Vibration at idle after installing new Fan

[Mathoran]

So my 2005 Envoy was running fine but I decided to install the updated fan clutch to remedy the poor a/c at idle deal. Put it in and everything was working fine. A few days later my fan cracks and takes out the shroud.

I initially thought I had damaged the original fan with the hammer while loosening/tightening the fan clutch nut ( I have the right tools now so the new fan was installed without a hammer). Ordered a new four seasons fan and installed it. With the new fan it vibrates the whole car at idle. I removed the belt and no vibrations. I even unbolted the fan from the clutch and held it where it wasn't touching anything (with the belt on) and had someone start the car and no vibration. I was thinking my new fan was warped/unbalanced. There is some wobble in it. After 1 day of driving I see a crack in the new fan on the outer ring.

The original fan even with a crack and a small chunk missing never vibrated. the new fan vibrated at idle from the first time i started it.

The new clutch is a Hayden. I don't feel any play on the water pump so I need to figure out what to do next.

Should I just get a new a/c delco fan and hope the new fan was just defective or could there be some other underlying problem damaging the fans? Would a bad fan clutch do that? The fan spins freely and is not coming into contact with anything. Truck has 80k miles if that matters.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[vangasman]

Since the vibration started with the new fan I would guess that is it. The first one was probably damaged so thats why it went. Did you put the 2008 clutch in?

 

[The_Roadie]

I'm assuming you put in the replacement electroviscous fan clutch and not the new design thermal fan clutch, because that version will end up throwing a code from the lack of fan RPM feedback. The poor performance of AC at idle also requires a dealer PCM update, because most of the benefit only comes from new PCM programming.

The vibration is undoubtedly a bad fan. Why not bring it back for a replacement? Don't drive with it too long because of the damage it might do to the water pump bearing.

 

[Mathoran]

the replacement clutch is the HAYDEN 3200 no codes ever. I was under the impression I already had the PCM update being that its a 2005 model year. My truck was built in 2004 before they changed the fan clutches.

I ordered the new Four Seasons fan from Rock Auto so I'd rather just order another (A/C Delco this time) one and get it fixed asap then worry about sending the bad one back. I have a road trip next weekend so need this sorted out.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Mathoran]

Just to follow up I replaced the fan with an A/C Delco fan and the vibration is completely gone. My only concern now is that the fan still wobbles a little. I tracked it down to a tiny bit of play in the fan clutch. Is that play normal/acceptable? The clutch is brand new.

Thanks.

 

[CaptainXL]

I was under the impression I already had the PCM update being that its a 2005 model year. My truck was built in 2004 before they changed the fan clutches.

You would have to check the service bulletin. The last 8 of your VIN need to fall within the line sequence range. Check Alldatadiy.com for the bulletin or search on the web. I may have posted it before but can't remember. But yes, 2005 is when the programming was updated for the clutch. Weather that started in 2004 I don't recall.

Just to follow up I replaced the fan with an A/C Delco fan and the vibration is completely gone. My only concern now is that the fan still wobbles a little. I tracked it down to a tiny bit of play in the fan clutch. Is that play normal/acceptable? The clutch is brand new.

Thanks.

I would think it should be perfectly balanced. Are you sure it's not an optical illusion and the real fault is the water pump bearings? Or maybe the clutch housing is not machined true just balanced?

 

[Mathoran]

You would have to check the service bulletin. The last 8 of your VIN need to fall within the line sequence range. Check Alldatadiy.com for the bulletin or search on the web. I may have posted it before but can't remember. But yes, 2005 is when the programming was updated for the clutch. Weather that started in 2004 I don't recall.




I would think it should be perfectly balanced. Are you sure it's not an optical illusion and the real fault is the water pump bearings? Or maybe the clutch housing is not machined true just balanced?

It could be an optical illusion. when everything was off I pulled the water pump pulley to check the pump for play. It had no play in any direction, the only way it would move at all was a tiny bit in and out.

I read an old Roadie post about fan run-out so I'm hoping its normal. It does smooth out with rpm its just at idle that I can see a wobble. When I rock the fan by hand I can see a tiny bit of movement where the shaft goes into the clutch so I'm assuming that's where its coming from otherwise just imperfections in the plastic fan.

 

[CaptainXL]

Well if my scientific reasoning is sound it would make sense that if it's out of balance at all the water pump bearings will self destruct in time. You might want to look into it a bit more. Perhaps get a replacement (sighting it was bad out of the box) and also replace the water pump this time around. Cheap insurance. The ACDelco's are about $40.

If everything makes it to 150K on my vehicle I am doing the entire cooling system , hoses, tstat, including a new radiator and water pump. I am at 130K now. I need to be actively preemptive on my maintenance as I tow a relatively heavy trailer (5000 lbs) and travel far from home.

 

[Mathoran]

[video=youtube;I_QOOnQKR5M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_QOOnQKR5M[/video]

Made a vid with my cell today. kinda seems to me the outer ring of the fan is just all over the place. even spinning it slowly by hand i can easily see that its off. Seems to be running fine though.

 

[CaptainXL]

Your going want to inspect the fan blade for any damage such as cracks or warping. The last time I looked at my fan blade I don't recall seeing it wobble as much. But it might be normal. I would have to think that a new fan blade assembly would not wobble at all. Otherwise there would be a high return rate. And I have never heard of that with our fan blades. My guess is it's bad. But I would see if someone can concur and has actually replaced theirs.

 

[Mathoran]

Yeah this is the second replacement fan and they both wobbled the same amount pretty much but the A/C delco one is actually balanced enough to where there aren't any vibrations. I wish I would have payed attention to the original fan.

After the trouble with the first replacement I inspected the a/c delco one very carefully for cracks etc and found none. The Four Seasons fan had a crack on the outer ring upon inspection after I had removed it. I couldn't see any obvious warpage. I really can't find many posts on here or the OS about fans seems nobody else ever has problems with them.

I'm just gonna roll with it for now and keep an eye on it. Have a 700 mile round trip saturday so should be a good test