Tacoma Fan Coupling Clutch issue ? Loss of engine pep with AC sometimes

No this check wont work for viscous type fan clutch, again apologies if I led You astray, but do follow advice from parkvisiter and watch timmy video.
Andy

 

thats ok lol
involved auto mechanics is a learning curve for me

 

Jay,
There’s a small bi-metal coil on the front of the clutch that senses the temperature and controls the fan clutch. Sometimes it breaks or gets rusted in place. It’s possible to add or replace the clutch fluid.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjhKr5usjaA

 

i was checking if i had the green snout, which it does,
also some tarnished look (roadspray from underneath most likely idk) on the green in there so that weathering maybe an issue, all those parts have only been removed once

 

That tarnished stuff could be the clutch fluid that leaked out

 

If your fan clutch is shot and it is making the roaring sound (which means it's locked up), you should be able to check it by pulling over when it's making the sound, turning off the engine, and trying to move it by hand. If you can't move it, it's failed.

 

i will try that!

it does not sound 'loud' at idle just in the lower gears it gets louder much sooner than i think it ought to and sometimes it does not

 

also there is an odd audible ticking sound at 2.1k RPMs usually, sometimes been louder

might this be the culprit of that?!

 

That's what a bad fan clutch will sound like. It screams when you accelerate. The clutch acts as a kind of lag on the fan to reduce sound when accelerating. You can also remove the fan and go for a drive. Just keep a close eye on your temp gauge. Don't go far and don't do stop and go traffic. Take the fan with you and reinstall after your engine heats up.

 

For future searchings sake, I looked into replacing the fluid and found it to be A) a huge PITA to get it out B) that fluid is crazy expensive and kind of hard to find C) theres no guarentee it will work. I ended up just buying a new fan clutch and all my problems were solved. I had the opposite of the OPs problem where mine would over heat in traffic and while wheeling and the AC would get hot in a few mins and then the motor would over heat. Fan clutch fixed evreything.

 

I do not want to be stranded in nowhere TX or PA
1000s miles away from base!

 

Then put a new fan clutch in it. They are really easy to change.

 

Since my days of High Horse power engines and going as fast as possible in a straight line are long past this slipped my mind.

Another thing we all sort of forgot humid hot air as the ambient temperatures increase is not nearly as dense as cool dry air enough to notice a lack in performance .

I can notice that much more then the loss from the AC compressor or fan clutch.

100 degrees and 100% humidity plus the other assorted factors I can see that one might feel the turtle as passing you by.

For peace of mind change the fan clutch if it turns out the new one acts the same you have a extra one.

 

I gotta agree about rebuilding unless maybe to say I did this where time and expense do not matter and you get way more invested then just buying a new one .

Most Fan clutch failures are of the no longer lock up type and things over heat I have never come across the always locked up type anything is possible

Even at $125.00 from Toyota it is not expensive.

 

I've rebuilt/changed the fluid in my fan clutch. Mainly for the reason of Phoenix 115 degree temps. At an idle the A/C performance is terrible. Draining the all fluid out and measuring the amount removed is critical. The silicone fluid is the same stuff used in rc car differentials. Easily purchased from Amazon. Getting the correct viscous weight is a guess. You just have to compare what you drained to what you purchased. I mixed them to get a slightly thicker fluid. Then refilled with the correct amount drained. A/C works great at an idle. No noticable roar like the fluid is to thick. But it's trial and error. I was happy with my first try at thicking the fluid.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...licone-oil-part-numbers.561095/#post-18358020

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...st-gen-edition.138573/page-7977#post-18264970

 

yea Jay, get of the couch!!!

 

well this could possibly explain some 'oddity' i have noticed for a few years now

situation: i stop for coffee in the morning (any time of the year AC off) after engines warmed up, restart the truck and head out only to find i have more power or less drag now than driving to the coffee shop early in the day

 

https://youtu.be/WzhlACxqeqQ?t=12