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Wondering if anyone can help me out with what bracketry was required to get the EL thermo fans on to the rover radiator. The motor is the 3.9L V8 in a 97 disco. Any pics or instructions on what they did would be great. From what I've read it seems to be pretty simple install but I would like to see what others have done before I have a go.
My original plans for a alum shroud and dc thermos was just a touch to expensive so I'm going for the more sensible option. I'm not having cooling problems but I am getting sick of the engine driven fan sucking all the power in summer or when the air-con is turned on.
Well, when I get round to it, I'm fitting AU falcon thermos - had a bit of a size up with a set my mate had lying around, widthwise they look perfect, heightwise they may be a touch tall, but i think thats easily fixed by trimming the shroud a bit... they're around $175 for a pair....
84 Rangie, 3 inch spring lift, 2 inch body, Megasquirted 4.6, R380, rear Maxi, 34x11.5 JT2s. Simex FM installed.
I have a feeling the AU and EL fans are similar or the same. From what I've read both models seem to fit. I'm just curious as to how they have actually been mounted to the radiator. I'm just about to go fix up the battery so I will look then to see what it can actually be mounted to (not keen on attaching it to the core).
All that is required is a bit of trimming at the bottom and around the bottom radiator hose, other than that, you can just drill a hole and put a bolt through the top where the humps are (on a rangie anyway). Just leave enough at the bottom to sit in the tabs.
Will post some pics soon.
[quote="Wooders"]If ya want a 4x4 camry go ahead & buy a Patrol or Cruiser.[/quote]Rangie with 80s LC diffs, Isuzu 4bd1, Twin ARB lockers, 8000lb Hi mount warn, 315x75x16 Procomp XTerrains
I do not know if the disco and rangie radiators are the same but the EL thermo fans fit the rangie easily. I just cut two slots in the bottom of the cowling so that it would slide down lower and trimmed a bit off the top. On the county the EL fans required a bit more chopping up. I also have some AU fans but the cowling didn't fit as well. The other difference I noticed between the two is that the EL fans have eight blades and the AU's had six blades.
Jon.
Be aware, these things do not like the mud (Victorian mud anyway)
I've spent a good couple of hours pouring clean water into mine trying to get them going up at Mt Dissapointment. My Rangie got real hot real quick
half way through the Croc pit when they both just stoped, I'm going to piss mine off and go back to the engine fan. Other than that, they're grouse.
But you would have had a switch to manually turn them off when going through water wouldn't you.
I have had mine on the Rangie for a while now and they have been great, just need to turn them off when in water.
A couple of tips.
-Run a seperate wire for each of the 2 fan motors
-Run an earth directly from the battery (this makes a huge difference)
-Use a seperate relay for each of the fan motors. They seem to draw heaps on start up and when I had both going through a 40A relay it fried the relay after a few months.
mangie wrote:Be aware, these things do not like the mud (Victorian mud anyway)
I've spent a good couple of hours pouring clean water into mine trying to get them going up at Mt Dissapointment. My Rangie got real hot real quick
half way through the Croc pit when they both just stoped, I'm going to piss mine off and go back to the engine fan. Other than that, they're grouse.
Mud is not so much a problem here in WA. Theres plenty to be found if you know where to look but I try to keep clear of it all together. I find it gets over everthing in the engine bay and then all during the week I can smell it buring off
walker wrote:But you would have had a switch to manually turn them off when going through water wouldn't you.
I have had mine on the Rangie for a while now and they have been great, just need to turn them off when in water.
A couple of tips.
-Run a seperate wire for each of the 2 fan motors
-Run an earth directly from the battery (this makes a huge difference)
-Use a seperate relay for each of the fan motors. They seem to draw heaps on start up and when I had both going through a 40A relay it fried the relay after a few months.
These are some good ideas. I was tossing up on whether or not I would keep the two fans seperated but that seems like the way to go. One of the ideas I read in another thread was to wire a three way switch with on/off/auto (auto being hooked up to the thermo switch). I will get hold of a small plastic box and keep all the electrics in the one place I think because it seems it could get complicated real quick. I've also thought about sealing the motors for the rare water crossing too so they don't drown.
While we're at it what brand fans are people using? I've been quoted $410-450 for new genuine ford items, $250 2nd hand ford, and $250 new aftermarket. The wreckers I've spoken to say they've not had any problems with the aftermarket ones and these seem the way to go for me because they come with a decent warranty too.
walker wrote:But you would have had a switch to manually turn them off when going through water wouldn't you.
I have had mine on the Rangie for a while now and they have been great, just need to turn them off when in water.
A couple of tips.
-Run a seperate wire for each of the 2 fan motors
-Run an earth directly from the battery (this makes a huge difference)
-Use a seperate relay for each of the fan motors. They seem to draw heaps on start up and when I had both going through a 40A relay it fried the relay after a few months.
Yep, 30a per fan is the way to go.
[quote="Wooders"]If ya want a 4x4 camry go ahead & buy a Patrol or Cruiser.[/quote]Rangie with 80s LC diffs, Isuzu 4bd1, Twin ARB lockers, 8000lb Hi mount warn, 315x75x16 Procomp XTerrains
mmm ive got that set up on my rangie and when the motor goes back in iam going back to a viscous set up.The twin thermos never really did there job i recon once the car got hot they always had trouble getting it to cool down quicky.Mind you my car gets pushed pretty hard
I wonder why some people have problems and others dont? I am running a 4.6l with 35's and it gets pushed hard and I don't have any problems. If I am doing a very steep, long 1stlow hill then the temp might creep up to halfway but that is it.
Mal, do you have A/C on your Rangie? I reckon just having the A/C radiator in front makes a huge differerence. I pulled mine out so i only have just the 1 radiator and nothing around it.
yeah A/C is history i run a 4.8ltr coil pack motor 35 ect its a winch challenge car around town or open road it runs fine its only when pushed in low range or in high in sand that i find its not up to it.Mike Smith was in my group last year OBC and on the farst sand stuff he never had problems overheating where just about all the guys and girls(hi celia)that ran thermos did.
Thats why iam going back to the original set up(ie disco one belt set up) but for genral 4wd ect i think they would be fine
Still no one with pics of the thermos in place or putting them in? I got my last pay from work today (redundancy, leave etc) and am ready to get the parts now . Getting exhaust too
so I'm going for the more sensible option. I'm not having cooling problems but I am getting sick of the engine driven fan sucking all the power in summer or when the air-con is turned on.
