Derision

Okay. So I just replaced the fan clutch. I wasn't actually having any problems... no overheating, but the old clutch was old and shot and I figured that before I DO have any problems... might as well take care of some preventative maintenance.

Installing went without a hitch.

When I started the car up afterwards, everything was good. I had to drive about ten miles, so I embarked... about a mile in, I was greeted to a high-pitched, almost whistle-like whine. Kind of like a turbo. It wasn't too noticeable with the windows closed, but with the windows open it was undeniable. The pitch increased and decreased with engine RPMs. It got a little bit quieter after about five miles... and it stayed relatively quiet, but entirely still present, for the rest of the ride.

Now, I know that a new clutch can make some noise, but I was under the impression that it would be a "whoosh" kind of, you know, air-moving noise rather than a turbo whine. The fan isn't hitting the shroud, and I'm still not overheating. And what are the odds that the water pump or something else would go to crap the moment that I change the fan clutch?!

Thoughts?

ZINGGG

Where did you get the new fan clutch from?

I put in a new one from Autozone and it was making all sorts of jingling noises. Took a closer look at it and it turned out to be leaking fluid from the center of it. I'd start by taking a visual look at it to make sure you didn't get a defective part

Derision

Got the clutch from NAPA. As far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with it. It's blowing air nice.

There's just this weird whine, and I can't quite put my finger on where it's coming from. Also, a video, wherein I try to illustrate said whine:


It actually took my about a mile of driving, or getting to operating temperature, for the noise to kick up again.

djb383

I'd take it back and swap it.

DFlintstone

Agreed^^. I might take a short length of hose, and with it to my ear listen around first. The whistle could be a vacuum leak.

Derision

Well, I took the fan off and ran the engine without it for a few minutes.

With the fan off and the whoosh eliminated, I could tell that the noise wasn't coming from the water pump, and I narrowed it down to either the idler pulley or the fan pulley. I'm leaning towards the fan pulley, as that's about the only thing that could be any different after this work, but I'm going to replace the idler, too, because... well, because it's easy and because it's just one less thing to go bad in the future.

While I've got the belt off, I figure I'll do the water pump and leaky transmission cooler lines, too. Least it gives me something to do today. Will post updates and outcomes as it goes along.

AJ

Derision

Okay... ended up taking it somewhere just because I don't like taking chances with my cooling system and I don't quite trust myself to do it. Replaced the water pump, idle pulley, lower radiator hose and metal lines from the transmission to the radiator.

Now... previous to this, using an infrared temperature gun, the temperature of my thermostat housing was about 195-205, constantly, no matter once. With new antifreeze and a new water pump, the thermostat housing now registers at 218-220.



So I guess... what're the upper operating temperature ranges, here? I know that the electric fan works, because it has kicked on when the compressor is on and I've heard it kick on at times while at idle... but it hasn't kicked on yet today, despite a 220 degree temperature. The only difference that I can see is that it was 50 degrees and misty this morning and most of the past few days when I've been checking it, and it's humid, sunny and pushing 75-80 today.

djb383

Ambient definitely effects coolant temp, especially when ambient rises above 90F. I wouldn't think 75-80 ambient would cause coolant to reach 220, presuming all other components r functioning correctly but 50 ambient could definitely hide/mask cooling components that r borderline. The major components remaining r the radiator, t-stat and rad cap. ECU signals efan "on" at 218F coolant temp when compressor is not engaged.

DFlintstone

I guess 93 is an open system, (has a cap on the radiator). Still I wonder if air could be an issue. Sudden up swing? Wouldn't expect that! Make sure they tightened the belt...You might park it with it's nose up and just check it.

Derision

Yeah, it's an open system. I already tried to get air out of the system... the dude at the shop said he had it running for about an hour to get any air out of the system, but I parked it up on ramps, let it cool a bit and opened it up to see if I needed to add any coolant. The thing is that, though the past couple of days have been 50 or so, there were a few days earlier where it was pushing 85-90 and it still ran at, tops, 210.

