Thread: Thermo fan conversion on a d2 td5

Yes EL fans do fit the V8 D1 radiator like a glove, just trim the integral plastic shroud down a small bit which is very easy. There's a small lip at the base of the Disco radiator that the Ford fan shroud can slip into. This holds it in place at the bottom, then I used thre 9mm heavy duty tie wraps to secure it to the radiator at the top. Don't use small bolts or screws, the plastic can split and break off.

The EL fans cost me $90 from the local Ford wreckers, and make sure that includes both ends of the electrical plug.

Originally Posted by joel0407

I'd just like to throw a spanner into the works and ask how much force will a A/C compressor clutch handle.

The sole reason I would change the viscous fan for a electric is economy.

As I said before, from my little expirmimentation, an electirc fan just wont pump near the air as and engine driven fan. There is also losses from converting kinetic energy to electricity and then back to kinetic energy. With a big enough fan you could suck all the power the engine could make with an engine driven fan but if you converted the engine power to electricity and then back to drive the fan you'd loose a heap in generating more heat in the process.

However. If I could run an electric fan for 75% of the time a fan is required to cool the motor and then just run the engine driven fan when the need arrises like climbing that big sand dune (as said before) then that would be the ultimate for me. I just dont know an AC clutch would handle the force to drive the fan.

Happy Days.

Hi

There seems to be some confusion here, I am not sure where the reference to AC fans came from.

To be clear I am talking about high powered engine cooling fans not trying to use AC fans for the job.

As far as current draw goes, you can't just equate the two systems, there are many variables which come into play, fan design, shroud etc

Edit: EL Falcon Fans current draw; At low speed = 3.6 Amps At high speed = 13.5 Amps"

The Falcon EL fans are V8 engine cooling fans, and if I fit them to my P38, I am not going to remove the twin AC fans in front of the radiator

Steve

Originally Posted by SteveFarmer

Hi

There seems to be some confusion here, I am not sure where the reference to AC fans came from.

To be clear I am talking about high powered engine cooling fans not trying to use AC fans for the job.

As far as current draw goes, you can't just equate the two systems, there are many variables which come into play, fan design, shroud etc

Edit: EL Falcon Fans current draw; At low speed = 3.6 Amps At high speed = 13.5 Amps"

The Falcon EL fans are V8 engine cooling fans, and if I fit them to my P38, I am not going to remove the twin AC fans in front of the radiator

Steve

I was suggesting putting a electronic clutch (same as the A/C compressor has) on the engine driven fan so it could be turned off completely.

Happy Days

Originally Posted by joel0407

I was suggesting putting a electronic clutch (same as the A/C compressor has) on the engine driven fan so it could be turned off completely.

Happy Days

Ahh now I get it. Good idea but it would probably require a lot of engineering

Steve

No idea about the work involved really. I just thought it would be an excellent idea to have the air flowing power of the engine driven fan but the economy of an electric fan that could be turned off when not needed.

I know the electric fan made a huge difference to the 2f Toyota motor. I cant remember for sure but it could have been direct drive with no viscous hub. It was mainly when accelerating from and intersection that I noticed the extra power. As it had been moving along prior the radiator temp was down and the fan would be off, pull up and then power away and it's the higher engine revs that cause the engine driven fan to really suck power. With the electric fan off during the accelerating the engine reved more freely then the fan would come on a 30 seconds or so later when the heat generated during accelerating reached the radiator.

Happy Days.

Hi,

FWIW I've had genuine fake EL fans ($200 in the shroud, in a carton) in my POS for some time now.......... i.e. 100,000 k's.

Still using a stock 3.5 RRC rad, one fan has been on the whole running time, the other on an adjustable thermo switch. I only have one 65 amp alt, hot day both fans on can only just be noticed on the stock dash voltmeter.

Yes I'm lazy; both fans should be thermo controlled, but it works very well, so well that there is no real incentive to change it.

A setup like this gives you max cooling power on a hot (maybe crawling) day regardless of road or engine speed.

I know it's not ideal (a genuine EL switching setup would be better) but it keeps a 500,000 +k 350 no higher than half on the temp gauge even in 40+ in Melby traffic.

cheers, DL