How often does your fan kick in?

[therooster2001]

I've seen a number of threads on the temp, but not frequency. I have a feeling mine is not cooling optimally, but could be overreacting. Coolant flush is in my future, as it hadn't been PM'd yet.

80 degrees out yesterday, no load, flat surface, not pushing if, back roads, not highway, paved, just a Sunday drive (on Saturday). Fan kicks in at 200 and gauge seems correct. Coolant in overflow is nice and green, no murkiness. And if it matters, I live in Colorado.

In a less than 5 mile drive round trip, the fan kicked on twice. It doesn't run more than a minute or so. Driving this summer I always get the fan to kick in some point during a 10-20 mile trip, and even on the highway.

I know there is a lot of variables here, but it just feels too frequent to me, or is this normal?

 

[sandcobra164]

Mine is an A1 and it only comes on during a long uphill climb. Just drove 185 miles and it only came on a handful of times. Gauge never went over 180. Outside temperature in the mid 70's and running around 55 mph the whole trip.

 

[simp5782]

I've seen a number of threads on the temp, but not frequency. I have a feeling mine is not cooling optimally, but could be overreacting. Coolant flush is in my future, as it hadn't been PM'd yet.

80 degrees out yesterday, no load, flat surface, not pushing if, back roads, not highway, paved, just a Sunday drive (on Saturday). Fan kicks in at 200 and gauge seems correct. Coolant in overflow is nice and green, no murkiness. And if it matters, I live in Colorado.

In a less than 5 mile drive round trip, the fan kicked on twice. It doesn't run more than a minute or so. Driving this summer I always get the fan to kick in some point during a 10-20 mile trip, and even on the highway.

I know there is a lot of variables here, but it just feels too frequent to me, or is this normal?

Mine has come on twice today. 70s grossing 57,670 running 55/58. It seems more frequent now without out my electric fans as with those that power robber never had a chance to come on. It should have some pull but not a c130 on take off sound.

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[Smckerigan]

I'm in western Nebraska and it's been in the the 80s and I took my A2 out on the country roads and drove it pretty hard empty for a hour and my fan never kicked on.

 

[Csm Davis]

Time doesn't play into what kicks the fan on and off but everyone should flush the crud out of trucks as they can have very nice green fluid in the tank and be almost completely stopped up. These trucks sit for most of their lives and the antifreeze will separate from the water and cause really bad corrosion in the block which makes a muddy jelly in the block and radiator and can be a pain to get rid of. Pull the lower radiator hose to check and clean out the crud.

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[CMPPhil]

Time doesn't play into ...... up. These trucks sit for most of their lives and the antifreeze will separate from the water.....

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Hi

Your comment about antifreeze water separating, is something I have suspected but never seen documented. Recently mixed some full strength antifreeze 50/50 shook it a little then put it aside to use later. When tested it prior to putting it in the truck discovered it was only good down to 10F shook some more and it tested to -34F.

Does anybody know of documentation of when this happens and/or how to prevent it.

Cheers Phil

 

[Csm Davis]

Hi

Your comment about antifreeze water separating, is something I have suspected but never seen documented. Recently mixed some full strength antifreeze 50/50 shook it a little then put it aside to use later. When tested it prior to putting it in the truck discovered it was only good down to 10F shook some more and it tested to -34F.

Does anybody know of documentation of when this happens and/or how to prevent it.

Cheers Phil

Don't have a document that will show it but after cutting up a thousand or so trucks I could have made a video of the stuff that I saw coming out.
As to how often my fans come on I think mine is cycling to often also as it was kicking on and off last night on the way home from Ga rally. It really shouldn't need to cycle going 55 mph down the road, so I will be testing a few things myself.

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[therooster2001]

I'll be pulling the coolant out this weekend, and try to get a video. I plan on draining, flushing with a radiator flush liquid and water, driving around for 20 min, then drain and fill. Anything else while I'm in there? Thermostat check / change?

I'll have everything for coolant filter and block heater, so that will get done too..

 

[simp5782]

I'll be pulling the coolant out this weekend, and try to get a video. I plan on draining, flushing with a radiator flush liquid and water, driving around for 20 min, then drain and fill. Anything else while I'm in there? Thermostat check / change?

I'll have everything for coolant filter and block heater, so that will get done too..

