buggered radiator

[DickFox]

Hey everyone,
Thanks to work blocking this page, I have not been around much. bunch of losers. Anyway, my S3 has been going great guns over the last few months, been camping on the beach with plenty of soft sand driving - luv it, but I went down the local dirt/mud track for the second time this year, and since we have had plenty of rain over in Brisbane, there was plenty of mud and water. I had been driving around for about 5 min when I went through a track of water, probable 2/3 up the tyres in the track, but not real deep between the track if you kbow what I'm saying. Anywaynot far into it there's a tapping noise. I kept going for about 10 meters not wanting to stop in the middle of the track ( the tracks probably bout 50 m long). However thinking something was quite amiss I stopped and turned the engine off. popped the bonnet and found that a fan blade had bent around and was hitting the radiator. Quite a Mess indeed.
Has this ever happened to anyone else. My father I remember told me that if I ever was going through a lot of water I had to take the fan belt off. in my opinion, I didnt think this was a lot of water. Apparently the when the fan hits the water it sucks on to the radiator, and I gather it does what mine did. I can tell you I was not very happy .
Anyway, now that I have ADSL, hopefully I will be in here a lot more frequently, but with out the bad news.
Dick

[Bogatyr]

DickFox,
Wow, I've heard of removing the fan belt prior to wading to decrease the amount of water spray in the engine bay put out by the fan...but never for the possibility of bending the blades.
Could the fan have been loosely bolted onto the pulley? I dunno, my fan is pretty stout and I can't really see some water bending a blade...wow...

Bogatyr

[worms]

Maybe I'm confused here. Your fan is behind the radiator? You were going forward? The water was two-thirds up the wheels - about top-of-wheel-rim height? So very little of the fan should have been in the water? Unless you were insanely revving the engine, or plunged in rapidly, I can't see how there could have been much water pressure on the fan blades. I've heard of a lot of wading problems but this is a new one to me!

[DickFox]

Well there was quite a bit of water around. I did get some overn the bonnet, but hell, nothing that i thought would warrant the fan sucking onto the radiator. I have done it in an old toyota with out any probs? It was nothing like you see other 4wds doing. I have ordered a new radiator ($420), and was wondering about putting a thermo fan in that I can turn off with the flick of a switch. Has anyone done this? Any opinions? I just dont want this to happen again. I have been told you put a tarp in front of the radiator or take the belt off. I figure there must be an easier way.\
Dick

[DickFox]

Oh and Boga, my fan is what I think is pretty stout aswell, mounted tight and everything. not easy to bend at all. Its hard to believe hey. I have a diesel's radiator, maybe that makes it closer to the engine or something. Also, my fan was a 5 blade, I have a spare 6 cyl LR engine which has a smaller 4 blade fan that is unbendable, maybe I should stick that one on.

[Bogatyr]

DickFox,
Ah, a 5 blade fan? That doesn't sound like the original piece to me...it should be a stout 4 blade fan as it sounds like your other fan is...my fan is also quite close to the radiator.
Hmm, $420 for a rad? Where did you get it? I think DAP in VT has a slightly better price than that...

Bogatyr

[DickFox]

Bugger! I have found this guy good for prices before, but didn't worry bout shoppin around much. I rang up another guy who said prolly close to $600, so that made the other look quite cheap. I just got it from Wynnum Radiators. It is a four core, so it is pretty nice and big. but anyway, I think I will put that other fan on and hope it dont happen again!

[DickFox]

Hey everyone,
I am heading over to stradbroke Island next week and after my little incident with the radiator fan and the radiator, just wondering if I go through any creeks or gullys do you think i need to worry about taking the fan belt off. I have changed the fans over so now I have that stout little 4 blade that you cant bend at all. Do you guys ever take your fan belt off? I have also been told you can stick a tarp in front of then grill to stop water going in to the engine bay. I'm a bit paranoid now, thats all.
Thanks for the help,
Dick

[Bogatyr]

DickFox,
Hmm, I haven't been in water that deep yet, but the other option would be to unbolt the fan from the pulley and leave the pulley intact on the water pump shaft...at least that way the pump is still operating, and so is your generator...

Bogatyr