Electric fan conversion.

[Walden Sander]

I recently picked up a 1988 ford ranger 2.9 v6. I live in the desert and would like to switch to an electric fan to gain a little power and cool the engine better. How can I hook up an electric fan on a relatively small budget? I would like to hook it up to where it kicks on a certain temperature. What should that temperature be and how can I go about doing this.

 

[gaz]

Walden:

Permacool among other companies, sell a thermo-control unit with a variable temperature range. You can use this with any brand pusher or puller.

When I rutinely drove through summer in Arizona, New Mexico and Southern California, I used a single 16" puller with cowl. I never had a cooling issue but I was not impressed with the durability of the control switch. It was set at 180° to work with my computer CHiP, otherwise I would have selected 192° to match the stock T-stat.

Later I bypassed the thermostat control because I found that the only time I ever needed the fan on was at extended speeds below 35mph and while at a stop light/stop-n-go traffic, so I just used a manual toggle to activate and secure power to the fans instead.

Just to share the way this was explained to me; this will not make extra power. It will reduce a rotational load on your crankshaft, which does free up power that is being wasted to spin the crankshaft driven fan/clutch assembly.

Though this can and usually does result in better fuel economy, it still isn't making more power.

Additionally; I have done this on every vehicle I have owned that didn't soley use electric fans. When switched I learned that taking that load away from my used water pump bearings caused them to fail SOON. So, when you replace your crank driven fan, replace your water pump too. I like Gates water pumps.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Mine was easy

$28 ebay 16" fan

Ran aluminum strips on radiator and factory shroud, set fan at around original distance (will upload photo later today)

Spliced aftermarket thermostat housing into LOWER radiator hose

Use an American Volt thermostat off Amazon. Using any other plastic sealed unit (what eBay, NAPA, advance, zone, etc carries) will result in a thermostat failure within a year.

If possible wire in an override switch so that you can force fan off so you can turn off or force on if need be. Plenty of wiring diagrams online for this.

I've had some trouble out of mine, but it was due to poor quality relays and thermostats.

Buy quality components the first time and you'll be less prone to issues.

Many of us will carry our factory fan and the tools to do a roadside chance back to it for a while after install. E fans take a little time to work the bugs out of, so doesn't hurt to have necessary stuff to change back if you should need to.

Conventional wisdom on the subject will also tell you that you want to do retain the factory shroud to ensure enough airflow, and puller fans generally move more air vs pusher fans.

Other option that has been suggested suggested for a ranger efan setup (I have a modified version of this) is a 16" puller on a thermostat, and 9" pusher on a manual switch only. The 9" is your backup in case your MAIN 16" fails. This is about as reliable a setup as you get, as the 9" pusher is just enough to let you get home if you're careful. Just be sure to run it every now and then and keep it clean so it works when you need it. You'll gain a little cooling from it when it windmills as you drive as well.


There is one overall rule with a 2.9 that you must NEVER break...




DO NOT LET IT OVERHEAT. EVER.





Seriously. You very well may break a head if it does if you're on factory heads. It's their Achilles.

Consider switching to a high flow 180 degree thermostat and Zerex G05 coolant while you're in there. Mr. Gasket #4364 fits, but I'd suggest ordering two, they don't have a great track record on quality: one in 4 is crappy off the shelf.

Oh, and I didn't have a water pump die when I went electric, but then again, the only thing on my accessory drive is an alternator, so drag is low to begin with for me.

 

[franklin2]

I am running a 16 inch electric fan from the local autoparts store. I paid $75.00 for it years ago, I see they want about $81 for it now. You can probably get it cheaper online somewhere. If you look on the box they say this 16 inch fan is good for a big block engine, don't believe it. But it does cool the little v6 well, and the load on the alternator and battery is not too bad.

I used their mechanical switch also. See the picture below. I actually had this setup on my ranger and ran it for about 6 years on it, and have been running the same setup on my bronco II for 3 years now, I just swapped the whole thing over. With the thermostat, the instructions tell you to pull the upper radiator hose off, stick the probe in the radiator, and then slip the radiator hose back on and clamp it around the probe wire. This doesn't work very well at all, it constantly leaks.