Might as well. For the cost it would be a good choice. Would suck to have a thermostat stick and then have to drain the coolant out and refill. Make sure you have your SAC additive if not using fleet charged coolant. The part number for napa is in the parts spreadsheet. Along with the thermostat. Just make your own gasket.

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[simp5782]

I'll be pulling the coolant out this weekend, and try to get a video. I plan on draining, flushing with a radiator flush liquid and water, driving around for 20 min, then drain and fill. Anything else while I'm in there? Thermostat check / change?

I'll have everything for coolant filter and block heater, so that will get done too..

You can also save money by buying the concentrate coolant for 9$ gal at walmart buying 6 of them and then 4 gal of distilled water. The 50/50 mix is 9.90 a gal and would spent over 100$ i think mine with the coolant, water, and additive and thermostat was right around 100.

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[therooster2001]

Well, it was coolant change day yesterday. I got all the supplies and used Prestone flush. Six bottles of it. As Simp stated Walmart is the cheapest by far. Napa sold flush for $4.99, Walmart, $2.52. Full strength coolant $10 something. I also bought distilled water there as well. 6 coolant and four distilled. I also bought a big tub to catch it all.


Several nice things when I started. Pure clear green came out. Phew!


I drained from both the radiator and the oil cooler petcock. The only thing is like maybe 6-7 gallons came out. My theory after too much thought and searching are that it was probably a bit low on coolant and about 2 gallons were in the block. When I filled for the flush, I put in about 8 gallons. The expansion tank being full is misleading, and until it comes out the breather, it's not really full. The heater core is also a bit of air until the truck starts. Start, drive, cool. On the next drain, it wasn't very dirty at all (good). Overall I captured about 15 gallons to turn in to the recycle center. On the water flush, it was about the same, 8 gallons roughly in. Start, drive, cool. Let the last water drain. Installed the block heater.


Since my theory is that 2 gallons+ were in the block, I added 2 gal of coolant, then alternated distilled and coolant. I only got about 8 gallons total back in. Start, drive, park. I did not check the tank as it was late, but I expect it won't need anything, and the heater core was burped right after start. Overall I am happy with how clean things were, how easy the block heater was, but still scratching my head as to only getting 8 gallons out / in each time. Has that been everyone's experience?

 

[therooster2001]

Found another thread that most reported back with 3 gallons in a drained block. So all is normal. Will drive a bit and report back to see if this helped with the fan at all.

 

[therooster2001]

OK, seriously confused, and hope this doesn't start a war on coolant. I thought the stuff I was buying was regular green, but it is supposedly classified as an Extended Life Coolant, but is nice and green. The Napa chart I found puts it as a "Yellow".



Darnit! It's GREEN. I have heard a bunch of stuff around the ELC's and not mixing, and also not charging ELC with SCA's. I am THOROUGHLY confused on what to do next.

The state of the truck is this:
Flushed out whatever green was in there last weekend. Put this Prestone coolant in.
http://prestone.com/prestone_concentrate_antifreeze/coolant. Seems they don't so just "green" anymore (at least not what I can find in stores, seems the formula changed 2 years ago)

Supposed to have all the protections in there (they never say heavy truck of course).
http://prestone.com/corguard_inhibitor_technology

I'd like to know the next step or state of where you think I am, I think it's this:

1. The Prestone "new" stuff is ok, it has all of the good stuff in there to stop cavitation. Just drive!
2. The Prestone "new" stuff is ok, but you're still missing SCA's. Just add the SCA's in and call it good.
3. Opps, you put in ELC, and need to back it out. Drain, flush, and try the green+SCA's or get the precharged HD stuff with SCA's in there.
4. HOLY CRAP - you ruined your truck.

I don't care about the money of a redo, just think I am at a point where I might screw up the truck or the coolant if I do or don't add the SCA. HELP!

 

[big block 88]

Thats an excellent point you have brought up. I have all my coolant sitting waiting for me to have time and flush the truck. SCA's never even crossed my mind so now im curious as well.

That said. No matter what i do i can NOT get my fan to come on or my truck to get over 170* on the gauge. So i figure the gauge must be wrong. I check it with the laser temp gun and the oil pan is 158*. The cold side of the rad is at 130* the hot side is at 163* and this was in 74* weather and running it very hard on the high way and out in the country roads. Also this morning on the veterans day parade the truck idled for very long periods and slow crawled a few miles, no fan and the truck was around 160* the entire time.

