JDM Aux Fan Install - It doesn't get easier

[Tools R Us]

I agree.

If the stock fan clutch setup was so good you wouldn't need to "tune-up" the blue hub clutch...

IMHO the blue hub is the finest clutch that I have ever worked on. The machining and fit are first class, they can be disassembled, refilled and the valve tuned, where most other clutches are mostly/completely pressed, swedged together, disposable.

They missed on the fluid spec for the US market, for our use. My guess is that they went with the thinnest fluid possible to make a quieter, smoother operating engine and for the fact that most are used as grocery getters. This isn't unprecedented, the later model Taco's came with a light clutch, if you complain about overheating and/or towing they change the clutch. IIRC one is green hub the other is orange, the only difference I can see between them is the fluid thickness and color of the hub paint.

The upside is that the blue hub is "tune-able", by simply changing to a thicker fluid, you have a very robust, effective, reliable and simple fan setup.

 

[SOCALFJ]

Does anyone know the CFM on this OEM JDM fan?

 

[Beowulf]

I wonder if you guys that keep asking about the electric fan are really listening to TRU and Landtank. They are telling you that the simple mod of adding thicker silicone fluid (~$10) to your blue hub clutch fan is much more effective and easier than installing a $200++ electric fan with switches and relays and associated wiring.

Feed Dan's dogs if you choose but at least give the blue-hub clutch mod a try... then feed his dogs.

-B-

 

[NorCalDoug]

I wonder if you guys that keep asking about the electric fan are really listening to TRU and Landtank. They are telling you that the simple mod of adding thicker silicone fluid (~$10) to your blue hub clutch fan is much more effective and easier than installing a $200++ electric fan with switches and relays and associated wiring.

Feed Dan's dogs if you choose but at least give the blue-hub clutch mod a try... then feed his dogs.

-B-

...but...but...but...
where's the "cool-factor" in just swapping fluid?

I want a cool cooling switch and a cool cooling fan...


more is better!

 

[IronYuppy]

I wonder if you guys that keep asking about the electric fan are really listening to TRU and Landtank. They are telling you that the simple mod of adding thicker silicone fluid (~$10) to your blue hub clutch fan is much more effective and easier than installing a $200++ electric fan with switches and relays and associated wiring.

Feed Dan's dogs if you choose but at least give the blue-hub clutch mod a try... then feed his dogs.

-B-

For me the appeal of an e-fan is the quiet. And a slight (ie 1MPG and a couple of HP) improvement in efficiency.

Having swapped-out a couple of belt-driven fans with e-fans, I can tell you the dB improvement alone is worth it.

 

[Doc]

All of you that have done this-

1. Price?
2. Is there a harness plug for this fan or is it strictly wire-yourself?

 

[Romer]

I wonder if you guys that keep asking about the electric fan are really listening to TRU and Landtank. They are telling you that the simple mod of adding thicker silicone fluid (~$10) to your blue hub clutch fan is much more effective and easier than installing a $200++ electric fan with switches and relays and associated wiring.

Feed Dan's dogs if you choose but at least give the blue-hub clutch mod a try... then feed his dogs.

-B-

Why not both B-.

Dan did both. The fan is mostly for slow driving in high heat with the AC on.

 

[landtank]

Having swapped-out a couple of belt-driven fans with e-fans, I can tell you the dB improvement alone is worth it.

With the exception of initial startup I don't hear my fan, how many 80s have you modded this way?

 

[IronYuppy]

With the exception of initial startup I don't hear my fan, how many 80s have you modded this way?

None, and that's why I'm asking if it's worthwhile...

 

[Beowulf]

Why not both B-.

Dan did both. The fan is mostly for slow driving in high heat with the AC on.

You and Dan have the supercharger so that changes things.

Dan did the auxiliary fan many years ago. He recently added the thicker fluid to the fan clutch. He will have to speak to the benefits that he saw based on the sequence that he did the mods.

I'm just suggesting that those that are planning the aux fan should at least give the thicker fluid a chance at $10 and an hour of your time.... then go to the aux fan if needed.

-B-

 

[landtank]

None, and that's why I'm asking if it's worthwhile...

I've modded quite a few clutches now and while I haven't seen any praise for how they work, I haven't read any issues with them either. I'd like to think that those running them have forgotten about their cooling problems and went on about their lives.

 

[TX80Fan]

I'm just suggesting that those that are planning the aux fan should at least give the thicker fluid a chance at $10 and an hour of your time.... then go to the aux fan if needed.

-B-

Can it really be done in only 1 hr? I read LandTank's clutch mod writeup and it stated one night to drain all oil into hub is preferred and then another night for something else, I think...Oh, and simmering 1/2 of the assembly over hot water and so on. I'd be very interested if I could mod my blue hub clutch in less time. Is it possible to do a simple drain and fill with the 10,000 cst oil? Nevermind the extracting every single drop of the stock oil? Please advise...Thanks

Is there a half-a$^ method that will yield favorable results over the stock blue hub clutch?

