V8 Kenlowe Fan

R

Rangi246

New Member
Hi everyone

I've been looking at the temperature gauge on our car lately and noticed that it never really gets into the green section of the gauge. It heads up to just touch the start of the green section, then the thermostat opens and it drops back a little - basically its always at the top end of the white section.

The car is a 74 V8 with a Kenlowe fan fitted and not long ago I drained the entire cooling system, gave it a thorough flushing out and renewed all the hoses. I was just wondering if anyone else with a Kenlowe fan fitted has noticed the same movements on their temperature gauge?

Cheers
Mark
 
Hi Mark,

Although I have never used a Kenlowe fan, it does sound as if either the fan is operating at too low a temperature, or the thermostat could be a 74 degree C item. I have used such a stat before, and the needle would also sit at the top of the white. On hot days over 30 degrees C whilst in traffic it would go higher, but cruising on the open road etc, top of the white.

Ron.
 
Hi Ron

The fan stays on all the time so it sounds like the new thermostat is a 74 c one as you say.

As long as its not overheating im happy.

Mark
 
Mine's a '74 spec V8 and it definitely has the 82deg thermostat in it and it rarely ventures much in to the green section unless sat in traffic.

It too has a Kenlowe which generally doesn't kick in until the needle has crept to around half way through the green.
 
Rangi246 said:
Hi Ron

The fan stays on all the time so it sounds like the new thermostat is a 74 c one as you say.

As long as its not overheating im happy.

Mark
Click to expand...

The fan shouldn't come on until the temperature gets to around 90, i.e. past halfway.

Richard
 
That's what I thought the fan should do, but ours is wired in to a switch beside the steering column and is manually turned on or off.

I just leave it on in case I forget to turn it on and the car overheats.

Cheers
 
These aftermarket kits don't sound like they are properly calibrated to the P6. The Kenlowe sensor put between the fins is a very poor solution anyway.

The recommended stat begins to open at 88 degrees. Other stats are for extreme conditions So implicit in this is that the "correct" running temperature is 90-92 degrees. Therefore the fan needs to come on at about 95. It also means if you change the stat you really need a different thermoswitch. Otherwise it either comes on and then never goes off (too low) or it runs a long time and the temperature varies up and down constantly by a large margin and the fan runs too much.

All you will achieve running cooler is lower performance and higher wear. Operating temperature is like compression ratio in terms of efficiency. The 15lbs cap allows water to boil up to 121 degrees or around 125 with 50:50 glycol, so there is plenty of overhead before boiling. Not that you want to run anywhere near that high of course.

If you are running ONLY an electric fan then really you need a two speed switch. If the fan is powerful enough to cope with the worst case scenario, then it'll be far too loud for everyday use, hence the lower speed but still with the reassurance of full power.
 
PeterZRH wrote,...
The recommended stat begins to open at 88 degrees. Other stats are for extreme conditions So implicit in this is that the "correct" running temperature is 90-92 degrees. Therefore the fan needs to come on at about 95. It also means if you change the stat you really need a different thermoswitch. Otherwise it either comes on and then never goes off (too low) or it runs a long time and the temperature varies up and down constantly by a large margin and the fan runs too much.

All you will achieve running cooler is lower performance and higher wear.
Click to expand...

Hi Peter,

I have heard it mentioned before about using an 88 degree C stat for the European Winter, but I have not actually seen it written down in official Rover documents.
The 2 part Rover workshop manual that I have, printed in 1972 states that thermostats were 78 to 84 degrees C. The single volume printed after that date that includes the lower compression engines and the BW65 transmission provides the same thermostat information.

Another book that I have, an Autobooks publication printed in 1975 states that the 3500 were fitted with thermostats in the range of 78 to 83 degrees C. The 3500S fitted with exhaust emission control featured a stat in the range of 86 to 90 degrees C. I suspect that refers to the NADA automatic 3500S rather than the manual 3500S.

The original thermostat that had been factory fitted into my Rover's engine was an 82 degree C item. I removed it in 1987, fitting a 78 degree C item in its place. I would later fit a 74 degree C stat, and kept that in place until 2007 when I retired the engine. It had covered some 203,000 Miles (327,000km), with some 143,000 Miles (230,000km) at stat temps less than 82 degrees C.

I opted for the lower stat temps to try an offset the pinging that my 10.5:1 engine suffered from, and it did make a positive improvement. The timing was already at TDC @ 600rpm, so a lower running temp was necessary.

I am aware that later editions of the Rover V8 with fuel injection ran with an 88 degree stat, and ultimately a 96 degree C stat in the 4.0 and 4.6 litre engines, but that was all down to lowering emissions.

Ron.
 
Rangi246 said:
That's what I thought the fan should do, but ours is wired in to a switch beside the steering column and is manually turned on or off.

I just leave it on in case I forget to turn it on and the car overheats.

Cheers
Click to expand...

That really isn't going to do your fan any good at all, or indeed your engine or fuel consumption as it will be running too cold.

You need something like this - http://www.revotec.com/acatalog/Electro ... tting.html

Richard
 
The Revotec one is quite pricey, but is very easy to fit, especially as my top hose had developed a small pin hole which was spraying the engine compartment :shock:

Just cut the top hose, slip it in and do up the clips, job done. And it's adjustable, so you can set your fan to come on when you want it to, and it's a lot easier to seal than those horrible kenlowe ones which fit into the top hose.

However you control it though, you do need some sort of device to get it to come on when the temperature rises.

Richard
 
Found the right thread!
Via "search" as well!! :D

I am reading James Taylors new book at the moment, and have learned that Morgan used a stat-controlled fan from the start (!!!!o_O)
I am aware of the different setups, conditions and needs, as well as of the huge difference in mounting and space, of course, but would one of the Morgan fans be a point to start?
Or is there something useful in later Land Rovers?


IMG_20170913_212859330.jpg
Two questions:
1.: Is that not what the P6 viscous coupling does?
2.: Would this fan fit the engine and available space?




(Put this into a "How-To"-section, and all fans would be listed with their (dis)advantages and experiences made... ;))
 
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