Time for an electric fan (1 Viewer)

[lunyou]

Its time guys, I have the okay from the wife to install an electric fan on the 93 mini mainly because it needs it.

I am now wondering what kind you guys have had luck with. I read bamachem's writeup on his installation of the volvo electric fan and the variable speed write up so don't flame me about the search since it was the only one in the truck tech section.

Should i get a fan set with ONE large fan or TWO smaller fans?

When hooking it up where should the "hot" wire be connected so that it is on anytime the truck is turned to "ON", it has to be someplace that i can't mess up.

Also what is the easiest way to wire a warning light so that i know if it is not on??

Thanks for all the help.

lunyou

 

[samiam09]

In my fj60 I installed a large electric cause the stock fan clutch had sheared off an went threw the new radiator.After installing it I found the engine mounts were broken hence the problem.I like the fan but find myself watching the power it drawls when it starts up and when its running.now my truck still has the stock fan clutch. when it stops working as well as it should I take it appart and install more silcon oil{available from toyota}and its back to normal. not sure as to why you feel you need a electric fan. They work great for rock crawling and freeway crawl speeds in ca.

 

[Cube Dweller]

Lunyou, I live in Sacramento and we have plenty of 105+ days during the summer. My '91 4runner temp needle doesn't budge off the midpt, even in traffic. If it was me, I would diagnose your cooling system before you throw parts at it. My guess is clogged radiator, leak in system reducing pressure or bad fan clutch. The electric fan would only solve the last.

 

[lunyou]

well the problem i experience is....

During warmer days it will heat up while setting at red lights and while driving in slower traffic.

While driving down the highway at normal speeds the truck temp runs fine and has no trouble but after i hit a red light or really slow intown traffic it will creep up. It never reaches the red(i dont' set there long enough) but it will climb quite a ways. Then once i start moving again it will cool back down. After i stop and shut it off for some reason(gas station, etc) and then go back out in a short time(10 minutes up to 30 minutes) the temp needle will be a smidge off of the red line on the temp gauge. After i get moving for a short distance at decent speeds the temp gets down to normal.

I replaced the fan clutch, water pump, and thermostat within a few miles of each other about 15,000 miles ago. I also had the radiator cleaned out because i used too much Barrs stop leak which stopped it up.

any ideas??

lunyou

 

[tonkota]

I bought a Flex-a-lite Blackmagic from Summit. It was fine, but noisier than the stock fan. I never had a problem overheating. I noticed no powergain. If I was to do it again (which is impossible since I sold it) I would repair/replace the stock fan clutch. They just work better and with less noise.

 

[KliersLC]

well the problem i experience is....

During warmer days it will heat up while setting at red lights and while driving in slower traffic.
I replaced the fan clutch, water pump, and thermostat within a few miles of each other about 15,000 miles ago. I also had the radiator cleaned out because i used too much Barrs stop leak which stopped it up.

any ideas??

lunyou

Did you use a toyota fan clutch and did you check to make sure it is working. I can hear it lock up in my T100. The aftermarket clutches are notorious for being worthless. If you used that much stop leak, there is a chance that the rest of your cooling system is gummed up too, but it still sounds like a bad fan clutch to me.

For example:
Given:
The engine is running as it should

Problem:
When there is airflow(freeway or reg driving) it runs at the correct temp.
When there is no airflow(stopped or shut off) it runs hot.

Causes:
While idleing your water pump is still pushing fluid through the rad and cooling it somewhat.
When shut off, you get no airflow and no water flow, so since it is running hot already, it bakes....
Your fan is not providing the airflow needed to cool the engine, check your fan clutch....

For example: Drive truck until it is running hot, if you don't hear the fan, stop, leave truck running, open hood, and CAREFULLY check for airflow along the bolck behind the fan, WITHOUT getting your shirtsleeves caught in the thing and losing an arm.....


OR,
If you are the red neck type, repeat the aforementioned steps but check to see if the clutch is locked up by inserting a medium sized stick SLIGHTLY into the path of the fan blades. IF it wacks the stick hard and/or throws it across the yard or back at you, the clutch is fine.

Finally,

Does your temp go down when you turn the heater on?

YOU DO NOT NEED AN ELECTRIC FAN FOR A DD

FWIW,
Dan

 

[lunyou]

dan thanks for the advice...

First off it wasn't a OEM fan clutch it was an auto zone fan clutch if i remember correctly(OOPs)

Next off when i turn the truck off after it warms up the fan doesn't stop spinning when the clutch starts spinning, if you know what i mean, its like it is free spooling until its stops by laws of friction. When the fan clutch is working shouldn't the fan clutch stop the fan almost immediatly when the belts quit moving(IE shut off the motor)?

thanks for the advice again

lunyou

 

[KliersLC]

You are correct, an engaged clutch will stop the fan immediately. The 80 series guys have had nothing but problems with autozone fan clutches

Good luck,
Dan

 

[lunyou]

thanks, maybe i shoudl have looked over there before posting here.

lunyou

 

[lunyou]

Kliers,

i went out and checked my Mini and the fan spins for over 10 seconds after shutting the motor off. This is after i took a short drive down the interstate to get it warmed up.

But here is the kicker, i have no cooling problems with my wife's 91 3.0 powered 4runner and her fan spins after the motor is shut off(but not quite as long as the mini's).

Could it be a partially stopped up cooling system including the radiator, hoses, and/or the antifreeze ducts throughout the block??

If it is the cooling system how can i flush the block thoroughly? Is it as simple as putting a water hose to the top radiator hose entering the block and taking the radiator to a radiator place??

thanks

lunyou(still needs help)

 

[KliersLC]

There may be a feature on these clutches that allows a bit of freeplay when "Locked" IIRC it was to prevent shattering the fan if you went into deep water-the fan wasn't direct drive so it could slow down. I still think your clutch is bad. Try the other two tests I mentioned and also take both your truck and your wifes truck on a 20 minute interstate drive, beat them hard, park next to each other and shut them off. Open the hoods and turn the fans by hand, hers should be hard to turn and yours will turn freely.
Good luck,
Dan

 

[Cube Dweller]

Lunyou, also do a search in the 80's section on testing the fan clutch. Robbie posted his method on testing the fan clutch on 80's and he's a master mechanic.

Does your pickup also have the 3.0? If so, you could swap the clutch from your wife's rig to yours and see if the problem goes away or is reduced.

 

[lunyou]

^cube - Yes my PU has the 3.0 also, i have changed the fan clutch once and didn't like it, haha, but if i can figure it out anyother way i am going to go that method since the wife wouldn'tt like the idea of me doing that and she needs her rig for work 6 days a week.

I will do the search

lunyou

 

[lunyou]

by Robbie who did you mean??

lunyou

 

[lunyou]

okay so here is the deal...

I went out and drove the 4runner until the engine warmed up like normal and then drove my truck around until it heated up like it does. I parked the Truck beside the 4runner and made sure the 4runner was still warm(enough to engage the fan clutch) ,

Since i don't have a good pair of gloves i was to chicken to do the grab test while the engine was running so i grabed a small piece of cardboard out of the bed of my truck and held onto my trucks fan while my wife started the truck and there was no resistance the fan didn't even try to move, i could actually spin it backward until the friction(not the clutch) changed the fans direction and then i could just reach out and grab it to stop it again.

I went to the wifes 4runner and had here start it while i was holding the fan and it jerked out of my hand and I never could stop it with my cardboard gloved hand(again i was to big a chicken).

So now i have shot cruiserdan a PM to see if he can get me a OEM fan clutch, and if not I will have to go get one at the toyota place 30 miles down the road.

Thanks for all the help.

lunyou