electric radiator fan?

[RockDoc]

I would be very leery of a fan clutch from a parts store. The stock Aisin unit can be refreshed with new fluid, which can be found at a hobby store specializing in RC cars.

You can test to see if it is your clutch by temporarily fixing it into a solid fan drive. Take a hose clamp that is large enough to feed around down between the body of the clutch and the nuts on the hub that hold it to the water pump/pulley. Tighten the hose clamp down so that it doesn't allow the fan to spin free of the pump/pulley. If your issues go away as a result, the clutch is your problem. Having a suitable hose clamp to do this with has saved my ass as a trail fix a couple times.

 

[lehiguy]

The 2F, though sadly anemic, is still 125 to 150 HP and it turns your fan. Show me an electric fan that can match that. It is simply the most fan you can have if all the components work as they should.

 

[theazfj62]

It is just barely possible to pull the fan clutch with the fan attached without removing the shroud. Keeping the belt tight will help in removing the nuts that hold the fan clutch, but will pull the pulley slightly off due to tension - you'll have to work it carefully when putting it back together. Can't remember if those are 12/13/14's.

Yes, you want to leave the belt on. If you remove the belt, the pulley spins, and it will take a strap wrench on the pulley to remove the nuts. I back them off a little at a time with a box wrench as it keeps the tension equal the longest. Once you have got the nuts almost off of the thread with the wrench, you should be able to get them off with you fingers for the last couple of turns and pull them in an outward direction from the shafts (towards the fenders). Make sure to set them aside carefully as if you drop them underneath it's not fun to go spelunking on the plate and front area that alre almost always greasy and dirty.

Then you can wiggle the fan clutch loose from the water pump and then *CAREFULLY* move the fan clutch and fan in towards the radiator and then back out. Watch your fingers and the radiator itself. When you reassemble you do the similar - mount the clutch just enough to get those threads started, and then tighten down a little on each to keep the tension equal and let the pulley seat back down on the water pump.

Or do what I did and give up and cut the damn radiator shroud in two so you can have full access to the fan and clutch and water pump. Search for "splitting shroud" on the board and there are several threads. Used a sawzall with a bimetal blade and it took less than minute. Chased with with a file for the more obvious sharp points. I did this with my last fan clutch replacement and it makes it a helluva lot easier. I haven't noticed any problems with the air draw, and the shroud is of good enough gauge metal that it stays in place. When done, you can remove just the top half of the shroud and be able to lean in from over the radiator. Much easier.

Would also recommend you check the shaft of the water pump for wobble while you're down there. My vatozone no-name water pump had some significant play - I ordered a new one from Cruiser Dan as I was tired of dinking around with "lifetime" replacement parts that don't last that long.

Best of luck,

Glenn

Done all that just did the waterpump so I know how you feel.

 

[Benjaman]

The 2F, though sadly anemic, is still 125 to 150 HP and it turns your fan. Show me an electric fan that can match that. It is simply the most fan you can have if all the components work as they should.

Funny logic, or lack of. My electric fan makes dust clouds when on the trail when it kicks on. I've never seen a stock fan do that. It moves many times more CFM than the stock.

There's a good reason most modern cars use electric fans.

 

[Lated]

Funny logic, or lack of. My electric fan makes dust clouds when on the trail when it kicks on. I've never seen a stock fan do that. It moves many times more CFM than the stock.

There's a good reason most modern cars use electric fans.

Yup. Because the engines are transversely mounted in most of 'em.

 

[Elbert]

when the fan clutch is engaged and the engine is around 2K rpm (as normal when the fan clutch engages)...the roaring noise you hear is the air being moved through and across the radiator. A OEM fan clutch setup moves more air than an electric fan....at least on the LC and GM V8 applications. I'm sure you might come up with a combination of aftermarket stuff that might move more air than some old model 4 cylinder with mechanical fan.

If you have an electric fan on single speed control...the fan is either 100% or off. if two speed its something like 50% on and then 100% on high.

OEM radiator fan clutches / fans move more air hands down than electric fans...execpt in rare cases...and that would be with a setup like two of the large 16inch spal fans on a wide radiator.



I've read where OEM type fan cluth setups were in the 6,000 CFM range or more, Look at the CFM rating on your electric fan in question.


fan clutch setups are not truely 100% on or off, its just the fan clutch locks up 100% or close to that at engagement....even when not engaged there is some air flow across the radiator.

Last time I looked the 5.7 toyota pickup does not run electric fans and I would bet the same on the $$$ new model land cruiser with same engine, none of the GM 3/4 trucks run electric fans. I don't know about dodge or ford in the 3/4 ton stuff but I suspect the same. I know GM runs electric fans on their 1/2 ton stuff now with V8 (pickups/suv).

You can approach the cooling efficiency of a good OEM fan clutch setup .....but thats not with a single low amp electric fan. Read the CFM numbers...of course its hard to find CFM numbers for fan clutch stuff though.

Clearly a good electric fan setup will move more air at engine idle than clutch fan setup, because as noted electric fans most of the time are 100% when engaged or some form of 50% or 100% on and its not relational to engine rpm, while a fan clutch setup is relational to the engine rpm, because the engine drives the fan in question.

a few links...of course you can find many different sources....but at 2000 or so RPM the OEM fan clutch rules in air flow.

http://automotive.flex-a-lite.com/frequent-questions/

http://www.carcraft.com/howto/ccrp_0707_high_performance_cooling_system/viewall.html

 

[lehiguy]

Funny logic, or lack of. My electric fan makes dust clouds when on the trail when it kicks on. I've never seen a stock fan do that. It moves many times more CFM than the stock.

