Fellows:

I am changing my opinion regarding the Flex-a-Lite fan that I have run on my tacoma for the past few years. Yesterday while climbing up a steep trail, I noticed that my temperature gage was way up, nearly in the red. I was in a section that I did not want to stop in, and had to make the choice to back down or get up to a turn-around. I chose the latter, and was able to point my truck downhill before shutting down, thankfully before I hit the red.

While the engine cooled, I began to trouble shoot the fan. One of the in-line fuses was melted down severely, to the point that I could not even extract it.

A little background - after installing the fan a few years ago, and setting the trigger temperature, I noticed that the fan rarely came on. Apparently the 3RZ engine was designed to run cool, only under extreme circumstances (stop and go traffic in high 90+ degree weather) would the fan ever come on. Impressive. Also dangerous, because you can run a lot of miles with an inoperable fan and never know it.

The melted-down fuse did not look like a fresh job. As it is still relatively cool spring temperatures here, my fan hasn't been needed for many months. The melt-down could have occurred almost anytime in the last year. I haven't needed a fan until this long climb, and then I really needed it.

To wrap up, I now have the fan off, and am prepping to put the OEM back on. I will also be pulling the E fan off my 4runner. For the minor performance gain, the down side is too steep for me. I would rather put that money into a replacement fan clutch or water pump.

If you are running a similar setup, I recommend setting your trigger temp way down, so that you run your fan more often than necessary and will then know when it is inoperable. Or check it out regularly. Good luck.

FS: One Flex-a-Lite slim line double e fan, one Flex-a-Lite Black Magic fan.

 

Could you not just have the e-fan running all the time but with a toggle to turn it off for water crossings? That would more or less be like stock but with the added water protection

 

I agree with BK. I took mine out yesterday and it runs cooler than with my Black Magic. It would hover aroung half way with the Efan . I switched back to stock and now it runs just above 1/4 on the guage. However I did not reinstall the clutch and used a spacer. It is always spinning. I use it mainly for the beach in 4wd and do not want any thing to go wrong and get stuck while the tide comes in. The fan is a flex aluminum fan it works great.

 

I had the same problem with my black magic. I spent all day wheeling in the desert and it went out on the way back but didn't notice it until I was in stop and go traffic. I was able to get going again to have some air moving through the radiator but as soon as I got home, I switched back to the OE fan. Their fan seems to be good but the wiring and switchboard don't seem very durable in the long run.

 

Do you have the ground switched or the actual switch terminal?

I had the ground switched for a while. I, too, melted a fuse. I ran the switch off the "switch" terminal and haven't had any problems since.

 

The exact same thing happened to my flexalite fan. I've been running this fan for about 2 years. I have not been very happy with it. It is just too weak to cool the 3vze during the summer months. From July to October, I have to switch back to the oem clutch fan (especially if I'm going to use a/c).

 

well,here i had no fuses meltdown,but i can tell you that i had 2 severe short that leaded to some minor fires,thanx to my t shirt i was able to stop that fire before it gets ugly,but thats not the fan fault its just that i did a bad job with wires. as for wut u said about the fan not running alot,me i just check the rad temp with my hand than if its really hot i turn the knob until the fan run. and i made myself a switch but it still on the little sensor that your suposse to stick in your rad,so when i leave the truck and the switch is on ,it run 2 or 3 times for about 30 sec then it stops. so my truck cool down even after it stoped.

 

shoretaco, what is the model number for your flex fan and spacer? got a link?

 

By far a better method if you're running an electric fan setup is to obtain an OEM fan from a scrapyard. The motors generally have a far bigger duty cycle than the likes of the Flex-a-lite and equivalent fans. I believe they specify they're not rated for continous, heavy duty use? And with regards to wiring and fuses, always use good cable, connectors, relays and fuse holders. I would personally never use a pre-fabbed loom, but make everything up personally and make sure it has a current rating well above that which will ever be drawn.

On a side note, with the likes of the 2LT-E engines where there is a spare hole in the 'stat housing, the Corolla temp switches do make a good fan control switch. They are, over here, rated at 90 degrees, (all the ones I've seen so far), so cut in generally just above the standard'ish op temp of the 'stat. Plus, they are switched earth, so keep the wiring requirements in like with the rest of the vehicle.

Three changeover relays will also give you full control of the fan operation, and an indicator LED on the output from the final relay will notify you exactly when the fan is in operation, (or not, in cases like yours).

 

BKTACO, sorry for the late reply. Had the stomach bug and could not get near the computer. I bought the setup from LC Engineering. But I would advise against this. I had the opportunity to take it for a longer test drive and the gas mileage went to &^*&^^*. Plus when you turn on the AC there is alot of drag with the spacer , aluminum fan, and AC on. If you want it let me know I will sell it for 50. Plus shipping.