electric fans??

spike · Post by **spike** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 7:16 pm

im plannig to get electric fans for the l seires. whats every one else using?? what fits?? i want twin hooked through one switch that can be flicked from cabin

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:43 pm

I use Davies Craig fans cause they are good quality, but they are kinda expensive.
DCSL10 is whats listed as replacement for L series - its a 10" fan. But you should be able to fit the 12" model if you try hard enough.
There are cheap fans available on Ebay I've heard people using without issue.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:59 am

two off a Subaru??

spike · Post by **spike** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:57 pm

steptoe wrote:two off a Subaru??

it doesnt bother me its just whats gonna fit.
ill try looking for 10s at the wreckers and making them fit
thanks

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:08 am

cruzing brumby gave me a radiator he was playing with, as a mock up, just another L electrric fan was taped into place. Not got around to finish it off but looks to work, just more holes in metal edge and speed nut clips.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:13 am

There is no fan that can pull as much air through the radiator as the belt driven fan does.

I took my belt driven fan off and put an electric fan on and it always had issues with keeping it cool when driving slow or stationary. So i put the belt driven fan back on and my overheating troubles went away.

subarooster · Post by **subarooster** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:35 am

yepp iagree with suparoo, i had the mechanical fan and i took it off and we swapped and since then i have had overheating issues. Altho the mechanical fan drains those few last horsepower u need in an L and it makes them sound like a bus.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:34 am

Before the EJ went in my setup was the original L series thermo fan on the driver's side and on the passenger's side I setup I used an MY air con thermo fan. Both worked very well and kept the L cool when I needed them to. No "over heating" issues, just ran a little hotter in traffic until the fans kicked in or I turned them on.

Now with the EJ I'm running a single thermo fan atm, its from a fiori, is one of the slimmest I could find in the parts yard, is factory subaru and does the job very well. I'm yet to have the engine temp head upto and beyond the 100 degree mark since having it installed. I'm after another fan and have to hook up a cabin switch for the system too. I'm going to go for an ON - OFF - AUTO setup.

Cheers

Bennie

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:17 am

I have used twin thermo fans and no fixed fan before on a few cars and always gone back to using the fixed fan. BUT my Brumbies are twin fans factory and they work well enough, I also have a manual switch AND have considered hooking up a relay through the brake light circuit so as soon as stopped in traffic both fans come on so manual switch need only be used on up hill climbs.

spike · Post by **spike** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:28 pm

ahhh ok this has thrown a spanner in the works. at the moment i havent even got the air con electric fan on the car.
if subaru had thought it needed 2 then they probably would have them i guess. ill keep it in mind but put it further back i think
thanks all

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:41 pm

The secret with elec fans (always assuming they can pull enough air) is the RADIATOR temperature at which they switch on .

I can't emphasis enough that you have to keep the temperature of the water in the radiator below that at which the thermostat opens fully , oops this and it could be removed and you won't cool the engine properly .

The std mechanically driven fan pulls air 24/7 regardless of the ambient temperature - even if its below zero - and the engine won't freeze solid because the water thermostat is controlling minimum water temperature NOT the fan/s .

To have elec fans emulate the mechanical one its needs to switch the fans on at a lower RADIATOR temp than most set them at . Joe average sets the temp switch at whatever upper temp he thinks sounds right and the engine wants to run hot because the radiator temp at lowish speeds is higher and therefore it cannot drag the engine jacket temperature lower no matter how far the water thermostat opens .

With my RX L Series I bough a Davies Craig variable bulb fan temp control switch and plumbed it into the radiator end of the top hose - it runs an EA82T BTW . I went to the trouble to buy an infra red thermometer/sensor so I could shine it at various parts of the cars cooling system/turbo/exhaust etc and know what the temps are to within 1-2 deg C . I can tell what the water temp is coming out of the top of the engine by measuring the temp of its thermostat housing and the engine water inlet (steel tube) taking water back in from the radiator . Basically if you can put your bare hand on that steel return tube without burning it you know the radiator and fans are more than good enough .
I am using both std fans meaning the mechanical and the AC booster one , I fitted a brand new Japanese Koyo radiator and the heavy bulky AC gear was all torn out because of the weight and unnecessary complexity . I fitted an EA81 alt bracket and use just the one V belt .
No more overheating and I can get at everything on the front of the engine without all the bracket and compressor garbage in place . God help anyone that spat the hose off the top of their water pump with all the AC gear in place .
If I needed more cooling capacity I'd fit whatever is the largest diameter elec fan an L Series radiator could take height wise , I'd put it in front as well because most elec fan manufacturers will tell you that their fans push more air than they can pull . Quite a few car manufacturers fit their AC booster fans out front so they can't be shrouding the core too badly . Would give even better access to the front of the engine on the drivers side too , handy since removing a std one is a bastard with the stupid lower bolts and if memory serves me correctly the mech fan shroud has to come out too .

My 2C , cheers A .