all of them? every single one i put on were seized? thats a little too coincidental. the problem is no matter what clutch i put on it dosent work. IT wont engage, it wont cool the engine down. right now the type of clutch i have is a torqflow thermal clutch reverse spin. is this a correct clutch? if it is why wont it work? if it isnt why didnt the other clutches work?
He wasn't talking about yours being seized, he was talking about Crimsons thread hijack.
The fan clutch isn't exactly either/or, you can think of it as having two speeds (just for explanation purposes). It turns, but slips, in normal operation, but doesn't turn at engine RPM. When the coil bi-metal in the front switches the valve at a round 175 F, it slips less and turns nearer engine RPM (it gets stiffer).
Your clutch can be working and your high temperature may be due to something else. Just a wild arsed guess.
Some reasons for overheating are ,
Radiator plugged up with mud (pollen,bugs or whatever), you can wash off the outside but between the layers where you can't really see, may be partially plugged reducing airflow. I use a flashlight to help me see deeper into the radiator fins, and occasionally wash the radiator. I usually wash from the inside out and am careful not to use too much pressure and flatten the radiator fins.
Radiator partially plugged on the inside with calcium and other deposits. I think 12-13 years was the oldest radiator I can remember seeing, most rot well before that age. Typically 7-8 years, is about as long as most last, depending on whether distilled water has been used in the anti-freeze mix and the amount of road salt the outsides are exposed to..
Thermostats, fail, I've gotten bad new ones. A universal thermostat gasket doesn't work, you need an OEM type gasket. I've seen guys install thermostats wrong side out, it usually says on the rim of the thermostat which way to install it. I've seen thermostats crush during installation, either the wrong thermostat (too tall) or hectic work.
Heater valve, heater valve in all but the newest model XJ's (the newest models don't have a heater valve) bypasses some coolant around the thermostat, which helps the thermostat open and close (adjust) quicker. A plugged bypass may cause radical temperature swings.
Air in the system, messes with the coolant flow, which can cause steam, which adds to the vapor and messes with the coolant flow even more. A common indicator is the geyser type spew after you shut the motor off. Air in the system really messes with the convection cooling after the motor is shut off.
I check my fan clutch by feel, of course I have two XJ's and can compare the resistance when I push the fan blade on a stopped hot motor.
An RPM strobe light, would probably tell you quick, how your fan clutch is acting. As the airflow passing through the radiator topped 175 F, the bi-metal would switch the valve and the fan RPM's should increase.
Fan clutches normally only overheat you at or near idle. When the XJ is running down the interstate. you should have enough airflow for cooling without the need of any sort of fan.
The aux fan (electric) on my 96 is starting to cycle on and off frequently when I idle too long, a sure sign my fan clutch is getting weak and/or the valve isn't switching. On the highway, it never overheats, the aux fan never comes on. The aux fan occasionally comes on in my Renix when I wheel or idle for extended periods, even though my fan clutch is about the stiffest I've ever seen. In other words, you may need the aux fan at or near idle, even with a good clutch. Especially depending on the health of the rest of the system.
Sorry I didn't mean to write a book, but thought I'd try too cover much of the stuff in one swoop, thinking you may have a bit of tunnel vision going with the fan clutch.
