NAS V8 E-Fan Conversion

[1of40]

We see lots of folks doing the e-fan switch on the Tdi’s, myself included. This weekend I installed a new clutch fan on a NAS V8 and the power suck was very disappointing. This has me thinking I should look into doing and-fan conversion. Plenty of pros and cons from both sides but I’m curious who has pulled the trigger and gone this route on a NAS.

 

[evilfij]

They suck less power after they loosen up a bit IME.

 

[erover82]

I've gone back and forth on this for the 90. E-fan would take less space and make maintenance easier. It also eliminates the fan running at startup and when cold. However, I'm not a fan of the aesthetics or cutting into coolant pipes and adding more electrical bits to go wrong.

 

[1of40]

I've gone back and forth on this for the 90. E-fan would take less space and make maintenance easier. It also eliminates the fan running at startup and when cold. However, I'm not a fan of the aesthetics or cutting into coolant pipes and adding more electrical bits to go wrong.

Agree, putting your cooling on the back of my 25yo electrical system doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzy either.

 

[erover82]

Also, the Revotec shroud setup appears lacking in that the fan only flows air through the center of the radiator and nothing for the intercooler.

 

[MountainD]

I've done both. To me, I would do it except if you...are me. In that case, with high altitude, towing, and all the demands that go along with that, I would stick with mechanical. It is WAY more cooling and the V8's need that more than TDI. But if you are in lower elevation and don't have those demands, then I would (and did). I would get the absolute most CFM you can in an integrated fan/shroud combo, however. Spend the dough and don't skimp on that part.

 

[1of40]

I've done both. To me, I would do it except if you...are me. In that case, with high altitude, towing, and all the demands that go along with that, I would stick with mechanical. It is WAY more cooling and the V8's need that more than TDI. But if you are in lower elevation and don't have those demands, then I would (and did). I would get the absolute most CFM you can in an integrated fan/shroud combo, however. Spend the dough and don't skimp on that part.

Yes, this makes sense.

 

[jymmiejamz]

There are no good quality replacement fan clutches for Land Rovers in my experience. Electric is what I’ve been going with after problems with dozens of genuine and aftermarket fan clutches (v belt and serpentine belt).

 

[erover82]

There are no good quality replacement fan clutches for Land Rovers in my experience. Electric is what I’ve been going with after problems with dozens of genuine and aftermarket fan clutches (v belt and serpentine belt).

Tried the BorgWarner branded units?

 

[KorytheLorry]

I ran a Maradyne electric fan on my Triumph TR8 (3.5l Rover V8). It came from the factory with hog electric fans that drew about 20A each and didn't work that well, but after upgrading to the Maradyne I never had any cooling problems again (TR8s tend to run hot.) I have a similar setup on my Perkins-powered IIA. Also been great. One thing I like to do if you go the electric route: have a manual override switch for both on and off. On for if it's 100 degrees outside and you want to stay ahead of the thermostat (and test that the system works before you drive), off so you can drive through deep water and not splash it all around the engine bay. Except that it's not stock, I don't really see any downsides to a modern electric fan.

 

[jymmiejamz]

I've done both. To me, I would do it except if you...are me. In that case, with high altitude, towing, and all the demands that go along with that, I would stick with mechanical. It is WAY more cooling and the V8's need that more than TDI. But if you are in lower elevation and don't have those demands, then I would (and did). I would get the absolute most CFM you can in an integrated fan/shroud combo, however. Spend the dough and don't skimp on that part.

Just my anecdotal experience, but with my d90 (High compression 4.6) it always ran hot after extended idle times in the summer. A four core radiator drastically improved this, but didn’t solve it. I also ran a RRC 11 blade fan and fan clutch which helped too. The only thing that solved it completely was electric fans.

In theory, I think a mechanical fan is better, in practice, the electric fans work better on a RV8.


On a side note, I don’t think new radiators are good either. I’ve stopped bothering with factory style replacements and have switched to all aluminum ones with fans, oil, and transmission coolers built in.

 

[Dan kemper]

Just my anecdotal experience, but with my d90 (High compression 4.6) it always ran hot after extended idle times in the summer. A four core radiator drastically improved this, but didn’t solve it. I also ran a RRC 11 blade fan and fan clutch which helped too. The only thing that solved it completely was electric fans.

In theory, I think a mechanical fan is better, in practice, the electric fans work better on a RV8.


On a side note, I don’t think new radiators are good either. I’ve stopped bothering with factory style replacements and have switched to all aluminum ones with fans, oil, and transmission coolers built in. View attachment 24175

Jimmy I am in need of this solution. Where to source? Cheers

 

[jymmiejamz]

Jimmy I am in need of this solution. Where to source? Cheers

I get them from Ron Davis Radiators. I have some very minor changes made from the off the shelf ones he sells for Land Rovers when I order, but I think most of his radiators are made to order anyway.

 

[Dan kemper]

Awesome thanks I’ll send you a note
Before I order. Curious about the small
Changes

 

[LostChord]

Awesome thanks I’ll send you a note
Before I order. Curious about the small
Changes

Me too.

 

[rocky]

Viscous fans just don’t seem to cut it anymore. When I went to the Allisport radiator, I specified the larger of the two Spal fans. Each one is triggered at a different temperature. Don’t think I’ve ever heard them both run, so one maintenance job involves swapping over the trigger wires so the fan that’s been dormant for a year goes to work.

 

[1of40]

On a side note, I don’t think new radiators are good either. I’ve stopped bothering with factory style replacements and have switched to all aluminum ones with fans, oil, and transmission coolers built in.

Damn, that thing looks sweet. What kind of coolant temps does that keep a 4.0L at on a 100* day?

I agree the last couple of clutch fans have been painful, not to mention the extra 2 seconds it adds to my 0-60.

 

[jymmiejamz]

Damn, that thing looks sweet. What kind of coolant temps does that keep a 4.0L at on a 100* day?

I agree the last couple of clutch fans have been painful, not to mention the extra 2 seconds it adds to my 0-60.

That would depend on the thermostat and fan switch you have installed. I use a Genuine thermostat and a fan switch that turns the fans on at 195F. Runs right in the middle on a VDO gauge.

I’m considering a different wiring setup on the blue D90 utilizing two fan switches and having the fans wired separately. One switch will be 185F which will run most of the time. The second switch will be the 195F that will probably only come on at idle. This way you don’t have to listen to both fans running when it isn’t that hot outside. I haven’t tried this yet, but that’s my plan. I install the fan switches in the intake, not the hoses.

 

[erover82]

After this thread reignited a lot of thought on the subject, I think this is what I'm going to do..

I'll start with this, a high quality and powerful fan that includes a PWM fan controller. This enables variable speed for less noise and air flow / power draw proportional to the cooling needs of the moment.

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I'll mount it inside a 300Tdi radiator shroud which will provide a pleasing factory appearance, allow more room for maintenance on a 200Tdi, and properly routes air flow through the entire radiator and intercooler.

It should end up like this, but I'll find a good way to close any fan-shroud gap: https://www.defendersource.com/threads/300tdi-fan-shroud-d1-rrc.52703/

 

[jymmiejamz]

I would think the shroud itself would be the issue for maintenance on a 200 Tdi, not the fan.