New Fan Clutch

[Jacob]

I have just replaced my fan clutch with a new aftermarket one from Auto Zone. To my surprise, it is now hard to turn the fan by hand, and the engine sounds very loud while still cold. Is this normal for a new clutch? Or should I return it to Auto Zone?

1996 LS400

Thanks

[alsalih]

From Autozone!! Only a few things I would buy from there and they would not be critical components (even if they do give you a lifetime warranty). A properly working fan clutch will have resistance when the vehicle is cold but you should be able to turn by hand. If it feels like it's engaged then yes it has failed and you need to get one from a different place. There are two failure modes for clutch fans, it either locks up and is always engaged, or the the internal oil leaks out and it spins freely all the time (happened in my case). I got a good one for $50 from O'reilly auto which is made by Hayden (also sold at NAPA) and it works very well. Your other option is a Shimahide Japaness sold online ($70), an NPW also Jap ($120), or OEM made by Aisin for $150.

[Jacob]

Thank you alsalih,

I'll try to return the clutch; the Hayden one is available at a local store for about $68 (including tax). I paid about $57 for the Auto Zone clutch; not a huge difference.

[Jacob]

Update

I returned the clutch to Auto Zone, and bought a Hayden from a local store for about $75 (including tax). The Hayden clutch was only slightly better than the one from Auto Zone; they both make the fan very loud. So, I returned the Hayden clutch and put back the original one; it’s leaking oil but at least It doesn’t make the engine sound like that of an old Chevy.

[alsalih]

Jacob, you might just want to go with the OEM from the dealer. This roar noise you hear is normal during startup and should go away within 20 seconds. Let the engine warm up and it will go away. I think the OEM does perform better and has less resistance and noise during normal operation.