Electric fan into the Bighorn

[billyvanboheman]

Just thought I would post a couple of pics of the start of my project to electric fan the old isuzu Bighorn.

After my last trip on the Selwyn river, where I put a hole in one of the radiator tubes, after the plastic Viscous fan decided to meet the radiator while fording, I decided to put in an electric fan that I could turn off while fording if I needed too

Last week I got donated a radiator with fans on it so the Mod begins

Here's a couple of Pic's of the current fan.





And a Pic of the donor radiator with both fans still on it.



I Haven't decided which fan I am using yet, will have a measure and see if the bigger diameter one will fit as it is a bigger profile and room may be an issue.

Updates as they happen

[H2OLOVA]

Make sure you spray lots of waterproofing stuff (softseal) over the fan motor cause they're not designed to get submerged and they eventually crap out. But i guess you got a spare there as well

[billyvanboheman]

A question for anyone who has gone down this road, I am going to put a thermo switch into the radiator, and need to know what switch I should use:?:

I have the switch out of the galant radiator, which was the donor for the fans, but don't know if it would have the correct temp range, to run the diesel at the right temp, any ideas fellas

[wjw]

Get the correct sensor... I bought one for the Prado its was $80 if I remember correctly...

[billyvanboheman]

Could be a bit hard due to these Isuzu's never havin electric fans.

That is where the problem starts, finding the correct temp range for this vehicle, just thought some one might have an idea.

[wjw]

The Auto Electric place on St Asaph Street has a book with all the info about the sensors in it... ranges etc... I had a look through to find a oil pressure sender...

[billyvanboheman]

Cheers Bill, I was intending a visit to Appco to check their catalogue as well, but first needed to come up with an acceptable temp range, I need to sort out what sender I have to use so I can get it before the fitting is welded into the radiator.

[wjw]

I would find out what the thermostat opens at and use that. means whenever the coolant is flowing the fan will be going. Also depending on the sensor you get, you could put a variable resistor inline and fiddle with the timing to your hearts content.

[billyvanboheman]

you could put a variable resistor inline and fiddle with the timing to your hearts content.

Now thats a good idea

[billyvanboheman]

you could put a variable resistor inline and fiddle with the timing to your hearts content.

Now that's a good idea

Had a think about this on the weekend, hows the variable resister going to help

Found out the thermostat is an 82 deg, had a look through the catalogue lookin for similar 2.8l engines with 82deg stats in other makes, but not many with electric fan.
Now have to take into account not only temp but how the switch should be set up, normally open/normally closed etc

[wjw]

it all depends on how the sensor works. The one I'm looking at using the resitance varys like it does on a gauge...when it drops to a certain point the fan comes on.

[Mattman]

The best bet is to buy one of those adjustable kits that allow you to vary the on off temperatures.

Most fan manufacturers make a controller, you can then play with it so that the fans don't run all the time as they shouldn't be needed all the time.

Matt.

[Armourguard]

You need something like this

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/s ... _348942_-1

Shame there not the same price here

[billyvanboheman]

I thought it was a good time to update this thread, seeing I had made some progress on it last week.

So, I finally got some spare time (when the truck wasn't needed for daily duties) to pull the radiator out again, to have the thermoswitch thread put in it.

While the radiator was with the good buggers from Hornby Radiators I set about sorting out some of the wiring.

I know it's a bit back to front, but I started with the warning light.

The idea is that when you look to put the trucks feet in some water, you flick the switch to stop power going to the fan.

Now this poses a problem, it's bound to happen in the heat of battle (excuse the pun) that I could forget to turn the switch back on.

So we have a little red warning light as a reminder

Here is a link to a video of how this little light works.

Light Video

And a pic of the switch mounted in the centre console.



And here's the plan for the wiring for the whole system.



So once the radiator came back with the thread in it, I sealed in the switch and decided I had run out of week for fabing the mounting for the fan to the radiator.

So it has gone back in, with the old fan set up

I did however put the radiator and fan in to check I had clearance in all the right places, it was tight and I have to mount it off to one side and high, but it fits.

So once I get a weekend where I can pull it out again, and sort the mounting brackets, I know where it needs to go, which looks like this.



But in the mean time I had a chance to build the loom to go from relay to the fan and thermoswitch.

Here is a pic of the relay mounted, and the loom sitting on top of it, the relay is the one with the inbuilt fuse on top!



So I have hooked up the loom to the fan and bridged the earth for the thermoswitch, AND IT WORKS

So just the final mounting brackets to build, and final fitting and it's a done deal.

Final in this series will be pics of the mounting, so still an update to come

[SupraLux]

Nice work... its been a while in the making, I'm guessing you'll be glad when its done

Steve

[billyvanboheman]

I'm guessing you'll be glad when its done

Steve

Yip, it will be good to finally finish it off