Electric fan: pics, info, and comments

[pdxhall]

Hey guys, I just ordered a new radiator and I'm ready to set up an electric fan/fans for cooling. Looking for what has been successful for others. The radiator is a Champion aluminum 3 row.

[brokenspoke]

I'm not a fan of electrical fans...A traditional fan works great.....I like the KISS principle...just my 2 cents worth

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by brokenspoke

I'm not a fan of electrical fans...A traditional fan works great.....I like the KISS principle...just my 2 cents worth

You're entitled to your opinion but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to hear from members that DO use electric fans.

[tincan1966]

I am running an OEM V8 radiator with a shroud I made, a 16" Spal fan (2750CFM). I used a cooling fan switch(sensor) for an 1985 Camaro (turns fan on at 202 and off at 190).
I also added a "manual override" switch so I can turn the fan on sooner if I want to.
Trucks runs a consistent 194-197 (right on the thermostat temp) all the time with no issues at all.

The engine is a stock 305 TBI.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

You're entitled to your opinion but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to hear from members that DO use electric fans.

Dayum!

[earl84]

I wanted to use the Mark VIII fan, but ended up not having room. I put in a 454 with a serpentine belt conversion from a small block. Didn't have enough put together to get accurate measurements to see if it would all fit. Ordered the relay setup from here, http://www.hollisterroad.com/proddet...?prod=MarkVIII, very nice. Lots of info on that site as well. Ordered a new fan from Rock Auto, about $75, just a little more than a junkyard. Sort of sucked that it wouldn't fit, ended up going with mechanical.
One thing I found that made it easy for a shroud was ordering a universal aluminum shroud kit from Summit, they have MANY different sizes, just get measurements from your radiator.

[Mathew21]

You can buy a rather cheap but very efficient electric fan from a Ford Taurus with a 3.8 from a junk yard. Do a google search on Ford Taurus fans to see what year range. I think it's 1990-1995.

There are ton's of write ups on people using them in Hot rods and off road vehicles. I had one in my Offroad Jeep it worked great. I paid $35.00 for it from a local u pull junk yard.

Here's one write up: http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoTaurusFanInstall1.htm

[LVPhotos]

I ran a Fle-a-lite 180 Black Magic in my Durango at 3300 cfm. The dimensions fit my stock 62 radiator. It Vegas hot and keept everything cool. Now without all the electronics it sure to cool more efficintly.

[64shortbox]

I went the cheap route when it came time to put an electric fan on my 64 C10. I picked up a Lincoln Mark VIII fan and shroud from the local wrecking yard. I tested the fan with my De Walt 18V cordless drill battery to make sure it worked. I used a Volvo fan relay to trip the fan. Volvos' use a ground to complete the circuit to fire the relay so I had to use a Bosh style relay to complete the ground when the ignition was "ON". I didn't want the fan to continue to run with the ignition off. I also used a temperature switch from Summit which was the only new item I bought. The Bosch style relay, Volvo relay and the Mark VIII all came from the junkyard. So I went from the ignition ON to the Bosch relay to the temperature switch then to the Volvo relay for the ground. I ran an 8 gauge line straight from the battery to a 60 amp circuit breaker the hot side of the Volvo relay then ran an 8 gauge wire from tripped side of the Volvo relay to the Mark VIII fan and grounded the fan to the chassis. The Mark VIII fan almost looks factory once installed doesn't it? Clear as mud?

[bj383ss]

64shortbox. That looks awesome. I am torn between this or a Taurus fan and shroud. They can be bought new for a good price.

Bret

[brokenspoke]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

You're entitled to your opinion but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to hear from members that DO use electric fans.

You asked for comments...good luck

[64shortbox]

Bret,
I went with the Mark VIII fan only because I felt it was a better fit to our truck radiators. I went to the junkyard @ 1/2 off day (I'm a cheep SOB) and I picked up one of each a Mark VIII fan and a Taurus fan. I have an old C10 radiator out back I can lay on the ground and take pictures with both a Taurus fan laid on it and a Mark VIII on it.
You would still need to make some kind of mounting brackets for either fan set up. I work at a food processing plant and have access to stainless steel sheet metal and a rather crummy home made brake so I built my fan mount from scrap stainless but the same could be accomplished with some 1/16" X 2" angle iron, some 3/8" schedule 40 PVC pipe for the standoffs and some 1/4"-20 bolts. I would use carriage bolts so you have a rounded head against the radiator fins.
Hope this helps.