Added an Electric fan and power steering filter to my 98 LS400
11-01-07, 07:50 PM
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Added an Electric fan and power steering filter to my 98 LS400
Electric fan
Ok well as mentioned in another thread my fan clutch has locked solid. From research it seems the fluid gets old and low so it spins too slow then it hardens and locks up completely. I notice after going for a 4 hour drive through the country side that i a new jet engine. When i got home i found the fan stayed locked up until 3000 rpm before letting go and slowing down but it would still catch right back up if i slightly lowered the rpms. It is basically a silicone that is supposed to be available at Toyota dealers . It ages and causes overheating and water pump bearings to go.
So i had options.
1. replace the fan clutch with a new oem $200
2. replace the fan clutch aftermarket $100
3. get used clutch from a wrecker as 1990-2000 LS400 use the same part unless it is a 98-00 which had an optional towing package as such had a modified fan temp. $100
4. get the fluid from Toyota and rebuild it myself it it was not destroyed inside $10
5 . switch out to an electric fan $70-300 depending on needs and set up .
I choose to go with the top of the line syclone from flex a lite it is a 16 inch fan with 2500 cfm and only 17 amps. The syclone is the quietest fan FAL makes and works the best from everything i read in the past few days and about 8 hours researching fans for the first time in my life.
You can get a universal fan for about $40 if you want but it will be nosy and not move a 1/4 of the air mine does . I choose to over do it and keep it high end like the rest of my car.
I also had a choice of a dual 2 inch pair with the same cfm but more amperage. It would have been more balanced with 2 but i wanted higher flow and efficiency to be quiet and lower amperage. Also the dual was a $150 more . I picked up the fan locally as i could not wait for it to ship and be delivered from the states for a savings of $40 . I paid 170 and it lists at jegs and summit for $130. I wanted to get the variable speed controller also but it costs $190 here and only $82 from jegs so i ordered it from summit who price matched it from jegs and i will get it by Tuesday. It will allow the fans to come on at a set temp @ 60% and a higher temp will ramp up the speed if the temps keep climbing until it gets to 100%.
I installed it last night and have a switch and fuse connected to the battery and the wires are run into the cabin so i control the fan completely. I was more than surprised that running the car in traffic that the temp needle does not move over the half mark without the fan on . It is weird that no fan being used keeps the car in the right range as i kept waiting for it to start creeping up to turn the fan on but since it is not an incremental gauge that reflects real temps it does not move as long as it is in a really wide range of temps until it gets outside of the set range.
I had a timing belt change a few months ago so the bolts were loose . I also believe that the fan got burned by the techs at Don Vally Lexus torching the bolts and cooking the fluid which caused it to fail because they were seized , also it had new nuts installed also.
Once the bolts holding the fan are removed pry it back slowly at each corner using the fan and the bolts. Then reinstall 3 spacers on each stud and reinstall the nuts.
You do not need to remove the shroud but i did remove the 2 upper brackets holding the rad as it was only 2 and allowed some space to move it around. To install the fan it comes with nylon studs which are pushed through the fins which is really scary to do at first but it will not leak . You use a Phillips screwdriver to make the openings then slide the studs in and then add the supplied washer and quick nuts. I mounted it on an angle as it fits right against the rad . I wanted to find a way to mount it as close to the stock fans position as possible and use the existing shroud and block the areas around it but it seemed like too much work so i said screw it for now.
I was also worried it would not be able to pull enough air in as it is a change in design . I was wrong , when it is on i can feel the air pass by my hand from the upper and lower grilles. Also it is soooo much quieter than the stock fan at any speed. The best part is , with the fan off the car is so damn quiet. Here's to not sounding like a freight liner 18 wheeler going down the road. No offense trkn1
Once i get the fan controller it will work perfectly and look clean . The car starts so quietly and the fuel economy has gone down from 9L/100km to 6-7L/100km. The car is much more responsive but the transmission is kicking down all the time since it was being drained by having the fan drag all the time . So in a week or so it should be good.
If you know what you are doing it takes 40 minutes maybe ,i took 2 hours as i was learning along the way.
Cost $170 fan FLX-398 , $80 variable speed controller FLX-31165
time 1-2 hours unless the fan bolts are seized.
Where the nylon studs push through the inner rad and the gap between the 2 rads.
This shows from above the fan , you can see the old studs on teh water pump where the old fan was , One stud is missing a nut as it got damaged .
Best shot of the fan inside the original shroud
Power steering filter
Most have removed the PS solenoid and cleaned the mesh but i did not want to buy seals or a unit and decided to see if this would do anything first.
