Club 80-90 Forums

Hello All,

In my van when I bought it I noticed that the previous owner must have had an issue with the fan. Not entirely sure what issue but it has lead them to put a switch inside the van to turn the fan on.

My question is that when this is turned on the fan runs constantly, is this ok? so it does not kick in and out but just runs all the time.

The engine runs a little hotter then normal anyway but is the fan being on all the time going to have a negative effect or am I worrying about nothing?

Any advice / opinions welcome

Hi.
I think you'll find this is quite a common modification on these vans . Most of us have an unnatural fear of the van overheating. The temperature controlled switch should still work (the thermo switch is normally at the bottom corner of the radiator). This additional switch can be handy in traffic jams allowing you to prempt high engine temperatures.
Personally I've never had to fit one although I do a test every spring tomake sure the fan does automatically kick in.

Hi,

What test do you ? I need to test mine...

Thanks, Richard

If you're sitting in traffic for an amount of time, the engine would overheat if the fan didn't kick in on its own. Providing temp doesn't go more than 3/4 on the dial, the fan is working.

I also have a 'chicken' switch. Peace of mind mostly.

The thermostatic switch for the fan is a known weak point on these vans ... to gain extra peace of mind many people fit a 'chicken switch' as you describe. You can be sat in a hot queue of traffic watching the needle go up and up for what seems like ages before the fan goes to fast speed (you probably won't even here the lower speed) and especially when a long way from home it's not a nice wait.

Ian

With so many thermo-switch circuits on ebay, I should think it'd be easy enough to bypass the existing rad switch and fit one that you can dial in your own temperature parameters. That one is on my list this year. I always think the stock one is vague - at best. Modern switches are not only more accurate, they're cheaper.

This is in the right temperature range: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-110-C-Digi ... OSwBLlVVHA~" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - £3.47 and under £2 if ordered direct. The probe just needs clamping tight to radiator body.

This makes interesting reading. I used to hear the fan kick in but have not heard it for some years. Is there a way I can test it still works?

Simpler to just fit a new one than test old one - from experience. You can test it in hot water but you'd have to remove it even to do that.

Here's the link to Mr Baxter's fine emporium ..

https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/t ... .html?p=10

You don't say the age of your van so it MAY be a single speed fan but this is the regular 2 speed one .....

https://www.brickwerks.co.uk/t3-parts/t ... ch-t3.html

Cheers, Ian.

PS Don't worry about losing coolant/bleeding the system ... if you are ready to go and swap straight over you'll only lose a tiny bit of coolant.

chriscburgess wrote:This makes interesting reading. I used to hear the fan kick in but have not heard it for some years. Is there a way I can test it still works?

Remove the lower grill, disconnect the plug and (with the engine off) using a piece of cable bridge the terminal from the thickest of the cables to each of the thinner ones in turn ... it'll make you jump If that doesn't work either the fuse has blown or the fan is burned out (it won't be unless there's a dead anaconda wrapped up round it). It's almost always the switch.

Ian.

Perfect, thanks Ian...

Not a good idea to have a fan running all the time, fuel consumption will go down due to the extra load permanently on the alternator. Also, engines run most efficiently between 90 - 100C, allowing the fan to constantly blow may drop temperatures so low that the thermostat starts to regulate 'open & close' at its pre-set temp.
Martin

So, when I test the fan...

took the connector off, bridged the thin wire with each of the fatties and the fan only came on once...
was expecting a result with each....

Obvious answer - you bridged the wrong ones. Common sense says bridge one fat with one fat and then one thin. Main power would be carried by a fat wire, switched low power by thin wire, switched full power by fat.

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Obvious answer - you bridged the wrong ones. Common sense says bridge one fat with one fat and then one thin. Main power would be carried by a fat wire, switched low power by thin wire, switched full power by fat.

Yes sir, it looks like I did...I've just re-read the post from Ian....thanks