[jajajajenna]

My mom took our 2002 Chevy Trailblazer LT into the shop to diagnose a problem we've been having with our truck for a while. The problem is generally this: the truck shows the "reduced power" and "service engine soon" light when we are driving and we put on the A.C. It guzzles gas like no other and makes a rattling sound when accelerating. The shop said it was a fan clutch problem and are asking for $900 to fix it. Is this a rip off? Is the fan clutch the actual problem? Thanks for any info given!

 

[bspurloc]

if the bearings are shot in the clutch fan, this will seize it and make it run all the time. This will draw a lot of power from the engine. This will also stress out the water pump if the fan is not spinning perfectly.
I am not sure how much it costs, but my guess is 85% of that cost is labor.

You can tell if the clutch fan is seized by starting the engine cold and revving the engine. Have the hood open, if you hear that fan roaring it is seized.

 

[Super 88]

The shop said it was a fan clutch problem and are asking for $900 to fix it. Is this a rip off?

I would say it is definitely a little high. You can buy the clutch retail from various places for under 200.00 and I would guess a shop would charge 2 hours or so for labor. So even at 100.00 an hour for labor, yes that's high.

You might want to get a second opinion elsewhere. Was this a dealership?

Edit: I just checked Rock Auto - they have them (for my 05) starting at 138.79 and going up to 333.79 depending on brand.

 

[jajajajenna]

You might want to get a second opinion elsewhere. Was this a dealership?

No it's not a dealership, but my mom's coworkers believe it to be the shop buying the parts from the dealership, which is making it so expensive. Thanks for the insight!

 

[bspurloc]

No it's not a dealership, but my mom's coworkers believe it to be the shop buying the parts from the dealership, which is making it so expensive. Thanks for the insight!

Still the bulk will be labor I believe labor charges are $150+ an hour. this part however should take under an hour to replace so maybe its 150 for the clutch fan 150 for labor and then you are buying some new rims for one of the workers.

 

[Eye-Sixx]

If you have the tiniest shred of mechanical ability, you can do this yourself with a buddy, a Haynes manual and a 6 pack in 2 hours with limited tools, saving your Mom hundreds of dollars and scoring some major points. :m2:

 

[canetherton]

My fan clutch is also going out and I have been pricing around. The dealership wanted $770 for entire job. A local place that uses only ACDelco parts quoted me $350 for the parts alone. I have found the parts at CarQuest and Advanced for $200 and I plan on doing the job myself. There are several threads here that will tell you how. I think that $900 is too high.:m2:

 

[rbarrios]

since you have a 2002 I suggest you do this............

go on ebay- and buy the fan clutch (latest part #).(compare with auto parts prices 1st).

At auto parts buy the following-
new water pump.
new thermostat.
(possibly new lower and upper radiator hoses).

at WAL MART- buy 2 bottles of DEXCOOL- PRE mixed coolant.

then find a shop to install all the stuff-tell them you have the parts.

 

[bspurloc]

since you have a 2002 I suggest you do this............

go on ebay- and buy the fan clutch (latest part #).(compare with auto parts prices 1st).

At auto parts buy the following-
new water pump.
new thermostat.
(possibly new lower and upper radiator hoses).

at WAL MART- buy 2 bottles of DEXCOOL- PRE mixed coolant.

then find a shop to install all the stuff-tell them you have the parts.

Water pump and thermostat have no seals?
I actually dont think the last water pump I did on a 4.6l ford had seals on the waterpump as it had an o-ring but I think the thermo still did.

 

[rbarrios]

i know the thermostat housing has an oring between it and the block.

 

[bspurloc]

i know the thermostat housing has an oring between it and the block.

cool! I know I was quite pleased how much easier it was to replace a water pump with an o-ring and no seals!

 

[pvgoheelsunc1]

hey jajajajenna

since you have a 2002 I suggest you do this............

go on ebay- and buy the fan clutch (latest part #).(compare with auto parts prices 1st).

At auto parts buy the following-
new water pump.
new thermostat.
(possibly new lower and upper radiator hoses).

at WAL MART- buy 2 bottles of DEXCOOL- PRE mixed coolant.

then find a shop to install all the stuff-tell them you have the parts.

I don't know where you live. But these parts on Ebay and a parts house will be around 275.00. So in Charlotte labor will be around 200.00 at a local mechanic.....

 

[bspurloc]

I don't know where you live. But these parts on Ebay and a parts house will be around 275.00. So in Charlotte labor will be around 200.00 at a local mechanic.....

the ebay blurt was just random it was already noted this clutch fan assembly is cheaper at online stores than ebay.

A clutch fan isn't something you want off ebay anyhow unless you really love dealing with random people when it fails.
http://www2.partstrain.com/store/de...n_Clutch/2002/SLT/6_Cyl_4-dot-2L/G313601.html
$161
http://www2.partstrain.com/store/de..._Clutch/2002/SLT/6_Cyl_4-dot-2L/RB622001.html
$178 lifetime warranty
http://www2.partstrain.com/store/de...ch/2002/SLT/6_Cyl_4-dot-2L/W0133-1693698.html
$148

 

[Yuma TBlazer]

I was getting the jet engine noise when I turned on the A/C. It was really loud and when I would drive somewhere people on the street would stare. Not runing the A/C wasn't a good idea this being Yuma and temperatures for the last week running at 115+ so I took it to Chula Vista, CA and bought a Dorman Fan Clutch, Duralast Thermostat, Duralast Idler Pulley, and a Duralast Water Pump and 2 Bottles of Dex-Cool. Total came out to $280 + $200 labor. The truck is running great. It even got rid of the tick-tick-tick noise. Thanks rbarrios. :woohoo:

 

[91RS]

That is definately high. You could get it done cheaper than that at the dealer. List price on a fan clutch is about $500 and I think around 2 hours for install. Probably about $700 installed.