suprathepeg

So I've had the Taurus fan mod for a couple years now and here's my take.

Firstly some info on my setup.
Its a rebuilt 3.0 with ported heads, OS SS valves from EB, Bored, decked etc. This truck was used in a DD role with some off road while using the fan. To be clear I've gone back to the factory setup as a result of my experiences.

My impression of the fan itself which I think could be relevant to pretty well all electric fan swaps capable of pushing sufficient air to cool the engine.
- The fan works when working, it will cool your engine sufficiently.
- When not drawing electricity it will offer you a very noticeable increase in available power and thus can probably offer you an increase in fuel efficiency likely much more so in COLD winter weather.
- Will likely need to be run in the high speed mode in hot weather.
- Draws a significant amount of electricity when running that will have a noticeable impact on available power and will be reflected in fuel consumption.
- Requires a high quality controller in order to run properly and dependably.

My recommendations re the mod:
- Buy a new fan, stay away from the junk yard examples. I had a huge pain getting fans that would last very long largely due to the age of the fans you find off vehicles in the yards.
- Use a high quality controller that has an coolant sensor vice not the hayden radiant air temp type sensor. You will find that the radiant type are not consistant.
- Have a controller override switch in case your controller dies.
- Install an after market engine temp sensor. Once the factory gauge shows hot its already way too hot. I take my temp reading from right where the coolant comes out of the engine to the radiator.
- Use high amp (I ended up using a 70 amp unit) high quality relay to switch on your fan. I had several 30 amp units die on me even at the lower speed.
- You should most definitely want if not honestly need to do an alternator upgrade to run the fan properly in high speed.
- You need to commit to spend some money on this mod. Probably in the range of $450 probably more once you add in all the electrical you will need to install.
- Actual max coolant temp for your engine should stay in the range of 190-210deg. This will be the temp at the thermostat.

My overall impression is that unless you buy all new high quality components you are putting your engine at risk. Once the fan stops working your engine stops cooling and if you don't catch it fast you can ruin a head or worse depending on where you're driving, on the hwy this can be a disaster because you won't likely notice the excess heat until there is a failure. I think the benefits of this mod especially in warmer climates are somewhat overstated. You may see a 1mpg increase in fuel efficiency which once you take in the final costs of the swap will take you a while to pay off.

After messing with this for a couple years I got fed up and went with the much simpler factory setup. If you're building a trail rig then I'd say you'll find good benefit to this mod especially if you're doing frequent water crossings etc. For a DD rig then I'd say pass.

Zelephant

Thanks for this writeup. I've been considering one of these swaps recently but I've gotten conflicting info on how worthwhile it is. Certainly not looking at spending $450, and I definitely don't want to mess around with the cooling system. I can't afford a new engine.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Nice contribution.

Pics would make it even better.

:wabbit2:

corax

skip the controller completely and use a simple coolant switch to turn on a relay for the fans


$10 coolant switch & $5 quality relay = simpler and more reliable than any electronic controller

Ritzy4Runner

iTrader: (1)

I would really like to see more info on this set up. Did you do a write up on this? Would be gr8 to see how you did this, hookups, exact model you got the housing from. thanks

corax

No write-up, the pic came from here. The thermostat housing came from a 88-91 Supra Turbo - though it may work on other engines, keep in mind that I swapped a 7MGE into my 4runner. When I used to have a 22RE, there was an aluminum boss on the intake that I drilled and tapped for this switch, there there's usually a spot somewhere to put an extra coolant sensor or switch.

Spal has kits to turn the fan on at 185 or 195 degrees, I found the sensor I wanted on ebay for $10 and built my own. Every coolant switch with a single terminal that I've seen works by giving giving a ground to the wire it's connected to at the appropriate temperature. Make sure to differentiate between switch and sensor, a sensor works through varying resistance and won't work well with a relay. So I simply run switched ignition power through a toggle in the cab (turn the fan off for high water) to one terminal on the control side of the relay (terminal 85 or 86). The other terminal on the control side of the relay goes to the coolant switch. So when the ignition is on there is power to the relay coil, when coolant hits the desired temp the switch completes the circuit by giving the relay a ground. The load side (terminal 87 & 30) of the relay is just battery->fuse->relay-> fan

[/hi-jack]

RBX

I would add an LED in the cab to light when the fan is running, i am using a two color LED to indicate Hi and Low speed....no light...no fan. Just a thought.

