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trickster5000



Member Since: 12 Dec 2015
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 487

United Kingdom 1989 Defender 90 300 Tdi CSW Arles Blue
300tdi Viscous Fan Questions
I have recently acquired a 300tdi engine from a disco to replace my current disco 300tdi engine which overheated after the electric fan packed in. The new engine currently has a viscous fan fitted and ideally I would like to keep it on. However, I have had a look at the current engine in there and it would seem the way the disco engine mounts in a defender (a few inches further back), the fan would foul on the power steering rack.

Is it possible to fit a viscous fan to a disco 300tdi engine in a defender? Is there an extended length cowling available? Can you get a spacer of sorts to make it sit in front of the power steering? If not how do I get the viscous fan off?

Thanks, Matt. Matt.

'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html
Post #632545 20th Jun 2017 10:26pm
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sako243



Member Since: 08 Jul 2014
Location: Wales
Posts: 1185

Wales 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW Alpine White
I may be wrong but I was pretty sure the main lump of a 300Tdi was identical between Defender and Disco. Ed
82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6
95 Defender 110 300Tdi
Post #632573 21st Jun 2017 6:48am
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jeffersj



Member Since: 23 Jan 2015
Location: Near Preston
Posts: 431

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Bronze Green
My Defender had a disco 300tdi engine fitted with viscous fan and it did not foul steering. The cowl was removed altogether. I have since fixed an electric fan and removed the viscous fan. You need very slim spanners or a special viscous fan spanner. Jeff
Ex 1968 Series 2A
Ex 90 TD5
Ex D3
Ex D4
Post #632583 21st Jun 2017 8:41am
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P@ul



Member Since: 22 Oct 2014
Location: Sussex
Posts: 8

United Kingdom 1996 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Epsom Green

Click image to enlarge

The thread on the fan is left handed so from the front of the vehicle you need to rotate it to the right to undo, I use an old bicycle spanner to undo mine.
Im having rad problems at the moment so have my cowl off which may help, pic attached.

Thanks Paul
Post #632926 22nd Jun 2017 6:00pm
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Retroanaconda



Member Since: 04 Jan 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2545

Scotland 
The engines are the same between Disco and Defender, however the difference in this case will be that it is a converted 2.5TD so I suspect the engine has been installed in the 2.5NA/TD/200Tdi position - at the back of the engine bay up against the bulkhead. For 300Tdi and onwards the engines were moved forwards into a similar position to those of the V8 engines - closer to the radiator.

Also, if you use a viscous fan (which I would recommend you do if possible) you must use the cowl. It will be utterly useless without it. You could potentially make up a spacer to go between the viscous hub and the pulley, as long as it wasn't so large it put undue strain on the bearings. How much does it need to move forwards by?

Another, slightly less refined, option would be to trim the fan blades to miss the steering box. This does being balancing issues though if not done carefully and will also impede fan performance.
Post #632950 22nd Jun 2017 7:27pm
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trickster5000



Member Since: 12 Dec 2015
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 487

United Kingdom 1989 Defender 90 300 Tdi CSW Arles Blue
Thanks Retroanaconda.

I have removed it for now (my dad put a spanner on it and gave it a good clout with a hammer) as I think the complexity of either modifying the fan and sourcing an extended cowling or trying to extend the fan mounting is not worth it.

Instead I plan to put the electric fan back on with proper brackets to mount it on and wire up some sort of buzzer/alarm system to prevent the engine cooking itself again. I saw this setup on an old digger and it actually saved it once. Matt.

'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html
Post #632978 22nd Jun 2017 9:02pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 7682

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
I run a similar setup and trimmed the fan blades about 10years ago to miss the box. Still runs fine. Cheers

James
110 XS Utility
130 Puma Station wagon/camper (in the making)
90 Puma Hardtop
Post #632994 22nd Jun 2017 9:44pm
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Blackhat90



Member Since: 31 Dec 2016
Location: Forfar
Posts: 86

Scotland 1995 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Epsom Green
I have a standard 300dti,[ 95] and a Ninty with retro fit disco 300, both run without fans, and tow 3ton trailers, heres pics , of engine bay of both ,,,to see distance difference first the stansadrd
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Click image to enlarge
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Click image to enlarge
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Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Mr. Green
Post #634099 28th Jun 2017 1:20pm
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g-mack



Member Since: 07 Jan 2014
Location: northumberland
Posts: 1967

United Kingdom 
Retroanaconda wrote:

Also, if you use a viscous fan (which I would recommend you do if possible) you must use the cowl. It will be utterly useless without it.


Why is this? I've been running mine for a few month over summer without it (been doing a few jobs in there and its easier off)and engine not running any hotter. I use engine watchdog to monitor block temperature!

I do intent to put it back on soon though! My 109 thread

my youtube channel
Post #634122 28th Jun 2017 2:55pm
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trickster5000



Member Since: 12 Dec 2015
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 487

United Kingdom 1989 Defender 90 300 Tdi CSW Arles Blue
It needs something to channel the air across the gap from the radiator to the fan, otherwise the air is just wafted around the engine bay. Matt.

'89 90 CSW with a 3.5 V8 conversion (WIP) - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic46809.html
Post #634127 28th Jun 2017 3:13pm
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