hey guys,


while my motor is out, i was thinking of getting rid of the Viscous fan ... and going with an electric ..... i searched but i didnt find the posts i need to see to go ahead with it.... anyone done this.... do you have pics?


what fans should be used

 

I've been thinking about doing this too, however searches gave me a TON of threads on the subject.

One forum member mentioned using a twin fan setup from summit racing and installing a 3-way override switch for various functions (pos 1=1 fan on constant, one fan automatic, to prevent heat soaking. pos 2 (middle) = off, he used this for water wading, and pos 3= both on automatic/thermo switch.

I've done this in my 97 M3 however it involved replacing the thermostat with a lower temperature one, allowing water to flow into radiator and begin cooling before fan came on, THEN replacing the aux fan temperature switch (which was used from the factory to prevent overheating) with a switch that activated at normal tstat open temperatures (instead of the factory emergency temps) which would then activate the OEM circuit/relays turning on the aux fan. This was the "fan delete" mod, but was grossly inadequate over here on the east coast with summer head indexes in the 110s+

I went one step further and tapped off the aux fan high current wires (going into the fan) with a relay to activate a 16" low profile fan which went in place of the clutch fan - hooked it to the "low" temp side of the switch (it had a low/high output wire, which triggered at different temps).

BUT I also changed the temp switch so that when the low temp circuit activated, it actually triggered the "high" temp relay and circuits (turning on both fans). A nice feature of this was that I could prevent heat soaking by turning on the AC button (which was rarely on since I enjoy the summer so much; windows/sunroof down!) which would command the aux fan circuit into high speed mode (which would also turn on my 16" fan since the relay runs off that circuit).
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I'll have to see what the best way of doing things in the Land Rover is. From what I understand, it doesn't feature this "old school" type of temperature switch, but rather a coolant temperature sensor that feeds data to the ECU which then commands the aux fan to turn on. I think that aux fan is a single speed fan? Someone fill me in!

I'll most likely leave the aux fan alone, and let it do its thing with emergency temps and air conditioning operation.

I'll use a twin fan system with manual override switch, but the only variable that remains is how to let the fans control themselves.

 

Why are you looking at this swap. Is the viscous clutch going bad causing an overheating situation. The LR DII is one of the few remaining vehicles with a viscous coupled fan. The rest of the OEMs went with electric fans to save on manufacturing cost.

 

I've gotta call you out on this one - where in the world are you getting this information from?!

There are infinite reasons why electric fans are superior to a mechanical clutch fan, a $40 cost difference on one of the most critical components of a car (which range from what.. 15k-80k on average?) doesn't even show up on the radar for most manufacturers.

Reliability, performance, and economy are the deciding factors for a component like this. The bearings and overall design of modern radiator fans are far more reliable than clutch fans, which often fail in SPECTACULAR fashion and take out many expensive components in the process, including your radiator and hoses. Parasitic loss is also an issue with mechanical clutch fans, since there's a great deal of rotational mass attached to your belt system - even when the fan "windmills" there's a decent amount of friction, especially for older units. The added stress on your waterpump is another issue to consider, since this often contributes to premature waterpump seal/bearing failures as well.

An electric fan pulls much less parasitic loss through the alternator and electrical system than a clutch fan will pull when it's fully locked and activated, and modern multi-speed systems are very efficient. Modern engines have a narrower peak efficiency operating temperature, and having a computer control the on/off times for multiple speeds of an electric fan is a FAR superior design than a clutch fan, since the computer is going off of TRUE coolant temperature. Since modern cars need a coolant temp. sensor for a variety of reasons, as well as the need for more complex computers to perform other functions (drastically different ignition and engine management systems compared to old-school vehicles) it's much easier to use electric fan systems now.

Not to mention being able to work on a vehicle's serpentine belt system 935758535 x easier by simply pulling out an electric fan instead of messing with that clutch fan nut! Plus the added ability to wade through high water and turn off the electric fan (only true of an aftermarket setup however). but trust me, I can't think of a single advantage a clutch-fan system offers - probably why no one uses them anymore!

k /rant

edit: Oh, plus electric fans sound cooler!

 

I did it 2yrs. ago on my DI.

The clutch went so I installed a 16" 2speed lincoln (5200 cfm)
a few months later I found out it drew 39 amps on high.

I replaced with (2) summit racing @ 9amps ea. ($75?)
The DI is an easy install, with (3) vert alum pcs. (1-1/2" x 1/4") thick mounted to top & bot shell of rad.

I notice instant jump off idle, just seems peppier, tho' the car wash seems to do that too.

I installed (1) stat (probe in rad fins @top) 175deg. as I recall
The second fan is on switch under dash (never needed it, tho')

luck,greg

 

Flex-a-lite 210 dual fan setup will fit well. You will have to wire it in right.