The power steering filter i added just like the ones i used on my ES 300 which have tranny issues. It is a small cylinder that has a magnet and bypass if it gets clogged. I changed my PS fluid 6 months ago and it felt better but i knew it was never perfect. So after saying i was doing this for a year now . I finally loosened the ps reservoir. Connected the hose 3 inches long to the small return hose . Then added the filter and made a maze of hose going around the back of the reservoir to go to the front again to prevent it from kinking. It sounds more complicated than it is. You need to put a bit of pressure on the metal lines to get the best angles. Afterwards everything reinstalled perfectly with the filter sitting behind the reservoir and the hose going over the bracket to loop down and back to the res port.
So it has been 4 days since i added it . Every single day it has gotten better to the point where i feel that i have power steering assist again. I can actually feel the speed changes with the assist level change where before it was on the least bit of assist possible.
So for a $10 filter which wix makes, ( mine are branded by ford for a recall they had ) but are the same thing as the wix versions and were dirt cheap as i bought a case. The power steering unit uses transmission fluid so the filter is made for just this type of app . I love power steering again. It is the best thing in the world to do for peanuts. Crazy gains to return the luxury feeling again , especially rolling on 20's .
Cost $10 fluid and filter
time 30 minutes
Really hard to see the filter but that blue ford logo is the filter.
The new hose is from the filter.
Ok well as mentioned in another thread my fan clutch has locked solid. From research it seems the fluid gets old and low so it spins too slow then it hardens and locks up completely. I notice after going for a 4 hour drive through the country side that i a new jet engine. When i got home i found the fan stayed locked up until 3000 rpm before letting go and slowing down but it would still catch right back up if i slightly lowered the rpms. It is basically a silicone that is supposed to be available at Toyota dealers . It ages and causes overheating and water pump bearings to go.
So i had options.
1. replace the fan clutch with a new oem $200
2. replace the fan clutch aftermarket $100
3. get used clutch from a wrecker as 1990-2000 LS400 use the same part unless it is a 98-00 which had an optional towing package as such had a modified fan temp. $100
4. get the fluid from Toyota and rebuild it myself it it was not destroyed inside $10
5 . switch out to an electric fan $70-300 depending on needs and set up .
I choose to go with the top of the line syclone from flex a lite it is a 16 inch fan with 2500 cfm and only 17 amps. The syclone is the quietest fan FAL makes and works the best from everything i read in the past few days and about 8 hours researching fans for the first time in my life.
You can get a universal fan for about $40 if you want but it will be nosy and not move a 1/4 of the air mine does . I choose to over do it and keep it high end like the rest of my car.
I also had a choice of a dual 2 inch pair with the same cfm but more amperage. It would have been more balanced with 2 but i wanted higher flow and efficiency to be quiet and lower amperage. Also the dual was a $150 more . I picked up the fan locally as i could not wait for it to ship and be delivered from the states for a savings of $40 . I paid 170 and it lists at jegs and summit for $130. I wanted to get the variable speed controller also but it costs $190 here and only $82 from jegs so i ordered it from summit who price matched it from jegs and i will get it by Tuesday. It will allow the fans to come on at a set temp @ 60% and a higher temp will ramp up the speed if the temps keep climbing until it gets to 100%.
I installed it last night and have a switch and fuse connected to the battery and the wires are run into the cabin so i control the fan completely. I was more than surprised that running the car in traffic that the temp needle does not move over the half mark without the fan on . It is weird that no fan being used keeps the car in the right range as i kept waiting for it to start creeping up to turn the fan on but since it is not an incremental gauge that reflects real temps it does not move as long as it is in a really wide range of temps until it gets outside of the set range.
I had a timing belt change a few months ago so the bolts were loose . I also believe that the fan got burned by the techs at Don Vally Lexus torching the bolts and cooking the fluid which caused it to fail because they were seized , also it had new nuts installed also.
Once the bolts holding the fan are removed pry it back slowly at each corner using the fan and the bolts. Then reinstall 3 spacers on each stud and reinstall the nuts.
You do not need to remove the shroud but i did remove the 2 upper brackets holding the rad as it was only 2 and allowed some space to move it around. To install the fan it comes with nylon studs which are pushed through the fins which is really scary to do at first but it will not leak . You use a Phillips screwdriver to make the openings then slide the studs in and then add the supplied washer and quick nuts. I mounted it on an angle as it fits right against the rad . I wanted to find a way to mount it as close to the stock fans position as possible and use the existing shroud and block the areas around it but it seemed like too much work so i said screw it for now.
I was also worried it would not be able to pull enough air in as it is a change in design . I was wrong , when it is on i can feel the air pass by my hand from the upper and lower grilles. Also it is soooo much quieter than the stock fan at any speed. The best part is , with the fan off the car is so damn quiet. Here's to not sounding like a freight liner 18 wheeler going down the road. No offense trkn1
Once i get the fan controller it will work perfectly and look clean . The car starts so quietly and the fuel economy has gone down from 9L/100km to 6-7L/100km. The car is much more responsive but the transmission is kicking down all the time since it was being drained by having the fan drag all the time . So in a week or so it should be good.
If you know what you are doing it takes 40 minutes maybe ,i took 2 hours as i was learning along the way.
