turbo conversion on toyota 3l (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter zukin
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
I have also done a CT20 turbo conversion on my 3L LJ72. From reading here, I am planning a 3" exhaust upgrade, a bigger fan and fan clutch oil and temperature mod as discussed by folks on the forum. I also plan on doing an intercooler but already was planning on a top mounted air unit from a mitsubishi L200 with a fan but I am currently thorn over that because of the great results many have here have experienced with Water/Air units on the 2-LTE engine. In your case, not sure how much air your electric fan are pushing vs. the clutch fan mod suggested here. Also the intercooler and exhaust mods always seem to help...
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Turbos add a lot of heat to these motors. This is why the 2LT always has overheating problems and the 2L/3L/5L don't.
The general consensus is that electric fans just don't cut it. A viscous clutch fan can move a few kW worth of air. You can't buy an electric fan that is a few kW. I recommend going back to the viscous clutch fan. Service the fan with new oil and adjust the turn on temperature lower.
To modify the viscous hub, follow the procedure here: Blue fan clutch mod
After mucking around with electric fans I'd have to say they are a distant second choice over a mechanical. They are only the second choice cus there isn't another option.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Your engine should not be making much heat when idling. It's when under high load (big hills on highway, or towing) that it should be making the most heat. So yes, an electric fan might be better at idle, but that's not when you need the good cooling anyhow.
I've heard the flex fan's are not that good. Never tried one though.
As discussed previously, electric fans ARE better than mechanical PROVIDING they are set up correctly. (There is a reason why virtually every manufacture has moved to electric).
Thing is if you've bought an after market fan (say a SPAL or similar unit) it's not going to work well. You need to find an oem fan setup (shroud and fan) that fits your radiator. You want it sealed as much as possible with no gaps anywhere around the edges. The after market shroud units (with basically a flat bit of metal for the fans to bolt on to) just don't flow air nicely.
I'd recommend searching the wreckers for a oem fan/shroud that fits. Try and look at quality cars with high HP engines (Mercedes and Audi seem to have very good quality fan setups).
I also wire my electric fans up with a PWM controller for low speed... so it's always running but I set it at a level where I can't hear it. When the temp goes up it switches to full speed, works really well.
Thing is if you've bought an after market fan (say a SPAL or similar unit) it's not going to work well. You need to find an oem fan setup (shroud and fan) that fits your radiator. You want it sealed as much as possible with no gaps anywhere around the edges. The after market shroud units (with basically a flat bit of metal for the fans to bolt on to) just don't flow air nicely.
I'd recommend searching the wreckers for a oem fan/shroud that fits. Try and look at quality cars with high HP engines (Mercedes and Audi seem to have very good quality fan setups).
I also wire my electric fans up with a PWM controller for low speed... so it's always running but I set it at a level where I can't hear it. When the temp goes up it switches to full speed, works really well.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
I think in cars their great! As you say, basically all modern cars use electric fans. Not the same for trucks though. Most full sized trucks still use mechanical fans AFAIK.
I'd love to see a mechanical fan on a front wheel drive car.
Old Morris 1100....(I think)
Hah. I'd love to see a pic of that!
Electric fans can increase effeciency and decrease warm up time but they add a lot more room for failure and they cant come close to pulling the air a mechanical fan can. If your overheating when driving you should be looking at each piece if your coolant system and make sure it's working properly. If your overheating at idle you have bigger problems.
Electric fans can increase effeciency and decrease warm up time but they add a lot more room for failure and they cant come close to pulling the air a mechanical fan can. If your overheating when driving you should be looking at each piece if your coolant system and make sure it's working properly. If your overheating at idle you have bigger problems.
Now that's interesting.
I think a lot of these older truck's coolant systems are just hanging on and then someone adds a turbo and increases the system burden by like 30% more and then presto.....overheating problem.
I think a lot of these older truck's coolant systems are just hanging on and then someone adds a turbo and increases the system burden by like 30% more and then presto.....overheating problem.
That and injectors need checking especially when you wind in more fuel
Back to the OP’s original question, I think that doing either a water to air or air to air (if it will fit) is definitely a good idea if you are seeing too much heat under load. I think that really any turbo diesel engine will benefit from intercooling, especially an IDI one. If you are having problems with too much heat at idle the issue is probably something in your cooling system not functioning properly.
Regardless an intercooler is a good idea. It will help the engine stay within safe EGT levels under high load and allow it to perform better (with room for possible tuning in the future).
Regardless an intercooler is a good idea. It will help the engine stay within safe EGT levels under high load and allow it to perform better (with room for possible tuning in the future).
- Thread starter
- #16
thanks for the info. it doesn't run hot until I hit a hill, though if I have my foot on the skinny pedal it runs hotter.
I am running the stock fan stroud with the electric fan so it is sealed pretty good.
another question what kind of boost can I run safely. boost is now at about 5psi.
here are a couple of pics of my truck.
thanks again.
I am running the stock fan stroud with the electric fan so it is sealed pretty good.
another question what kind of boost can I run safely. boost is now at about 5psi.
here are a couple of pics of my truck.
GTSSportCoupe
2LTE abuser
Nice truck!
GTS beat me to it, beautiful truck! An intercooler will definitely help. If you have A/C you may not be able to fit an air to air intercooler, but if you can I would recommend it just because it is a simpler system. I would also highly recommend installing a pre turbo pyrometer so you can keep an eye on engine temps better (high coolant temps tend to be a delayed reaction to sustained high EGT’s). A larger than stock exhaust will also help.
Not entirely sure re the boost pressures, a stock 2L-TE runs 12psi IIRC on stronger internals, so I would guess that 8-10psi would be perfectly safe, and would also help reduce engine temps if no extra fuel is added.
Not entirely sure re the boost pressures, a stock 2L-TE runs 12psi IIRC on stronger internals, so I would guess that 8-10psi would be perfectly safe, and would also help reduce engine temps if no extra fuel is added.
Nice rig! Stock exhaust is not up to the task of dumping the extra heat. When I upgraded the exhaust off on my LN65 off it was night and day temp difference. The down pipe and flex pipe are the restrictive areas. I was running 10-12psi with my 2LT and little CT-20. Make sure you don't have boost leak somewhere. You really should take the advice above about the mechanical fan.
