Cooling issues? Not anymore

Anyone planning on using the blue (0 - 5V) output signal of the controller module for in-cab monitoring of fan speed or coolant temperature?

Seems like a handy “idiot light” for the efan system.

 

I have an old phone that'll always be on with OBD fusion. Although your method sounds sweet

 

It's finally alive. Still needs some odds and ends fine tuned but fan is a fackin beast. Thanks @Deo taco!

https://imgur.com/gallery/SrAEiGN

 

Awesome!

 

Thanks buddy!

 

Was the circuit breaker part of the kit or your addition? Amperage?

The breaker and Ligenfelter are just VBM’d to the top of the fuse box?

 

My 80a circuit breaker was an add on. @Deo taco crunched the numbers and sent an 80A fuse plus @MESO had issues with his self assembled kit with a 60A breaker so I opted for an 80.

I cut out some aluminum sheet and added rivenuts to attach it to the underside of the switch panel. God I love rivenuts.

 

Looks awesome. Still considering doing this. Now that it’s near winter it hasnt been as much of an issue

 

Getting this to take care of the weak AC at idle, just need to see if my current fuse subpanel will be able to handle the extra load.

I see where an 80amp fuse was used but with a 60% load that shouldnt really need more than 50 or 60amps right?

My current panel has a 100amp breaker with it feeding aux lights and locker, largest load using a 25amp fuse.

 

i would suggest running this as we wire it for you. we have a dedicated inline fuse for the fan only.

 

Has anyone tried the Flex-a-lite kit? https://www.lceperformance.com/Electric-Fan-Kit-2TR-1GR-2005-2015-Tacoma-FJ-p/1092099.htm

Also wondering if it'll work on the 3rd gens considering the fit is so close between the two.

 

The Flex-a-lite fan looks to be much weaker, draws only 18A. The included shroud doens't fully cover the radiator: https://lcengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/weber-spec-179.png And there's no fan controller in that kit? Seems like they instruct you to shove a temp probe through the radiator fins?

 

There is a controller in the kit. It's adjustable and all. I'm just looking around for a cheaper option than what's here. $350 is a lot less than $1k (JEGS has it for $341). There are definite differences between the two kits, but I wonder if it's that huge when all is said and done.

 

I would like some sort of opinion statement for this efan setup, or reasoning behind the idea of putting the temp probe in the top radiator hose (hot side) as opposed to the bottom (cold side). I completely understand why the OEM coolant temp is in the manifold, it is the running temperature of the engine and needs to be measured where it is the hottest. However, in my mind, the radiator with no fan running could be doing an adequate job of cooling the fluid due to the velocity pressure of air flowing through it at speed. You don't need to ramp up a fan to make the radiator more efficient, until the outlet temp of the cooler isn't sufficiently cooled. That is when you need to make the radiator do better, which could be due to slow speed and heavy load, or heat soak, or whatever. But I would think that you would want to let the radiator do it's thing without the fan running, then ramp up the fan when the radiator outlet temperature with natural airflow is not sufficient for the incoming coolant to the engine. Manual override when you want air conditioning prior to the truck being up to full temp or something.

I don't feel like we should always want the fan to be running. would be good if it turned itself off, even at full running speed if the radiator alone was doing the job? I mean, I doubt the fan needs to run at all when doing flat ground at 65-70 in 50degree or colder weather, regardless of engine temp, since the outgoing coolant temp is below the thermostat temp, which should be causing the thermostat to modulate, or at least restrict some flow due to the outlet temp most likely being way below 180 degrees?

Please convince me. Maybe I understand something incorrectly. I come from a world of air-cooled VW, this new fangled liquid cooling system may have me confused... and perhaps I don't have the right thought process on how cool the cold side of the radiator is in relation to thermostat opening temp, or the factory coolant temp sensor reading.

 

well there are a couple of things here to address.
you want the fan somewhat running to help clear the air passing thru the rad. creating a negative pressure zone behind the rad is always better then just trying to force air thru a radiator. also have the fan already spinning allow for proper and responsive changes in speed. these fans are set to soft start so they can take about 5 to 10 seconds to spin up.

 

also in every scenario the times an engine burns down is like 99% at idle or 0 vehicle speed (unless on a race track at WOT all the time). the radiator cant get the air thru it and the engine continues to heat up. so having a good close to thermostat breach temp stabilization is key to ensure the engine is running at optimal temperature. alot of people believe lower thermostats help. they do but a lot don't take into account that it can also change the oil viscosity requirements for that engine. you now operate at a low temperature but don't correct your oil and that can lead to the pump over working. this is all a balance and for every truck and owner its different. almost every modern car will have the fan on at a low command like under 30% at almost every driving situation just to ensure airflow optimization.

 

Hot side probe is responding to engine temp, cold side is controlling the engine temp. My efan set up has the temp probe on the cold side (by bottom driver tire). I have my fans set up to kick on and start ramping up at/after 185°F. I find in the colder winter months- the fan hardly has to run at all as the oversized csf radiator is doing a good enough job.

 

This is my point. Just because the engine is up to temp, doesn't mean that the coolant entering the engine needs to be even cooler. If the radiator is cooling the fluid that is entering the engine, so that the coolant exiting the engine is the right temp to keep the thermostat flowing somewhat, then you are good without needing to spin the fan at all.

I'm not saying there isn't merit to running the fan somewhat all the time, but when the radiator alone cannot keep the fluid entering the engine in check is when the fan should run harder.

This doesn't speak to the need to have airflow through the AC condenser prior to truck warming up.

Moving or not, negative pressure behind radiator or not, it either can remove the BTUs of energy from the airflow that exists or it can't. if the cold side coolant is too hot, then the fan needs to ramp up to control it. Or am I missing something fundamental on Engine theory here?

Maybe it doesn't really matter where you put the probe, but the controller just needs to be adjusted to suit. But I can think of times when the hot side temp will be spiking due to huge engine loads, but due to outside air temp and airflow through radiator at speed, the cold side temp is still well within check.... and there is no need for the fan to be doing anything extra...

This is how the stock mechanical fan works right? if the air coming off the radiator is still cool enough, the clutch will unlock somewhat even if you are at speed. but when it gets hot due to air off the radiator as a proxy for hot side coolant temp, the fan clutch locks up and works harder to move more air.

I am seriously waffling on getting this kit, but so far even in phoenix az area I haven't had a problem with the cooling system... or AC temps... but I have yet to install the blower that is sitting in the garage and hard to evaluate how that will change things.

 

This. Predictive > Reactive.