Engine overheating with AC on while off-roading

Yep was gonna say that it's probably just the nature of the efans too. That's why I never went that route as I had debated that in the past. After everyone told me not to do it because of possible issues just as you have. Plus if the fans go out, you're screwed. Good idea to always keep extra relays on hand too with efans. With a clutch fan they don't normally crap out all together. Usually it's just a blade that might break, but will still move plenty of air to get to safety. In the end, efans are more trouble than they're worth. I bet if you were to slap a clutch fan on, your issues would disappear. But I'd still recommend doing the air cleaning, as well as a flush, even if you swap in the clutch fan. That way you know it's all in tip top shape.

 

Thanks guys, I'll start looking into picking up a clutch fan as I've always been a bit wary of these e-fans since I got the truck. Not to mention, they're manually activated via a switch in the cab (dunno why but that's just how the PO set them up), so if the switch got turned off I could get in trouble. I leave it 'on' all the time obviously, but its just one more thing that could potentially go wrong.

 

Is that really all I need? Sorry I'm not terribly familiar with the whole setup and still learning all this about my truck 3 months into owning it. I'm looking at stock clutch fans and they're pretty cheap, but I'm wondering if there's any wiring or other OEM parts I may be missing from the setup that the previous owner likely got rid of.

 

I'm looking at this...

http://www.partsgeek.com/zddhrd9-to...+ShoppingCom&fp=pp&utm_term=Toyota+Fan+Clutch

 

ok im sorry, that isn't all. i forgot about at least the fan shroud. here's a parts diagram. so, unless the OP removed #2 entirely, all you will need is a new clutch and shroud. luckily you can buy everything but the shroud from Carquest, Advance auto parts, or anyone that supplies worldpac parts. theyre nationwide.

 

nope. use rockauto. they sell parts at pretty much a part store's COST. literally, I work at a carquest auto parts, rock auto sells parts cheaper than I can get them from my work. cheaper than my store buys them from our DCs. only thing is rockauto adds shipping which sometimes makes the parts more expensive than work. but only simetimes......

 

Thanks so much for your help!! That diagram really helps to explain the way it works and what I need. One last question for you, I'm fairly positive that according to that diagram (and based on the attached pic of my motor) that I have the #2 components (hub and water pump pulley) so I would only need the shroud and clutch fan right?

Thanks again for taking time to comment on this, it's really helping me out

 

Just realized the light doesn't hit it quite right lol but it looked like it was there from what I could see under the hood.

 

I put an electric fan on a 2wd Toyota once long ago. It never worked as well as the original fan (this is where I learned about emergency cooling with the cabin heater and hvac fan). When it failed I put the original clutch and fan back on. That worked much better. The original idea of the electric fan was to not have the engine turning it at highway speed (more horsepower). The fan clutch probably does this almost as well as an electric fan.

 

Very normal to overheat in that scenario, the condenser is red hot and working less efficiently due to the lack of cool high speed air. 4lo and low speeds mean high coolant temps. Mechanical fans may not be enough even.

Also, do you have offroad lights or a winch in the way of the radiator? I've seen large winches on ARB bumpers cause overheating at low speeds.

 

Seems like your on the right track! Now, check on the front of the pulley to see if the bolts are still there. if they are, you can just loosen the belts, slap a clutch and blade on, and be on your way! just need to get that shroud and youre golden.

 

Nope, no extra lights or winch...I even have an aftermarket grill that looks like it lets more air through than the stock one, haha. Nothing impeding air flow though.

I'm really leaning toward the AC needing recharging/new valve as the issue, but I want to eventually replace the electric fan with the stock clutch fan for added peace of mind. I do a lot of wheeling on the weekends and the last thing I want to have to worry about is my electric fan taking a crap on me out in the middle of nowhere, or not performing as well as needed when in 4lo and having my engine overheat.

The previous owner of this truck added the electric fans and the supercharger at the same time from what I can gather, so I suspect the truck was more about performance to him and less about off-road reliability. From what I've read, the e-fans are great for street performance but not so great when it comes to long term reliability, like the stock clutch fans are. That's what I need more than anything, reliability. Not to mention I don't fully trust how it was installed, being that he chose to make it manually activated when it should be activated via the thermostat. That part I really don't get, Flex a Lite fans are supposed to be activated via the thermostat...makes me wonder why it was put in this way. I'd rather just revert back to the clutch fan and not worry about it anymore

 

oh wait, the bracket has studs. the bolts WILL still be there, you just need to loosen the nuts and throw the clutch on!

 

awesome! I'll look at clutch fans through rockauto and pick one up soon, thanks again!

 

Sounds like your radiator could use a rinse. If you're not seeing the issue at normal driving speeds then it's almost certainly your fan causing the problem.

 

All of my rigs with a factory e fan, will automatically kick the fan speed up, when you turn on the a/c.
These are controlled as was mentioned, by a thermostat (ect sensor) to regulate speed.
My 84 Mustang, 347 on 250 spray with a/c has a flexalite e fan.
It is controlled by an aftermarket controller, that has a probe in the radiator, for normal driving , with or without the a/c on.
There is also a ect, in my I take coolant passage, that will boost fan speed if it detects a higher temperature than the radiator probe.
This has been highly reliable for the last 16 years.
I also never have to turn the fans on manually.

 

Yeah that's the weird part, mine is switched on/off in the cab. I know that it was designed to operate with the thermostat via info I've read on Flex a Lite's website, so it makes me wonder why it was installed this way.

 

Because the owner did not know how , or was too lazy to wire it properly.

 

Probably. Just one more reason to go back to a stock fan clutch

 

Cant go wrong with an old school clutch fan.
Wont take you more than 30 minutes to install it .
I would buy a new clutch, used fan and shroud, be sure to get both parts, and new bolts.
Get the shroud from a wrecking yard , upullit kind, then you can get the bolts and everything..