Electric Fan / Water Pump Failure

[JerrySab]

Hi friends!

to anybody out there who went efan route, have you experienced failure or lackluster performance from your water pump?

 

[fastpakr]

From a stock belt driven water pump?

 

[JerrySab]

Yes, stock on ‘88 XLT in my case.

 

[fastpakr]

It's isolated from the fan so any issue shouldn't be related.

What's going on?

 

[JerrySab]

I would notice intermittent spikes on temp gauge, or occasionally rapidly climbing temp after coming off freeway. Fan was running, but maybe not enough CFM? Coolant lines were bled so I don’t believe there were any bubbles.

 

[Shran]

Are you sure that the water pump impeller is intact? Not corroded away to nothing? I have read about the impeller getting loose on the shaft as well (I think that was the case anyway.) Thermostat working correctly?

Kinda sounds like an airflow issue or lack thereof with your comment about coming off the freeway. I have always been nervous about electric fans and lack of CFM that goes along with some of them. My V8 swapped truck has two electric fans and it still gets excessively hot at times and I feel like a mechanical fan might have worked better.

 

[JerrySab]

I did go back to the mechanical fan, which was sad because I really loved the benefits of the efan. PO installed new water pump and thermostat. I haven't pulled them to inspect but they function within spec with mechanical fan back in.

That said, now thinking about it, I do suspect failing alternator, and so there's the likelihood that the stock alternator just doesnt have the oomph to sustain high voltage at low/erratic RPM. Next project is to upgrade to near-200 amp, but for now it's limping along. Did you need to upgrade yours to service needs of v8?

 

[fastpakr]

Did returning to the mechanical fan resolve the cooling issues?

 

[JerrySab]

Did returning to the mechanical fan resolve the cooling issues?

Yes it's frigid now and takes forever to come to operating temp.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

So. There exists a possibility that's unique to the 2.9.

I have a primary puller and two auxiliary pusher fans on mine. If I am running all three, the fans overcool the thermostat housing and prevent it from opening. Took a while to find the problem, but it exists.

A simple piece of tin over the thermostat housing fixes it.

 

[Roert42]

Directing air to flow through the rad is important. Those little plastic trim piece on top and bottom of the rad actually help a lot.

I think @85_Ranger4x4 had some tests on this point, but I don't know if he has an e-fan or not.

 

[JerrySab]

So. There exists a possibility that's unique to the 2.9.

I have a primary puller and two auxiliary pusher fans on mine. If I am running all three, the fans overcook the thermostat housing and prevent it from opening. Took a while to find the problem, but it exists.

A simple piece of tin over the thermostat housing fixes it.

That's extremely interesting, just add some shielding to Tstat housing.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Directing air to flow through the rad is important. Those little plastic trim piece on top and bottom of the rad actually help a lot.

I think @85_Ranger4x4 had some tests on this point, but I don't know if he has an e-fan or not.

Same as pj... from pj. Pusher twins.

I also have a low profile flex fan but I have a 302.

The trim pieces between the rad and rad support make a huge difference, only a/c trucks had them.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Directing air to flow through the rad is important. Those little plastic trim piece on top and bottom of the rad actually help a lot.

I think @85_Ranger4x4 had some tests on this point, but I don't know if he has an e-fan or not.

He has the same Mercedes e fans I have. They MOVE AIR.

Like. Idgaf what you have for a fan. It sucks in every conceivable way compared to those fans.

It's like strapping a frost breathing SU-71 engine to your radiator.

It's like dropping your radiator at McMurdo Station and leaving it there.

It's basically 40 MegaFonzis worth of cool.

It's like filling your cooling system with Coors Light.

Alright. I'm done.

That's extremely interesting, just add some shielding to Tstat housing.

Yep. Weird, but possible. Happened to mine at least.

 

[JerrySab]

THIS FILLS ME WITH IMMENSE JOY. Maybe like, filling your cooling system with I.C. LIGHT??

sorry I'm a relo'd yinzer I had to.

I'm going to head to picknpull and see if I can find one.
Do you guys have yours wired to a separate tstat? or does it run on ignition? Or by AC switch perhaps?