What I did is shown the picture below. I tapped into one of the heater core hoses, got some fittings from lowe's, and made up the probe in the heater hose. Works great and doesn't leak.

Electric fan probe by D Franklin, on Flickr

 

[franklin2]

Warning! If you have A/C and are using it, you will have to add a relay and some wiring from the compressor. You can use the thermostat above for normal cooling, but any time the A/C compressor is running, the fan needs to run regardless of the temp of the engine. You can wire a relay into the compressor clutch trigger wire, and then wire the relay to jump power around the thermostat switch so the fan will run when the compressor is running.

Is all this worth it? I think so. You would not believe the amount of room you have around the front of the engine without the fan and the fan shroud in the way. If nothing else, it has to be easier on the waterpump bearings. And check your factory fan. They are plastic and it may be cracked already, another reason to get rid of it.

 

[Elutheros]

I've used the Volvo electric fan from the 850s, 760/940 in several Rangers/BII an dit works great. You can get it with the two speed relay from a JY for less than $40 and trim the housing to fit perfectly on the radiator. You can also pick up a BMW temp sensor to control low and high speed operation.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Speaking of which, the dual unit out of a Mercedes C230 Kompressor is a direct bolt in to a first gen core support.

mb claims 3000 cfm each fan. And I believe it.

 

[bobbywalter]

yeah....pretty much a trip to the junkyard gets me everything i need for 20 bux. generally 2 40 amp relays paired up with a mustang 3/8 npt switch with a ground on the ac gets it done.


i use intech v8 fans and relay systems for my application....but i have a non standard radiator.


pj....what year c320? the older bra style? from the 90's or something later?

 

[Walden Sander]

Thank you guys so much for the help, looks like it’s time for a junkyard trip.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

C230? Not sure, think they're all the same. I pulled mine out of a 2001 or 2002. I think @85_Ranger4x4 s came from a 1999.

Video of them installed and running

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

They have a metal frame, very heavy made. Just going by looks I am impressed. I thought I had a pic of the backside showing the structure, I guess not.

 

[bobbywalter]

the ones i was referring to look like giant boobs.... i seen it laying in the bed of a truck and was laughing me ass off...seemed like a 90's car he was working on...

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

*le sigh... *

 

[Ranger101]

frankli

I am running a 16 inch electric fan from the local autoparts store. I paid $75.00 for it years ago, I see they want about $81 for it now. You can probably get it cheaper online somewhere. If you look on the box they say this 16 inch fan is good for a big block engine, don't believe it. But it does cool the little v6 well, and the load on the alternator and battery is not too bad.

I used their mechanical switch also. See the picture below. I actually had this setup on my ranger and ran it for about 6 years on it, and have been running the same setup on my bronco II for 3 years now, I just swapped the whole thing over. With the thermostat, the instructions tell you to pull the upper radiator hose off, stick the probe in the radiator, and then slip the radiator hose back on and clamp it around the probe wire. This doesn't work very well at all, it constantly leaks.

What I did is shown the picture below. I tapped into one of the heater core hoses, got some fittings from lowe's, and made up the probe in the heater hose. Works great and doesn't leak.

Electric fan probe by D Franklin, on Flickr

franklin2,

Please explain how the probe is secured into the T and there are no leaks. The visual of the probe in a he kit you displayed could not ‘fill up’ the T. Not doubting you, I just want to know exactly what to do if I go this route. It makes sense. I want to avoid leaking if at all possible.

Is there a particular location/placement on the heater hose where the T is placed?

Ranger101

 

[franklin2]

The T fitting can be placed anywhere convenient. I ran the heater hose on my 2.8 over the alternator and into the T, and then from there to the firewall fitting.

The T fitting was 1/2" pipe. I bought some 1/2 threaded barbs that are for the black poly that you run underground to your well. Just buy whatever size heater hose you are using.

The probe is 1/4 OD. So I bought a brass compression fitting at lowe's, 1/4 tubing X 1/4 pipe thread. I then bought a 1/4 x 1/2 hex bushing to adapt the brass compression fitting to the 1/2" T. The compression fitting tightens around the probe, making a leak free way to mount the probe. The probe is long enough that it sticks up in the T in the middle of the water flow to the heater core.