Currently it has brand new coolant, a new water pump, new hoses and the radiator was checked out and is said to be good. The belt is on and tight.

I'm running it now to see if the e-fan kicks on at 218, or if I can even get it back up there. I checked the temperature initially, immediately after I got it home from the shop.

Derision

SO.

Changed the thermostat. Whilst removing the old housing, I noticed that whoever had changed it last hadn't used a gasket, but had used lots of sealer goop. Turns out that the housing was cracked, and they had compensated for that not with a new housing, but with gumming it all up. This goo was therefore blocking half of the water passage through the housing.

So... replaced both the thermostat and the housing. Starting it up... the serpentine belt shredded, so THAT has been replaced, too. So... in all, we've replaced the fan clutch, water pump, idler pulley, thermostat, thermostat housing and serpentine belt.

... and the whine is still there.



Runs nice and cool now, though!

DFlintstone

Ha! Too funny. YOU ARE NOT ALONE, but I bet I did it a little better. I live alone, pretty far out in the stix. My only other legal wheels is my Honda. Don't even have rain gear, and wouldn't care to use it anyway. I thought swaping my t-stat might take me 10 minutes, (not two days). First I find that the lower ear is broken off, then the upper bolt is seized good. The head almost fell right off. The remainder of the bolt was seized to the housing, but the threads would turn in the head, so if I tried to twist the housing off the bolt it just turned. That was my only housing out here. So prying and tapping I finally get it off. When I removed the bottom bolt the broken ear dropped. I got it back on there using washers on the bottom to catch the housing there where the ear should be, then put everything back, ready to go. But I dropped something, didn't I ? This is not my first rodeo, and I know to be pretty careful. I spent a good 15 minutes, got a good bright beam, a small mirror, the correct glasses! Looked and looked. I was on gravel. Oh well I figure I gave it my best shot. I get in turn the key, Ka Blam! Shut it right off. Guess you know what that looks like. The belt sort of woven around the pulleys and fan. There I learned that there is sort of a "maw", right below that lower bolt that will swallow things, then tear/throw the belt. End of day one....So I used "phone a friend". The next day a buddy went to town, then brought me up a belt. Got her goen, and when I picked up another housing my JY buddy had some info. He said he sells allot of those because when the thermostat drops down installing it, it brakes the ear when you tighten it. Sooo, I get home and while I'm cleaning up the T-stat I just unbolted at the JY, I see IT'S BEEN WELDED! It had had it's ear broken......, then or course I find that I had another here after all. Now they are both sitting on the deck, my T-stat is hanging on with washers, and I'm not getting anyway near it. I'll throw a housing in the toolbox if I take a trip.

Derision

And the whine has been located!

I have no idea how I hadn't seen it before... it's the A/C compressor. And, gee, I only had to replace nearly every major cooling component to figure it out. I never use the A/C, so it hadn't even been a consideration in my brain... I went to turn the vent on earlier and, as I passed the A/C on the controls, the electric fan kicked in and the compressor kicked on and it was like SUPER-WHINE.

I've unplugged the compressor so that it doesn't kick on anymore. When I put the controls to A/C, though, the electric fan continues to kick on but there is no more super-whine. Honestly, if this wasn't a serpentine belt, I'd just remove the compressor completely because I really never use it (in fact, removing either the belt or the entire compressor is something I've done to nearly all my previous cars).

So I guess that's pretty easy. The compressor looks like the single easiest to access and replace part on the belt diagram. I'm wondering if there's any way to remove it completely? Is there a belt that's the proper length for running it without the compressor, or is there a simple idle pulley that I can throw on as a replacement for it?

ZINGGG

I've read many times that there's a way to delete the A/C compressor entirely. As you said, you'd basically be replacing it with another idler pulley. I'm not exactly sure how it's done though.

Check out this thread:
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/byp...ac-pics-23053/

ZINGGG

If you go on rockauto.com they sell a bypass pulley for about $40 with shipping