Page 1 of 1

hilux clutch fans and water crossings

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:00 pm
by GBC
G'day all, doing a minor water crossing on the weekend and the fan drove forward into the radiator, snapping two blades. Have since been told this is not uncommon?
Any suggestions or mods to do to prevent it happening again?

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:20 pm
by ToNkA
1. Don't drive through water
2. Enter water slowly.
3. Drive through water slowly.
4. Tarp Grill
5. Use Thermo Fans with remote on/off switch.

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:49 am
by dumbdunce
can't have been much of a minor water crossing if it was deep enough to send the fan into the radiator!

what tonka said.

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:13 am
by Gribble
Dont know what model hilux you have, but on mine you can oki-strap the fan to the chassis so it doesn't rotate, however you shouldn't have it on for great periods of time because its one of those thermocouple jobbies and it will most likely root it.

Or you could just be a boring I'm gayer than aids! and listen to TonKa. :D

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:55 pm
by GBC
tks gribble, quick update. I've been talking with an automotive engineer about this because NRM@ insurance have canned my claim stating that is impossible for fan blades to hit the radiator without either the radiator or the engine mounts moving.But apparently this is not an uncommon thing to happen, and it's not the fan propelling itself forward thru the water, but rather the water clogging the radiator for a second and the fan drawing itself forward thru the air... Look out you NRM@ Pr$cks I'm not finished with you yet, just gathering ammo.

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:01 pm
by Gribble
GBC wrote:tks gribble, quick update. I've been talking with an automotive engineer about this because NRM@ insurance have canned my claim stating that is impossible for fan blades to hit the radiator without either the radiator or the engine mounts moving.But apparently this is not an uncommon thing to happen, and it's not the fan propelling itself forward thru the water, but rather the water clogging the radiator for a second and the fan drawing itself forward thru the air... Look out you NRM@ Pr$cks I'm not finished with you yet, just gathering ammo.
Well, No Real Mechanics Availiable are wrong, and ive got the marks in MY radiator to prove it. ;)

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:03 am
by dumbdunce
I don't understnad why you are making an insurange claim? is only the fan and radiator damaged? if so, replacement parts would cost less than the cost of excess dicking around?

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:30 am
by ToNkA
Good point DD.

What are you actually claiming GBC?

There is a hilux radiator going in the Trading Area for $50 and I got a fan and coupling for nothing from a diesel mech (I used it. :armsup: )

:?:

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 11:34 am
by dumbdunce
ToNkA wrote:Good point DD.

What are you actually claiming GBC?

There is a hilux radiator going in the Trading Area for $50 and I got a fan and coupling for nothing from a diesel mech (I used it. :armsup: )

:?:
pretty sure I have a good fan clutch in the shed you can have for $30, and a fan blade brand new aftermarket is around $110 - most 4WD wreckers sell them.

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:25 pm
by GBC
Car is two years old and an auto so radiator is v important.
Genuine radiator: $1280
Genuine clutch fan:$300

But the point is I had a clown tell me I was lying and that the damage simply could not have occurred by driving into water. So now it's just personal.
In a way I suppose I am trying to educate the assessors so that some other poor bloke doesn't get sh$tcanned because he doesn't know any better.
Must be the blue collar upbringing, but I'm not going to lie down just cause it's easier.