Electric Fan

[Ranger_Edge]

i've been thinking about removing the crank driven fan and replace it w/ a electric fan. Now the thing is, i dont know how big of a fan i need and how much cfm it should be pushing(or pulling). Any info on this would be great guys thanks!

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

i use a 17" puller.........used it on the 2.8 and now the 302,works great.itll take a little time to get the t-stat set to come on at the right temp..............o yah.......cough up the bucks and get the whole set up...................fan with adj. t-stat.

hope this helps

 

[MAKG]

You can't get a big enough electric fan to replace the crank driven fan.

Especially if you drive it into the Rockies.

You might add an electric fan in addition, but it really shouldn't be necessary if everything is working.

 

[jv982]

You can't get a big enough electric fan to replace the crank driven fan.

How many CFM does a crank driven fan pull?

 

[michowski]

well it would help to first know what you want to put this in. Summit sells flexalite fan kits with adjustable temp. I run one and its awesome. Might not pull as much air as the stocker but for the drag it takes off your motor it really doesnt matter lol. The easier the motor can spin the cooler it runs.

 

[MAKG]

How many CFM does a crank driven fan pull?

It's proportional to RPM. That's why constant speed electric fans can't replace it. Either they are far overpowered under most conditions or they don't deliver when you really need it. Usually the latter...

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

Might not pull as much air as the stocker but for the drag it takes off your motor it really doesnt matter lol. The easier the motor can spin the cooler it runs.

where does the power to drive your electric fan come from?

answer: the alternator. which is driven by....yes, the engine.

additionally, the stock fan has a thermostatic clutch on it that only draws power from the engine when the motor needs to be cooled (just like your e-fan).

running an e-fan in place of a mechanical fan will only sacrifice cooling system performance, not add to it.

 

[michowski]

where does the power to drive your electric fan come from?

answer: the alternator. which is driven by....yes, the engine.

additionally, the stock fan has a thermostatic clutch on it that only draws power from the engine when the motor needs to be cooled (just like your e-fan).

running an e-fan in place of a mechanical fan will only sacrifice cooling system performance, not add to it.

Yes but the alternator is already running off the motor if you have the fan or not. My point is your just eliminating some rotating mass from the motor hence making more power. I have never even come close to overheating with my electric fan. I offroad from time to time and even sitting mostly still with the motor just revving it doesnt get hot. My fan has not hurt my cooling system at all so thats the only reason im posting this. I keep hearing its gonna hurt your cooling but I have yet to see were you get this from. I do a lot of heavy hauling and slow speeds from time to time and still the motor doesnt get any hotter then when im at no load just city/highway driving.

I know were your comming from and understand what your saying but I dont agree with your statement of an electric fan will hurt your cooling system because it hasnt hurt mine.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

i gotta agree with michowski..............what do you see on s.c.o.r.e trucks.......hotrods ...every front wheel drive car made...........electric fans.

ive ran them on everything from an explorer 4.0 to a 2.8 to what i have now.
never had an over heating problem............the explorer ran cooler in the summer heat at idle with the air on than with the stock set-up.
i will say that the install means all the differance in the world!do it right or leave it alone!
slapping one to the rad. and putting in a toggle switch is not going to work!

 

[Bob Ayers]

Yes but the alternator is already running off the motor if you have the fan or not. My point is your just eliminating some rotating mass from the motor hence making more power. I have never even come close to overheating with my electric fan. I offroad from time to time and even sitting mostly still with the motor just revving it doesnt get hot. My fan has not hurt my cooling system at all so thats the only reason im posting this. I keep hearing its gonna hurt your cooling but I have yet to see were you get this from. I do a lot of heavy hauling and slow speeds from time to time and still the motor doesnt get any hotter then when im at no load just city/highway driving.

I know were your comming from and understand what your saying but I dont agree with your statement of an electric fan will hurt your cooling system because it hasnt hurt mine.

Do you have any idea how an alternator works? If you draw a current out of the alternator, the alternator is going to put additional load on your engine, MORE than just a rotating mass!!

There is no way ANY electric fan has the cooling capacity of the mechanical / fan clutch assembly, period! When is the last time you saw a diesel (or any other truck for heavy hauling) with just an electric fan??

Not only will there not be any performance advantage to e-fans, with all the components, the reliability is much worse than the mechanical fan!

 

[CopyKat]

I use a Taurus 3.8L fan with a Hayden adjustable controller.

More than enough cooling.

 

[MAKG]

Though this gets said every time this subject gets mentioned (always by a new bunch of people who don't understand that it actually takes energy to generate electricity), the reason front wheel drives have electric fans is because it's rather hard to make a mechanical fan when the crankshaft is pointing to the passenger side wheel. The radiators are MUCH larger per CID to compensate.

 

[MAKG]

I use a Taurus 3.8L fan with a Hayden adjustable controller.

More than enough cooling.

Are you sure about that? Tried any 12000 foot summer desert climbs with it?

If it doesn't work in ALL conditions, it's a time bomb.

 

[beyonder]

Do you have any idea how an alternator works? If you draw a current out of the alternator, the alternator is going to put additional load on your engine, MORE than just a rotating mass!!

I dissagree with you here. Your altinator is still rotating at the same speed whether you have a mech fan or electric. The increased load doesn't place a segnificant load on the engine to consume more fuel. Don't get me wrong I'm not defending the electric fan, just pointing out that for arguements sake an altinator rotating at 2500 RPM is going to put the same load on the engine whether or not its running an electric fan.

Though this gets said every time this subject gets mentioned (always by a new bunch of people who don't understand that it actually takes energy to generate electricity)

I don't think its a missunderstanding, your altinator is still producing the same amount of power ( at the same RPM ) regardless of whether or not your running an additional load. Again I'm not defending the electric fan, just pointing out that the claim of the increased power requirement placing a greater load on the engine is false. If you go by the manufacturers claims of freeing up 10 - 15hp ( I could be wrong on the actual claim, whether its true or false I have no idea) if it even freed up 10% of that claim, and you ran a stock alt, at most the load increase on your engine would be what...720 watts ( 60amp X 12V )? A HP is 746 watts if memory serves. IF my maths right you would be saving something. Not that you'd ever notice a difference, it looks good on paper...lol.

i've been thinking about removing the crank driven fan and replace it w/ a electric fan. Now the thing is, i dont know how big of a fan i need and how much cfm it should be pushing(or pulling). Any info on this would be great guys thanks!

What do you want an electric fan for? How big an engine do you have? What other alternatives have you considered ( e.g. have you considered running arad from a 4L if you have a 4 banger, never done this but always wondered how well it would work. Have you considered a coolant additive? They will keep your engine running cooler, keeping your mech fan running less often saving in fuel,etc.)?

 

[CopyKat]

Are you sure about that? Tried any 12000 foot summer desert climbs with it?

For one I don't live in the Desert. Temp guage read 180-190 all summer, idleing in +100°F weather. The fan was set for lowspeed only.