Electric fan conversion

[Orpedcrow]

Thread 'How to MarkVIII your OBS on a budget..!'
https://www.gmt400.com/threads/how-to-markviii-your-obs-on-a-budget.10736/

Here’s that thread if you haven’t seen it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

And yet Ford installed an electric fan on any Crown Vic ordered with Law Enforcement option, instead of clutch fan.
Hmm..

It may have worked in that car, but it would not keep a fairly stock 350 TBI that was constantly working hard cool. 3 WOT dyno pulls in 105F and it had coolant spitting out of the radiator into the overflow reservoir and on to the floor.

 

[Moparmat2000]

I have a universsl fit flexalite black magic thermostat controlled fan on my 1994 silverado. If I remember correctly it was 2,800 CFM. Truck is a 350 5 speed. I have pulled tow dolly's with cars on them, and short flat beds loaded down, and no overheating issues. I installed it in 1996. Took the clutch fan out and pitched it. Never looked back. That clutch fan seriously dragged the engine down when it was not freewheeling. My original flexalite finally crapped out last year. Bearings locked up. I bought another of the same exact fan. Bolted it right up and plugged the wires back in that were already on my truck. Set the thermostat control, and was done.

 

[alpinecrick]

For vehicles with electric OEM fans that were designed and developed by the auto manufactureer, they're great. As noted aftermarket systems or adapting a OEM fan to a different vehicle leave a lot to be desired in reliability and cooling capacity. OEM fan systems are engineered for the particular vehicle and it's use.

My 1st gen Vortecs have never had a cooling problem even on hot days at altitude--where the thinner air does not carry heat away nearly as effeciently. I installed a factory style HD radiator in my 96 K1500 when the original began leaking. I can't hardly budge the temp gauge off of 190-195 on a hot day with the a/c on when blasting up the pass with a load of camp/hunt/mtn bike gear in third gear at 3k + rpms.....

My 91 Light Duty K2500 with a 5.7, NV3500, 3.73 gears came with the smaller radiator of that era. Pulling a trailer on a hot day with the a/c on even a moderate hill would make the temp gauge climb and it wouldn't stop climbing until I shut off the a/c. The radiator was undersized for the application. I beleive it was 93 or 94 when GM went to the larger radiator for the GMT400's. The dingbats should have done that to begin with.....

My observation is the hot rod aftermarker (expensive) aluminum radiators are not as effective as the OEM style normal or HD radiators.

And I've given up on HD fan clutches. As noted they're engaged when they don't need to be, and most roar like a 747 on takeoff, and most likely are sucking more power and gasoline than they are actually cooling the motor/trans. After several HD fan clutches I installed a AC Delco "normal" fan clutch on my 96 and me and the truck are happier about it.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

For vehicles with electric OEM fans that were designed and developed by the auto manufactureer, they're great. As noted aftermarket systems or adapting a OEM fan to a different vehicle leave a lot to be desired in reliability and cooling capacity. OEM fan systems are engineered for the particular vehicle and it's use.

My 1st gen Vortecs have never had a cooling problem even on hot days at altitude--where the thinner air does not carry heat away nearly as effeciently. I installed a factory style HD radiator in my 96 K1500 when the original began leaking. I can't hardly budge the temp gauge off of 190-195 on a hot day with the a/c on when blasting up the pass with a load of camp/hunt/mtn bike gear in third gear at 3k + rpms.....

My 91 Light Duty K2500 with a 5.7, NV3500, 3.73 gears came with the smaller radiator of that era. Pulling a trailer on a hot day with the a/c on even a moderate hill would make the temp gauge climb and it wouldn't stop climbing until I shut off the a/c. The radiator was undersized for the application. I beleive it was 93 or 94 when GM went to the larger radiator for the GMT400's. The dingbats should have done that to begin with.....

My observation is the hot rod aftermarker (expensive) aluminum radiators are not as effective as the OEM style normal or HD radiators.

And I've given up on HD fan clutches. As noted they're engaged when they don't need to be, and most roar like a 747 on takeoff, and most likely are sucking more power and gasoline than they are actually cooling the motor/trans. After several HD fan clutches I installed a AC Delco "normal" fan clutch on my 96 and me and the truck are happier about it.

My 97 L31 350 van must have had the Canadian cooling system from GM then to start with. The 31.5 x 17 radiator was a single core and it only had a 5 bladed metal fan. It used to run ~240F in summer pulling around only the van, factory gauge just under the redline. After numerous complaints from us about overheating and poor ac cooling, GM had Troy Aikman Chevrolet in Fort Worth put the 11 bladed fan on it when it was still under warranty. Not sure what the upgraded the clutch to, but it would roar like a semi in hot weather taking off from a stop or in stop and go.

 

[alpinecrick]

Oh, I also purchased a genuine Ac Delco composite fan that came on the late 97+ GMT400's. It vibrated at low rpms. I bought it and didn't get around to installing it until months after the RA return window had closed. It now resides on the "Good ideas that didn't work" pile of parts in my shop.....

Come to think of it when I tried that fan I had one of those goofy HD fan clutches installed. Maybe my genuine AC Delco fan clutch will play well with my genuine AC Delco composite fan with more blades than I have fingers to count with........

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

My Burb has the plastic 11 blade fan and the severe duty clutch with a zillion fins. Doesn't run hot unless the radiator is low on coolant mix(then the gauge moves scary fast!). The crew cab is also a Vortec 5.7, but it has the metal 5 blade fan and the severe duty clutch. It doesn't run hot either, but I'm wondering if the plastic fan would be worth going to? Both trucks have the towing package and the two row factory style radiator.

 

[alpinecrick]

My 97 L31 350 van must have had the Canadian cooling system from GM then to start with. The 31.5 x 17 radiator was a single core and it only had a 5 bladed metal fan. It used to run ~240F in summer pulling around only the van, factory gauge just under the redline. After numerous complaints from us about overheating and poor ac cooling, GM had Troy Aikman Chevrolet in Fort Worth put the 11 bladed fan on it when it was still under warranty. Not sure what the upgraded the clutch to, but it would roar like a semi in hot weather taking off from a stop or in stop and go.

Geezuz, I panic at 210 degrees.......

My 96 G1500 cargo van has a small radiator that looks to be the same as my 91 K2500 had. It runs warmish. My 2002 G1500 cargo van has a larger radiator but it doesn't seem to be quite as large as my GMT400's? Maybe I should measure. Both vans everyday payload is maxed out and I have a stack of ladders on top that act like big sails.........

 

[alpinecrick]

For those who are interested this is the factory style HD radiator. It appears whoever manufactures this radiator is/was the OEM manufacterer.

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

 

[Caman96]

For those who are interested this is the factory style HD radiator. It appears whoever manufactures this radiator is/was the OEM manufacterer.

Advance Auto Parts - Down for Maintenance

I got this from Advance Auto. Duel core Spectra. Looks exactly like original.

CU624

Spectra Premium believes in a green and sustainable economy. That's why it uses its core competencies of metallurgical transformation, heat transfer and high quality assembly capacity, as well as its extensive expertise, to stand out in the booming vehicle electrification sector in Quebec.

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