electric flex-a-lite cooling fan for SC400 HP gains

[xirforever]

Not a bad idea for a way to weld the nut on straight, and it would prevent heat distortion, nice.

Well, i figured i might offer it to poeple so incase they dont want to mess with making their own plate and making sure its right and blah blah they could just pitch in, and get one now. Also, im sort of a perfectionist, it bothers me that hunk of scrap metal is under my hood even if i cant see it , can you see OCD? lol

And yeah, i ment thermostat, i want to know when it activates so i can have the fan kick in on low at 10 degrees below thermo and high kick on at 10 degrees after thermo. Also, im having a really hard time getting an accurate reading, where exactly should i take my reading from to be on par with the thermo? Its really bothering me, i get different readings all over the place that differ from my guage reader in the car. Very annoying.

Also, i have finnished pretty much all the wiring, the A/C kick on, the + located in the stock fuse box using 30amp fuse, the thermo reading, but i cant find a place in the fuse box to tap an ignition, i really dont want to have to tape the wire coming straight out of the ignitor as its visible to everyone and i want it all hidden. On my LS there was a ignition wire in the fuse box, but it seems that the wires in my fuse box on my SC are all time + wires, none active with key in ignition.

 

[jibbby]

Xir - The ignition source cannot not be found in either of the two fuse boxes....I checked those both first wire by wire, fuse by fuse with a tester as I did not want to splice into the main ignition wire either. Good luck though and check anyway...Each year SC may have different wiring...

Steve, I am suprised you are still running at the same normal engine operating temp...Again, different year SC's may have different sensor or cooling aspects...Immediately, after I deleted the power and sensor reads to the Hydro pump the car operating temp decreased slightly and has always stayed at that exact reading....Thermostate is not related...Strange to say the least... Also when you excellerate hard or turn hard you may see an oil light flicker on and off on the cluster...That would be a sensor reading the fan oil as being low or empty....I just removed the cluster bulb to fix that...

 

[stevechumo]

Xirforever,
I don't know exactly what is the thermostat temp. cut off. However, I tapped and screwed the 1st fan switch right above the thermostat. You can see it in the picture. I used the ignition source from the same location as John showed me. It's No. 1 wire from my previous picture. Yours shouldn't be different from ours.

John,
I believe your SC and my SC have the same of everything in the engine bay. The reason the operating temp in my car stays similar to the stock condition is because the fans that used (2 seperate fans) and 2 different sensors. If the 2nd fan kicks in earlier than the stock temp., then I adjusted it to kick in later and stay the same as the stock fan.

I think the reason you have the oil light coming on is because you took out the pump sensor. The fan ECU detects that and throws the light indicator. I still keep the pump sensor and leave some oil inside the pump. I've done some hard cornering and high RPM revving, but there's no light coming on.

And I think you're right, John. The thermostat might not have to do with the fan switch. It may be indirect in some little ways because that's how the engine receives the coolant to reduce the heat. And so depending on the heat, the fan switch operates by itself. I would say, it's not related.

I've also taken the picture with the turbo inside the engine bay with the hydraulic pump deleted. This turbo project may start anytime now.

 

[jibbby]

Steve, I should be taking notes on this...Who's going to provide you with the exhaust piping to house your single Garrett exhaust turbo?..Are you having it custom fabbed out of steam piping? Keep us informed on this I am of great interest...Is David helping you with this project or are you doing it all on your own?....

Love the white gloves..

In regards to the temp differences between on our SC's, I would say, yes you are relying on your fan temp sensor to control you engines operating temp...When the engine reaches normal operating temp your fans kick on, which is good....Mine fans stay on 100% of the time and cools the car to where the ECU and thermostate controls the operating temp of my engine...I did not trust the after market fan sensors, the thermo stick failed on me and so did the block sensor I tried...Car almost over heated twice on me, and that is when I said enough is enough...What thermo sensor are you using to operate the fans?

 

[xirforever]

Ok, after much time spent on this, i figure the thermostat kicks in somewhere around 180. I have my low kick in at 160ish and high at around high 180's. My fan controller was able to utalise stock temp sensors, so i taped into the engine coolant sensor for the fan (lower drivers side part of radiator). I guess ill just tap that ignition wire you guys did.

Love that turbo! one day i hope to do the same, good luck!

 

[stevechumo]

I have the sources to get all the parts needed to build the turbo system, including the pieces of pipes that need to be fabricated. I might use the steam pipes that will be directly bolted onto the engine exhaust. And then, I'll use regular 304 mild steel for the rest of the system.

Yes, David will help me save the time on this project because he's already worked on it. Also, he has a spare engine so it'll be a lot easier for me as a template. David is a great man. :sleeping: ...LOL.

I'm using 1 Derale (1st fan switch) and 1 Flex-a-lite (2nd fan switch) for the fan. I've been running hard tonight and the fans work so great. Each fan is rated at 1500 CFM. They're a bit noisy outside, but they're just so quiet inside the cockpit. That's what makes the name "Lexus" with excellent noise insulation. The Flex-a-lite fan switch isn't as good as the Derale. I might take it out and exchange it with another Derale with fixed temperature set.

