Fan shroud necessary?
 

In the midst of doing a bunch of work on my car I broke the fan shroud in my -25C garage. It was very brittle plastic, and I was using the LexLS timing belt tutorial/Toyota FSM, I leaned on the tutorial for better pics, and the tutorial said to undo the nuts that bolt the fan to the clutch, so I loosened the shroud, and tried to get my hands in there on the blind angle nuts, my forearm would barely go through the space in the process of doing this the plastic cracked.

After cracking the plastic I got pissed and used common sense, gave up on separating the fan from clutch, and just undid the clutch nuts and took it all out, the shroud is now in two pieces, and I have no wreckers here with a pre 98 Lexus of any kind. I called Lexus here and their price on the plastic shroud was outrageous at something near 300$.

I'm just wondering, can I re-mount the rad and get away with running without a shroud for a while? I suppose I'll eventually get one from Sewell, but funds are extremely tight right now.

you might get away for a while, but it is necessary, so find/buy one asap, with out it the coolant going back into your engine will be at a higher temp than normal and all your temp readings and ECM reactions will be affected. dont press your luck... this is a fine tuned piece of equipment...

I did the exact same thing! I have been runing without the shroud for over a year with no issues. I am gonna try to build one this summer though.

Well before I went into the job the plastic was actually already cracked, it just wasn't separated into two pieces yet, it cracked along the far driver side of it, I'd say about, 4-6 inches from the edge, I don't have it on me right now but I believe the round part that goes around the fan itself is still in one piece, or if not, it's close to being the full "circle". I know it sounds cheap but if it really is such an integral thing for the coolant temps can I get away with just siliconing the two broken pieces together with high temp rtv then applying some strong tape over top of the silicone'd edges?

cracked or repaired is fine, but completely removed is not good at all

this is an easy item to find at the junkyard for less than $20, because there is little demand for them

You guys in Canada & Michigan might get away with it for a while, but dont come south...

There is not a single junkard within 1000km of here with an LS400. It's shocking but true, very few classic imports in the province of Manitoba, everybody here is a domestic fanatic and if they don't drive domestic they seem to drive 2006 or newer euro/jap imports.

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ebay is your junkyard!!

and before you decide their is no conventional junkyard with an LS400 nearby, please search for a common item, like a fender or whatever at this website - www.car-part.com

here is your fan shroud, for your '91, brand new, genuine Lexus - for $52 :eek2:
they are discontinued but Lexus Parts Now will find one still in inventory at some dealership for the $52 price!

they also have the superseded revised part for $120 p/n 16711-50011 - brand new!

also, you can make a 95-97 work (not that much different), they are $117 at Sewell Lexus brand new!

Awesome, thanks Cowboy I'll definitely order one of those in the next week.

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I havent had one on for 5 years..

I removed mine from both of my LS's about 3 years ago and like Python I have had no issues ,makes working on the front of the engine easier too.

do NOT buy from these idiots! u have been warned

Well you at least have to tell the back story.

went to their site...brought up live chat..some dip**** named brad "helped" me. i said..i need to make sure u have this part number 16711-50011 or 16711-50010..one supercedes the other. after 5 minutes or more he returns with the answer..yes we have it and its ready to ship. i said thank you and ordered from their site..grand total of around 72 dollars..shipping and tax included. ships in 2-3 business days. this all took place on monday. so i got up wed morning and there it was..an email stating there was an issue with my order and to please contact them. i went to their website..called them and they said...we never had the part but we can get it but its going to be...............124 dollars! needless to say i ripped them apart on the phone and told them they completely lied to me and also wasted my effin time..and they better not have charged my card. total morons!