yes, it was a very warm day in Southern California). The fan clutch seems to be matched to my throttle acceleration...meaning the fan clutch roars more with when I apply the gas pedal. Going up into the mountains where I lived, I noticed a significant loss of power..I really had to floor it to maintain 40mph when I could easily do 50mph before.

I hate towing my trailer now and the new fan clutch engages a lot. Ive owned this truck for three years now, and it ran great, never even noticed the fan clutch before. I read that there are thermal and non thermal fan clutches? Do you think they put in the wrong fan clutch? Looking for some advice.

Thanks in Advance

[jonaz]

You didn't notice it because the old clutch didn't work well to start with and was worn out. These units lose 5~10% of their efficiency each year as they age. You probably hear it roar in the morning now and when ever it has cooled of some - that's a good thing and a sign it's healthy.
Ram has changed the logic of how and when these fans actuate. They keep the eng cooler and temp more consistent. You will also find your AC works better and has an easier life (lower pressures) during stop and go traffic.
Yes, because that fan can move so much air (way more than any electric), it takes a lot of HP. The one for my diesel pulls 23 HP.
Other than the HP loss, everything about that new clutch is positive.

Scott- My buddy, who is a good mechanic told me the same thing, sounds like a healthy fan clutch...still, my old fan clutch was quieter and my truck had a lot more power, even pulling my truck up from Southern California to San Francisco.

[ScottG]

You didn't notice it because the old clutch didn't work well to start with and was worn out. These units lose 5~10% of their efficiency each year as they age. You probably hear it roar in the morning now and when ever it has cooled of some - that's a good thing and a sign it's healthy.
Ram has changed the logic of how and when these fans actuate. They keep the eng cooler and temp more consistent. You will also find your AC works better and has an easier life (lower pressures) during stop and go traffic.
Yes, because that fan can move so much air (way more than any electric), it takes a lot of HP. The one for my diesel pulls 23 HP.
Other than the HP loss, everything about that new clutch is positive.