Viscous Fan

[The Kid]

When chatting to Kenlowes about a replacement/additional fan to help with my overheating problem while on holiday, the chap suggested checking the viscous fan before doing anything else.

He reckoned that, at tick over, the fan should be blowing a "light draft" over the engine and, when the revs were taken gently up to 3000rpm, this should increase to "gale force".

As I haven't got a spare pair of feet at the moment I thought I'd just check it on tick over.

When I lifted the bonnet the "light draft" seemed more like a gale!
If it increased any more from this when the revs were taken up, it would be more like the effect in a wind tunnel!

So, my question is - is the fan faulty or is this normal?

Ken

[andycook]

you can operate the throttle linkage from standing at bonnet! - no spare feet needed!

just pull on the device above oil filter that has a cable attached to it!
this is the accelerator cable

[The Kid]

Oops!

Why didn't I think off that!

Thanks Andy

Ken

[coolsv650]

When chatting to Kenlowes about a replacement/additional fan to help with my overheating problem while on holiday, the chap suggested checking the viscous fan before doing anything else.


Ken

What was your overheating problem? I'm interested as mine gets hot N bovvered on hills (mind you I was towing 1500kg of Caravan at the time!)

[yorta2]

The Australian site is down at the moment, but when it gets up again (should be soon), try this thread. It will give you all you need on the viscous fan: http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/v...ht=viscous+fan

[The Kid]

What was your overheating problem? I'm interested as mine gets hot N bovvered on hills (mind you I was towing 1500kg of Caravan at the time!)

Sorry for the delay but been a bit busy.

My problem isn't towing related it's just strange.

For the last 3 years we've been holidaying in SW France and on the trip down no real problems. Might have to top up a bit once.

On the way back it's a different story. At least 3 or 4 times she boils up seriously. Cant blame it on the weather as it's usually a bit cooler coming back and I just toddle along at about 65mph.

I've done all the usual things like flushing the system,changing the coolant, rad cap, thermostat etc. but she still keeps doing it.

The only thing I have noticed is that, on checking the fan, it freewheels with the engine off when cold (not just a 1/4 turn) and does exactly the same when hot. When it's cold and you fire it up the fan spins quite fast and then as you accelerate the speed increases in line with the engine speed.

Rapidly coming to the conclusion that the fan is knackered and could possibly be something to do with the problem although, as its running fast all the time-* it should be dragging in more air I would think.

On top of that, today the blower fan stopped working! Up until now I've had to juggle the slider control once it's pushed to the right to get the fan to come on. Now all I get is a noise from the area of the vent on the passenger dash which sounds more mechanical than anything else and no blower.

Any advice on any of the above much appreciated.

Ken

[The Kid]

Well, decision made!

After speaking to Kenlowe again, we have come to the conclusion that the fan is definitely knackered and so are going to replace it with a 17" electric suction fan.
Ken

[plumb bob]

Well, decision made!

After speaking to Kenlowe again, we have come to the conclusion that the fan is definitely knackered and so are going to replace it with a 17" electric suction fan.
Ken

The viscous fans have oil in hem, and if/when this leaks out, the fan doesn't do it's job.

The oil can be purchased from Toyota, and the fan can be overhauled, and therefore , hopefully give you back the cooling efficiency.

Here's a link on how to do it;http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...iscous+fan+oil

[mud skipper]

been there and done that kenlowe refunded me the cost of their fan as it made no difference wot so ever, i had replaced the viscous fan, rad cap and stat, flushed,reverse flushed even tried wetter water, all so put a tranny cooler on it.
its my belif that it was down to the rad, like the aussies say get a rad from a manual surf ie with out a tranny cooler in the bottom tank and that should sort it or do what i did and waste over £12,000 to get over the prob

[plumb bob]

been there and done that kenlowe refunded me the cost of their fan as it made no difference wot so ever, i had replaced the viscous fan, rad cap and stat, flushed,reverse flushed even tried wetter water, all so put a tranny cooler on it.
its my belif that it was down to the rad, like the aussies say get a rad from a manual surf ie with out a tranny cooler in the bottom tank and that should sort it or do what i did and waste over £12,000 to get over the prob

£12,000? what did you do, buy a land cruiser?

[mud skipper]

£12,000? what did you do, buy a land cruiser?

no bought a bl00dy 03 reg pug 406 estate that had been side swiped and repaired without being recorded so wasted 6k(long story) on that then replaced with my 3gen for 6k

[plumb bob]

no bought a bl00dy 03 reg pug 406 estate that had been side swiped and repaired without being recorded so wasted 6k(long story) on that then replaced with my 3gen for 6k

Ouch!..


Still, you got the 3rd gen now, so hopefully that eases the pain.

[The Kid]

been there and done that kenlowe refunded me the cost of their fan as it made no difference wot so ever, i had replaced the viscous fan, rad cap and stat, flushed,reverse flushed even tried wetter water, all so put a tranny cooler on it.
its my belif that it was down to the rad, like the aussies say get a rad from a manual surf ie with out a tranny cooler in the bottom tank and that should sort it or do what i did and waste over £12,000 to get over the prob

I cant see any problems with the rad which is a manual, i.e no obvious leaks under pressure, so the options were either a booster fan in front of it or replace the viscous one. As they are much the same price and to avoid mucking about with the aircon fan, decided to go with the bigger option.

I've read all(?) the posts on repairing/adjusting the viscous fan and came to the conclusion that, if it happened once it could happen again, and again, and again! Also the fact that, from the way it operates, it seems to have been mucked about with in the past, so time to go.
Liked the idea of having the option of a manual boost and a temperature sensor in the top hose as well (could be a bit more accurate than the surf temp gauge and give earlier warning of problems methinks).

Re my point regarding the heater controls, am I right in thinking that there is a circuit board attached to the slider and that this has probably gone?

If so does anyone have a working one they want to sell?

Ken

[coolsv650]

Yes your cooling problem is differant to mine.

Lot's of people don't speak highly of the kenlowe fan system, not so much the system but the fans themselves.

The problem with the heater switch is that the contacts get worn/dirty, the switch can be stripped and cleaned (i've done one myself) but the dash needs to come out to get to the switch. I'm not sure but I think the switch can be ordered on it's own. I've still got mine to do (again)

[yorta2]

I don't know where you have gotten with this, but you say you have perused all the threads on Viscous Fans. I mentioned the Aussie site a week or two ago, but it has been down. It is now back up, albeit with a different host and address, and a couple of glitches that will be overcome soon. It is here:
http://dahn.webcity.com.au/~toy49040/forum/index.php

The thread on Viscous fans is here:
http://dahn.webcity.com.au/~toy49040...cous+fan#96702
Read it all the way through to understand where many of the myths about how it works arise and are disproven. Particularly pay attention to the input of 2 contributors - Terry Syd and Ross Allen.

Also read all the way through, the stuff on modifying the temperature gauge here:
http://dahn.webcity.com.au/~toy49040...=14717&start=0
That will provide more info on the Viscous Fan, as part of the process, and also on the installation of an 8-bladed cooling fan from a 1HZ LandCruiser engine, to increade air flow.