Hydra-Fan ?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,987
Likes: 3
From: Manchester, Dead Center in the Middle of TN 25 miles to Jack Daniels,10 miles to Geo Dickle, and .8 mile from the Liquor Store at I-24 Exit 114
St. Jude Donor '05
Hydra-Fan ?
My Wife has a White 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited. She let’s me do all the maintenance on it. Maybe someday she’ll let me drive it.
Today was her second oil change and I learn something every time I work on it. It is really a pretty nice Jeep.
The last time I changed oil I found the Aluminum Waffled Heat Shielding under the floors.So I went to the Junkyard and removed a set from a wreck to go on the Vette.
I was looking up from the creeper to locate the oil filter when I noticed something strange. There was a hydraulic line running from the Power Steering pump to the Fan. ???? Yep that’s what it was, a hydraulic line hooked up to power the fan. It has a Temperature Switch and is just like an electric fan except it is hydraulically powered.
So let’s see……..Hydra boost Brakes - Hydra power steering – Hydra Fan ………Man that would be a lot of Hydra on a Vette wouldn’t it? Wonder how much it would take to power it?
Anyone ever seen one of these ? This was my first time.
No, Really I’m just wondering about it, I already have the dual 98 Camaro fans for the Vette. JIM :yesnod:
Today was her second oil change and I learn something every time I work on it. It is really a pretty nice Jeep.
The last time I changed oil I found the Aluminum Waffled Heat Shielding under the floors.So I went to the Junkyard and removed a set from a wreck to go on the Vette.
I was looking up from the creeper to locate the oil filter when I noticed something strange. There was a hydraulic line running from the Power Steering pump to the Fan. ???? Yep that’s what it was, a hydraulic line hooked up to power the fan. It has a Temperature Switch and is just like an electric fan except it is hydraulically powered.
So let’s see……..Hydra boost Brakes - Hydra power steering – Hydra Fan ………Man that would be a lot of Hydra on a Vette wouldn’t it? Wonder how much it would take to power it?
Anyone ever seen one of these ? This was my first time.
No, Really I’m just wondering about it, I already have the dual 98 Camaro fans for the Vette. JIM :yesnod:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
Likes: 17
From: Sewell NJ
Re: Hydra-Fan ? (PROSOUTH)
When we leased our 2000 Lincoln LS I was going over the engine with the owners manual to see where to check all the fluids. I came across a cap with a picture of a fan on it. I checked the owners manual and it said it was the reservoir for the hydraulic fan fluid. I blinked twice, made the sign of the cross on the engine, and never opened the hood again. :nonod:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,581
Likes: 14
From: Tolar Texas
Re: Hydra-Fan ? (PROSOUTH)
Very interesting. I had never heard of this before.
Hydraulic fan drive takes award http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/dni/dni100.html
Hydraulic fan drive takes award http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/dni/dni100.html
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: Hydra-Fan ? (PROSOUTH)
There have been several hydraulic engine cooling fans that have been in production. The first was on some Lexus models as well as the Toyota Camry several years ago. They used two back to back power steering pumps to supply the fan with one circuit and power steering with the other. I don't believe that Lexus or Toyota use them any longer.
The Lincoln LS system used two separate power steering pumps (one mounted on each side of the engine). Each supplying its own system.
The Jeep system is a bit different. It has only one power steering pump. It is a special super high flow pump. The high flow is divided at a special manifold where some flow is always diverted to the power steering system, the rest goes to the fan (if cooling is required) or back to the reservoir. This high flow requires a special reservoir that can handle the high volume of oil without causing air to be trapped in the fluid which can cause a lot of hydraulic noise.
Hydraulic cooling fans are very versatile in that they are very powerful and yet can be modulated from 0 to maximum RPM for optimum engine cooling under all conditions. The bad news is that integrating a hydraulic cooling fan into a vehicle is very difficult.
The Lincoln LS system used two separate power steering pumps (one mounted on each side of the engine). Each supplying its own system.
The Jeep system is a bit different. It has only one power steering pump. It is a special super high flow pump. The high flow is divided at a special manifold where some flow is always diverted to the power steering system, the rest goes to the fan (if cooling is required) or back to the reservoir. This high flow requires a special reservoir that can handle the high volume of oil without causing air to be trapped in the fluid which can cause a lot of hydraulic noise.
Hydraulic cooling fans are very versatile in that they are very powerful and yet can be modulated from 0 to maximum RPM for optimum engine cooling under all conditions. The bad news is that integrating a hydraulic cooling fan into a vehicle is very difficult.
