Vistronic cooling fan manual control?

[DecreasingDave]

OK, but guess I'm not as concerned with cooling the truck as I am about cooling me (no flames, please). The truck has been great with keeping itself cool even in Phoenix-type extreme temps, but while in traffic the A/C will wilt a bit and combine that with a family of 4 in a crew cab and you get sweat.

I was just thinking that moving some air through the A/C condensor with an electric fan would do the trick for the occupants.

For the record, I have a switch on my racebike that turns on the electric fan. I race in Phoenix, Las Vegas and California and it helps a lot with keeping the temps lower while waiting on the starting line. Every horsepower counts you know... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Dave

[NCfarmboy]

aedofab -

I experience similar issues with my truck as well. AutoJim is regareded as the resident cooling GURU on these trucks. I asked him a similar question regarding the fan's operation on my truck (2004 F-350, 6.0L, running an Edge Platinum). His response was so good that I saved it. Here is his response - I hope he doesn't mind me posting, but he gave me an excellent explanation, and did alot better job than I could ever do... Thanks AutoJim!!

--

Hi, Mac. The fan drive on the 6L starts ramping up at about 215F coolant temp and should be fully engaged around 230F. Seeing that temperature when pulling heavy up a grade the way you are isn't really a surprise to me -- and it won't hurt anything. In general, they'll try to keep it down below 230F, but there may be times, such as pulling heavy up the grades, that coolant temp may go up as high as 245F for a brief stretch. Again, nothing to really worry about, and as you note, the fan pulls it down right quick when it's engaged.

With a programmer and the right access, you could probably change the Visctronic's operating parameters, but I really don't see a great need to do so. I was involved with writing the control strategy for that thing at A Different Company alongside the supplier and a Ford guy, and while the calibrations are (slightly) different, the logic tree is basically the same. The cals are different mostly due to the differences between the Cummins in the Dodge Ram (which is what I was working on at the time) and the PSD -- different operating speeds, different drive ratios for the fan input, different fan & airside resistance values. But remarkably enough, the start-of-ramp and ramp-rate for coolant temp are very very close between the two!

Keep in mind that, in addition to coolant temperature, the Visctronic logic also looks at intake manifold charge temp, AC demand, and ATF temp, and whichever of those four is the worst-case determines the control output to the fan drive. Also keep in mind that reasons the OEMs chose to spend a non-trival amount of extra $$$ on the electronic controls include minimizing fan noise and parasitic loss, and precise control of cooling system performance.

So, based on what you're saying, I'd say the Visctronic and its calibration are working just as they're supposed to in your truck, and while it's always a good idea to pay attention to what the machinery is telling you -- as you are doing, this is an area you don't really need to worry about too much.

Hope this helps -- and good to hear from someone who uses the truck the way it's supposed to be used: heavy hauling!

[PSDCool]

[ QUOTE ]
OK, but guess I'm not as concerned with cooling the truck as I am about cooling me (no flames, please). The truck has been great with keeping itself cool even in Phoenix-type extreme temps, but while in traffic the A/C will wilt a bit and combine that with a family of 4 in a crew cab and you get sweat.

I was just thinking that moving some air through the A/C condensor with an electric fan would do the trick for the occupants.

For the record, I have a switch on my racebike that turns on the electric fan. I race in Phoenix, Las Vegas and California and it helps a lot with keeping the temps lower while waiting on the starting line. Every horsepower counts you know... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Dave

[/ QUOTE ]

I go to the river during the summer and you know how hot it gets in Laughlin/Bullhead City. Here is what I did Fan mod it made a HUGE difference. With and elevated idle I can sit inside the truck in Needles, CA with an outside temp of 110 have lunch and the kids are complaining it's cold in the back seat. I have the fan connected to number 3 on the upfitter switch.

[DecreasingDave]

Thanks PSDCool.

That was exactly was I was looking for!!!!


Dave

[caissiel]

The best way to protect an engine is by full flow with water running at high flow causing turbulant flow that transmit cooling to the block much faster. By shutting the thermostat at high temp the flow will be reduced and the engine might not get cooled enough. At 180 the thermostats are opening and the fan does the control which is the Ideal fluid flow, GM had this problem with a low flow and busting the rear cylinders. so they doubled the flow and added one more thermostat. A diesel has max efficiency when hot. I would rather go up a hill with the fan cycling and not using 15HP, that needs to be produced by the engine. so when the fan idles the engine does not heat as much. Believe me this all was what I observed with my 6.5L GM in order not to cook the rear pistons or cylinders

[duner72]

I am interested in a manual switch because Ford can't seem to figure why my fan on my 03 6.0 doesn't come on and stay on for more than 3 seconds at a time. My 06 works just fine. It comes on and stayes on for a few minutes depending on load. 03 comes on after you let off the throttle when you top the hill going down the other side.

[taztruck]

On my 03 250, I added a switch to the light blue wire in the fan connector at the top of the fan shroud. This connector is a five wire connector and the light blue wire receives a GROUND connection from the PCM when it decides that the fan needs to be turned on. After turning on the switch to send GROUND to the light blue wire, the viscous fan clutch heats up (it will take 20-50 seconds or so to fully heat up) and the fan will engage and run with a lot of sound!. After turning off the switch, the viscous fan clutch will still be hot, so it takes a minute or so for the fan to slow back down. Again, the light blue wire is for GROUND only, not 12 volts! Also, the heater in the clutch draws about 1.25 amps or so. I used a 16 gauge wire and a small toggle switch.

[PSDCool]

Originally Posted by taztruck

On my 03 250, I added a switch to the light blue wire in the fan connector at the top of the fan shroud. This connector is a five wire connector and the light blue wire receives a GROUND connection from the PCM when it decides that the fan needs to be turned on. After turning on the switch to send GROUND to the light blue wire, the viscous fan clutch heats up (it will take 20-50 seconds or so to fully heat up) and the fan will engage and run with a lot of sound!. After turning off the switch, the viscous fan clutch will still be hot, so it takes a minute or so for the fan to slow back down. Again, the light blue wire is for GROUND only, not 12 volts! Also, the heater in the clutch draws about 1.25 amps or so. I used a 16 gauge wire and a small toggle switch.

Does the CES light come on after you manually engage the fan?

[taztruck]

Originally Posted by PSDCool

Does the CES light come on after you manually engage the fan?

No, there is no CES light