Oh, and use the DCC (Delta fan Controller) specifically designed for the Taurus/Sable/Quest/Villager fans....it's worth the money if you are going to run the JY fans. I grab two fans (they are cheap) when i did my install so i always have a spare, and can swap in if needed.

irab88

iTrader: (4)

sub'd for reference. great info and thoughts

Guyechka

I just wonder if it's better to go with a kit, like the flex a lite, than try to wire up a Taurus fan correctly. You claim that the end cost will be $450, and that's about what the kit costs with all new components. Plus, the flex a lite doesn't have near the amp draw as the Taurus. I think a comparison is in order if someone has had the opportunity to run both.

RBX

BTW, most important part of a fan (manual or electric) is a proper shroud...period. If you do not have a shroud, your fan will not cool efficiently, especially when stopped or moving very slow.
This is why i like the JY efan swap...$20 with shroud. I have an upgraded alternator(not installed yet) and DCC fan controller.
I agree with the OP, that junkyard fans are very old, and could fail at a quicker rate then a new fan. But i have seen and heard of aftermarket fans failing also. Not to mention cheap controllers.

mountaingoat

Killer writeup man. I really appreciate someone taking the time to post impressions after the "new mod glow" has worn off, and looking at it in a real-world light.

Of course, a lot of us are afflicted with terminal mod-itis and will probably do it anyway...but it's nice to have a realistic viewpoint.

Zelephant

I'm unclear on this, do you know if the 7mgte stat housing will bolt right up to a 22RE? Or do you only have experience with the 7m?

Man, just when I thought I had all sides figured, someone comes up with a third side! E-fan or fan clutch, e-fan or fan clutch, e-fan or fan clutch...!

corax

I don't know if the 7M t-stat cover is a direct bolt on, but I did the same type of thing with my last truck and the original engine in my 4runner (both 22RE's). I do know the thermostat itself is the same between both engines and the distance between bolts might be the same so if the angle of the outlet is right, you might be able to use the 7MGTE thermostat cover.

Or you could just run around a junkyard and find one like this:

IIRC, I might have found one for my last truck off an old Celica with the 22RE, I think I had to drill and tap the boss on the cover (simple and real easy on aluminum)

. . . . or one from a carb'd 22R with mechanical fuel pump which has a bit of a different angle to clear the pump (outlet not parallel with the valve cover)

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

Hey Corax, can you provide us with a part # for your 210* and 220* switches?

I have an aftermarket mechanical water temp gauge but am using a controller with an ambient air sensor for my efan. I really like the idea of a switch directly in the water jacket, much more foolproof. It's not like I really need to adjust where the efan comes on anyway, as long as it's after the thermostat opens!

mt_goat

210 or 220 F sounds too hot for a fan switch to me, especially at the t-stat housing (return side of the radiator) My 2 cents.

I have a 95 Taurus with 135000 miles on it with the original fan still working great.



I 2nd the Delta controller with a Taurus fan as the best setup. Been using one on my 93 truck for 3-4 years now.

corax

I can't see any part numbers on the 220 switch - its only job is to turn on an amber idiot light next to the water temp gauge when it's about 3/4 of the way to pegged hot. I think the 210 was the another switch that I had in there, it worked fine and kept the temp gauge right in the middle, but stopped working after 5 years. The switch that I have in there now switches on at 190 and turns off when the temp drops to 180. Here is the exact switch that I have now, it just needs a 3/8" NPT thread to screw into.

Oh, and the t-stat housing is the outlet from the engine not return from the radiator. The upper radiator hose is always outlet from the engine so that, even if you're low on coolant, the lower hose will be able to pull coolant. On the 22RE and 7MGE the upper hose connects to the t-stat housing.

mt_goat

That would be a good temp for an idiot light, better than the factory temp gauges that stay in the middle up to as high as 235-240F.

Oh ok, I stand corrected. Its the return for the Toyota V6 engines

RustBucket

iTrader: (1)

So with a 22RE does a 210* switch seem like a good fan kick-on temp, given that it's reading coolant coming directly from the tstat?

corax

That's what I ran when I lived in Virginia with no problems or overheatimg

suprathepeg

I had my controller set to go on at 180deg which is just below where the stat should start opening.

How you setup your switch is entirely up to you. My opinion is DO NOT use a cheap relay to start the fan. Who cares if its worked for the last X miles. You do not want it to die period, if your relay goes the fan won't work without some roadside custom wiring.

Used fans are the same story it might last 2 miles or it might last another 100k you just don't know so why would you cheap out on something that could kill your engine? I had one used fan last about 4k and another about 10k they both died and I was pissed. Buying a new fan gives you reasonable assurance that you're gonna get at least 100k of use out of it.

The electric fan is a lot of load on the engine, so you'll need to upgrade the alt. With the factory alt my headlights were not fully bright when the fan was on and the engine ran like crap.

MHO yours may vary.