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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: North-central Virginia
Posts: 1,099
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electric fan or mechanical?
I was planning to install a mechanical fan, but I'm second guessing myself. The harness/fusebox I'm using is already set up for dual electric, so it wouldn't be that involved. I don't have AC.
Would you go with electric or mechanical? Why? |
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#2 |
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
Not every LS pullout motor was originally installed in a vehicle that had mechanical fans, so most of us will just run electric for the sake of ease and control.
There are a couple members who run mechanical, tho usually just because it came on the motor that way. We have 1 or 2 i know who intentionally went mechanical due to heavy duty use.
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'66 Short Step / SD Tuned / Big Cam LQ4 / Backhalfed /Built 4l80e / #REBUILDEVERYTHING ![]() |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2017
Location: salem ky
Posts: 13
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
depends on the room you have i was going to use the clutch fan on my 65 but with stock rad and battery location theres not enough room
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Niceville Florida
Posts: 347
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I started out mechanical but could not find a fan housing that fit my new radiator so i went with a taurus electrical fan.
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 215
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I find mechanical fans to take up lots of room- They are always a pain when changing the water pump and never want to come off easily. They rob power from the motor and do not cool as well as an electric fan while sitting in traffic.
Than being said - mechanical fans are also simpler and Less likely to stop working. My LS had an electric fan already wired into the ECM so it was a no brainer for me. Plus I dont think I would have the extra room required to install a mechanical fan?? I would venture to say you need an additional 4-6" of room to go mechanical.
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#6 |
Post Whore
![]() ![]() Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,639
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
On my truck the mech fan didnt center up in the fan shroud.....electric fans took care of this issue...
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Woodbury, Ct.
Posts: 1,681
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I have a stock electric fan on my stepside and it makes for a much easier and neater install. Leaves plenty of room for a stock air intake.
I have a mechanical on my longbed and it works great, but there is not enough room for the shroud and air intake. Running it for now with no upper shroud and it still runs at 195* all day long. Big block shroud looks shorter might try that. |
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#8 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: North-central Virginia
Posts: 1,099
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Faith,NC
Posts: 1,626
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
As you know, the mechanical fan only turns as fast as the engine turns, so if you are idling in traffic, it isn't turning very fast where as the electric fans (most) will run at 100% every time they come on. Mine will come on at about 60% and ramp up as needed. I really don't see any advantage to a mechanical fan other than cost and simplicity.
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Independence Mo
Posts: 4,119
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I guess you should run an electric fan because every truck made before sometime around 2006 had cooling problems.....
![]() I always use mechanical fans when possible because I find them to be more reliable. They have cooled every truck I have built just fine. I have never had mechanical fan melt down a weatherpack connector outside of Hoover dam and had to limp it into Vegas, shutting the car off at every stop light on the strip to keep it from over heating, then had to find a Pep Boys in the morning to get butt connectors to wire it back up and get it going again. But that could never happen, right? ![]()
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#11 |
meowMEOWmeowMEOW
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: MKE WI
Posts: 7,128
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
C'mon, you don't keep a roll of electrical tape and a few zip ties in the cab? Im disheartened.
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#12 | |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Independence Mo
Posts: 4,119
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
That's funny. I did it about 8 years ago in a '33 Ford, with an LS1 and the A/C on blast the whole time. Was on my way to Palm Desert and went through 29 Palms! I'm pretty sure it must have been high resistance in that connector that made it melt down, but why it decided to do it at that time I just don't know.
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#14 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
Do you remember the route you took from Vegas to 29
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Independence Mo
Posts: 4,119
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I don't remember the exact roads, but it was the most direct route, straight through the Mojave desert.
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Vegas
Posts: 617
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I happen to live in Vegas where it's brutally hot all the time so here's my experiences. I had a 2002 Avalance 5.3 with a mechanical fan and it never got hot, ever. Towing, pulling baker grade etc. I've also had other late model LS trucks, all had electric fans and they never got hot. The issue with electric fans is, that you can't just run down to the auto parts store and put a hayden on it. You either need to spend some money on a good aftermarket fan or use some kind of factory set up. I use 98 windstar fans on my K10 with a/c, and no cooling issues.
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: North-central Virginia
Posts: 1,099
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
Everyone mentions using Ford minivan or taurus fans. Are there any Chevy fans that have a good chance of fitting? I'm using the 2010 fusebox and a portion of the 2010 wiring. I have perfectly good wires from that fusebox to the factory fan plugs. The fans were trashed in the accident, though.
While I haven't measured(I should), I'm told the 2010 fans are too large to fit the squarebody radiator. If had some idea what to look for at the pick-and-pull, I wouldn't mind getting a chevy fan that plugs right in. |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Niceville Florida
Posts: 347
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I went on to Rockauto site and put in different year fans and used the site to measure the radiator until I found one that fit my aluminum radiator. It just so happened that it was a Taurus.
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#19 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere In So. IL.
Posts: 410
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
I'm a long way from being ready for the cooling system aspect of my truck, though I have been thinking about this very issue. My 5.3 has the mechanical fan on it. On one hand I'd like to run the mechanical for the simplicity but I know the electric fans should give a little better fuel mileage.
I plan on driving my truck long distances (hopefully LoL) when I get it running so replacement parts on the road are a concern. Like mentioned, I've been looking at some type of OEM electric fan(s). I have a 66 which uses a smaller radiator than the squarebody you mentioned. I "think" I can adapt a pair of the 3rd Gen (82-92) Camaro electric fans to my smaller radiator. From what I can tell by looking at dimensions of my 66 C10 radiator and both the 3rd Gen & 4th Gen (93-02) Camaros radiators, they are similar in size in looking at the actual core dimensions (rather than looking at the overall size of the tanks, etc). Most aftermarket electric fan setups for my truck (with associated $800 - $1000 + price tags …) call for either dual 11" fans or a single 16". I believe the Camaro fans might be dual 12" fans so I may not be able to adapt them. With you having the larger squarebody radiator, you might try looking at some of these fans. Regardless, I want something I can go to almost any parts store or salvage yard and get replacement parts to fix my truck when I'm a few hundred miles from home if need be.
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#20 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Independence Mo
Posts: 4,119
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Re: electric fan or mechanical?
Quote:
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