Fitting Electric fan to TD5

Hi All
I have removed the viscous fan from my Disco TD5 as it was shot and have bought a new electric one.
It is 16" and a generic model, the 'fitting kit' comprises four thin plastic strips that fit through the rad' and secure onto lugs on the fan cowl.
Now I do not fancy using this method as it would entail bending a fair few fins and also going thru' the intercooler. I was thinking of putting some sort of pad on the fan cowl against the rad and using good zip ties to secure the fan to the existing cowling. Has any body tried anything similar ?
I know many people say you can run without the fan but I am afraid my nerves would not stand for that, so any help appreciated.
Thanks

Hi, a 16" cheap electric fan is not up to the job in summer, unless you are living in highlands and never want to quit the area, if you know you'll drive the car when/where the outside temp can be above 25*C forget about any electric fan cos you risk to ruin your engine, i've tried 3 different types of fans including "dedicated" kenlowe and a 19" one and the coolant temp always got above 110*C at 30*C ambient temp(i have additional gauge), there are guys who are saying it's ok based only on the factory fitted gauge but maybe they dont know that it stays at the middle position untill 120*C so thinking that's OK it's a bit hazardous IMO cos you can drive it for long at 110*C coolant temp without even knowing it and that's not healthy at all for the cylinder head and injector o-rings.

Each on his own but i strongly recommend to keep the viscous fan if you are not 100% certain that you'll never drive at higher than 25*C ambient temps, or at least fit an additional temp gauge to be able to slow down if you see 110*C

To add to what sierrafery said, you would find that with an electric fan installed, your AC won't work quite as good when sitting stationery or driving slow, on account of the fact that the condenser out front would not get sufficient cooling with an electric fan, especially when they are setup to cycle on/off with engine temperature changes. When that fan goes off, there would be 0 amount of air being moved across the cooling surfaces of condenser/intercooler/radiator. As it is, even when freewheeling, the engine driven fan sucks sufficient amounts of air through the front to keep everything cool, even at idle. I would highly recommend you get a replacement fan clutch and stick with the standard setup.

Hi, thanks for the input.
Still unsure, lots of people say they using electric fans with no problem.
Would like to know how to mount one safely and give it a try.

You don't say where your electric fan is going to be positioned, blowing at the front of the rad or sucking at the rear as the factory fitted viscose fan would.

As you don't say that u have AC fitted, if not then you could fit the fan at the front, but it would be inefficient if you do have AC.
The method of fixing an aftermarket fan varies, budget kits have the clamp to the rad wit bits of plastic and ties etc the better kits are supplied with universal mourning brackets plus nuts & bolts which may be useful.
What I've seen with my disco I would expect to make up a Dexion frame and attached to either side of the engine bay some how with the fan being in the position of the viscous fan, but as I'll be keeping the viscous I have bothered.

I own another car fitted with a Kenlow using the universal mounting kit and the fan is in front of the rad suspended from the slam panel, if switches on in traffic and that's about it so very simples.

Hi. Thanks for replying. Guess it would help if I gave all the info' ?
It is a TD5 without aircon. I was planning to fit behind the rad', assuming if it was infront that would in itself restrict airflow.
I like the idea of the dexion brackets as those plastic strips do not look to strong and may damage the rad fins.
The question is where is strong enough to mount those brackets. Is the surround up to the job ?
I have probably started the wrong way round as I have already bought the fan with those plastic ties !

Shedload said:

Still unsure, lots of people say they using electric fans with no problem.

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From those lots of people i'm sure that too few or none have an additional coolant gauge which displays the coolant temp....cos IMO then they would have not been so pleased seeing temps above 100*C most of the time .... if you insist to try an electric fan at least fit a cheap gauge like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-52mm-UN...362289?hash=item54020877f1:g:hlsAAOSwNphWYVIr , you need only to drill a thread in the elbow, just clog the elbow with a piece of paper towel while you drill then pull it out to not let anything into the engine ... that's how i did mine.

discool said:

....but it would be inefficient if you do have AC....

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IMO it would be inefficient either way unless the electric fan is a total replica of the viscous with the same blades and same air flow capacity...and for that you need at least a 1KW motor which cumulated with the other loads would be a killer for the alternator .... as i said i've tried 3 kind of electric fans fitted instead of the viscous with the cowl in place and it's simply not enough at above 25*C ambient temp .... i rest my case on this, each on his own

Shedload said:

The question is where is strong enough to mount those brackets. Is the surround up to the job ?

Click to expand...

