Wax valve install

[Georgia Mike]

So I installed my hydraulic wax valve from Source Engineering. Before the install my fan ran full bore right at start up and my engine temperature wouldn’t get very high, my mpg is terrible. After the install when I started it for the first time I noticed the fan was running slow and I was very happy at first. After only about 4-5 minutes it started running very high and I was surprised because the engine temperature was around 100 degrees and the thermostat was no where close to opening. I took it for a drive and never got the temperature above 177. I called Jim at Source and verified that I had the hoses connected correctly and he said that seemed normal to him. I have read on this forum and others that this ISL 400 should run about 185-195 I never have come close to that. Since I was installing this I changed the coolant and the thermostat I used a vacuum system to put the coolant in so there is no air pockets. During the coolant changing process I flushed the system twice with distilled water and then filled with Final Charge each time taking it out on the road to run the heater to circulate the coolant and it never gets above 177 degrees. It behaved the same way with the old thermostat and old sauer danfoss system except it ran wide open right from the start. Jim at Source says it may sound like the fan is running fast but it might only be running at 1500 rpm. My question is why is it running higher than the initial 800 rpm when it’s still warming up and not even to operating temperature. For those of you that have this on your coach does this sound right? It’s been cold here 40’s and 50’s during the day but that shouldn’t make any difference on operating temperature. My understanding was this wax valve with the restricter will keep the fan running at start up about 800 rpm for the ac condenser and stay that way till it gets up to operating temperature about 195 then the fan should kick up to higher rpm and cool it down to 180 then Just keep cycling that is what I was anticipating maybe I’m totally wrong I don’t know. Any advise on this would be helpful 

 

[timaz996]

The wax valve works as a rheostat. As the temp rises the fan will progressively speed up. At 195 the fan should be wide open and howling. Mine setup is the stock sauer danfoss wax valve in the radiator end cap which I replaced with a new one. Like Jim said, it may just sound wide open. They make a huge amount of noise wide open. Hard to talk around it.

Tim

                         

[Frank Bergamo]

Mike,

the thermo/wax valve is adjustable. There is an Allen plug on the end that you can remove, once removed, there is another Allen  that can be turned CCW to slow fan down if my memory is correct. By turning it CW, it restricts flow, turning fan motor faster.  A quarter or half turn is all you need to make the fan speed up or down. Do not run engine with outer plug removed. Make your adjustments, then replace outer plug before starting motor. Hope this helps.