Right guys im after some feedback from people who have done this conversion.

I am sick of driving my zed and it sounding like a local access bus with the whooshing sound from the fan.

So all you out there with electric fans fitted how are you finding them, what size did you go for etc.

YES I KNOW there are lots out there that will say stick with the viscous unit and normally I would agree but its a hateful piece of kit, I hate it and just want to see if I can get rid of it and replace it with a sensible electric conversion.

Ive seen twin fan setups on here before so im sure that would be more than enough to cool my engine, I have an uprated ally rad fitted.

You need to get a BIG electric fan to do the job as the viscous pulls pretty hard. The Americans often use one off a ford tanus, ideally you would wish to connect the fan to a thermostat aswel. Don't expect it to be cheap, that's why people fail with it they throw in some little ebay fan that's way undersized and then wonder why it can't keep up. Maybe your exhaust isn't loud enough? On a serious point is it jammed on?

Mines a revotec fan, it's was one of the biggest universal fans they did. Was about 150 + a thermal switch, (set to its lowest,) I've had no problems it's on a large alloy rad, but mine is a na, so no hot turbos, not the best in extended traffic jams does climb a bit, but was up to the job on track.

 

 

I will be switching to a bde water pump, and a second fan once I go supercharged though,

Edited August 20, 201411 yr by (adl) phoenix

Think spal make some pretty powerful fans now, nearly 2000cfm from there latest 16" 10 blade,

Stock fan is 3500cmf ... you need a really good fan to make it work as the closest u get is 1500>1900cmf

 

if i was you stick with the viscus fan ... as been there before

Binning the viscous will be a massive step backwards and introducing a weak link into the cooked engine senerio...get a new viscous and the Scania sound effects will be gone...

Now my argument would be a viscous fan spins based on engine rpm, I thought based on that it would only be pulling the big cfm, at higher rpm, whereas an electronic setup is constant, and when the engine is at higher rpm it's probably moving fairly quickly so would compensate for lower cfm...?

 

My fan is 1800ish cfm iirc, ok just on an na,

 

Don't want to start a can of worms argument, I'm probably completely wrong, but would be interested to know, because it's always bugged me.

Now my argument would be a viscous fan spins based on engine rpm, I thought based on that it would only be pulling the big cfm, at higher rpm, whereas an electronic setup is constant, and when the engine is at higher rpm it's probably moving fairly quickly so would compensate for lower cfm...?

 

My fan is 1800ish cfm iirc, ok just on an na,

 

Don't want to start a can of worms argument, I'm probably completely wrong, but would be interested to know, because it's always bugged me.

 

It spins on RPM and temperature. For example, you could have low RPM and high engine temps and the viscous coupling will be fully

engaged (think stop-start traffic). On the other hand you can have high RPM and lower engine temps and the viscous coupling is

disengaged (think motorway speeds).

You could potentially run 2 1800 cfm fans, but the z rad isn't that big...

Ah OK, hadn't taken the coupling into account. I thought it just acted like a dampener, thanks, :blush:

i have a mk8 lincoln elect fan and this thing is huge!

 

...plus at stop start traffic when you need a fan, the elect fan is at full speed.

 

people just seem to hate elect fans as the by crap and they dont produce anywhere near the desired cfm.

i have a mk8 lincoln elect fan and this thing is huge!

 

...plus at stop start traffic when you need a fan, the elect fan is at full speed.

 

people just seem to hate elect fans as the by crap and they dont produce anywhere near the desired cfm.

 

not at all .. i have tried 3 electric fans over the years and only one was good up to the point when your giving the car some

 

Ebay >> 2x10" temps was ridiculous High

14" Crap a little better

16" with shroud Mits brand Normal temps of 80c but in the 95+ when spirited driving

 

and there is the fact that Many other hi powered cars on here are still using the viscus for the same reason

You also have to think about the engine not getting up to running temperature with an electric fan on constantly...... Needs to be set up to switch on at correct temperature and off when it gets back down as this varies on every car....

You could go for a shroud and larger cfm fan pulling air on the engine side of the rad and a large cfm fan pushing on the front side of rad..... depends if you have air con still?

