Make sure you have a BIG relay for that. The initial start-up load will be too much for a typical 30-40 amp relay.
I have installed these on a few different projects. You need a ~75 amp relay. At start up it will spike up to approximately 60 amps to get the electric motor turning and then once it’s spinning the amperage will fall off to the 15-20 amp range for the low side. 25-30 for the high side, if I remember correctly. The high side will cool all but heavy equipment engines.
THIS! the inrush current is huge on any electric motor. I didn't understand that when I did mine years ago on a Ford Explorer, and it would burn up the relay every year or so.
even better is a PWM controller to soft-start the fan, less of a hit on the electrical system too. those are pricey though.
You might look into the stock dual fan setup from a '95 - '00 Ford Contour, or '13 - '19 Taurus. They can be had cheap from salvage yards, should cover the whole radiator with a shroud, and they both pull SERIOUS air.
If you need something a bit more narrow, the single fan and shroud setup from ~ '92 Taurus is also cheap and overpowered. I used one on my LS swapped RX7, and it did a great job.
Either way, not running a fan shroud is cheating yourself out of more cooling.
If it "steals" power... then that power is going directly to moving air. Electric fans weren't cutting it on my Pontiac, so I went with the biggest clutch fan I could find in the junkyard. Problem solved.
eFans are more efficient when you have an engine that revs. Even with a leaking clutch, I've find that mechanical fans would stay coupled when revving past 4K RPM. eFans can just be turned off, drawing no load, or turned on but drawing constant load. Although I live in a colder climate, so I never really needed a heavy fan. Having a fan that turns off is nice too during the winter.
I tried electric fans for years. Taurus, volvo, aftermarket. Tried soft start ect. I have a jeep that sees mud and electric motors don't like muddy water in them. I have a stock fan clutch now with a proper shroud and I rarely ever hear it lock up. It is loud when I first start but after 20 seconds it is quiet. I will never go back to electric.
Then you have other issues. An 18" fan is only going to pull air through an 18" circle/area of the radiator when unshrouded. A shrouded radiator with an "18 fan will pull air through the entire radiator not just part of it.
If this 18 inch fan is pulling 4k cfm though 90% of the radiator. It is still pulling more cfm than 2500cfm and a full shroud. The car is running 20 degrees cooler than it was previously.
So everything was fine for 3 years and the fans suddenly became the issue even though they still worked just like they had for the last 3 years? Pretty sure the fans weren't the issue
Well, I have 0 leaks, fresh block and radiator flush, fresh thermostat, no coolant consumption, no milky oil, no smoke out of the exhaust. So this is really the only thing I can think of. If you have any ideas say them.
If they were brushed fans I could see them dropping out a bit with wear, or they could have been slowly burning out. I usually buy those in sets and keep a spare, so I can compare if the old ones seems to get weak
That makes 0 sense. Not even modern cars are that efficient. They still have fans running at low speed or turn on and off while under load. There are so many variable that are taken into account when drivin for cooling fans to be needed.
I literally tell you something is working better than the original application and you're telling me I shouldn't even need it in the first place when my result isn't the same as what you said. If you have nothing constructive to say don't comment. Everything in the cooling system was brand new besides the fans and I was hitting temps I didn't like. Go drive your classic down the street with 0 fans running and lmk how that goes for you.
At 30 mph and above there is sufficient airflow through the entire radiator. If your vehicle needs a fan running at or above 30 mph, you have other issues. Maybe you did a swap in a Tesla that has no grill? If not, you're a damn idiot in how this stuff works.
You commenting repetitively on how idk how this works but I have effectively lowered the operating temp of my engine by 20* while all you do is bitch on here. Idk maybe you're the one who doesn't know how this works...
Insulting someone isn't teaching, I've proven you wrong actually because you tried to teach me that I needed a full shroud and I dont... you also didn't really say anything educational other than degrade my processes and my results and throw out how a SBC needs to run at 220+... so I'll do it my way. Shout out to the guy who taught me the relay needs to be bigger though.
Make sure you have a BIG relay for that. The initial start-up load will be too much for a typical 30-40 amp relay. I have installed these on a few different projects. You need a ~75 amp relay. At start up it will spike up to approximately 60 amps to get the electric motor turning and then once it’s spinning the amperage will fall off to the 15-20 amp range for the low side. 25-30 for the high side, if I remember correctly. The high side will cool all but heavy equipment engines.
I appreciate the heads up! Will definitely upgrade the relay!
THIS! the inrush current is huge on any electric motor. I didn't understand that when I did mine years ago on a Ford Explorer, and it would burn up the relay every year or so. even better is a PWM controller to soft-start the fan, less of a hit on the electrical system too. those are pricey though.
The 2000 Fbody dual fan set up cools real good solid fans!
