Whines When Warm
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 84
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From: Santa Monica California
Whines When Warm
I have a '73 L-82. I recently installed a factory-style clutch fan to replace an aftermarket flex fan and also replaced the water and steering pumps. Once the car is warm, when I drive it at 80-85 mph and over, I get a whine from the front. What could it be? Does the clutch fan require lubrication? All the belts are at appropriate tension. I don't drive over 80-85 often, but I'd like to be able to do so without this annoying whine. Any ideas? Thanks in advance for the help.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 84
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From: Santa Monica California
More info: At 80-85 mph I'm spinning at 3500-4000 rpm. The whine cannot be replicated if the car is idling; it must be in gear. Also, the fan clutch seems be be engaged at all times, meaning that the fan is spinning whether the car is cold, a little warm, or hot. When the engine is off I can spin the fan although there is some resistance. Still hoping for some ideas.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 218
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From: Waverly NY
The fan isn't regulated by temperature, it should disengage at higher rpm than idle. So when your crusing down the highway the air blowing thru the radiator cools it, and the fan pulling the air is not necessary.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 752
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From: Melbourne Australia
Correction
Previous posts are only partly correct....
The factory style fan clutch is definitely temperature controlled. The hotter the air coming thru the radiator the more strongly the fan is driven. There is always some minimal drive even when cold.
The fan is more likely to make a "roaring" sound than a whine.
The fan clutch, water & steering pumps are not affected by whether the car is in gear or not. I'd check to make very certain the noise is actually from the front....not just sounding like it's from the front.
I'd be suspicious of transmission....did the noise start suddenly? I find I'm more sensitive to noises after having done work on the motor....always worried I'd stuffed something up! Perhaps the noise was there earlier?
Hope this helps,
Joe
The factory style fan clutch is definitely temperature controlled. The hotter the air coming thru the radiator the more strongly the fan is driven. There is always some minimal drive even when cold.
The fan is more likely to make a "roaring" sound than a whine.
The fan clutch, water & steering pumps are not affected by whether the car is in gear or not. I'd check to make very certain the noise is actually from the front....not just sounding like it's from the front.
I'd be suspicious of transmission....did the noise start suddenly? I find I'm more sensitive to noises after having done work on the motor....always worried I'd stuffed something up! Perhaps the noise was there earlier?
Hope this helps,
Joe
