C304 Electric fan swap

[Doccers]

with the 105 degree days we're having in colorado, the mechanical fan was having a real hard time keeping up at idle.

















Installed a flex-a-lite 15" variable speed 24v fan. The fan shroud was 2" too wide to fit in the radiator tunnel, so we trimmed it up on the mill, and used the gasket material that came with the fan to provide a nice seal.

The temperature probe that comes with the kit is supposed to pass through the radiator cores, however the volvo radiator has offset fins, so it will not go all the way through. we sealed it in place with a high temperature sensor safe epoxy.

Results: Fan has no trouble keeping the engine cool at idle now. An added bonus, it is also much much quieter in the cab.

We used the Flex-A-lite Part# 18024 fan, available here: http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/24-volt.html

As I said, it did require trimming an inch off each side of the shroud. We did it with a milling machine, however you should be able to do it carefully with a dremmel or other such tool. make sure to pull off the gasket before you start and save the material, we reinstalled it by measuring how much we needed per side and cutting to fit (the strip comes as one long continous piece). You will want to slightly relocate some of the electric cabling in the radiator tunnel behind the air intake tube, and the fit will be very tight. The fan kit comes with a series of brackets (2 large blocks and 4 long fins) to mount the fan, there is a sideways crossmember just below where the fan sits that is perfect to mount one of the 2 blocks, and then use a fin to mount to the angled sheet where the differential control panel sits against.

Now to get some air conditioning into the 304... holy god is it hot lately.

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

You may want to give it a good test in slow, off-road conditions, just to make sure.

It's 68 degrees here, by the way.

[Doccers]

You may want to give it a good test in slow, off-road conditions, just to make sure.

It's 68 degrees here, by the way.

Why, Vince? Why must you make me cry?

(102 today)

[Doccers]

Ok, problem detected.

Slow conditions are not an issue, however the fan has trouble keeping up with higher RPM's. This isn't a huge problem as of yet as I don't normally see those RPM's while driving (or not very often), save for one very steep hill near my house that I have to leave it in 3rd in order to have enough "oomph" to hold 40mph up it.

after getting up the hill, the engine temperature spikes a bit (up to about 110c or so), and doesn't come back down until after I get into 4th and give the fan some time to cool the system.

I'm going to go through and make sure that all the fins are straight on the radiator, doublecheck the water level, and a few other things to try and help, but it appears this is a limitation of the electric fan. (the stock mechanical one didn't have this problem, however it *DID* have problems cooling the engine at low RPM's, both in traffic and off-road).

So I'm going to have to see which system is going to suit me best.

[mopar]

My buddy(muttandjeeps) just added the 16" fan to his TGB1111 from OK offroad. So maybe he can post his experience.

http://www.okoffroad.com/stuff-24-fan.htm

My truck does the same with my mechanical fan when it is hot out and I go up an exit or 2 on the highway my truck will spike a little to 90-95 and take a little bit to cool down. but never overheats or keeps climbing just getts hot and stays there.

My truck normally runs at about 80 because the previous owner put a cooler thermostat in it. My buddies is usually around 90.

[VinceAtReal4x4s]

Off-road driving = often slow, high-RPM conditions; this is what is dangerous when you don't have a thicker radiator and dual fans.

[geckoadventure]

Off-road driving = often slow, high-RPM conditions; this is what is dangerous when you don't have a thicker radiator and dual fans.

Especially uphill with low revs - electric fan is the only way to go.

[M Wehrman]

The mechanical fan did a better job of "flushing" excess heat from the engine housing,a fan overide fixed that V.S. thermostat control. I also ordered a fan controller from Flex-a-lite,60% at first and if it needs more it goes to 100%. This Item is availiable directly from Flex-a-lite as it being 24v falls into their heavy equipment area,less than $120 to the door. I also had a bigger radiator made,easily 40% bigger than stock,all is well in AZ heat,now the FI at temps is another issue....

[geckoadventure]

THe old fan looked like a few BLADES missing.

[Doccers]

I think there was an air bubble in the system somewhere, it's behaving much better now, though I still have to watch high RPM's, not nearly as bad as it was though.

I have that fan controller already installed, and I'm going to be wiring up both a cutoff and an override switch for it.

The larger radiator would be a huge plus, any tips on what you did with yours?

The mechanical fan was not missing any blades, it just looks that way.