Front of truck...................cannot hear it in the cab...................all gauges and dash stuff read normally.

 

Sounds like an inconsistent rubbing/grinding.  The whole front end of my truck is OEM.  I'm thinking it could be alternator, fan clutch, water pump, idler pulley, belt tensioner pulley, or the power steering unit.

 

Anyone wanna take a guess or help a guy out as to where to start??

 

I'm gonna start by backing off the serpentine belt tensioner and then manually turning all the parts on the front end.  Hopefully I'll find the culprit by doing that.......

Yep there is no beating motion nor play on my 400k one so yours is going out for certain.

 

You guys ever find out where I live an I'll have to have a full time guard out there just guarding the parts on my 12 valve

Edited December 28, 201410 yr by JAG1

Ordered a "new" OEM fan clutch on Ebay from a place in MA.  The ad said "guaranteed New" and was the cheapest around..............$319.95 which includes shipping.

 

Yesterday afternoon before ordering, I gave the front end of the truck the "once over" again just to make sure I really think this is the fan clutch bearing making this noise.  Slipped the belt off again and tested all the other pulleys and they seem solid.........................even the fan clutch pulley.  The only noise is from the fan clutch itself when the belt is attached.  It has about 5/8" slop when measured and the fan blade tip.  I found where less than 1/4" is acceptable in this.  It also makes a "rubbing/mild grinding?" noise when spun.

 

All that said, this is gonna be a PITA to change out.

The new fan clutch arrived today!!  They said it wouldn't arrive until next Tuesday, but it got here today!!  Won't be able to install it until next week though, as I have a hunt test to go to this weekend with the dogs.  Here's a couple pix of the unit.

 

 

 

 

hey, I've seen air powered clutches on big rigs, Is the wire for electric engage?

hey, I've seen air powered clutches on big rigs, Is the wire for electric engage?

 

Yeah.  From what I've read, it works somewhat like a rheostat.  Normal fan speed is kept  at a "range" less than engine speed.  The plug has 5 terminals in it...................

Ecm controlled, normally slower than rpms but can be faster at 100% engaged.

Ecm controlled, normally slower than rpms but can be faster at 100% engaged.

 

Any tips for this would be greatly appreciated John!!

Any tips for this would be greatly appreciated John!!

 

Tips for controlling it?? Drive :-)

 

Or do you mean install? They can be a PITA to remove. Be sure to rent the 36mm fan wrench, and even then it could bloody some knuckles.

 They can be a PITA to remove. Be sure to rent the 36mm fan wrench, and even then it could bloody some knuckles.

 

Changed out the fan clutch today.  Only took about 1.5 hours in my unheated garage...........it's just 20*F here today.  Tried to do it yesterday;  without the proper tools, from a way I read about on one of other sites archives.  Twas a PITA, so I went to NAPA and bought the fan clutch tool kit for $60.00.  Money well spent IMHO!!!

 

Probably went so quick today because I knew what I had to take "off" the truck to get this thing out by taking it apart yesterday and putting it back together so I could go buy the tools!!  My fan clutch was actually pretty easy to break loose................hardest part is maneuvering the "pulley holding tool" into position and have it stay there while you try to maneuver the 36mm fan wrench with the 1/2" ratchet attached onto the fan clutch nut.  As I said prior, my broke loose rather easily.....................read of stories on other sites where guys had to use hammers to break them loose.  Hardest part for me in this regard was kneeling on the front bumper while doing this!!!!

 

It was definitely the bearing right behind the nut on the fan clutch itself that was bad/going out.  Anyone remember the roller skates you used to clamp onto your shoes..................the ones with the steel wheels???????  That's what the nut sounds like on the old unit when I turn the thing...................like roller skating down the sidewalk.

 

Install was pretty straight forward...................just a reversal of what I did prior.  Here's how I got this thing out of there.

 

1.  Drain out about 1 gallon of coolant from the radiator.

2.  Remove the air filter box while radiator drains.

3.  Remove upper radiator hose from radiator and bend out of the way.  Mine stayed out of the way hooked behind the dipstick.

4.  Remove the 2 upper fan shroud nuts.

5.  Remove the 2 brackets the upper fan shroud nuts attach to.

6.  Remove the 2 lower fan shroud nuts.

7.  Remove the bolt holding the fan clutch wiring plug bracket.

8.  Unplug the fan clutch plug.

9.  Break loose the fan clutch from the fan pulley with the PROPER TOOLS!!

10.  Spin the fan clutch off while trying to keep the fan clutch wiring from catching on everything as it turns.

11.  Once the fan clutch is off the mounting nut, drop it down into the bottom of the fan shroud.

12.  Go under truck and maneuver fan clutch and fan shroud off lower fan shroud bolt stubs.  Be careful here.

13.  Back on top, maneuver both fan clutch and fan shroud together out of engine compartment together.  

14.  Take fan blade assembly off old fan clutch and install on new fan clutch and reverse the process.

 

I put a tiny bit of anti-seize on the new fan clutch nut prior to install.

 

It said in the manual to bring the engine up to approximately 2000rpm for 2 minutes to make sure the fluid within the fan clutch gets distributed properly.  I did that, closed the hood, and SHAZAM..................no more noise!!!!!!  Drove 10 miles to let the engine temperature come up, and all seems well!!!

 

Any questions, just ask.

Edited February 3, 201510 yr by dorkweed

Great news!!!

No bloody knuckles either!!

 

Amazing how close the "clearance" is between the fan blades and the fan clutch wiring......................less than the thickness of my forefinger on the bottom and the front!!!!  

Edited February 3, 201510 yr by dorkweed

This must've been creeping up on me for a time, because my truck is much quieter at idle now.  Never knew I was hearing it before.