That glove is made of Nitrite. I've just recently started using it. It doesn't have too much powder like Latex and lasts 3-5 times longer than regular Latex. It basically doesn't get soft or deformed in oil or chemicals, although it's really soft like Latex when new. Before, I had to change at least 3 Latex gloves per day, and now I only use 1 for several days if I keep it clean. The other nice thing is it only cost $1/100 more than regular Latex. I really recommend them.

 

[Lextreme II]

Steve,

I would suggest you flip the turbo around where the turbine exit on the passenger side. The driverside have the steering rack and would be hard for downpipe.

Just the get material and we will fab something for you. Steve, I think your nose is getting brown.

 

[stevechumo]

I actually didn't think when I put the turbo in to take the picture. I only found it out when I looked at the picture. The turbo was too heavy with one hand. :hypnotized: But you're absolutely right. The compressor must be on the driver side, so its outlet will go down to the intercooler in the right path.

My nose isn't just brown. It's all black and runny.

 

[stevechumo]

John,
You're right. I noticed the car without the hydraulic fan gets a little more responsive than before. I don't think it gained any power but it freed up some parasite drag for sure. I've run the car up to 105 mph at different quick changing speeds and the electric fans proved they're worthwhile. I wished that I could go faster, but the traffic didn't allow me.

 

[jibbby]

Steve, I don't know if I am right about the 10-20hp gains as which was stated on the flex-a-lite packaging box...But I think there are a few ponies to gain along with a little front end weight reduction with the fan swap..

How are the fans working for you?

 

[stevechumo]

I don't believe in the marketing statement of the Flex-a-lite nor any other brands about the power gained from the fan. 10-20 hp is a lot of power to have. And you can actually feel a much stronger pull from that power. However, I didn't really feel that much power, it's just a little more responsive. And the fan weight, I don't think that really matters because it's so light. John, I'm sorry that my thought seem to be different from yours, but I just say what I perceive. :boggled:

My car runs just so perfect. I have no problem whatsoever. I drove it very hard lately for days, especially last week. The temperature gauge shows about 3/4 mm cooler than before.

I've already started buying parts for the turbo system, flanges, pipes, intercooler...etc. Perhaps I can finish building it in about 1 month after New Year. I can finish it sooner, but I only have the weekends to work on it.

 

[jtucci]

i hate to dig up an older thread but i had a few questions...

did the 4" pulley work without having to change the serp belt? i assume it did, but i didn't see a confirmation. also what part numbers did you guys use for the pulleys?

can i just leave the hydro pump pulley in there so i dont have to bother with the belt or fabbing a pulley?

thanks.

 

[jibbby]

You really have to delete the hydro-pump and all the fluid and lines....

The free spining pulley in it's place is the way to go and that is where you pick up a few ponies... No way around it in my opinion... I also had to take a cloth tape to measure where the serp belt would fit and run down to the auto parts store to get a match...They used the measurement to find the belt I needed... That's about it... Not really that big of a deal...

 

[jtucci]

You really have to delete the hydro-pump and all the fluid and lines....

The free spining pulley in it's place is the way to go and that is where you pick up a few ponies... No way around it in my opinion... I also had to take a cloth tape to measure where the serp belt would fit and run down to the auto parts store to get a match...They used the measurement to find the belt I needed... That's about it... Not really that big of a deal...

but why do you have to delete the pump? if you just link the lines together, how does it know? it should still function the same way, no?

do they sell larger idlers than the one you purchased? i'd rather keep using the oem lexus belt.

 

[jibbby]

Read the thread completely and you will see why...

I tried to loop the lines and keep the hydo-pump intact..NO DICE...Once you remove the stock fans which is driven by the hydro pump the fluid cannot be re-circulated and cooled properly and the seals in the pump will rupture from over heating.. The pump needs the fan assembly to create the appropriate back pressure too...Leak city is what you will get and I see no way around it.. You need to disable it or remove it.... Trust me you don't want the hydro pump working anyway, it's a drain on the crank, all the fluid and other crap weighs pounds, etc...Just unplug the hydro pump cylinoid and gut it and that's it...

Then install an idler in it's place like me or Steve did.....It's not as hairy as it looks...

 

[Red Supra]

Why don't ya'll just buy the idler bracket off a 2uz. It bolts right in in place of the coolant fan pump. So much easier!!!

 

[jibbby]

What I did was pretty easy too....

I didn't know about the 2uz bracket, try and post a picture for us to see what the idler bracket fits and looks like..

 

[Red Supra]

2uz idler pictures

The only difference is that a small amount of the idler needs to be trimmed to get the timing belt cover to fit perfectly and it does not have the boss for the lower coil mount(as you can see on the picture)

 

[jibbby]

Does the serp belt line up? It looks like it's a miss....

 

[stevechumo]

If you can find a 5" pulley, then it's nothing to worry about. However, all I could find is a 4" pulley for the aftermarket.