Q: Before you go looking for your fan clutch, make sure your vehicle is in park, with the engine off and the handbrake firmly engaged. If necessary, use the hood strut to hold the hood up so you can work unobstructed. Never attempt to inspect or handle any of the mechanical components in the engine compartment while the engine is running. You'll find the fan clutch bolted to the water pump at the front of the engine compartment, between the radiator and the engine. The entire unit is only about 1 foot (30 cm) tall by 1 foot (30 cm) wide, most of which is the circular fan component. The outer housing may make your vehicle's fan clutch slightly larger, and can be either round or rectangular.  When the engine starts to get too hot, the fan clutch takes the air flowing through the radiator, cools it down, and feeds it into the engine to cool it. Standard thermostatic fan clutches will only be present on cars and trucks with rear-wheel drive. Front-wheel drive vehicles are equipped with a completely different cooling system due to the way the engine is configured. You’ll be able to tell right away if something is out of place or there’s any major structural damage. On a functional fan clutch, the fan blades will all be lined up neatly inside the housing, which should sit upright with an equal amount of space between the radiator and engine.  Check to make sure each of the bolts holding the fan clutch in place is secure and intact. Keep an eye out for any visible components that are bent, crooked, or missing. Wiggle each of the fan blades individually to see if they feel damaged or displaced. Do the same for the metal housing that surrounds the fan itself. Loose, rattling pieces send a loud and clear message that you need to have your fan clutch replaced.  In most cases, fan blades are designed to flex up to 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm). Any more than that could compromise the efficiency of the unit.  Give the water pump hose a quick jostle as well to see if the problem might lie there. Run your finger along the edges of the bearing seal on the backside of the fan clutch. If it comes away with a heavy coating of oil, the culprit is either a crack or a faulty seal. Radial streaks are another potential clue—this happens when oil escapes from the clutch and is then blown outward in all directions by the fan.  Inside the fan clutch, there is a small reservoir filled with a viscous silicone-based oil. The oil flows to and from the main chamber as engine heat fluctuates, engaging and disengaging the clutch. Traces of oil are perfectly normal, and won’t necessarily be an indication that your clutch is shot. Grab the edge of one of the blades and give it a good push. While there should be a little bit of give, it shouldn’t spin more than three complete rotations. Too much free-wheeling is usually a sign that the clutch is prone to slipping. On the other hand, too much resistance means the clutch is binding and can’t turn freely. In either case, it will need to be replaced.  Ideally, the fan shouldn’t spin more than 1-1½ times.  For your own safety, you should never attempt to manually test your fan clutch while the vehicle is running. Once you think you’ve uncovered the source of the problem, take your vehicle to a trusted garage for repairs. A qualified mechanic will be able to confirm your findings and take the necessary steps to get the clutch working correctly again. They might even be able to turn up other potential complications that you didn’t catch.  It will cost somewhere between $150-300 to have a new fan clutch installed, on average.  Make sure your new fan clutch is the same type as the original. It’s possible to upgrade from a non-thermal clutch to a more efficient thermal model, but not the other way around.
A: Pop the hood. Locate your vehicle’s fan clutch. Examine the unit’s general condition. Feel for excess movement in the fan and housing. Spot-check for oil leaks. Turn the fan by hand. Have your fan clutch replaced by a professional.

Q: Your teen may be unsure about whether or not they can turn to you when there is a problem or when they just need to talk to someone. You can make it clear to your teen that you are willing to listen by simply saying something like, “I am here if you ever want to talk.” Keep in mind that you may need to remind your teen now and then. For example, if you teen seems like they are struggling with something, you might give a gentle reminder like, “You can always talk to me about it if you want to.” . Being available to listen also means listening actively. Active listening shows the speaker that you are present and hearing what they are saying. Some things you can do to be an active listener include:  Removing distractions. Facing your teen and making direct eye contact. Nodding your head and making neutral statements, such as “Yes,” “I see,” and “Go on.” Rephrasing what your teen says now and then to show you are listening. Asking for clarification if you need it. For example, if your teen tells you about something that happened between her and her friend Sarah, and she has more than one friend named Sarah, then you might ask, "Sarah B. or Sarah H.?" Judging your teen for what he or she says may cause them to shut down and decide not to open up to you in the future. Therefore, it is best to stop yourself from voicing any judgments about what your teen shares with you.  For example, if your teen confides in you that she is thinking about asking someone she  likes to the prom, you should not use this as an opportunity to say that you think she could do better. Your teen is not going to change her mind about someone just because you do not approve. It is especially important to reserve judgment if your teen shares something troubling with you, such as that she has committed a crime, that she is feeling suicidal or that she is being bullied at school. If your teen shares something like this with you, then it is normal to be upset and worried. However, telling your teen what she should do or feel is not going to help. Sometimes your teen will not feel like talking to you right away, or at all. Teens often need to try to work things out on their own or calm down before they can share what is going on. This can be frustrating for you, but pushing too hard to try to get your teen to talk can make matters worse. If you push too hard, then your teen may feel like you are invading her privacy and decide not to talk at all. To reduce your chances of getting the silent treatment, you may need to learn how to say less and be patient if your teen does not respond right away. For example, instead of asking your teen lots of questions right when they walk in the door, try saying something like, “Hi honey. I hope you had a nice day. If you feel like telling me about it, just let me know. I’d love to hear all about it.” Then just go about your business and allow your teen to talk if he or she wants to talk.
A:
Tell your teen that you are willing to listen. Listen actively Reserve judgment. Accept some silence.