Re: Yikes!!!! and More yikes!!!!

["Brian A.Tink" <batink@domain.elided>]

Mike

I have often read your messages re technical matters and have quietly
acknowledge your expertise, however, this time I am not sure that I fully
agree with your comments.

It is obvious that your are a true blue Viscous fan man, whereas I would
have to say that from experience I would have to be an electric man.  (Not
that I claim to be a bright spark,  just a little humour)

Regarding Viscous fans I believe that they have 2, maybe 3 disadvantages.
1)  that if the coupling packs it in then they can make a nasty mess of the
radiator,
2)  that with a mechanical type fan that is driven by the engine there is a
point when due to factors such as engine speed, vehicle speed this being
subject to Head/Tail winds, they have a negative effect on the air flow
through the engine compartment, and 
3)  With the flexable plastic blades they flex and I have seen examples
where the blades have flexed so much that they have contacted the radiator,
and this was in a car where the distance from blades to radiator when
stationary was 1 1/2  inches.

What is often not realised is that the purpose of the fan is to draw air
throught the radiator when the car is stationary, such at lights, or in
slow traffic.   IN FACT THE FAN IS ONLY REQUIRED AT SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY
20MPH OR LESS.

let me back this statement by saying this:
I have a driven a car from Canberra to Adelaide and back, a total distance
of over 1500 miles, travel time about 13 hours each way, when air temps was
in the mid 20's Centigerade or higher and the only time I boiled was
driving up a multi storied car park.  If a fan was important then I am sure
that I would have not been able to cover that sort of distance

Also I have  1978 2500S sedan which had its viscous fan removed back in
about 1980 when the bearing collapsed.  The car has covered 315,000, is
used as a daily hack mobile, has covered many miles on the open highway
sometimes with the air temps over 40C, and I have never had any problems.
I do have a override switch which allow me to force the fan on which I
never do once I am above 20 MPH, and if the thermostat does allows the fan
to naturally switch on the switch lights up.  I have never, repeat never
had this come on while travelling.

Mike, as for your comment, and I quote "the countryside is littered with
owners of all kinds of cars", I believe that these cars have suffered a
major problem which has nothing to do with the fan type, and would have
packed it in regardless of whether their fans were electric or viscous.

Just my two pence worth

keep staggering   Brian
___________________________________________________________________________   
>
>You get nowt for owt (English-Yorkshire?)
>
>There is no such thing as a free lunch (American).
>
>Where is the power going to come from to drive your Kenlowe?  Not the
>alternator possibly?  So then what happens to the fuel consumption, which
>of these fans could be more cooling-efficient and power-efficient?
>
>The viscous coupling has two distinct advantages, it changes speed
>progressively to control the temperature exactly, unlike an electric fan
>going on and off all the time and thus cycling the coolant temperature. 
>Also, if it goes wrong you get to hear it while it is still working unlike
>an electric fan which you can't hear if it's not working at all - hardly
>fail-safe!  And don't tell me you keep one eye on the engine temperature
>all the time, the countryside is littered with owners of all kinds of cars
>who found that when they first noticed the temperature guage, the engine
>was already packing its suitcase for the nackers yard.
>
>Any club helpline can tell youall about viscous coupling noise, along with
>most less than decent mechanics using answering club technical questions to
>earn a living.
>
>Mike Wattam
>Triumph Stag Register
>
>
>
Brian & Jan Tink
  
Canberra
Australian Capital Territory   
Australia
P.O. Box 815  Woden  A.C.T. 2606  
batink@domain.elided
Phone: (02) 62815275 (h)  Mobile 014 68 5040
Fax:   (02) 62812331  Need prior warning to set up computer
FGBMFI   "His Banner over us is Love"

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