Hi All,

There is quite a bit written about this on the net but no real advice on what to do next............

My 2003 TD6 viscous fan is regularly engaging, especially in hot, slow moving traffic (as you would expect). It's quite a howl! Pedestrians stop in their tracks and turn around to see what is approaching them! The engine is much more lethargic with this engaged so I'm guessing it's also using a lot more fuel.

So if the fan kicks in, I can leave the car overnight and next day (i.e. cold) it is still engaged and you can drive it all day and it will stay on. The knack here to dis-engage it is take the revs to about 4,200 RPM at which point it dis-engages and unless you hit slow moving traffic and lots of heat again then it stays dis-engaged.

I am guessing I need a new viscous coupling?

Any thoughts or advice pleaae? 2006 4.2 SC
2019 Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav

Yep, very common fault with Range Rover and BMWs. Mine always engages when the engine is hot in hot climates and I always high rev it a bit to get it to switch off.

Some on here remove it completely as it is not really needed in UK climates (although in current conditions it may be).

Removing it and cleaning it out / oiling it might help, otherwise you need to get a new one. They seem to sell for about £150 or so. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

Yip new viscous coupling or run it in this weather and just leave the AC on and you have enough to cool the engine as long as the cooling system is in good nick Its more for the very hot climates and lots and lots of slow moving traffic really.

Plus it never fully disengages anyway so still spins at any temp drawing air over the engine and power from it so in winter it makes it take that bit longer to warm up so means the FBH works a little bit longer and harder to counteract it a bit so more fuel wasted Mines been off over a year now without any adverse affects  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Driving in south of France at the minute , high 20s temps. I have my coolant temp showing on hidden menu, it's been reading between 88-100degrees depending on terrain, included some big motorway hills . Typically 90-92.

The viscous fan is on most of the time, with the distinctive whoosh. Would you expect it to be engaged most of the time in these conditions? 2012 4.4TDV8 VSE
2004 TD6 132k miles- SOLD
1995 Land Rover Defender 110 Tithonus Ex Military
1995 Land Rover Discovery 3.9i V8 manual

Most likely as thinner air offers less cooling and if the engine is working hard it will be hot. the AC fan is more than able to cope in most conditions without the viscous unit IMO. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

As per my original post, if I red lined my TD6 (which I had then) the fan would invariably disengage after a lot of howling!

I am sure that piece of technical advice will not be recommended by all here but if it does disengage it answers your question! 2006 4.2 SC
2019 Renault Zoe Dynamique Nav

Yeah but the TD6 should redline every now and again anyway to clear the soot from the exhaust regularly anyway and help clear crud from the exhaust turbine vanes/housing that builds up  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I had a TD6 in Scotland and was constantly having to rev the engine hard after re start or next morning after towing something to get the viscous fan to dis-engage , I now have a supercharged in WA ( and I don't have to tell you how hot it can get ) and hardly ever hear the thing kick in so I would have to say its a minor failing of the BMW desiesel . 2008 MY Supercharged
Rimini Red / Jet
four zone climate
remote park heater
and no ugly kid windows.
magnus satis quod turpis satis

Don't rev it to max!! The fan is designed to run at below engine revs, it may disintegrate with the disastrous results, tales of blades puncturing the bonnet!

Just remove it

Mine has been coping fine with the hot UK weather (up to 30 degrees C), solid as a rock temperature wise. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Is this an easy thing to remove... It is really starting to annoy me and is so loud. I only have to be in traffic for a couple of mis and it is wooshing all over the place...

Easy to remove? If you have the right tools. You will need a couple of viscous fan spanners, recognition that it is on a left handed thread, and some patience to release the fan shroud. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Did mine ... see link below for some tips

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic27551.html

Also forum search viscous fan has many links Howard
____________________________________________________
2002 4.4 V8 LPG Tartarini
Have RSW AllComms in Cheshire J17 M6 - happy to help.
*Gone: Classic Vogue SE Auto V8 3.9

Is it ok to do it on an 06 supercharged or will it mess up the air con...

Thanks for the info

The visscous fan on the Supercharged also has an element of ECU control so it will screw things up if you remove it..... Stolen / Gone: 2006MY Supercharged LPG Autobiography - Zambezi Silver with Sand/Jet/Jet Oxford Leather.....