Viscous Fan Issue

[tim-green]

DID SOME GREEN LANING YESTERDAY, AND THE TEMP GAUGE SAT JUST OVER HALF WAY ALL DAY, THEN ON THE MOTORWAY HOME IT WENT UP TO JUST OF THE WHITE LINE  :? HAD A LOOK WHEN I GOT HOME AND NOTICED THAT THE FAN WAS NOT SPINNING VERY FAST, EVEN WHEN I REV THE ENGINE, SO TO CHECK I GOT A MAGAZINE (NOT LANDY ONE) AND SLOWLY PUCHED IT AGAINST THE FINS WHICH WITH NOT MUCH PRESSURE STOP IT, SO AS THE ENGINE TEMP WAS HIGH AND THIS WAS POSSABLE DOES THIS MEEN A TRIP TO THE LANDY GARAGE FOR A NEW VISCOUS UNIT NEED TO BE ARANGED?
 

[mmgemini]

I've got my crystel ball in front of me but it doesn't tell me which Land Rover you have  :roll:

[tim-green]

I always thought that viscous unit on a early defender worked the same way a the latest and greatest :shock: but just in case it a defender 90 200tdi

[Wolfie]

I've got my crystel ball in front of me but it doesn't tell me which Land Rover you have  :roll:

No worries, mine seems to be working fine......

Coming through now.........


Yes it's a "LandRover Defender 200TDI CSW FULLY TOYED UP"


Anyway, onto the problem. You say you were laning, any deep puddles? If so it's probably worth trying giving the rad a good clean out first. Also worth checking the state of the fins on the rad, it's of the age where the original is likely to be past it's best, mine gave out last summer whilst towing the racer up the heads of the valleys road.

I would go for cheap options first

Regards

Wolfie

OK I'll admit to cheating and looking at Tim's profile. useful things they are  

[mmgemini]

As Wolfie has said check the radiator isn't full of krap first. The back of the radiator in the cowling as well.

If you suspect thew viscous fan. Remove it. The 200Tdi will run fine without it. Then see what it's like.
Two cheap easy options.

Be aware that the viscous fan can apper to be OK but in fact can run at such a speed that it actually stops the airflow throiugh the radiator.

HTH

[tim-green]

Thanks. I will check it tonight.

[grunty]

I have a kenlowe fitted to 200tdi and it rarely comes on, temp never gets more than halfway up. Have removed the cowling too.
Alan

[tim-green]

UPDATE: This is getting very strange :shock: ? I got the Viscous checked and all was OK, so I was advised to change the thermostat, I took the old one out and took it for a run with no thermostat in, the temparture only went about 1/4 of the way after me pushing it quite hard, this is good I think, so I put the new one in and again took it for a run again, but about 4 mins into the drive the tempature rose to over 3/4 which made me panic and go home quickly, so now I am running it with no thermostat, seems ok but not sure if this is the right way to go?
Any advice word be very much appreciated  

Tim

[L90OOK]

You can run it with no thermostate but your engine will run cold.  In the winter you will have no heating at all...not that defender heaters are brilliant :roll:
You can check the thermostate is opening properly by placing in a pan of heating water &, using a thermomiter, ensure it opens at the right temp around 86-89degrees.
You could also try backflushing your radiator or have it tested for flow.

My guess is the radiator is partially blocked!

[tim-green]

Thanks, however I have fitted a new radiator so Don't think (hope) its not that :(

Tim

[Bob696]

water pump?

[tim-green]

Had a new one of those fitted as well  :?

[Wolfie]

Is it actually running hot, or is it just that the gauge is reading 3/4? My '92 200tdi Defender has, for as long as I have owned her at least, read about 3/4 without any problems.

Could well be worth seeing what the temperature that the car is actually running at is.

It is not a good idea to run without the thermostat as it alters the water flow in the engine and can cause hot spots.

[Tango]

Ok heres the facts for you do what im going to do in the very near future and remove the fan and put on a decent electric one. I have the same problem its common. I can run quite happily at 45/50 mph but as soon as I push it on a very long run it goes upto 3/4. If you are running a 2.5TD motor like mine. having a electric fan on the front will sort out 2 issues first of all the orgianl fan is to far back to have any major play on the engine temp at all. I tested it myself could not feel any airflow with the car reving full. So my advice is buy a electric one and slap it on should go on without any major problems and also will keep the temp down. BTW mine prefers offroading to being on the motorway will only go up 1/4 in the mud funny that one  :lol:

[dreadnought110]

I had severe coolling issue's just latley i have had faulty gauge's a half blocked rad  and a head gasket problem all probably down to the rad??? anyway i have fitted an electric fan and after my trip to wales i'am dumping it!! Solo not a problem works fine put the caravan on the back and it just can't cope :?  :?  so viscous going back on tommorow!! p.s i am running a brand new gauge and sender..... Oh and this is on a 300tdi uprated intercooler etc..

[L90OOK]

I have run an electric HD Kenlowe fan for years with mixed results!  :roll:
The standard Thermostate & relay setup is useless.  The temp senders are taken from the top hose which means the fan only switches on when the water entering the engine rquires cooling, i.e. to hot to be of any cooling use to the engine!  :shock:  :?
Also I foung the termostatic controller, that switches the fan on/off, lasts a limited amount of time before it gives up all together!  Also the standard setup doesn't give you the ability to override the thermostatic controller & switch the fan on when you want too.
I have now fitted the X-Eng solution which is suberb.  It fits into the bottom hose where the water is going back into the radiator from the engine.  So when the water coming out the engine is too hot it switches the fan on, thus providing forced air cooling from the first instance it is required & switching the fan off as soon as it's no longer required.  The X-Eng solution also gives you the ability to wire in an override switch to switch the fan on at your discretion.
I have run this setup for a while now...whilst towing trailers upto 3Tonne & it has performed flawlessly.  
This is on my 110 200Tdi CSW, uprated I/C & tweaked fuel pump.
Hope this helps :shock:  :roll: