Loud Fan and Reduced Throttle

[di_LR3_co]

Hi All -

It's been chilly in Colorado this week. Finally starting to feel like winter.

Here's some background info:
-- car is parked out doors
-- typically run 87 octane
-- have ~61K miles
-- 2006 LR3 SE V8

So, when I went to work yesterday, the fan was insanely loud, and would get louder as i stepped on the gas - I've never heard this before - almost sounded like a blower on the engine or something.

This loud blower directly coincided with stepping on the gas. Also there was significantly reduced power while driving.

Anyone else ever experience something like this?

- KZ

 

[blackforestham]

Your LR was designed to run on 91 octane fuel. Stop running the cheap stuff. You're only saving 4 bucks per fill up. Buy one less Starbucks during the week and you can have the proper fuel in the tank. Carbon build-up, fouled MAF's and throttle bodies will suffer - not to mention your engine has to work harder to pull the 6k lb lump of alloy around town.
I suspect you're not letting the vehicle warm up very long. Start it. Hop in. Turn the seat warmers on. Turn both temp dials to the red. Hit the Program button, defrost and glass heaters at the same time. Then immediately drive off. This will force the entire system into overdrive. The fans will be forced to process tons of cold air before things heat up. In the long run, you'll wear additional components of the cooling and heating systems more quickly.
If you're letting the engine warm up to operating temperature and doing none of the above, then please disregard the above paragraph. Hearing the occasional "loud fan" is not a big deal. I hear it when I'm in 4lo and working it hard for hours at a time.
Stay warm. Colorado rules!

 

[ryan-in-oregon]

If the fan was loud the entire time you were driving it I would suspect the fan clutch has locked up and should be replaced. It is super rare that I hear the fan in high speed except during sustained heavy engine usage (just like blackforestham) It isn't uncommon for the fan to do that for a short duration on a cold start either. I usually start the rig and wait until I hear the fan slow down before I rev the engine too much. If you run it at high RPM with the fan locked on after awhile the fan can become fatigued and disintegrate. When the pieces fly there is nothing to stop them from heating your hood/radiator or any other bits under the hood...All that said I have had mine lock up once when I was using my faultmate to do some programming and a simple restart released the fan back to normal operation. I would recommend keeping a close eye on it. And yes that monster of fan at high speed will rob tons of power..

 

[jimbiram]

The computer also has been programmed to use the fan to actually force the engine to heat up more quickly by putting more load on it. That comes into play quite often, such as in some of the Terrain Response settings. I would get the clutch checked out, but it may be just working hard to help the engine warm up. But I also agree about fuel. Dont' go cheap. You will regret it in the long run with more repairs, and very compromised performance. The engine is not a truck engine like a Ford or Dodge, it is a Jaguar engine, high compression, and the computer is having to ****** the ignition to try and compensate for the cheap fuel.

 

[lfr]

Check fan clutch

 

[di_LR3_co]

thanks for the input on the fan - i dug a bit on the disco uk forum and found some stuff there about the fan clutch as well. now that we're back into the 50s, it has gone back to "normal". it going in later on in the week for a busted seat belt and will have the dealer check it out.

w.r.t the gas - i quit running premium about a year ago - for a very specific reason - something about premium gas and high-alitude passes (12K feet) don't go well together. every time, regardless of where i bought gas, when i run premium and go over a high mountain pass, it kicks off the "check engine" light. LR USA swears that's not possible and wants to put a "black box" in to see what's going on.

maybe some day - i'll be up for debugging their system for them - but right now it's ski season.

 

[RvDUB]

w.r.t the gas - i quit running premium about a year ago - for a very specific reason - something about premium gas and high-alitude passes (12K feet) don't go well together. every time, regardless of where i bought gas, when i run premium and go over a high mountain pass, it kicks off the "check engine" light. LR USA swears that's not possible and wants to put a "black box" in to see what's going on.

maybe some day - i'll be up for debugging their system for them - but right now it's ski season.

That sounds screwy to me! I'm here on the front range with you and always run 91 octane with no issues or check engine lights. I have been over more passes around summit county and down in Ouray then I can count and always ran 91 octane. Now I wonder if your fuel fuller cap is loose or not sealing right? What year is your LR3 ?

 

[di_LR3_co]

its a 2006 - gas cap is definitely not the issue - i can get it to come on like clock work running 91 octane, in grass,gravel,snow mode going up loveland pass from a-basin .. been in the dealer twice b/c of it - agree its screwy.

 

[BldrRover]

You're truck definately has something up with the fuel system. You have always had lower gas mileage than my truck on the exact same trips... I think Flatirons should just give you an LR4 for all the trouble

 

[joecool509]

Could it have something to do with ethelnol in the gas? 91 octane is not the same from place to place. Based on an averaging. May want to try a different company??