Cost $170 fan FLX-398 , $80 variable speed controller FLX-31165
time 1-2 hours unless the fan bolts are seized.
Where the nylon studs push through the inner rad and the gap between the 2 rads.
This shows from above the fan , you can see the old studs on teh water pump where the old fan was , One stud is missing a nut as it got damaged .
Best shot of the fan inside the original shroud
Power steering filter
Most have removed the PS solenoid and cleaned the mesh but i did not want to buy seals or a unit and decided to see if this would do anything first.
The power steering filter i added just like the ones i used on my ES 300 which have tranny issues. It is a small cylinder that has a magnet and bypass if it gets clogged. I changed my PS fluid 6 months ago and it felt better but i knew it was never perfect. So after saying i was doing this for a year now . I finally loosened the ps reservoir. Connected the hose 3 inches long to the small return hose . Then added the filter and made a maze of hose going around the back of the reservoir to go to the front again to prevent it from kinking. It sounds more complicated than it is. You need to put a bit of pressure on the metal lines to get the best angles. Afterwards everything reinstalled perfectly with the filter sitting behind the reservoir and the hose going over the bracket to loop down and back to the res port.
So it has been 4 days since i added it . Every single day it has gotten better to the point where i feel that i have power steering assist again. I can actually feel the speed changes with the assist level change where before it was on the least bit of assist possible.
So for a $10 filter which wix makes, ( mine are branded by ford for a recall they had ) but are the same thing as the wix versions and were dirt cheap as i bought a case. The power steering unit uses transmission fluid so the filter is made for just this type of app . I love power steering again. It is the best thing in the world to do for peanuts. Crazy gains to return the luxury feeling again , especially rolling on 20's .
Cost $10 fluid and filter
time 30 minutes
Really hard to see the filter but that blue ford logo is the filter.
The new hose is from the filter.
Last edited by skperformance; 11-02-07 at 05:19 PM.
11-01-07, 09:57 PM
#2
I had fun doing my electric fan conversion (I'm actually running two). They have been running through a relay which is signaled by an accessories on wire ( I never found out which one, but it works great).
Runs below middle on highways, and then middle in heavy hot traffic. I noticed that on the hotter days, that its getting a little past middle (just a tad). But I know that is because I have a timing belt and water pump scheduled next...
Congrats on getting yours done!
Runs below middle on highways, and then middle in heavy hot traffic. I noticed that on the hotter days, that its getting a little past middle (just a tad). But I know that is because I have a timing belt and water pump scheduled next...
Congrats on getting yours done!
. Sounds like a lot of work, great write up.
11-02-07, 05:35 PM
#4
I read somewhere that some turbo Aristos were equipped with hydraulic fans!!!!!
Crazy how a Ford product is now a Lexus...but when its filtering the PS fluid, I'd do it as well...
Last edited by avalon42; 11-02-07 at 05:39 PM.
11-02-07, 08:36 PM
#5
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First , the hydraulic fans are good but the mechanical ones are supposed to be the best at cfm . It drags on the system alot by being directly connected to the engine. A hydraulic fan is also pretty good at getting up to speed faster than a motor and when it needs to cool quickly it will do it faster. An electric fan is good for quicker warm ups and reduced load but it will still load the alternator slowing the engine down anyway . If you need a fan it will have to use energy to remove heat energy.
Lexus uses non electric fans to keep noise down , and it works well as it is consistent. They are also very reliable as well after all mine is 300 000km before finally dieing but i still feel it was murdered by the tech at the dealer who torched it too hot to remove the nuts.
My ES300 has hydralic fans and i prefer them as they get going real fast and cools amazingly fast.
It is a wix filter, ford just bought a few hundred thousand of wix's inline filter so they badged it for them. This way Ford owners would not figure out it was a $5 part form wix and save $80 .
Lexus uses non electric fans to keep noise down , and it works well as it is consistent. They are also very reliable as well after all mine is 300 000km before finally dieing but i still feel it was murdered by the tech at the dealer who torched it too hot to remove the nuts.
My ES300 has hydralic fans and i prefer them as they get going real fast and cools amazingly fast.
It is a wix filter, ford just bought a few hundred thousand of wix's inline filter so they badged it for them. This way Ford owners would not figure out it was a $5 part form wix and save $80 .
12-30-07, 01:44 AM
#7
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I live in Canada so i can;t tell you where to buy them an online search should find some sellers. BTW it is a wix filter , from what i understand they only make one inline tranny filter . I think a place like oreilly's or napa sell them for $10
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09-05-09, 11:08 AM
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I am insterested in doing a mechanical to electric fan conversion on my 1999 LS400.
There is an adjustable fan controller.
At what temperature should I have the fan turn on?
At what temperature should I have the fan turn off?
There is an adjustable fan controller.
At what temperature should I have the fan turn on?
At what temperature should I have the fan turn off?
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