Community Forums

NMBluept · 06-18-2019, 03:50 PM

Ed,

Thanks for the info. I'll give Freightliner a call and see what they can tell me.
I only have 2 wires going to the clutch. This matches up with the dimensions table for the 9904088 clutch which shows the voltage as 12v.

erstanfo · 06-18-2019, 04:40 PM

You must have a 2 speed clutch or on/off.
Mine being from 2012 is variable speed controlled by the engine control module.
New technology may help with performance, fuel economy etc, but it can sure complicate things when it goes out.

RichKimball · 06-19-2019, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erstanfo

See attached PDF for photos, tools etc. Hopefully this helps others.

Nice write up....I always admire and appreciate those that have the patience and take time to photo journal repairs.

Yours was a bit different than mine. A simple 12pt wrench worked for the bolts and because I had a hole in my shroud I could remove fan easily from the front. My bolts weren't so tight...maybe as the clutch had been changed once before (good for me). That price of the part though...wow...very expensive. Mine was about 1/2 that.

Happy for you you got it done and could help others with your writeup.

SC40QS · 06-25-2019, 02:58 AM

Great thread! I only wish I'd had access to the information it contains when I had my overheating problem. It started overheating (cummins ISL 400hp) pulling hills and whenever it got hot outside, I checked and cleaned the rad/cac and it was clean. Took it to Cummins NW and told them it was either the rad/cac really was plugged and I was wrong, or it was a bad fan belt, or, probably most likely, a bad fan clutch...

Anyway, they called first day and said the fan was not responding to the computer, bingo, I told them throw a clutch at it! Long story short, three days later, too late to fix it due to upcoming had to go trip, I had to take it and be careful... The worst part, they charged me over a grand to tell me that it was, indeed, the fan clutch! Anyone else ever have a bad day like that with a shop LOL!!

I've got to add to this by edit.. reason it took over 3 days was they kept telling me it needed more diagnosis time...

Question, do all freightliner chassis have the additional access under the closet? Assuming it would be under the wood floor of the closet (remove the wood?)

My unit is 2007 Sportscoach Legend Freightliner XC chassis...

erstanfo · 06-26-2019, 11:18 AM

SC40qs,
From what I've seen the freightliner chassis has a raised box on back over the fan/shroud/Radiator. The access panel is in the floor of the closet or under the bed in the case of a north-south bed. In the case of rear bath, it may be under the rear cabinet. Either way, it is the rear most item, next to the back wall.

The floor access gives you the top of the engine, valve cover, turbo etc.
Good luck!
Ed

SC40QS · 06-28-2019, 02:36 PM

erstanfo, I almost hate to look and find there is better access than the hatch beside the bed!... McCoy Freightliner in Portland (OR) charged us an arm and a leg to "replace" the clutch... I have yet to ensure that they actually replaced it and didn't just lock it in full on mode... I ALWAYS hear the fan now where I never heard it prior to this... somewhat expected since I know it was only "idling" and not fully engaging..

Turbo38sfi · 08-14-2023, 10:57 AM

Great write up. Going to order my replacement clutch today. Mine just went out on me over the weekend 2200 miles back to NH from Sturgis. Somewhere in Iowa the DS starts running hot. Check the usual things, top off coolant, top off fan gearbox. Nope!

Determined the fan clutch is smoked and not engaging either high or low, sometimes intermittently. Could run 55-60 on mostly flat roads and some smaller hills. Made for a very long trip home. Ran 75-80 the whole way out towing the 30ft trailer full of bikes

Once we hit the NY Thruway around Syracuse I said there’s no way I’m going to make the hills without it forcing a shutdown at 235 degrees. It happened once. Engine cuts out, coming down a hill, no power steering and only the air in my tanks for brakes. Ah what fun.

Anyways - devised a ram air hood for the side radiator while fueling up. A Costco container and 4 ratchet straps. Finished up the last 300 miles and It got me rolling being able to maintain 65-70 mostly all through the Mass Pike western hills. Talk about a bush fix, it worked though!

Will order the new fan clutch tomrrow and swap it out this week, doesn’t look like a horribly bad repair.

RichKimball · 08-15-2023, 09:09 AM

Good luck. I highly recommend also installing the Horton Guard Dog. It is an electronic component that installs inline to the wiring harness. Mine has been on many years with more consistent temperatures. It is said to improve the life of the fan clutch. Diagram with part no. below.

Horton Guard Dog

Turbo38sfi · 08-15-2023, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichKimball

Good luck. I highly recommend also installing the Horton Guard Dog. It is an electronic component that installs inline to the wiring harness. Mine has been on many years with more consistent temperatures. It is said to improve the life of the fan clutch. Diagram with part no. below.

Horton Guard Dog

Just placed my order. Price went up quite a bit from when you purchased. $1100 now just for the clutch.

Turbo38sfi · 08-29-2023, 10:52 AM

2011 chassis, slightly different from your post Rich. Possibly a little more difficult because there was no hub to disconnect from the gearbox shaft so I had to use a large pry bar in one of the u-joints to hold the shaft from rotating and pull with ALL my 250lbs to break the hub loose, but I was able to get it disassembled and removed from the bottom of the coach with a very large, huge adjustable wrench. All in all, 30 mins to removed. Time to go put it back together.