There's a good reason most modern cars use electric fans.

Wait, you mean to say there is some mysterious increase in available energy when using the gas engine to turn a generator, then using that generated electricity to power an electric motor attached to a fan vs. simply attaching the fan to the gas engine? I think you may have solved earth's energy problems, you may want to seek a patent quick.

 

[Benjaman]

Yup. Because the engines are transversely mounted in most of 'em.

Good point! I'm old school, as I still double take when I lift the hood on a FWD car.

 

[Benjaman]

Wait, you mean to say there is some mysterious increase in available energy when using the gas engine to turn a generator, then using that generated electricity to power an electric motor attached to a fan vs. simply attaching the fan to the gas engine? I think you may have solved earth's energy problems, you may want to seek a patent quick.

Well for one electrics spin faster than belt driven. With electric, you'll get full speed from the fan at idle. And idle speed is where most rigs overheat(as in bumper to bumper traffic).

The reason I got the fan in the first place was because while rock crawling my 22r PU, it would get too hot, and yes the stocker was working 100 %. After the electric install, the little truck never got too hot again.

 

[Lated]

Wait, you mean to say there is some mysterious increase in available energy when using the gas engine to turn a generator, then using that generated electricity to power an electric motor attached to a fan vs. simply attaching the fan to the gas engine? I think you may have solved earth's energy problems, you may want to seek a patent quick.

I wouldn't bother with a patent until you figure out how to use an electric motor to turn a generator to power itself--that would be awesome (but which would have to work first, the motor or the generator? )

Good point! I'm old school, as I still double take when I lift the hood on a FWD car.

I do too. There's just something not quite right about the tiny little things cowering in the corner of the engine compartment when you're used to a V8 or I6 dominating the entire thing.

 

[lehiguy]

I was thinking about this yesterday. Mathematically, the 2F really doesn't need much cooling capacity. It is a heat engine, we burn gas to make heat, harnessing the heat expansion in the cylinder to push the psitons down. The more heat, the more power. Since the stock 2F was rated at a meager 125HP, the requirements for cooling are in fact quite low. My V6 4Runner is about 240 HP, so at full throttle it would require roughly twice the cooling capacity that the 2F does. The stock setup is overkill for the engine. A properly funcioning pump and fan clutch will be adequate for an engine of twice the 2F's output. It will keep up with mild V8s, I have done enough conversions to know this to be fact.

 

[cruiser guy]

I am running a mechanical fan with an electric on the other side that will turn on at a certain heat or always be on or off from a flip of the switch. It's great if the rig got a little hot but relying fully on a electric fan is not something you wanna do. It can be done with the right fan. All baja trucks run electric fans on there high horse trucks they are pushing hard so there is something to be said. If you go electric don't be cheap and look at it as more as in an investment

 

[Captain Caveman]

If you go electric don't be cheap and look at it as more as in an investment

That's the catch! I installed the contour fan which has two fans and the shroud is a perfect fit on the radiator. What really makes it all work, and work well, is the painless dual fan controller. So my fans, new, from Rock auto were about $100, and the controller, from 4wheelparts, was about $250. That's $350 just for the fans and controller. Then you need the miscellaneous items like wire and connectors which can quickly add up. I also installed a CS144 140A alternator (but that is another story.)

The controller is wired to start the fans out at 50% and increase to 100% as the temp sensor sees higher coolant temps. The beauty of this is that the fans don't turn on until the engine comes to temp, and then only as much as needed to keep things cool.

Another cool feature is the Air Conditioning Sense lead. With that properly installed, my fans are automatically turned to high whenever my A/C compressor cycles on.

In the winter, I have the option of turning the fans off completely. This aids in getting and keeping my old diesel at operating temps. I went all winter this year without turning on the fans. Hence no wasted energy turning a fan that isn't needed.

My diesel would get way too hot going up mountain passes with the mechanical fan. Once I upgraded to the dual electric contour fans, I've had no issues keeping the heat down. Combine that with replacing the 23 year old radiator and installing a coolant filter, and over-heating is my last concern.

 

[theazfj62]

so here is a Q

should you beable to hold the fan wile the engine is running ?

 

[Benjaman]

so here is a Q

should you beable to hold the fan wile the engine is running ?

Yes, with gloves. but only when the engine is cool~warm, and 30 seconds after a cold start.

 

[theazfj62]

I was on the trail and it was warm/ hot and I could still grab it

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I was on the trail and it was warm/ hot and I could still grab it

That is not good. You need to pull out the fan clutch and either replace it or refill it with the correct fluid.

 

[theazfj62]

Replace. And I am putting a pusher fan to help when she gets warmer

 

[TallCanDan]

I've never heard of an electric radiator in a vehicle before, let alone a fan for one.

 

[Lead Head]

Replace. And I am putting a pusher fan to help when she gets warmer

I wouldn't. It will just impede air flow. With a properly working clutch, these fans can move ridiculous amounts of air. Never had a problem with my cruiser, even in 95*F weather going up loose sandy hills at 5 MPH in low.