Posted on another thread about my new to me (and nearly new) 2002 Discovery with only 29,000 miles!
Found this at a salvage auction with some front end damage, radiator, fan, shroud, clutch and water pump were all replaced due to damage.
Took it on it's first road trip to Colorado last month and entering the highway on I70 in Idaho Springs for a fuel stop the cooling fan exploded!
Being in Idaho Springs I couldn't get any stock parts, not even in Denver, was told it would take a week to get them.
Not having a week to wait I started looking for an electric fan to install, wanted to install a dual fan set-up but same story, non in stock.
NAPA had a Flex-a-lite Black Magic 16"single fan in stock and on sale so not having any choice I bought one and took it back to the mechanic in Idaho Springs.
I posted my success on another thread, said the electric fan set-up was working great based on the fact the temperature gauge was holding steady, not budging in fact.
Being a new Land Rover owner I was informed the factory gauge is very inaccurate and I needed to check the temps with another method.
Well, I finally got around to taking my Scan gauge out of my Land Cruiser and hooked it up in the Discovery today, here are the results.
For the record it is hot, 98º today, drove around town for about 30 minutes to check temperatures.
Obviously the A/C is on the engine temperature ranged from 193º driving to 208º after an extended wait at the Starbucks drive thru.
I did not get on the highway but feel the temp would drop a few more degrees
I am running the stock thermostat, are these temperatures normal and acceptable?
Would the 180º thermostat help?
Hope this helps those who are considering and electric fan conversion, any advice is appreciated!
Rusty

 

not horrible, but a 180 would be wise and drop them some more

 

I agree with Dusty1, mine were running 206-210 on average in 90+ weather, I installed 180 and now are running 194-196.

 

Where is the best place to buy the 180º thermostat?
Just wondering what temps are seen in hot weather with the stock set-up?
At idle for extended periods?

Rusty

 

I searched around and ended up buying mine form lrparts on eBay for 80.00 with free shipping and no tax. I am also in Texas and my temps would go as high as 211 idling for any extended time. My top radiator hose seemed pretty hard and hot, while the hose below the thermostat was only warm. I know 210 is not that extreme, I really do not like to see anything above 200. The highest I have seen with the gray has been 201, after idling with a/c on and it was 94 outside. Make sure you purchase the genuine thermostat, not the motorad brand, They seem to malfunction in a relatively short period, and this only comes from previous experience as noted by members of this forum.

 

Joemamma1954, thanks, drove around a bit more today, temps seemed to stay around 200 on average, would go a few degrees above and a few degrees below occasionally but for the most part right around 200.
Will be driving about 300 highway miles tomorrow so will be interesting to see what the temps are then.
Will get that thermostat ordered
Rusty

 

I'm pretty sure Lrparts on eBay is lucky8. Call them direct, they can probably do a better price for a forum member.

 

Thanks abran, wish I had known that. Still good to know I supported a forum member.

 

Can I ask a question, what is your fan controller set to come on at?
I mean a stock thermo isn't helping your situation, but unless I missed it, did see what the fan was set to come on at?

 

Took the Discovery on a short road trip today (about 300 miles round trip) expecting the temperatures to drop on the highway but I got on the highway and the temperature was higher, averaged around 205 on the first half of the trip and kept creeping up a bit higher as I was going.
Finally arrived at my destination and opened the hood trying to figure out why things were running hotter today than yesterday?
Checked the radiator tank first and it was empty!
This would explain quite a bit.
When the fan exploded a few weeks ago it broke off the plastic nipple that goes to the tank, couldn't get a radiator for several days, and the one in the car was brand new so we decided to glue the nipple back on hopping it would hold long enough to get me home.
I accidentally broke off the return nipple on my Land Cruiser about 5 years ago and glued it back in the same way, it is still holding strong so I was hoping for the same luck with the Discovery.
Anyway, going to try to repair the nipple again, with more glue first if that doesn't work I will try to weld it and if that doesn't work I have one more thought....just hate to throw out a brand new radiator just because a plastic nipple is broken off!

dgi 07, no, you didn't miss anything.
The mechanic in Colorado set the fan to come on at 195º, I plan to repair my radiator, turn the fan down to kick on at a lower temperature and see what happens
Rusty