My biggest issue is i have 0 heat in the cab. The pitcocks are both open, i just cant get the big girl warm enough to produce heat i guess.

 

[Jbulach]

Thats an excellent point you have brought up. I have all my coolant sitting waiting for me to have time and flush the truck. SCA's never even crossed my mind so now im curious as well.

That said. No matter what i do i can NOT get my fan to come on or my truck to get over 170* on the gauge. So i figure the gauge must be wrong. I check it with the laser temp gun and the oil pan is 158*. The cold side of the rad is at 130* the hot side is at 163* and this was in 74* weather and running it very hard on the high way and out in the country roads. Also this morning on the veterans day parade the truck idled for very long periods and slow crawled a few miles, no fan and the truck was around 160* the entire time.

My biggest issue is i have 0 heat in the cab. The pitcocks are both open, i just cant get the big girl warm enough to produce heat i guess.

Sounds like your thermostat is stuck open, or has been removed.

 

[simp5782]

OK, seriously confused, and hope this doesn't start a war on coolant. I thought the stuff I was buying was regular green, but it is supposedly classified as an Extended Life Coolant, but is nice and green. The Napa chart I found puts it as a "Yellow".

View attachment 652778 View attachment 652780

Darnit! It's GREEN. I have heard a bunch of stuff around the ELC's and not mixing, and also not charging ELC with SCA's. I am THOROUGHLY confused on what to do next.

The state of the truck is this:
Flushed out whatever green was in there last weekend. Put this Prestone coolant in.
http://prestone.com/prestone_concentrate_antifreeze/coolant. Seems they don't so just "green" anymore (at least not what I can find in stores, seems the formula changed 2 years ago)

Supposed to have all the protections in there (they never say heavy truck of course).
http://prestone.com/corguard_inhibitor_technology

I'd like to know the next step or state of where you think I am, I think it's this:

1. The Prestone "new" stuff is ok, it has all of the good stuff in there to stop cavitation. Just drive!
2. The Prestone "new" stuff is ok, but you're still missing SCA's. Just add the SCA's in and call it good.
3. Opps, you put in ELC, and need to back it out. Drain, flush, and try the green+SCA's or get the precharged HD stuff with SCA's in there.
4. HOLY CRAP - you ruined your truck.

I don't care about the money of a redo, just think I am at a point where I might screw up the truck or the coolant if I do or don't add the SCA. HELP!

Just add two bottles of this. $6 at napa. 2 bottles is good for 8 to 10 gallons. Just add it to your system.

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[simp5782]

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[simp5782]

Thats an excellent point you have brought up. I have all my coolant sitting waiting for me to have time and flush the truck. SCA's never even crossed my mind so now im curious as well.

That said. No matter what i do i can NOT get my fan to come on or my truck to get over 170* on the gauge. So i figure the gauge must be wrong. I check it with the laser temp gun and the oil pan is 158*. The cold side of the rad is at 130* the hot side is at 163* and this was in 74* weather and running it very hard on the high way and out in the country roads. Also this morning on the veterans day parade the truck idled for very long periods and slow crawled a few miles, no fan and the truck was around 160* the entire time.

My biggest issue is i have 0 heat in the cab. The pitcocks are both open, i just cant get the big girl warm enough to produce heat i guess.

You probably dont have a thermostat.

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[big block 88]

The truck came from Delaware so i "ASS-UMED" it was a cold climate truck and figured it had one. Now im getting quite sure i dont or if i do it has failed open. Only nhc 250 i have seen with a failed thermostat it failed closed and truck got hot fast quick and in a hurry before she shut herself down.

Thanks for the input, that gives me the comfort to tear into it and change it or put one in.

 

[simp5782]

The truck came from Delaware so i "ASS-UMED" it was a cold climate truck and figured it had one. Now im getting quite sure i dont or if i do it has failed open. Only nhc 250 i have seen with a failed thermostat it failed closed and truck got hot fast quick and in a hurry before she shut herself down.

Thanks for the input, that gives me the comfort to tear into it and change it or put one in.

They run on the cool side anyways. I have seen some at 2000rpms for 20mins while airing up tires and they never move off 175 or so. Mine sits around 172 behind the thermostat even when towing. If i gross over around 65k then i start getting 90 to 200 temps and fan clutch action.

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