The Americans often use one off a ford tanus, ideally

 

I think you mean Taurus! The Ta(u)nus was some rebadged Cortina sold in Australia I think!

I know that these type of fans can be a little frustrating, but once they are working correctly they really do work well.

I had issues with mine initially, but after a little work all is fine now.

As Andrew said previously, the fan should only really engage at normal running temperature at speeds below 30mph.

This is when the incoming air from forward movement is insufficient to give the necessary cooling, this then in turn activates the thermal spring which will rotate a delicate valve within the coupling releasing viscous oil so as to engage the fan. (thus maintaining good engine temp')

Once forward speed is above 30mph (there abouts) the spring is then cooled by the incoming air so as to close off the internal valve. Once the existing oil is dispersed by centrifugal force, the fan will then disengage.

One of the main reasons for this to fail is that due to the spring and shaft being in direct line of fire to all elements, the shaft may have become seized either in the open condition or the closed condition. One possible cure could be to remove the coupling and soak the spring and shaft with releasing agent over a couple of days.

Be very carefully though if you rotate the shaft by hand as the shim type valve is very delicate and will damage very easily against it's internal stops rendering it useless. (it should only rotate about a quarter of a turn MAX! from stop to stop, do not force it to move)

Please be carefull.

not at all .. i have tried 3 electric fans over the years and only one was good up to the point when your giving the car some

 

Ebay >> 2x10" temps was ridiculous High

14" Crap a little better

16" with shroud Mits brand Normal temps of 80c but in the 95+ when spirited driving

 

and there is the fact that Many other hi powered cars on here are still using the viscus for the same reason

 

like i said, people buy crap. if you buy right first time you wont have to try 2 others.

 

there are plenty of high cfm elect fans out there which can produce equal cfm to the viscous.

 

also people dont need to change their fan when running high power, so why would they? if it works dont touch it. however i cannot run viscous and others dont want to.

 

 

..back to ians original post, you want to change the viscous for an efan due to the noise? my efan sounds just as bad as the viscous and some dual setups have an irritating whine.

Edited August 21, 201411 yr by Hollings

It spins on RPM and temperature. For example, you could have low RPM and high engine temps and the viscous coupling will be fully

engaged (think stop-start traffic). On the other hand you can have high RPM and lower engine temps and the viscous coupling is

disengaged (think motorway speeds).

 

Yup - what Andy said.....

 

......It's been said before, you'll need an electric fan with one hell of an air-displacement capability to ensure efficient cooling in start-stop traffic conditions in the summer months. Have a chat with Mike at MJP though - I did when my viscous fan failed - but I seem to remember that a suitable electric fan upgrade cost more than a new viscous unit; not to mention the costs to install the conversion!

 

Richard:cool:

Electric fans can be controlled via the stock ECU based on vehicle speed and coolant temperature. I prefer the way a viscous regulates the temperature, but if one can't be used then a suitable electric item can be programmed to maintain a constant temp in a similar way.

In Australia doing away with the viscous setup is a no,no. Fitting a extra electric fan does not keep the engine temp under control ,becomes a head gasket destroyer on twin turbos.

I think you mean Taurus! The Ta(u)nus was some rebadged Cortina sold in Australia I think!

 

Cheers for the clarification there Si, you are completely correct I remember both cars now lol.

like i said, people buy crap. if you buy right first time you wont have to try 2 others.

 

there are plenty of high cfm elect fans out there which can produce equal cfm to the viscous.

 

also people dont need to change their fan when running high power, so why would they? if it works dont touch it. however i cannot run viscous and others dont want to.

 

 

..back to ians original post, you want to change the viscous for an efan due to the noise? my efan sounds just as bad as the viscous and some dual setups have an irritating whine.

 

Yes to this, my Capri had an Efan retro fitted which was extremely powerful I couldn't tell you what it was off. It was a gift. You could throw a welding glove at the front grille and it would stay stuck there by the fans suction lol.

It sounded like a jet engine when it was on, seriously loud.

I have a 17" kenlowe fan. Never had any temp issues.

 

 

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