[oozuk]

As the title suggests I'm looking for opinions for running a thermo fan as a replacement fan for my suzuki

I've looked at the davies craig website and they recommend there 14" fan to suit the vitara radiator, I was considering running it with a relay controlled from my haltech ecu

The reason for me wanting to go down this path is this, I find on a warm day if I'm crawling with a little load off road the temperature slowly creeps up to around 100 degC and the cooling system seems to struggle to dissipate the heat, until i pick up the speed and get the airflow through the radiator it cools right off, so traveling at speeds over 40 km\hr i don't seem to have a problem with overheating.

I did end up locking up the viscous fan hub and that improved the overheating situation but it's a combination of low road speed, low rpm = low fan speed and a little bit of engine load.
What adds to my problem is that my engine is turbocharged and has a front mount intercooler and two large spotlights mounted in front.

My theory was that a electric fan would be able to operate at maximum airflow irrespective of engine rpm which might solve my problem

The model of fan i was looking at was the following "0107 DCSL14 HP Short (12 volt)" it has a max amp draw of about 13amps which is not too bad.

it looks like it will draw through the radiator approx 1400CFM of air which sounds like a lot but unsure in the grand scheme of things how that stacks up against the factory vitara fan.

I guess i am still a little worried about the old myth of having a primary engine fan as electric is not always a good idea incase the fan fails due to water and dust ingress
into the fan motor, if anybody has done this and the fan is still running strong i would really like to hear so

[Jackson]

I have a thermo fan on mine, it came with a chinese knockoff looking thing. I replaced it with the biggest spal fan I could fit. I've taken mine to the beach a couple of times now with no problems. Also taken it out to a couple of tracks where we weren't doing more than 20 k's for a couple of hours with no trouble.

I just have mine hooked up to a switch, if I'm stopping for a bit or need it I just flick it on but having the ECU control it would be good, but maybe have an override for water crossings.

I got my fan through these guys http://www.datsport.com/spal-fans.html. I rang them and they were very helpful and had all the specs and that.

[Fatzook]

Buy a SPAL fan Steve. Much better CFM than DC, and top quality too.

My story is similar to Jacksons, so I won't bother trying to convince you.

12" SPAL puts out about 1800cfm.

http://www.spalusa.com/store/main.aspx?p=itemdetail&item=30103202

You can buy direct from the US, or PWR on the GC sells them too.

[Fatzook]

I have 2 of these mounted to a custom PWR radiator setup for rear mounting. Its over 4000cfm airflow capacity. I was going to have them setup off 2 thermo switches, so they came on in a staged sequence.

https://www.advancedsportvehicles.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=1979

[canberramav]

Fatzook wrote:

I have 2 of these mounted to a custom PWR radiator setup for rear mounting. Its over 4000cfm airflow capacity. I was going to have them setup off 2 thermo switches, so they came on in a staged sequence.

https://www.advancedsportvehicles.com/store/index.php?_a=product&product_id=1979

As said above use SPAL fans. Why dont you consider rear mounting your radiator to some thing bigger like a falcon twin fan?

If you manage to get 2 fans onto a radiator then check out the SPAL fan controller. It shits on the DC one. Has soft start and variable fan speed capability.

[shep]

I have been using a thermo for 5 or more years with no issue. I took my radiator to the parts shop and asked for the biggest one to fit it. Mechanical fans just eat ya radiator when driving through water

[want33s]

My white Zook ran a shitty old Vitara AC fan mounted as draw through with a shroud.
The only time it got hot was when giving it heaps in lowrange to get out of a steep gully for more than 5 minutes near the limiter.
Letting it idle for 2-3 minutes saw temps back to normal.
Cleaning the mud from the lower half of the rad would probably help as would fitting a GOOD quality fan.

[oozuk]

all good information guy's cheers for your opinions, Camberramav, when i made the tray i kept it small as possible and due to that i think a rear mount radiator is out of the question without re-engineering the tray.

Fatzook, I had never heard of that brand before but they sound the goods, cheers for the tip that's a huge output for such a small fan, i can fit upto a 14" fan on my radiator so will try and get the biggest one i can in that space and see how i go

[KEENSY85]

why not just a clutch fan,water proof and all know avalible on ebay cheap as shit and run any old thermo from the wreckers for extra cooling

[atari4x4]

Jackson wrote:

snip*
I got my fan through these guys http://www.datsport.com/spal-fans.html. I rang them and they were very helpful and had all the specs and that.

Baz at Datsport is a bloody legend, willing to help any motoring enthusiast out.

[shakes]

atari4x4 wrote:

Jackson wrote:

snip*
I got my fan through these guys http://www.datsport.com/spal-fans.html. I rang them and they were very helpful and had all the specs and that.

Baz at Datsport is a bloody legend, willing to help any motoring enthusiast out.

does alot of good products too.

[oozuk]

KEENSY85 wrote:

why not just a clutch fan,water proof and all know avalible on ebay cheap as shit and run any old thermo from the wreckers for extra cooling

I have a clutch fan it wasn't enough so i locked it up and that helped but not 100% and inside my engine bay there's no room for an additional fan due to a bit front mount intercooler between the radiator and grille eating up all the space, so it's either one or the other for me

[whincup]

i used the supercheap brand fans... they were absolutely fantastic fans in terms of cooling, better than my current davies craig fan... but the blades were horribly weak, ended up going through 2 fans (and subsequently, 2 radiators) in about 6 months. davies craig fan has so far held up to the abuse, and easily handles a standard 1.3 at crawling speeds at almost redline.

[reeceh]

I have recently put the g16b into my Sierra. It has a eBay alluminium Sierra radiator, with the vitara viscous fan and Sierra shroud. I have a specometer temp gauge that reads 100 degrees when I'm driving around town. ( temp sender is near the thermostat)I think this is too hot. U mention lock up the fan? What does that involve? Will it keep cooler? If this doesn't get me cooler could I run a thermo to help push air into the radiator? Mounted in front of radiator?

[zukmeista]

Try replacing the fan clutch oil.

[reeceh]

Is there a way to test the fan?

[Red89]

Spin it by hand if you get more then about a quarter turn of free spin its not good, alternatively get the revs up to about 2 grand, roll up a few sheets of paper and stick them in the fan to try and stop it spinning, if it stops the fan is stuffed.