Cooling option question (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

desertwampa

desertwampa

Joined
Sep 4, 2023
Threads
30
Messages
116
Location
Henderson, NV
I live in Las Vegas. own a 97 lx450..it's been looked at a couple times. Appears to be no issues at this point. However, I have a feeling that as Temps climb I may have a hard time keeping her cool. it gets so f-ing hot here.

Generally, temp been running at 185*, but today was about 80* ambient temp oitside and I was waiting in line to pick up my kid with AC on full blast just to see what the temp would do over 20-30 minutes idling. Ended up climbing to 196*

I feel like once summer hits and it's over 105*, I could get up to the 220* limit easy. Yall let me know if that seems far fetched with a properly working cooling system..

anyway, what are some real WORKING mods I can do to keep temps down? I already am aware of the blue fan clutch mod, and plan to bypass my EGR asap..but what else? I've read that those radiator fans on Amazon don't work.. any input appreciated.

I want to be able to trust the vehicle out in the desert.
 
Seems like it is working just fine. Why not wait to see how it behaves in the summer? Does the fan roar on startup? If not, then fan clutch mod would likely be reasonable to do before it gets too uncomfortable to work on outside. I'm not sure EGR bypass would lower coolant temps.
 
Modded blue fan clutch with everything else OEM and no issues here when it’s mid 100’s.
 
How are you monitoring engine temperature
Do you have a real time gauge?
AC cuts out at 226 so Mr T felt that 220s were acceptable.
 
cahill said:
Seems like it is working just fine. Why not wait to see how it behaves in the summer? Does the fan roar on startup? If not, then fan clutch mod would likely be reasonable to do before it gets too uncomfortable to work on outside. I'm not sure EGR bypass would lower coolant temps.
Click to expand...
yea, I'm just being proactive..wanna have a plan if I need one
 
The blue hub clutch is would certainly be worth doing for you. Also you could add the auxiliary electric fan that Toyota included in some other markets. There's a three part thread called "The ABC's of cooling" that outlines how to set it up to activate based on a pressure sensor in the AC system. Pretty much perfect for exactly the scenario you just tested. I know some don't feel it's necessary with the blue hub, but I feel like there's a reason Toyota thought it would be worthwhile for hot climates. Probably overkill, but as long as it's all set up properly, it only activates when additional cooling would be useful.
 
Marvelicious said:
The blue hub clutch is would certainly be worth doing for you. Also you could add the auxiliary electric fan that Toyota included in some other markets. There's a three part thread called "The ABC's of cooling" that outlines how to set it up to activate based on a pressure sensor in the AC system. Pretty much perfect for exactly the scenario you just tested. I know some don't feel it's necessary with the blue hub, but I feel like there's a reason Toyota thought it would be worthwhile for hot climates. Probably overkill, but as long as it's all set up properly, it only activates when additional cooling would be useful.
Click to expand...
The PO of mine did the Japanese OEM Aux cooling fan setup that has an adjustable thermostat/on-off controller mounted to the aux battery box...has a little probe wire that goes down in between the radiator fins. It'll come on as needed in the summer and runs for a couple of minutes after shutdown if it's hot when turned off. Seems to work very well, especially on the trails. Mine came from Tucson, so pretty friggin hot there and most likely the reason for the upgrade at the time. Not sure if my fan clutch was ever upgraded, but it roars like a lion on startup too.
 
Is your radiator sealed with foam. Ensuring you can get the most air past the radiator and not around will help.

Fan shroud in good shape.

Belts are not old.

Keep large items out of the way infrontvof the radiator like lights or winch depending on bumper.
 
Like @Outsane said the foam around the radiator makes a big difference.
The Aux cooling fan will help but wont fix a cooling Issue, I run one but it's really only helpful in the same scenario that you and @CrabCake speak of setting still or low speed rock crawling. I have mine wired to a always hot power source and find that if I turn it on before the rig starts to get hot it helps, if I wait tell it's at 200* it doesn't help much.
The best thing I did to keep temps down in extreme conditions is install a 15 percent underdrive pulley on the water pump/ fan, they were develop for the guys that run super chargers by @Photoman but they are no longer available 😩
In extreme conditions low speed rock crawling in hi ambient temperatures AC on I used to hit 218-220 and have to turn off the AC and rev the motor and the temps would come right down. with the the new pulley in the same conditions I run in the 190s and never have to turn the AC off.
 
Outsane said:
Is your radiator sealed with foam. Ensuring you can get the most air past the radiator and not around will help.

Fan shroud in good shape.
Click to expand...
Absolutely vital to good cooling.

If you haven't checked and it's still the original radiator, go over it carefully with your gloved hand (or one of those remote reading thermometers) after getting it up to full operating temp. Most of the original radiators are old enough that they suffer from random blockages. You will easily be able to feel the different heat levels if this is an issue. You have a choice between aluminum and brass to replace. I chose brass as more durable, but now sorta wish I'd gone with aluminum. Reports indicate that the Al ones run up to 5 degrees cooler.
 
