4runner v6 3.8 how to defeat cooling issues when in lowrange 4wd
Ok guys i am new here but i thought i would post a thread about my experience with my 2nd gen 4runner which has a 3.8 v6 buick holden. excuse the poor english i have forgotten everthing i was taught haha.
When i first got the car it would constantly overheat especially when in 4wd after some reserch i discovered i wasnt the only one with this problem. My first thought was to upgrade my radiater to a 5 core which inturn made the truck run 25% hotter.
My second choice was to find decent thermos that would fit, but to my surprise there is nothing that can fit in the tight space from my engine to the radiator. because the engine sits so far foward to clear the throttle body i have around 6 cm from the crank bolt to the rad.
I then found a engine driven fan kit from marks 4wd, which only fits 1st gen 4runner that where previously diesal. so that was useless. theres not enough room for it,
After researching and calling many 4wd/rad places know one had a solution to this problem. I finally decided i would find a engine driven fan and make a adapter to fit it to my water pump. But after more research i found a 3,8 turns reverse cycle at the water pump because its a serpent belt motor. this is a problem because theres not many fans out there designed to turn anti clockwise and pull air through the rad.
I recently found a company called flex a lite who make a reverse cycle low profile fan that would be perfect for my application. I machined the adapter and fitted the fan, with no clutch. Problem solved i can now fang around in lowrange 4wd all day and the temp gauge doesnt move.
Problem solved. its a simple cheap fix to a big problem. the fan kills some hp but nothing like the old non flex fans. Its a small price to pay to not have your car boilling all the time.
Donating Member
Excuse me for asking, but why are the blade tips bent/distorted .....are they soft aluminium?
A mate of mine with a 4WD ran a few lengths of 3/4" copper piping under and along the chassis rails - think the used about 20 metres in all. Attached it to the heater line. It probably made the cabin a bit hotter but he reckoned it kept the engine a bit cooler.
"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer
"The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made." -- Jean Giraudoux
I forgot to put my bashplate on before i went out. The blades are light alloy and flex out when at high rpm. i have a new one ordered. I had it in lowrange for about 4 hours in the midday summer heat and the temp didnt move one bit. and despite the blades now being bent it still works fine.
My only concern is that it may put excess load on the waterpump. But i think that wont be a problem as the fan and adapter a light.
That 20m of copper pipe idea sounds retarded as to me.
Why cant you fit a thermo to the front of the rad?
Because it wont work the idea is to pull air through the radiator. how many cars have you seen with the thermos on the front? i think it would work but it would make it run hotter at higher speeds, Because of the natural airflow being resticted it would make the car run hotter. I know alot of prople have overheating issue with the 3.8 when converted and i assure you this is the only fix besides moving the rad foward.
They make fans that push air for going on the front..............Originally Posted by kramersteen
My VK has one, VLs with A/C have them, Mercedes Vito vans have them, Some BMWs have them as do alot of European cars, they are quite common in new vehicles with tight engine bays which dont have room for the conventional type.
you cant count the ac fan thats not made to cool the rad. plus i dont think to many 4wds would use a fan on the front, plus like i said then at speed it would ruin the natural airflow and make the car run hotter, i dont want that
Those vitos have a engine driven fan i have sinced goodles it. i think you will find that you are mistaken with the ac fan thats made for the condenser. your vk/vl s there a fan on the engine side aswell?
Your not thinking right, when on the front they have the blades facing the opposite way, they blow the air through the radiator so the air flow is the same way is as normal, what your saying is that fans on the front suck the air from the engine bay and dont cool the engine while your moving which is incorrect.
All im saying is that you can use a thermo on the front as they dont suck air from the engine bay and counteract natural airflow.
Yes the VK and VL front thermos is for A/C, As is the Vito vans.
Last edited by VK SL 3800; 01-12-2011 at 08:48 PM.
NEED 4 SPEED
I know that but most are for ac and its a better option to put them on the engine side. Besides the point no 4runner/surf would have enough room for a thermo in front anyway. so really all this is pointless to the surf and 4runner owners because the only thing that will work is a engine driven fan.
I posted this thresd to help all the 3.8 conversion owners that cant get there engines to stay cool. plus being a 4wd i would prefer a engine driven fan. thats just one less thing that can die on you out bush. I always said that a thermo in front would work but it might make it run a bit hotter when its at higher speeds. But like i said it wont fit theres already a condenser and ac fan there.
The other day i was at the sunshine coast 4wd centre and the owner there told me that all 3.8 conversion will overheat because of the gear ratio changes from a commodore to a hilux/4runner/surf which is BS. There is just so many people with this problem in there 4wd. I know some guys cut the front up to get a commodore rad in and i have even heard of one guy laying 20m of copper pipe to help the overheating lol. I just think for around 150 this is a good 100% fix.
Torana Addict
If the fan fixed it, then obviously that was the problem.
( .Y. )
Wrong and wrong....
I have an injected 304 in my 4runner and im running 2 fans from a Corolla that are mounted at the front of my radiator that blow towards the engine and I have never ever had an issue, even in low range dune hopping...
It doesn't matter what side the fans are on as long as its providing cool air to the radiator.
Mine just mimic the force of air the radiator would be receiving if the car was at full pelt.
Man how did you fit them in there with all the ac shit in the way? or did you remove that.
( .Y. )
Well I did the conversion to a first gen 2 door 4runner, so now im assuming the A/C condenser in the 2nd gen 4runners are slightly bigger?
But, it all fits fairly well, the fans are only about 10 inches each and they sit right under the bonnet latch.
I also have a custom made radiator that has twice as many fins and rows as a standard Rad, it was about $600.
Actually, as I type this, I actually recall the day when I went to pick up the conversion kit form a guy in Sydney who had it set up previously in his 2nd gen Hilux (92 mod) and he had all his A/C stuff all the way at the back of the car near where the spare tyre goes so you're right, there mustn't be enough room :/ but keep in mind, it was a v8 he had and not a v6?
There's no room in a 2nd gen thats for sure. I have removed all mine and really could of used a front mount fan now i think about it. But i am happy with the flex fan. it would be perfect if you want to keep your ac anyway. Theres not much room in the v6 conversion because it has to clear the throttle body from the firwall.
I was running no thermostat (just the housing for back preassure), when i first put the flex fan in the car couldnt even register on the temp guage thats how good it works. even after a hour driving the car couldnt get to running temp haha .I have since put one back in and it runs normal.
4runners are mad fun
Tech
I would be interested in more info on how you fitted that fan - I have a VS Ecotech engine / auto trans in a 93 Hilux - it has the VS radiator in it with the VS electric fan in it - I also have the a/c problem at the front of the vehicle. Mine doesn't get hot at the moment - but once I get the a/c working again it could be a problem - do you run yours on LPG at all ??
sorry for the delay, It was easy all you need is the reverse rotation fan from flex a lite usa, then go down to your local machine shop and get them to make a adapter to run of the waterpump pulley. It kills maybe 5hp but its well worth it imo. No lpg here sorry, I can post up some more detailed pics if anyone wants???
And i bet you could run the ac no worries all day in 4wd with this setup.
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