Car and Truck Fans and Kits
The fan on your car or truck is a vital part of the vehicles cooling system. Without it, parts could overheat and may lead to damage to other systems. With a wide selection of vehicle fans and kits, you can find what you need for your cars make and model.
What do car fans do?Your truck or car fan is designed to turn on to move air across your radiator and other fluid systems to keep your vehicle at a consistent temperature. Depending on the year, make, and model of your car or truck, it may run by different mechanisms. Newer vehicles, especially cars that are front-wheel drive, generally use an electric fan. When the coolant temperature goes up and reaches a certain point, the fan will turn on through a mechanism controlled by a thermostat or engine computer. Once the temperature drops far enough, it turns off.
Older cars and trucks may use a solid, clutch, or flex fan. These are run by pulleys and belts and may stay running all the time or when the engine drops below a certain speed. This is true whether cooling is needed or not.
What do fan kits come with?Fan kits come with everything you need to fully replace the fan in your car or truck. Many of these kits include components such as:
- Metal adapters
- Sending unit wires
- Circuit breaker
- Relay switch
- Mounting screws
- Terminals
A shroud is one of those parts that you really should have on your vehicle. The shroud surrounds the blades to focus all the air directly onto the cars systems for effective cooling. Without a shroud, air is drawn up from between the car fan and the radiator. This can lead to wasted energy and decreased removal of heat from the system.
How do you test a car fan?If the fan is connected to the electrical system, start your car and let it idle until the point where it starts up. Using a volt meter, determine the voltage running through the wires. It should be around 12 volts. If there is power in the wire but the fan is blowing any air, then you will likely need to replace the fan. If no power is running through the wires, the problem could be with the fuses or a sensor.
For blades run by a belt and pulley system, make sure all bolts are secure where it attaches to the water pump. Check the belt for wear and proper tension. For those with a clutch, check it while the car or truck is running. If the fan is not running or moving slowly, the clutch should be replaced. If there is no clutch, the belt should be replaced.