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Electric fan on 3L Hilux
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:57 am
by spongerx
Has anyone tried running an electric radiator fan on a 3L equipped Hilux to try and improve the performance?
Any fuel economy or power improvement?
Did it overheat?
Worth the effort of replacing the mechanical fan?
Re: Electric fan on 3L Hilux
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:49 pm
by v6hilux
spongerx wrote:Has anyone tried running an electric radiator fan on a 3L equipped Hilux to try and improve the performance?
Any fuel economy or power improvement?
Did it overheat?
Worth the effort of replacing the mechanical fan?
The extra load on the alternator will see you loose power when it's going.
You will need to fabricate a custom shroud to gain the good cooling properties.
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:41 pm
by Sic Lux
so what about the large gap arount the fan to your shroud which is a good air block. no need for a shroud so long a the fan is close so air can't be pulled in from around it and not drawn through the radiator If it's close enough it'll pull air through the fins of the radiator.
1 i done on a mates 2.8 turbo pushin 34's it keeps it cool.
lower pipe clearing bottom mount
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:45 pm
by hilux79
Mine is setup the same as the pics sic lux posted. Was already done to the car when i bought it. It doesn't overheat but a well designed shroud that draws air across the entire core would probably be more efficient though.
Like has already been said the extra draw on the alternator would probably drain the hp you gain by removing the engine fan. One advantage is being able to turn it off before a water crossing so you don't spray mud n stuff through your engine bay.
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:27 pm
by Sic Lux
Or if your deep enough have been told the fan will pull foward as it acts like a prop and eat the radiator the reason for no shroud on my mates is so when he's cruising or at any half decent speed there is no restance for air to flow over the whole radiator with a shroud it's only get a much as can be foreced through the fan opening
Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:54 am
by spongerx
I was wondering if the extra load on the alternator would negate any power/ fuel economy gains. Guess it does.
How many amps to the fans you guys have setup pull?
I was researching online last night and it seems the 3.8 V6 mid 90s Ford Taurus fan setup is a good one to use but it pulls 40A when running on high speed
To run that I'd probably need to upgrade my alternator which seems to be a pain to do what with the factory tach taking it's signal from that.