Electro Viscous Fan remains on high speed in damp weather.
I live in what is called an arid climate - cold and snow for the most part, and low humidity so the problem I refer to is rare and only seems to occur in high humidity situations - in other words after a day or so of rain in the summer /spring /fall.
I will start the engine and I will hear the fan rev up with the engine speed as I depart. As I speed up, I do not hear the fan noise any longer due to I suppose to road noise or the fan speed goes back to normal.
When I slow down, the fan will slow down as well and all seems OK but under re-acceleration, the fan noise/speed goes high again.
This condition may last for an hour or less, and then all is good again for the day - or not.
It only happens during high humidity conditions. Rain water or similar is not being splashed up from anywhere as I park in a garage and in the mornings with perhaps it raining outside, but dry in the garage, the fan speed goes high upon startup and remains so.
When conditions are back to low humidity, I never have a problem - the fan operates as it should - sometimes in dry winter cold weather, the fan speed starts high but that is normal and within a couple of minutes the speed drops to normal.
It is just in high humidity conditions that the fan will remain on high speed for any length of time.
I have not read of this problem in other 3's nor do there seem to be any posts on the Air Conditioner is charged and works as it should; the cooling system is topped up, and also works as it should; the fan speed thing is just when the humidity is high and not even every time.
The Electro Viscous fan was replaced about 3 years ago when it defaulted to full time high speed but a new fan, part # LR025234 seemed to resolve that concern. This problem is only apparent in summer high humidity conditions.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to what I might look at?2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
26th Jul 2014 3:52 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Three things come to mind:
Aircon Problem. When the high/low balance is off due to expanded fins, blocked fins, poorly compressor or even an overfill the system will request the viscous fan more often to the point that it is on a hair-trigger. Clearly turning your ac off is a way to rule this out (albeit 'off' is not fully off but it should be close enough).
Coolant Temp Problem. You could have a real or imaginary coolant temp issue. The temp gauge in the car cannot be used to judge real coolant temp as it is weighted so as to not worry the consumer. Real issues include be coolant leak, thermostat, blocked radiator etc. What is very common (on the TDV6 at least) is a failing ECT sensor; when this starts to fail it fails to the 'hot' and safe side. This can also put the viscus fan on a hair-trigger so turning the ac off can make the problem go away fooling some into thinking they have an ac problem. A diagnostic tool will tell you want the computer thinks the coolant temp which can be compared to the actual temp on an IR gun.
Sensor wiring problem. The sensor circuit may have been damaged so check the condition of the harness and the connectors.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
It will take me a few days to follow up on your suggestions.
I still have the original factory air compressor unit installed. When I have had the problems, the weather was cool and kind of did not require the AC but that does not mean that I had the ECONO button illuminated so the AC may have been on. For the most part, I drive around with the ECONO button illuminated as ten months a year we need the heater - in fact I had the house furnace on earlier today. AC is only for days when the air temp is above +60F and my tongue starts to hang out.
I would say I was not on the defrost cycle either as that does I think fully engage the AC circuits to assist in humidity removal but again, I will have to pay more attention.
Today it is raining - light showers and 13C (55F), but all was good this morning when I was driving about - intermittent is always a problem to sort thru. The AC was off so I suppose I should turn it on and see if that results in a fuss.
Coolant temp is more interesting. I would say the ECT, Engine Coolant Temperature sensor, part # 4603183 for my 4.4L petrol V8 is OK as a year ago, I installed a complete new thermostat housing and a new sensor plus thermostat was included. Price and labour wise, the assembly is a real deal - less labour to install and all new plastic parts as well as the thermostat and ECT all put together. The occasionally erratic fan speed problem existed prior to the new housing and I still have it so that tends to eliminate the thermostat or the ECT.
A few years back, I purchased a ScanGauge device and have it attached to my OBD connector. It provides a coolant temperature read out as the dash gauge is so "mellow" as to mean nothing plus I think the dash gauge needle reading is a combo of oil temperature and water temperature.
Prior to the housing change, the ScanGauge readout tended to show a fairly steady 195F summer and winter; now I notice on winter days, (-20F), usually the temperature does not read higher than 185F and on real hot days, (+30C, +85F), up to 205F. Prior to the new thermostat housing, the readings tended to be more stable both summer and winter. As such, I have wondered why the new numbers vary and just where the OBD gets the numbers. My guess was the ECT sensor feeds the Engine Computer, (ECM), and the Engine Computer does some math and talks to the OBD port.
In going thru wiring diagrams, I did see something called the Fan Cooling E box, (M208) and I wondered where and what that is? I kind of presumed it was something built into the ElectroViscous fan which was new two years ago and the problem predates the new fan as well.
That leaves the wiring. I will have to spend some time flexing cables as the outer sheathings and connectors look good but all that means is a problem could be internal within the conductors, not unheard of on a Land Rover.
Again, thanks for the direction.2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
26th Jul 2014 6:39 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
The e-box fan is nothing to do with it. It's a tiny little fan tucked into the corner of the ecu box and it most be all of 2" in size.
Hope you get to the bottom of it all.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
I just figured that fan would be called a cooling fan - E box is a much more billable name.
Thanks for letting me know as it is the sort of thing I would go looking for and never find.2005 LR3 HSE 4.4L AJ-V8 petrol; Traxide Dual Battery; PIAA 2500K Yellow Ion H11 Fog Light bulbs; CounterAct LT-2 Capacitive Corrosion control; LLumar AIR80 Blue clear Infra Red blocking side window film; Liftgate manual release; Schrader Valve "air in" mod to OEM air suspension reservoir tank; Akebono ceramic pads; OEM solid vented discs; LR4 design hitch receiver; Wiggs D4 MOST bluetooth module; Clock on the Dash; 3 Flash signal light mod; Backup Camera; 2015/16 Nav Data update.
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