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Electric cooling fan recommendation

877 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Beechkid 
#1 ·
I want to take out my OEM belt-driven cooling fan (‘66 coupe 2 v 289 with AC) and install an electric fan. I’m looking at the flex-a-lite wave lowboy 16 inch puller (3000 CFM). I’m sure there are other threads on this topic but am tired of searching. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks!
 
#2 ·
I want to take out my OEM belt-driven cooling fan (‘66 coupe 2 v 289 with AC) and install an electric fan. I’m looking at the flex-a-lite wave lowboy 16 inch puller (3000 CFM). I’m sure there are other threads on this topic but am tired of searching. Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thanks!

YES! As I've written many times, introducing an electric fan in place of stock or other mechanical fans is a mistake. Why? Because electric fans must turn on and off, meaning they have an off range during which coolant temp rises, then must be brought back down lower than it was when turn-on occurred. This "thermal-stresses" all parts unnecessarily, with only the gain of running a fan on power from the alternator, further stressing IT electrically. There is absolutely NO gain in power from the engine.

The very best systems for cooling (look at any big semi diesel engine) use a mechanical fan blade driven by a thermal clutch. Such systems can hold coolant temp to +/- a few degrees, since they are constantly varying fan speed closely. Watch a temp. gauge on an electric fan equipped system cycle during driving from low to high back and forth, many degrees, every fan cycle. My factory-equipped 2004 Explorer with fan and clutch has 160,000 miles on all the original parts, temp. gauge reaches operating point, never moves even perceptively regardless of weather, hot, cold. Gets 120 degrees here in summer (Mohave Desert). Has never required any coolant be added.

Take my word for it or don't. I'd replace a solid metal blade with a clutch fan.
 
#3 ·
I have a fan clutch (factory equipped, non-thermal) which is very noisy, especially at high speed/rpm. I put a thermal clutch on which I bought at Oreilly auto parts and it was less noisy but the engine ran hot while at idle. I believe there are 3 different thermal clutch fans available through summit racing, the variance being the percent of time the fan turns. I’m not sure which is the best thermal fan clutch. Do you happen to know which one to use? I’d rather use the fan clutch but it’s way too loud.
 
#4 ·
Mechanical fan will always out perform the e-fans on these engines unless you are talking about racing applications... and even then, they perform very well. But if you insist of going e-fan, here's my advise....


Supposedly the curve blades are quieter but, in theaftermarket world 99% of the e-fans are junk in terms of design & qualityIMHO. The OEM units flow anywhere from 50% to 200% more CFM than the "HiPerf" aftermarket units, last for years in real world daily, all weatheruse and are quiet- and are less expensive in most cases!

I bought (a few summers prior) a replacement assembly for my wife's 1997 Cougar Sport(V8) (the bearings in the e-motor were starting to whine).....the entireassembly including the shroud was $120 with tax (I bought the entire assemblybecause the motor itself was $80).

You will also hear/read about people having issues/concerns with their enginesrunning warm/hot, once it is really verified and there are no mechanicalissues, 99% it can be traced right to these HP Aftermarket fans.....those usingoem units- I have never in 20 years heard of an issue related to them in anyway in regards to cooling.


There are many on the market tochoose from…..the V6 Ford Taurus fan(90-95 3.8L), If space is tight, the 95-00 V6 Ford Contour, 99-02 V6 MercuryMystique, 99-02 V6 are flatter in design IIRR but if you don’t mind making yourown shroud…..


http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/v...ctric-fan-install-taurus-aluminum-shroud.html
 
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