 

[cruiserdan]

It depends on how much of the original fluid you are trying to get out and how precise you want the refill level to be.

 

[landtank]

Can it really be done in only 1 hr? I read LandTank's clutch mod writeup and it stated one night to drain all oil into hub is preferred and then another night for something else, I think...Oh, and simmering 1/2 of the assembly over hot water and so on. I'd be very interested if I could mod my blue hub clutch in less time. Is it possible to do a simple drain and fill with the 10,000 cst oil? Nevermind the extracting every single drop of the stock oil? Please advise...Thanks

Is there a half-a$^ method that will yield favorable results over the stock blue hub clutch?

I wrote that up so people who had cooling issues would be able to confidently say that the clutch wasn't the problem. If you have a cooling problem crack open the housing, squirt in some thicker oil, in my mind you can't honestly say the clutch is ok.

Quick and dirty method:

crack open the housing and drain for an hour while you drive down to HobbyTown and pick up a bottle of Ofna diff lock oil in the 5K or 10k weight. Come back and fill the drive side to the level I showed and button it back up.

That wouldn't have worked on my clutch but it was way off on the valve timing but if your's is close then it will be fine.

 

[TX80Fan]

I have the new OEM blue hub fan clutch from CDan...installed early 5/07. I don't believe I have engine overheating issues, however, my A/C could be cooler in stop-n-go traffic & I just like the thought of my motor operating at cooler temps in the TX summer. The heat here in Dallas is about to officially hit the miserable level & I just want my truck to have the best stock configuration cooling capacity (peace-of-mind). I've ordered the Thexton 467 wand to spray my radiator and condensor down in hopes of gaining some increased cooling effect. IIRC- Tool R Us used the 10k cst oil and had luck with the drain-n-fill method on his truck. Thanks for the insight...

 

[Tools R Us]

it way too easy to over think this mod, then the next thing you know we have a 12 page thread, arguing about everything including screw tightening sequence, been there, have the thread!

The quick and simple mod is; Take a stock clutch and add one tube, about 18 ml, .6 oz of 10,000 fluid to it. The resulting fluid will be in the 4,000 range, slightly increasing the performance. If you live in a cooler climate and don't push the truck hard this will probably work well.

The next step up is; Drain about 18 ml and add two tubes, 36 ml, a little over an ounce of 10,000 fluid. The resulting fluid will be in the 6,000 range, greatly increasing the performance. If you live in a warmer climate and/or push the truck hard, tow, etc this will probably work well.

The "I want the damn thing to move air" mod; Drain as much of the fluid as possible and replace with about three tubes, 54 ml, a little under 2 oz of 10,000 fluid. I guarantee that you will know the clutch is there, make sure your belts are in good condition and tight!

In my experience the fill amount isn't that critical, a stock clutch can take an extra tube and still function correctly. Slightly more fluid than stock may make the fluid last longer, but if you add too much it will be "on" all of the time. I don't know where that point is, have only added one tube to a stock fill and done 2 oz clean fills. Have seen them overfilled, on all of the time, but didn't measure how much was drained.

Sorry to further hijack Romer's thread, it's about his supercharged truck, due to the fan design on the S/C motor the pusher is a good mod for them. I see zero benefit to a pusher on a stock configured truck, simply upgrading the clutch is simpler, more reliable and can move more air than a pusher could ever hope to.

 

[TX80Fan]

Tools...Thanks, you speak my language.

 

[alaskacruiser]

CDan- what is your take on the aux fan mod in terms of its effect on coolant temperature? I can definitely tell that it helps idle AC performance, but were/are you seeing a significant coolant temperature drop with the aux fan and unmodded blue fan clutch? I seem to recall you saying it did not make a significant difference in an earlier discussion.

 

[landtank]

Tools...Thanks, you speak my language.

everyone loves an easy answer.

I've cooked 8 clutches now. 2 nearly new and 6 brand new.

This all started for me because my nearly new clutch would not engage at all regardless of ambient or engine temperature. Regardless of how thick the oil was, it wasn't going to work in it's current condition. The valve timing had to be adjusted, period!

Of those 6 brand new clutches 1 other one had the same valve timing as mine and I'm confident that it would have performed just as bad as mine.

Just some data to consider.

 

[Tools R Us]

In all accuracy and fairness, I think it is way too easy to over think exactly 1/2 of this mod, not the whole thing, pat yourself on the back for thinking it through halfway, pat LT on the back for thinking it through all the way. Now back to the regularly scheduled program.

So, are you the one in charge of giving out "credits"?

I really don't give a about "credits", so pat whomever on the back you want, LT, Darwin, etc, can have all of the "credits", all I care about is what works.

Among the ones that I have cooked, they have been very close to each other in opening temps. I moved mine and felt it was "on" too often/much, moved it back to stock and I am happy with it. The point that the clutch can be tuned to YOUR needs and it's a very effective mod.