Electric Fan Install

[Earl43P]

Harris,

Have you ever replaced the thermostat?

It sounds to me as if your engine is not reaching operating temperature, which could very well affect your gas mileage. I'm willing to bet your tail pipe is pretty sooty, meaning it is running rich because the thermostat is stuck open, providing too much cooling REGARDLESS OF WHICH TYPE FAN YOU ARE RUNNING.

This time of year, I wouldn't even RUN the e-fan, unless I were sitting at stoplights in traffic and SAW the temp needle getting up near the A or L (of NORMAL). You'll absolutely get better MPG with the Temp at LEAST to the R or M.

I can look at the Scangauge, but IIRC, when mine just hits the letter M = 193* which is right where it is designed to operate. I'll try to remember to notice the Scanguage temp when it hits the O, but I'm betting it's in the 160's, because mine shows it's in the 130's as it comes off the low side peg toward the N.

I think you need a thermostat more than you needed that $8 e-fan.

Good work on the install though. You should see improved MPG once you install the temp switch set-up.

 

[Harris]

Earl,

Like I said, I just got that fan as a little "for fun" project to do on a beautiful spring day (I never actually "needed" it). I still have the original fan in my toolbox and it will take, what, 15 minutes to pull the e/fan off and put the old one back on? Also, my mother had the thermostat replaced when I was in basic training a few years back so I don't know exactly which rating they used, but it has always run cool. (I bought the truck back in 1996.) The thermostat opens up after idling about 7-8 minutes, though, so it isn't stuck open.

When I get the chance I promise I'll put the temperature switch on but I have been impressed with the 1.5 mpg gain over the past three weeks.(That is the average with one tank used in town and one on highway.) As far as soot there is some but it doesn't seem like an excessive amount. I do need to replace my catalytic converter, though, so there is a chance that it has suffered from an increased bombardment of carbon, but it is the original (235k miles).

Thanks for the input.

Harris

 

[bobbywalter]

not funny.