Delco Fan Clutch HELL
Question:
> Short version: > Can anyone please refer me to the proper Delco heavy duty (for towing) > fan clutch part number that is *available* for an ‘86 4wd GMC Suburban > w/350 & A/C . My parts suppliers are baffled.
I’m afraid I don’t have the PN, but I do have the exact fan clutch you’re looking for installed on my 454 Chevy. It’s fantastic. I would say you are on the right track looking for this fan clutch. It uses a silicon viscous fluid coupling that is _very_ effective. When the engine requires a bit of cooling, the fan comes on so hard it sucks my shirtails up against the grill! When cooling isn’t required, it freewheels, consuming no power and creating no noise. I believe all you need to do is look up the PN for a late-model Chevy 454 truck BEFORE the serpentine belt reverse rotation was introduced. I don’t know the year serpentine belts came along, but a decent counterman should be able to do this for you no problem. Just buy the part for one year earlier. – Lifespeed
Response:
Short version: Can anyone please refer me to the proper Delco heavy duty (for towing) fan clutch part number that is *available* for an ‘86 4wd GMC Suburban w/350 & A/C . My parts suppliers are baffled. Long version: I’ve been working to set up my to prepare it for towing a travel trailer without overheating (yes, I wish I had a 450 but …). I’ve installed a fan assisted tranny cooler and am now working on the engine cooling. I’m having a 3 row dimple tube radiator build up and George at the shop suggestes the only way to go is to put in a "Delco heavy duty fan clutch with a 7 blade fan" to improve air flow. He further stated – "stay away from the aftermarket stuff" – He’s been there and done that and said experience taught him Delco makes the better units – "you’ll pay more for ‘em but they’re worth it" he said. So….I went to my local GM dealer and asked for the heavy duty fan clutch for my 350. He told me he thought it was Delco p/n 15-4545. He said it was a special order which if it turned out to be the wrong part, was my tough luck – I didn’t order it. . Next, I went to my favorite auto parts store where they tried to find the same part – no luck. To make matters worse, their computer part ID system for Delco was a complete puzzle. The part numbers did not specify the fan clutch’s performance specs. but instead identified their application based on the mark stamped on the old unit (which of course, I don’t want to replace but instead, want to upgrade). This was of no help and I now have no idea what clutch to purchase. Can anyone please help ? Please, no aftermarket recommendations – I’ve already purchased, installed, and returned a Flex – a – Lite HD clutch unit that was unsatisfactory (minimum fan RPM was 30% of water pump shaft speed when cold – loud, power sapping, wife hated it) Thanks in advance for any help and sorry in hindsight, for the long, wordy post. Joe.
Response:
My God, man, where do you live, purgatory? I’ve known people to pull some pretty heavy loads across the southwest during the summer and have fewer headaches. Unless you’re taxing your powerplant with unforgivable gear ratios or trying to pull a load of rocks out of a canyon, what you’ve done thus far should get you there. Unless you have some latent, chronic overheating problem whose borderline existence does not exhibit itself until pushed, your mods should work. If not, do not think that all aftermarket equipment is created equal! Removing BTU’s is just a matter of winning the war against heat. And fans do NOT have to be loud!
Response:
>My God, man, where do you live, purgatory?
No, but I drive through there regularly … > I’ve known people to pull some >pretty heavy loads across the southwest during the summer and have fewer >headaches.
My only headache seems to be my inability to find the correct part number for the available, stock, GM, Delco, heavy duty, fan clutch recommended for a 4wd ‘86 Suburban w/350 and AC. So far, no luck. Can you help? >Unless you’re taxing your powerplant with unforgivable gear >ratios or trying to pull a load of rocks out of a canyon, what you’ve done >thus far should get you there.
Having a fan on the engine might be nice. >Unless you have some latent, chronic >overheating problem whose borderline existence does not exhibit itself until >pushed, your mods should work.
I think the underlying latent chronic problem may be an underpowered power plant. >If not, do not think that all aftermarket >equipment is created equal!
Most likely true but I’m not inclined to test them all. Logic tells me George is right in his advice to go back to the primary source for reliability. >Removing BTU’s is just a matter of winning the >war against heat.
Philosophy is OK but a fan clutch part number would be better. >And fans do NOT have to be loud!
This is one of the guiding principal in my search for the Delco part. Fans should only be loud when they are moving air because the engine requires cooling. The Flex-a Lite after market unit I bought made my stock 5 blade loud all the time and it palably sapped power; ie: it never disengaged enough to freewheel. When I spoke to the Flex-a-Lite tech guy, he said it never disengaged below 30% of the water pump shaft speed. That was a sub optimal situation and my decision was to try to go back to the factory for their recommended Delco part.
Response:
