Temperature Controlled Fan Coupling

[silverz]

Hi,

has anyone tried pulling the fan clutch on a 240z apart to refill it with oil if it is locked up?

I have read else where it is possible and have taken the fan and coupling off the car but get it apart. The article I read said to unbolt the halves.

On mine the fan is bolted to the clutch but it appears the clutch itself is mostly one piece alloy with a metal plate on the front that is pressed in (no bolts holding the clutch together) and the metal plate doesn't want to move. It looks like the clutch on mine is made in such a manner as to not come apart.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Regards

Peter.

[PZG302]

Unless your keeping the car original I would turf the standard fan and get an electric fan set up.

 

The electric fan is generally more effective in cooling, especially sitting in traffic where the standard fan is not spinning that quick and therefore not pulling a lot of air through the radiator. Also the electric set up is only on when it needs to be freweing up an extra couple of horsepower without the constant drag of the standard fan on the motor.

[silverz]

Yes,

Electric would be better but I would prefer to keep it fairly original.

 

Thanks

Peter

[silverz]

I kept working away at the fan clutch and managed to free it up, I still can't get it apart, but I have put it back on and it has made a big difference the wining sound when you rev has gone and it seems to rev out easier.

[zedevan]

my understanding is that these are a pretty standard item, ie most clutch fans have the same hole spacing so you can get another one from a wrecker for $30ish and put it straight on.

 

my fan seized up so it was lossing power over 4000rpm which made it interesting to keep up with my mates 180sx at the time it happened! but i ended up putting some electric ones on there from a celica as there were two tabs coming off the radiator mount that had the same spacing....they definately rev up faster without the fan there!

[RBZ 260]

have a look at the clutch assembly there should be a screw or some sort of fill point to the fluid. than u have to get the right fluid.

 

to make your job easier buy a new one from repco or motortraders. delco makes them for various cars. u can prob use one from l24e r30 skyline or even from 280zx too. they would be indentical. alos u could use the later model one from r31 skyline or even the r32 etc... but lot more $$$$

 

i can vouch for electrics fans. lot quieter and definetly frees up the engine at the higher rev range. ive had it tested on latest adelaide heat wave. temp did not go past mid point in full traffic jam on 40C

[Zedman240®]

I'm pretty sure you can still buy that special silicone oil that goes in the clutch mechanism. Its important you get the right oil. Not sure where from tho

[silverz]

Thanks all for the advice. I can't find any holes etc to refill the fan clutch. I have freed it up now by fiddling about with it and it has made a big difference to the noise and the way the car revs. As I couldn't properly fix it and refill it with oil, It could go again at anytme however.

I will see about getting another from Repco etc, if you can buy a new replacement it would be good. otherwise I will check out the Wreckers, I'm off to SA soon where there is a better range of Wreckers than here (Darwin) and if need be I will see if I can get one while I am there.

I am considering going the electric route later though. If I do this how does the thermostat that turns it off and on work? Does it work off the temperature sensor that is already in the car.

 

Thanks

Regards

Peter

 

 

 

[PZG302]

With the electric fans, you can get a kit that has a potentiometer and temperature sensor that you fit into a radiator hose, the cars I've done has been the top hose. When the required temperature is reached the fan is switched on. The potentiometer allows you to adjust the temperature that this occurs.

 

On my circuit car I just have it wired to a switch so I can manually turn it on and off at the dummy grid or waiting on the grid and then the cool down lap. Once I'm running I just switch it off as the airflow is enough to keep the motor at temperature.

[260Coupe]

The standard clutch type fan sucks around 3-4 hp at 4000 rpm (I tested one on the Dyno) so best go for the elctric thermo fan.

Davies Craig make all sorts of electric fans with shrouds (must have shroud fitted for best efficiency) and the temps sensors and pots. Steer clear of the bolt through fans that use lon bolts thru the radiator caore as these can chew out the core with age (due to vibration) Davies Craig fans can be quite excy , the cheaper other option is to get an electric fan and shroud off an N12 Pulsar, I picked up one for $50 from the wreckers ..........it works a treat.

 

http://www.daviescraig.com.au/main/display.asp?pid=11

 

Alan

[modular9]

just fitted ( easter job ) a calibre fan ( i stumped up for a single one that mirrored the normal fan ) supercrap has them on special for 69 dollars and then I needed the davies craig switch ( part # 404) for $45.

 

FIRST time ever that i have put the probe into the radiator hose and it NOT leak !! I have done it about 4 times in my life and everytime i had to silastic the whole thing to stop leaking. This time because it was a Z it went right first time!

 

I too have mine on a switch and temperature set at around 60 odd Celsius. Meant i could actually run the fan when the ign switch was off. Purely because i am too lazy to find an ign feed !

[RBZ 260]

u can also get a kit from jaycar/dicksmith that u can rig up to read from factory temp sensor and turn the fans on and off at preset values. saves you sticking a probe in the hose and hoping it doesnt leak.

 

i did get 2x12' fans mated through the R32 skyline turbo radiator. i know people dont like having bolts through the radiators but with nylon spacers surounding the bolt stops the vibration and rubbing of the cores. its common thing to do even of factory specs. just check some of the condensor fans and radiators they use through the core setup. its not ideal but it will do for now.

 

if comming to SA go visit U pull it wreckers both locations sometimes they havve zeds but there is for sure few l24e skylines and few 280zx. cheap prices. otherwise just visit mototraders or sprints for new one. prob wont hurt to go to nissan and ask there too. it will be lot more $$$ but it will be genuine.

[silverz]

Thanks all for the advice,you have given me a number of options to look at, now I just need to decide which way to go. In the mean time the old fan clutch is still operating properly and I am enjoying the reduction in noise etc.

 

Thanks

Regards

Peter