Hey guys, I have a question. I have a 96 GMC Sierra K1500 with a 5.0L Vortec (not 5.7) I had a very loud cooling fan. Almost all the time. ...

Hey guys, I have a question.
I have a 96 GMC Sierra K1500 with a 5.0L Vortec (not 5.7)
I had a very loud cooling fan. Almost all the time. Like if the fan clutch was stuck.
So I bought a new fan clutch from Merle's (in AZ) today and installed it even though it is about 2 inches smaller. The guy assured me that it was the right one. I even looked up online and it shows that it fits my truck.

Well I installed it and it is still loud. I've been thinking about an electric fan upgrade and removing the fan and clutch.
Any suggestion on what else it could be??

Thanks in advance.

If the new unit is 2" smaller in diameter? I'd be suspicous that it's the right part. How much money did you save over the dealer price?

Yeah it is about 2 inches smaller in diameter. I paid $65 for a HAYDEN brand and would of paid about $130 from the dealer (including discount). I work in the parts department at a body shop so we get discounts up to 30%. Any ways I also think that it isn't the right one, but the guy who sold it says thats the one for my truck. They just have a more expensive one.

I'll just drive it for a while and see how it runs with it. And if it stays the same i'll just go to electric.

The new one installed.


This is the old one.

I don't know the specifics of the problem, but GM had lots of fan noise in their '88 to 96 or 97 engines. I know as I have a 93 with a 5.0 L and it's enough to wake up the neighborhood in the morning. I also have a '98 with the same engine and it's quiet as can be. Whatever GM did in '98 fixed the noise problem. If you can't live with it, maybe go to a junkyard and get a fan and clutch assembly off a '98 and make the switch. Good luck.