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| Chicken Drumstick Member Since: 17 Aug 2020 Location: Near MK Posts: 755  
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What vehicle/engine?
Viscous has many benefits still. However in most cases you can fit an electric fan. Last edited by Chicken Drumstick on 24th Jul 2023 10:33am. Edited 1 time in total |
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24th Jul 2023 10:30am |
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| steveww Member Since: 05 Jan 2022 Location: Uppingham Posts: 571 
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I have a TDCi 2.2 110.
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24th Jul 2023 10:32am |
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| Chicken Drumstick Member Since: 17 Aug 2020 Location: Near MK Posts: 755
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So the benefits of viscous is it is fully automatic and requires no inputs. They just work..... They are also generally cheap and easy to replace.
An electric fan can save a few horse power as the engine doesn't have to directly drive the fan. Although the higher electrical load required for the fan will off set this some what. Other advantages of electric fans are you can program them and have multiple modes to kick in at different temps. Or even completely turn it off if wading through deep water. But you will need a sensor a switch, plus fan and wiring. Not all electric fans are equal, ensure you get one with sufficient flow for you engine and cooling requirements. The X-Eng X-Fan is quite a nice solution for adding in the sensor: https://foundry4x4.co.uk/index.php?route=p...uct_id=134 Note, different sizes available, so get the right size for the pipes you have. Personally, I'd probably stick with the factory setup however. |
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24th Jul 2023 10:49am |
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| shanecl Member Since: 20 Mar 2013 Location: Louth Posts: 509  
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What Electric fan would you fit if fitting one
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24th Jul 2023 10:56am |
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| steveww Member Since: 05 Jan 2022 Location: Uppingham Posts: 571
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Something like this https://www.flatdoguk.com/revotec-electron...-tdci~1960
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24th Jul 2023 1:41pm |
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| Mo Murphy Member Since: 01 Jun 2008 Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts Posts: 2248 
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The main benefit of viscous coupled fan over electric is the volume of air that they can move when fully locked. Land Rover fitted viscous fans to the Defender to give maximum cooling when driven hard in hot climates.
Other benefits include no electrical contacts to corrode, no need to cut into your coolant circuit for an inline temperature switch, no need for a new cowl, no need for cable ties through the radiator. And certainly don't believe the bullshine about reducing load on the engine and freeing up more power, you won't notice any difference 🙂 I'm hard pushed, in truth, to see why you would change to electric ! Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen. 50 Shades of Pennine Grey |
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24th Jul 2023 4:34pm |
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| shanecl Member Since: 20 Mar 2013 Location: Louth Posts: 509
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some money for it  |
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25th Jul 2023 10:46am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17458 
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You can however turn off an electric fan if it is about to be submerged in water, something you cannot di with a viscous fan. Doing so may save both the fan blades and the radiator.
Only a very small percentage of owners will be submerging their fans though. |
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25th Jul 2023 12:27pm |
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| Mo Murphy Member Since: 01 Jun 2008 Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts Posts: 2248
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First spray of water through the rad should cool and unlock the viscous hub if it is locked, which is unlikely.
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen. 50 Shades of Pennine Grey |
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25th Jul 2023 1:40pm |
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| Jabberwocky Member Since: 27 Oct 2021 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 223 
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Viscous fans are great until they stop working, as mine did on the way back from Albania beginning of this month. I started having overheating issues on long steep hills, checked the fan, still running fine…… on idle. Tricks you into thinking it’s fine, wasn’t until I tried to stop it with a balled up rag that I could see it’s wasnt working under strain. Fortunately I had taken a spare with me so it was a reasonably easy fix.
My issue with electric fans is they are completely at the mercy of a fuse or wiring issues, one break, blown fuse, bad earth and they are done, at least a viscous is driven off the engine, fuses can blow quite easily and you won’t know until that needle pings over to the right. I’m probably over thinking it but I’ll stick to a viscous and carry a spare when I go on a big journey, but I’m lucky in that I have room to have a spare and carry it correctly so the oil in it doesn’t pool in the wrong way.( they should be stored flat) |
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29th Jul 2023 9:03pm |
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| MadTom Member Since: 10 Sep 2013 Location: Olomouc Posts: 626  
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The biggest difference is the power of fan. You cannot compare electric and viscous. With proper workong mechanical fan, it is like starting helicopter. When on full lock and engine on idle, you can feel hot wind on your feet standing behind the car.
And yes, you can stop the fan with bare hand, but better not your hand. Look first on description in workshop manual. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "BlufÃnek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo  |
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30th Jul 2023 4:14am |
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