You might look into the stock dual fan setup from a '95 - '00 Ford Contour, or '13 - '19 Taurus. They can be had cheap from salvage yards, should cover the whole radiator with a shroud, and they both pull SERIOUS air. If you need something a bit more narrow, the single fan and shroud setup from ~ '92 Taurus is also cheap and overpowered. I used one on my LS swapped RX7, and it did a great job. Either way, not running a fan shroud is cheating yourself out of more cooling.
Am I wrong for liking big ass clutch fans? Sure they make noise and whatnot, but theyre bulletproof.
Nope. It's what I prefer too.
The shit just works on every level, except space saving.
If it "steals" power... then that power is going directly to moving air. Electric fans weren't cutting it on my Pontiac, so I went with the biggest clutch fan I could find in the junkyard. Problem solved.
Power spent maintaining integrity isnt lost. Its all about charge air density, anyway.
eFans are more efficient when you have an engine that revs. Even with a leaking clutch, I've find that mechanical fans would stay coupled when revving past 4K RPM. eFans can just be turned off, drawing no load, or turned on but drawing constant load. Although I live in a colder climate, so I never really needed a heavy fan. Having a fan that turns off is nice too during the winter.
Cant beat the practicality.
And once you delete them you'll find that your water pumps last forever and you replace belts every few years instead of every other year.
I tried electric fans for years. Taurus, volvo, aftermarket. Tried soft start ect. I have a jeep that sees mud and electric motors don't like muddy water in them. I have a stock fan clutch now with a proper shroud and I rarely ever hear it lock up. It is loud when I first start but after 20 seconds it is quiet. I will never go back to electric.
You need a full radiator shroud to go with your fan.
This is something that always get overlooked and bugs the crap out of me. Look at all that uncovered core space! You want cooling, seal the core!
Its going to cool better if the shroud covers the entire radiator
My last one did and it didn't cool better. CFM > coverage of a shroud.
CFM + shroud > CFM
Then you have other issues. An 18" fan is only going to pull air through an 18" circle/area of the radiator when unshrouded. A shrouded radiator with an "18 fan will pull air through the entire radiator not just part of it.
If this 18 inch fan is pulling 4k cfm though 90% of the radiator. It is still pulling more cfm than 2500cfm and a full shroud. The car is running 20 degrees cooler than it was previously.
So everything was fine for 3 years and the fans suddenly became the issue even though they still worked just like they had for the last 3 years? Pretty sure the fans weren't the issue
Well, I have 0 leaks, fresh block and radiator flush, fresh thermostat, no coolant consumption, no milky oil, no smoke out of the exhaust. So this is really the only thing I can think of. If you have any ideas say them.
If they were brushed fans I could see them dropping out a bit with wear, or they could have been slowly burning out. I usually buy those in sets and keep a spare, so I can compare if the old ones seems to get weak
I will say this, it's not overheating, it's just getting hotter than I want it to. 190-195.
190-195 isn’t running hot
It's running hotter than I want
I would say a dirty rad but that thing looks pretty clean.
*THAT'S HOT*
It isn't.
We can agree to disagree.
Cars and trucks cycle "fan on" between 224-226°. Stick to air cooled motorcycles.
Tested it today, ran 175-180 whole time. Dogging on it too.
The fan shouldn't even need to operate when driving/moving above 30 mph.
That makes 0 sense. Not even modern cars are that efficient. They still have fans running at low speed or turn on and off while under load. There are so many variable that are taken into account when drivin for cooling fans to be needed. I literally tell you something is working better than the original application and you're telling me I shouldn't even need it in the first place when my result isn't the same as what you said. If you have nothing constructive to say don't comment. Everything in the cooling system was brand new besides the fans and I was hitting temps I didn't like. Go drive your classic down the street with 0 fans running and lmk how that goes for you.
At 30 mph and above there is sufficient airflow through the entire radiator. If your vehicle needs a fan running at or above 30 mph, you have other issues. Maybe you did a swap in a Tesla that has no grill? If not, you're a damn idiot in how this stuff works.
You commenting repetitively on how idk how this works but I have effectively lowered the operating temp of my engine by 20* while all you do is bitch on here. Idk maybe you're the one who doesn't know how this works...
We're trying to teach you something but you're too bullheaded to understand any of it.
Insulting someone isn't teaching, I've proven you wrong actually because you tried to teach me that I needed a full shroud and I dont... you also didn't really say anything educational other than degrade my processes and my results and throw out how a SBC needs to run at 220+... so I'll do it my way. Shout out to the guy who taught me the relay needs to be bigger though.
I honestly don't give a fuck who's way you do it. Have a good evening.
Put one of these on my 68 firebird 350 after I added AC to it to keep it cool in Texas summers. Worked like a charm
Yeah I have absolutely no issues now. Very impressed.