2014 6.4 Mechanical Clutch Fan Noise

[wyohunter]

I know this has been discussed and mentioned in various locations here and in other forums. But since I continue to get "that is how it is supposed to sound" from service and from Chrysler Tech support, I thought I'd try here. Numerous people here say there's makes no fan noise. First fan OK up to 1,000 miles. Replaced at 4500. Second went 100 miles then kicked on and won't shut off. I hope Ram has an answer to this soon. I have not figured out how to upload a recording of the sound, but it is a load roar that is loader and higher pitch as rpm increases. I've been around autos a long time and know this is the fan noise. Absolutely obnoxious. The 5.7 does not make this noise.
Any ideas? Chrysler tech you out there?

 

[doz]

5.7 does make it. Ive had the issue on both my 2010 w/ a 5.7 and now my 2014 w/ 5.7. There is really no rhyme or reason for when it happens. Ive had it happen at all temperatures. And as you stated, the techs say its normal and nothing they can do.

I swapped for a shrouded efan (my primary reason for one, besides the slight performance it may give).

 

[wyohunter]

Fan Update

Service has contacted Chrysler and they are checking for a short run of bad fan blades. New Clutch on order along with new fan blades not replaced last time. That could be it actually, causing enough strain on the clutch it wont disengage.

Will update when new fix applied next week.

 

[doz]

Not sure. I know a lot of people experienced it with the 5.7 not just me and with all years. Id almost bet money that the 6.4L and 5.7L use the same fan clutch.

 

[wyohunter]

Been busy so just jow taking time to post results. Fan blades had to be replaced along with clutch. Some are apparently defective from factory. No issues after several thousand miles now

 

[regularcab2500]

Mine sounds like a damn jet turbine but it kicks off when it gets to temp and such and i dont hear it when driving except at nearly wot..all the trucks at work do it too and we have only one ford and several chevy hd's but they all kick off when the truck warms up and gets moving..glad to hear you got it resolved though and hopefully i didnt get one of the faulty fans!

 

[Ratket]

ya, they are dam loud...

 

[skHemi64]

I thought I posted about this, but I guess not.

Mine makes a horrible noise, shifting up and down, decelerating and accelerating. Can't hear the engine or the exhaust. Very embarrassed to drive it.

My other 2014 6.4L 2500 made no noise and I could hear the semi-throaty exhaust when I hammered down. This 3500 not at all. Spent nearly a week at the dealership and they couldn't find anything. Must be inexperienced 6.4L techs. It'll be two weeks before I can get back to the dealership, so then I will make sure they understand the problem. If they can't get it fixed, then I'll go to another dealership.

I have to drive it like this for 2500 miles, going on a trip to Oregon. Going to drive me nuts.

 

[jlb]

It should be a relatively simple problem to diagnose. Do you know if the clutch is normally open, or normally closed?

Either way a DMM during operation should show if it is malfunctioning, or feed it 12 volts (assuming normally closed), and if it doesn't kick out you know you need a new clutch. Diagnose it in your driveway, then explain to the techs how you know it is broken before they waste a bunch of time working on your truck.

 

[skHemi64]

Yes. I should troubleshoot it first, then tell them how I know it is bad. I guess knowing, and proving are two different things. Hard to believe that a 2014 2500 6.4L is that much different than a 2014 3500 6.4L.

 

[Ratket]

there were issues with the clutches/ blades.. id have them swap both.

 

[skHemi64]

Update:

Traveled to Oregon and back to Colorado - 2400 miles. On the way to Oregon ran into a snowstorm, noise was intolerable to that point. Coming out of the snowstorm the sound disappeared. Oregon rained most the time I was there and still no sound - a good thing sorta. Currently back home in Colorado. Now I am suspecting a bad pulley, but probably a noisy belt. I squirted the idler, tensioner, and clutch fan (mechanical fan) with Kroil previously, but it made no difference. If the noise comes back I will try belt dressing, but if that solves it I will replace the serpentine.

12/04 Belt dressing didn't solve it. Going to try to kroil various pulleys one at a time til I find the problem.
I hope these sound links work... This it what my sound is like over 1500 rpm. When coasting and the tranny downshifts, scares the crap out of me sometimes.

Click download (top of page), then open/play with windows media player.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7CePj0daImvTHFZd28ydW96YlE/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7CePj0daImvd0tCUTJ3OUdPWEk/view?usp=sharing

 

[skHemi64]

Ok, I Kroil'd each area at a time front and back. Problem still exists. I want to make sure I KNOW what the issue is. I'm tempted to remove the mechanical clutch fan altogether to verify it's broke, but concerned about warranty issues by doing this. I may see if the dealership service manager will go on a short ride so I can have him hear the problem. If I get no results from this, I may either go to another dealership or remove the fan myself and install an efan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EitWUmKrxKY

 

[jwheeler]

If the manager can't take the time to go on a ride with you to verify the concern you need to find another shop. It is pretty normal to ride with customers to duplicate a problem. If they say it is normal, ask them to show you another vehicle off the lot that does it. The sound clips wouldn't play for me.

 

[skHemi64]

I edited my previous post wit the sound links. Just need to click the download button, then open with Windows Media Player. I hope this is what the OP was hearing.

 

[skHemi64]

Went to the dealership. Different Service manager diagnosed the problem in about 5 seconds - time it took to start the engine and shut it off. The fan stopped with the engine. Something I had a hard time seeing by myself but was pretty sure was happening. Mechanical fan replaced in about 45 minutes which included a truck wash. Problem solved.

 

[crazy jerry]

whats the chances they had 2yrs worth of bad fans hahaha. my '16 doing same thing. sounds like a jet engine even with cold engine. im guessing the clutch is stuck engaged so ill go have the dealer put on a new fan

 

[thethrillofspeed]

I'm pretty sure they are stuck on the same batch of bad fans. I had my 2014 replaced a couple of months ago with one they had to order and bingo, sounds like a vacuum cleaner all the time even right after your start it when it is 30 degrees. The only time I hear the fan on my F550 is when it is climbing a hill and getting hot vs the Ram all the time....grrrr.

 

[nukegm]

my truck has had 2 now in 8300 miles. replaced myself. every time i made appointment at dealer, the fan would fix itself shortly before. i have found that parking on a hill seems to aggravate the problem, and going up a long hill with your foot in it for a couple gears can sometimes make the fan disengage from itself. ( after very high rpms ) when my warranty is up that thing is going in the trash asap. cheers!