Mud-club

Vehicle & Technical => Discovery => Topic started by: muddyjames on September 25, 2008, 19:27:52

Title: Changing fans
Post by: muddyjames on September 25, 2008, 19:27:52
I read in LRO this month that putting in a kenlow fan can save 10% on the fuel bill. I like the sound of this.  :D

Do I HAVE to fit a kenlow fan or could I go to a scrap yard and get a beefy fan from there? If so what else do I need to do to make it kick in and out etc and is it an easy job?

Also, would I really notice a difference in less fuel?
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: crazymac on September 25, 2008, 20:37:16
Fuel saving?? not convinced.

I took my viscous fan off more than 3 years ago and have replaced it with nothing! Thats right, nothing. My temp guage sits around the 1st quarter even when towing.

I do have aircon fitted (although the rad and all other gubbings have been removed leaving just the aircon fans!!!)

The fans have a switch built in that turns them on when the temp rises above 3/4 but that has only ever happened once on a lane day!
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: Disco-Ron on September 25, 2008, 21:19:06
I fitted two small leccy fans on my old 200, along with an x switch that switched each one at different temps....
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: diggerdog36 on September 25, 2008, 21:29:58
Anything that runs off the engine will use extra fuel, so a viscous fan will use more than a lecky fan, you could use any lecky fan (big enough) off a mondeo, vectra etc, and use an X-Eng switch they are the best on the market, everything else WILL die after a few months!!!
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: muddyjames on September 25, 2008, 21:30:46
Fuel saving?? not convinced.


This was number 1 saving in LRO this month!

I am not sure about no fans at all. I have seen the temp guage rise to max when towing once as the rad was old and grimey. I think I would be a bit unsure about and constantly looking at the guage more than I do now!!

I have air con fans but aircon is broken. How easy is it to wire in these fans then and do they do the same job as a fan the other side of the rad?
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: lee celtic on September 25, 2008, 22:01:30
I have a Vectra SRI cooling fan behind the rad and and a Vectra SRI aircon fan in front of the rad both are twin speed and both are off a manual switch and it cost nothing (lad at work was scrapping it) :dance:

I need two as I don't have many fins left :'( (ok most of the time but not towing,looking for a better rad if anyone has one  :D)
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: crazymac on September 25, 2008, 23:15:25
Fuel saving?? not convinced.


This was number 1 saving in LRO this month!

I am not sure about no fans at all. I have seen the temp guage rise to max when towing once as the rad was old and grimey. I think I would be a bit unsure about and constantly looking at the guage more than I do now!!

I have air con fans but aircon is broken. How easy is it to wire in these fans then and do they do the same job as a fan the other side of the rad?

They're already wired up for it! Its a safety feature thats built in. I first noticed it when I had my viscous fan still fitted but the fans came on one day so I realised my viscous one wasn't working (when the engine was hot there was no resistance in the fan) I also had a blocked rad. So I took the viscous one off and got the parrafin into the rad and gave it a really good clean. While I was trying to buy another viscous fan from Ebay I was still running around doing all my normal things without the engine temp rising above the quarter so I never replaced it.
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: BigA on September 26, 2008, 08:01:49
I read the same and was considering this, also discovered that my viscous unit has gone and my fan is wobbling around a fair bit. After some consideration, and having read other posts on here in the past i have decided to replace the viscous, and now have one and about to fit.

I would not trust myself with just an on/off switch and have heard and read about many issues with fitting the thermostat type switches.

I am about to fit new inter-cooler hoses, and flush my inter-cooler, and do my tappets, wit the hope of reducing black smoke and fuel consumption.

Just my bit.

Andy
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: Range Rover Blues on September 26, 2008, 13:32:52
James, if you car has airconn then it will automatically switch the pusher fans on if the engine gets too hot, there is a thermoswitch in the thermostat elbow that does this, you could either use it to switch bigger fans on or remove the air conn rad but leave the 2 pusher fans in place.

On later models though the 12" fans were replaced by 10 inch fans, these couldn't blow the froth off your coffee :roll:
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: muddyjames on September 26, 2008, 13:36:25
will they still work though as my air con is well caput. The wiring has been ripped off the compressor after a belt shredded before I bought the disco etc. The 2 wires from the same elbow of the water thermostat are still there as I put them there when I changed the engine over. I have never seen them running though.
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: Range Rover Blues on September 26, 2008, 13:41:49
I don't recall which one it is but if you find out try shorting the contacts over, otherwise the fans should run at any time the airconn is switched on, whether the compressor runs or not.
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: Range Rover Blues on September 26, 2008, 13:42:42
BTW, if in any doubt you can use the switch in the elbow and a relay to wire any fans up direct to the battery.
Title: Re: Changing fans
Post by: muddyjames on September 26, 2008, 13:50:50
my air con doesnt even turn on in mine. the button on the dash which should light up I guess doesnt.  :'(

I will have a play after this weekend when it is all muddy!!! :lol:
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