> Do you know how to tell by looking? I have a 75 Midget
>with the spit engine, but it's definitely not the
>original engine and then who knows what...
**********************
Well yes, actually. It's fairly easy to spot. Look between the fan and
the pulley. Directly behind the fan, and mounted to it with four
impossibly difficult to remove bolts is the clutch. It's a round aluminum
device, about the size of the pulley, maybe slightly larger, with a bunch
of small, radial fins facing the radiator. Also, if functioning properly
when the radiator is cold, you can turn the fan by hand with the engine not
running. You will feel a slight resistance the faster you try to turn the
fan. This is just the fluid coupling inside. The idea of these is to let
the fan 'freewheel' until the clutch warms up, fins facing the radiator in
this case not to cool but to warm up the fluid inside to a pre-determined
temp. When this temp is reached, the fluid locks the fan to the pulley
assy and starts it turning. When cool it allows the fan to freewheel, not
drawing power from the motor and turning only when the heat of the radiator
needs it. In theory anyway that's the way it's supposed to work.
Barry Schwartz in San Diego, CA
Bschwartz@encad.com
72-V6/5sp Spitfire ( daily driver )
70 GT6+ ( when I don't drive the Spitfire )
70 (sorta) Spitfire ( project )
73 Ford Courier ( parts hauler )
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