My fan clutch seems to be on all the time.

here is my ideas
btw
I can turn the clutch when the engine is off even at regular temp easily

1. I replaced the thermostat this past winter maybe it doesnt open till after the fan clutch comes on.

2. My radiator isnt doing a good enough job cooling without the fan.

3. the clutch is bad but dont they either sieze solid or not engage at all

Uh...it sounds more like it's failing to engage, dood.

My fan clutch was bad, it never fully disengaged, yet I could turn it by hand when the motor was not running. After starting the vehicle the fan should disengage when cold, I checked mine with a stick...made matchsticks. I knew it was going bad because of the fan noise all the time.

So the direct answer to your question is that the clutch can be bad yet not engaged to the point it is rock solid. But as mentioned before if you are having trouble cooling I would think its not engaging as it should.

Ding ding ding ding ding ding!!!

Sure sign of a failed fan clutch. It's pretty easy: when the engine is hot, the fan blades should be hard to turn by hand (locks up and turns the same speed as a running engine, roughly). When the engine is cold, the fan blades should spin very easily (letting the engine warm up to operating temperature easily).

Obviously, you should check these while the engine is OFF and the fan blades ARE NOT SPINNING. Ask me how I know this.

The fan clutch itself is something like $80 or so. Get one with a lifetime warranty. For some reason, I had three go out in as many years. Every year, right before Moab in May, I'd be in there unbolting those four 10mm bolts...

HTH,
mike

It doesnt over heat but I never hear the fan turn off and Im sure its killing my gas mileage what temp should the fan clutch engage could the thermostat be to high of temp I think it has a 195 degree in there now

The two pieces are physically seperate, but still affected by the temp of your engine. Meaning: the fan clutch is in no way directly connected to your thermostat, but is only affected by the temp of your engine/coolant.

So if your engine is running smack dab in the middle of the temp guage, you have no problem. If your fan turns easily at operating temp, then you have a worn fan clutch.

HTH,
mike

it actually runs a little lower than half but I should hear the clutch cycle on and off if everythings up to par correct

I think you have a few parts confused. The fan clutch like Mike said is totally unrelated to your thermostat and only works based off the heat blowing by it from the radiator. It is a very simple thing. Do you know how a torque convertor works? same thing. two turbines with a metal casing filled with a viscous liquid that gets more viscous at hot temps and watery at low temps.

Now it does not cycle ot create any sounds since it is variable in how it operates. There is not hard fast engagement/disengagement. It will spin faster or slower than the waterpump with varyig degrees.

What you may be thinking of is an a/c clutch which is magnetically/mechnanically activated and either on, or off, there are no varying degrees.

im not as stupid as everyone thinks. on my bmw and my work truck I hear the fan and then I dont. I know it is always spinning but it doesnt scream like a banshee like my rodeo's always does. I am saying if the temp of the t-stat is to high then the fan will be wailing all the time. (fully engaged)

Just put a Taurus electric fan in there , then no more worries about the fan and clutch <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> It also cools a little better then the stock fan , and not too hard for instalation.As soon as my engine swap gets done , the electric fan is going back in.I'm putting in a new radiator too , so the old rad and shroud is hitting the junk pile.