Dodge cummins fan clutch

Eddyj

Eddyj

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Joined
Jan 18, 2012
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Birmingham
03 dodge 3500 fan clutch does not engage when at idle with ac on. I've read through so much on the interweb 50% of the post are from retards the other 50% are people telling you what should work. Does anyone have any first hand experience. I've replaced the clutch but it still does not lock up at idle. I have two trucks with this problem. They do not overheat pulling. What's a good way around the ecm? Second smaller fan of as brought up in another forum but I can't find any info.
 
You can put a electric fan on there to, there's a write up on bypassing the ECM somewhere I've read it a few times


Joe Eck
 
I can't keep up with all the threads about this. I'm going to concentrate on the Pirate thread because its the most active right now. I am in the same boat as you. I'll tell you what I BELIEVE which I only have circumstantial evidence to prove. I do not BELIEVE that Dodge ever fixed this issue on the 3rd gens. They only recently resolved it on the 4th gens. Thus, the electric pusher fan on the condenser is the best fix right now IMHO. I'm slowly posting everything I have gathered on the pirate thread as it comes up:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/tow-rigs-trailers/1323473-cummins-fan-clutch.html
 
Did you replace your clutch with aftermarket or the current factory version? If factory, do you have a part number?
 
I never really paid attention before, but my 05 is the same. My brother in law's 07 5.9 always had the fan engaged when he pulled from a stop. I didn't know it was related to the AC, but that makes sense.
 
bgredjeep said:
I never really paid attention before, but my 05 is the same. My brother in law's 07 5.9 always had the fan engaged when he pulled from a stop. I didn't know it was related to the AC, but that makes sense.
Click to expand...

I believe there is a flaw from the factory and most, if not all trucks will eventually experience this. Many don't realize it is happening. The main reason I do is because I'll often start my truck up and let it run with the parking brake on to cool down inside before I get in. (FL heat!) Then 10-15 mins later I get in and it hasn't cooled down a bit because the compressor is just rapid-firing on-off the entire time and only hot air is coming from the ducts. But then once I get moving everything is fine and cold.

The Dodge a/c system sucks in general. There are tons of systemic issues with it that have been addressed by the aftermarket. Blend doors, blend door limiters break often. I just recently pulled the recirculation door out of mine because it broke off, fell down, and was blocking the fan. You can read more about that here: http://www.heatertreater.net/magento/dodge/ram/02-08/dodge-ram-02-08.html

I knew I would be dealing with stuff like this when I bought the best power train for towing ever conceived by man. Maybe Dodge should have paid the Cummins engineers to design the entire truck. :)
 
I replaced mine with a part store brand. I didn't know it was this big of an issue at the time. I've also replaced the blend door. It has slowly turned into a "work" truck so instead of getting it perfect I would rather just have it work. So an aux fan seems like the ticket for me. Maybe relayed off the AC switch.

In response to your cummins should have built the truck:
Dude: what kind of trucks you use to pull that heavy equipment?
Me: cummins
Dude: oh yeah...
Me: yep, l own 3. :smoke:

I use that all the time.. Only the quick ones pick up on it.
 
Installed. I tapped into the a/c clutch for my relay signal. The clutch does not get power when the engine isn't running even if the a/c button is lit up on the dash with the ignition on. So no worries about dead batteries. I have cold a/c the instant the truck is started now and it stays that way for good. No more click clack click clack click clack under the hood.
 
Re:

Maybe I should have ran the fan ground through the relay but I ran the power instead. The power comes off the battery with an inline fuse.
 
I thought I read that the heater in the fan had to be grounded to activate. I've read so much it all kind of blends together.
 
You're confusing 2 things.

The stock fan clutch has a heating element in it that the computer grounds to turn on and off.

I installed a second electric pusher fan which basically does what the stock fan clutch is supposed to do but doesn't.
 
2730a430d19dd0e545b652aa41b80c14.jpg
 
JRowe PMed me asking for a pic so here it is. I had to offset the fan to one side to clear the hood latch. I just used one of the universal zip-tie-thingy kits that you can get at any auto parts store to fasten it on. I had to pull the condenser off away from the intercooler to gain access to the back side, which wasn't difficult at all. I had my wife hold it out and away while I did the zip-tie-thingies. The process of actually fastening the fan to the condenser took about 10 minutes to prep for my wife, 5 of her sitting there holding it for me, and another 10 putting it all back together. Wiring took about an hour but I could do it again in about 30 minutes now that I know where to mount the relay, get ground, and where to route the wires.
 
I just replaced my compressor and then the clutch fan. Now it seems like it blows colder on the passenger side than the driver side but still not very cold. What could be causing this? That electric fan looks like a great idea!
 
Mills5054 said:
I just replaced my compressor and then the clutch fan. Now it seems like it blows colder on the passenger side than the driver side but still not very cold. What could be causing this? That electric fan looks like a great idea!
Click to expand...

Actuator motor, blendoor, or control head
 

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