Ideally inner wing over to inner wing but can't as there things in the way. what is your radiator mounting points fix to? If steel then maybe u could make a Dexion standoff to fix the electric fan to if the fan can be adapted from its plastic strip idea. Or maybe use a piece of flat uni strip which bends easily to make standoff brackets fixed each end on the rad mounts top and bottom with a bit a extra support to stop vibrating.

Basically the fan has to sit close to the rad in the center and u have to get your metal work to it. Not unlike the problems that happen every day in construction industry what ever the construction field their in.

The fan I have bought is the same spec as the one Kenlowe recomend so should be up to the job.
The water temp gauge looks a good idea at a reasonable price.
There are fixing points around the electric fan surround but you right I need something solid to work from.

As i said i hade genuine kenlowe fitted too(19" not 17') and no joy, a seller can recommend what ever he wants to sell his product, i'm keeping it for the time when the aircon fan will fail.... though if you insist to do it your choice, i fixed two alloy flat bars with pop rivets to the original lower shroud(to the inner/radiator side) and drilled holes in them as to fix the fan with bolts through it's mounting points...i didnt make pics then but here's a rudimentary scheme

The alloy bars sound a good idea. Did you use anything to cushion the fan frame from the rad ?
I do mostly short journeys so overheating should not be a problem. I will be keeping the viscous and spanner handy just in case !
Thanks

No. i just fixed the fan to the bars, the fan was a puller from factory so it's face was toward those bars and the motor toward the engine if you see what i mean

Hi Ferry - I think you may well have over estimated the fan motor power requirements at 1kW.
You are right though with the air flow requirements - an electric fan should shift the same amount of air over the same surface area as the standard fan to be a direct replacement. What most people don't do is set the on and off temps correctly for the fan control. Once that is set then it should be good to go.

Do we know what the temp' settings should be for the TD5 ?
I have looked at other vehicles and the range varies wildly from 80 to over 100 degree's.
I expected some variation but that scale does not give me much of a guide.
sierrafery - my first thought when reading your last post, was , yea I get it. Cool

I have a 200tdi, I fitted a electric Kenlow fan which worked without any problems. It also did a trip across Morocco. The Kenlow was fitted to the rad Visco's side with the plastic ties and pads provided with the Kenlow fan. I also was a bit concerned about fitting the ties through the rad, but it worked and survived traversing rivers and the Sahara. I initially went for an electric fan as I thought it might heat up the engine quicker in winter. The heating system on a 200 tdi is rubbish. The electric fan didn't make any difference what so ever with regard to warm up time or improve MPG. I had to remove the cowling of the visco's to be able to fit the Kenlow. The Kenlow has its own mini cowl when flush up against the rad.
I have since refitted Visco's fan. I found with the electric fan I always had one eye on the temperature gauge. ( There was never any problem) but I didn't have piece of mind. I had to replace the rad , nothing to do with the Kenlow fan, it was 25 years old which is when I decided to go back with a Visco's fan as I found the electric fan did not improve warm up time or mpg. My thinking was if Land Rover designed the engine to run with a Visco's fan then why not leave it that way.
Running around here in France where we have hot summers the electric fan would trip in maybe three or four times a year. I did in fact drive down to the South of France without a fan on one occasion. The temperature crept into the red on a long incline which did go on for several kilometers. Once at the top of the hill the engine soon went back to normal. its probably due to the fact that the electric fan rarely tripped in that caused me to keep an eye on the temperature gauge. When crossing Morocco the fan often tripped in when the engine was worked hard. For me I just feel more comfortable with a Visoc's fan. It does whirl around when the engine starts but soon reduces to a tick over once the fan warms up. The Kenlow is now in the back of the garage somewhere.
Just my thoughts, hope it might be of some help.

All thoughts appreciated.
Think I have put myself in a corner here.
My plan for the electric fan was to help reduce strain on the engine, viscous was shot, idle tensioner rattling, so a little less stress wouldn't go amiss ? Any improvements in power or MPG would be a bonus not an aim.
So I bought the electric fan and accompanying bits, but did not know how to mount safely.
I did run without any fan for a while with no known problems.
But a long journey in summer loomed so I bought and refitted a viscous along with new belt and tensioner.
So. Do I stick with my plan for electric or quit while I am ahead ?

I say only once again... fit an additional temp gauge too if you insist on electric fan then if the coolant temp stays below 100*C you can be pleased, sorry for my rudeness but i dont accept any theories from those who dont have additional coolant gauge. ...my apologies for my stubbordness after i tried 3 different fans withouit success

No problem with being rude if you give good advice. The advice is sound it is my indecision which is becoming the problem.
I have accumulated most of the necessary bits, just need a decent temp' gauge.
When I figure out a secure way of mounting it I will give the leccy fan a try.
Trial an error, hopefully less error !