To be clear, After my HG job everything in the cooling system got a fresh fresh everything, Radiator, Radiator hoses, Fan and fan shroud water pump, thermostat, fan belts, idler pulley, modified blue fan clutch, engine flush, heater control, and all heater hoses. All OEM except the radiator. I wanted aluminum.
A full tuneup was done at the same time again again all OEM.
It did not get hot in100° weather even with the AC on.
But in extreme conditions is where it got hotter than I liked. Adding the foam around the radiator and the auxiliary fan helped but the overdrive pulley really did the trick.
 
Last edited:
Cant speak to those, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of China manufactured aluminum radiators that I have seen (maybe 3, so not a huge sample) and I wouldn't be afraid to run one of the all-aluminum (no plastic tanks) direct fit versions.

I wouldn't necessarily swap out everything for an electric setup. Personally, I like the idea of having a clutch fan as the primary and an electric aux because it appeals to me to have redundant systems. The Aisin blue clutch fan is reasonably priced and excellent once you change out the oil and adjust it (Blue Clutch fan mod from the faq).

If you truly want to go overkill, there are a couple of options for a larger capacity radiator (Ron Davis - $$$, and one other cheaper option that I can't remember), but I suspect you're looking at solutions in search of a problem.

The head gasket discussions on here can make a guy paranoid, but I don't think you really have much to worry about. In order: Give your radiator (and surrounds/shrouds) a good inspection, replace as necessary. Do the clutch, especially if it's old. Do the aux fan if you're likely to spend a lot of time sitting or moving slow, and add an override switch (on/auto/off) to that aux fan if you're a wheeler. I doubt any more is necessary unless you're running high boost. Even in Vegas. The Aussies and Middle-East folks on here do fine with this stuff.
 
Marvelicious said:
Cant speak to those, but I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of China manufactured aluminum radiators that I have seen (maybe 3, so not a huge sample) and I wouldn't be afraid to run one of the all-aluminum (no plastic tanks) direct fit versions.

I wouldn't necessarily swap out everything for an electric setup. Personally, I like the idea of having a clutch fan as the primary and an electric aux because it appeals to me to have redundant systems. The Aisin blue clutch fan is reasonably priced and excellent once you change out the oil and adjust it (Blue Clutch fan mod from the faq).

If you truly want to go overkill, there are a couple of options for a larger capacity radiator (Ron Davis - $$$, and one other cheaper option that I can't remember), but I suspect you're looking at solutions in search of a problem.

The head gasket discussions on here can make a guy paranoid, but I don't think you really have much to worry about. In order: Give your radiator (and surrounds/shrouds) a good inspection, replace as necessary. Do the clutch, especially if it's old. Do the aux fan if you're likely to spend a lot of time sitting or moving slow, and add an override switch (on/auto/off) to that aux fan if you're a wheeler. I doubt any more is necessary unless you're running high boost. Even in Vegas. The Aussies and Middle-East folks on here do fine with this stuff.
Click to expand...
Looks like LC Phil isnt selling his kit anymore. I'm looking at an automatic aux fan kit from Maxflate (no override switch)...what's the advantage to having an override option?
 
desertwampa said:
Looks like LC Phil isnt selling his kit anymore. I'm looking at an automatic aux fan kit from Maxflate (no override switch)...what's the advantage to having an override option?
Click to expand...
The thing with an override kit is to have a "normal" mode, the ability to turn it just "on" in case you're rock crawling or doing something else where you know you'll need it, and the ability to turn it "off" for fording deep water. All it takes is a three way switch and some wire.

I don't really know anything about anyone's kit... I just source parts and put stuff together.
 
Check the radiator, as mentioned already. And look at it as a cooling system where all components need to work together.

On our S/C’d ‘93, the Koyo radiator worked well when the vehicle was in Baton Rouge. Once the vehicle moved to Phoenix, the cooling system wouldn’t cut it, despite a modded blue clutch. There’s now a TYC radiator (plastic tanks, 2-core aluminum, with a slightly thicker core than most other plastic/aluminum rads, i.e more volume) and the water pump pulley. Deals fine with Phoenix heat.

The OEM voice on this board is sometimes deafeningly loud. As long as my truck runs cool with the TYC, I’ll happily tune it out…

The disclaimer I would make is that the TYC is chinesium - this means that what might be in the TYC box nowadays might not be the same than what was in the box when we bought ours.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Saito
Lokar throttle cable option ?
Replies
1
Views
348
ChargedSHOTaco
ChargedSHOTaco
TOYTACO11
thoughts 3fe cooling system
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
TOYTACO11
TOYTACO11
O
  • Question
Pulley Question
Replies
3
Views
537
OlafLX
O
joshrabon
Knuckle Stud Options
Replies
8
Views
987
fjbj40
fjbj40

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom