mech. or elec. fan?

[RumbleFish]

So when my fan hit the radiator, it bent some of the blades. It seems to me that it is just the end of the blades, not the support vane. I think that it would be simple to fix, but if the girl I hit is found at fault, then I could upgrade to an electric unit on her dime. What do I need to know about converting it? I like the potential for increased mileage with the electric piece, but will it keep it cool enough? I was thinking somebody just did this, but I can't remember for sure. Working 70 hours a week and wrecking the best damn truck ever built will do that to you though.

[PToombs]

I thought I read that the electric won't draw enough CFM's to cool very good. I think there is a good thread on this on TDR.

[wannadiesel]

An electric will cool a play truck no problem. If you use the truck to tow, you ought to stick with a mechanical fan.

[RumbleFish]

I tow, but not real heavy. The most I tow regularly is my SRT4 in a 24" enclosed. Maybe 6k at the most, but I guess it pulls harder since it is an enclosed trailer. You guys think that is too much for the electric unit?

Also, while I throw this thing back together, what should I use in the way of antifreeze? Anything special/specific? What mixture?

[Begle1]

Does the electric fan get much of a performance increase?

The mechanical fan isn't much of a power stealer as long as the clutch isn't locked up, right?



On a related rate, is there an overtemp idiot light? I think that my fan clutch is defective, and it'd probably be cheaper for me to grab a couple electric fans from a junkyard than it would be to get a new fan clutch...

[BEARKILLER]

As far as the mechanical fan consuming a significant amount of power, I have a couple of trucks running PINNED-CLUTCH direct-drive fans.

I can tell no "seat-of-the-pants" difference in power, either before pinning, or after, nor have I seen any effect on fuel mileage.

In desparation, I pinned the fan-clutch on the wife's truck, after having THREE in a row brand-new NAPA bad right out of the box, to the tune of around eighty bucks.

I got my money back from NAPA and drilled/pinned her old fan-clutch.

Now, the A/C blows just as ice-cold when sitting still idling, as it does going down the road at speed.

I would figure that an electric fan set-up will cool as effectively as a clutched fan; but, I doubt the electric can keep up with a direct-drive fan.

[Begle1]

How do you know the clutches were bad?

[michigandon]

I'm running a '93 drivetrain in a 12,000lb motorhome with a custom aluminum radiator and a 3300 CFM Zirgo electric fan. If the radiator has even the slightest amount of airflow across it...even if the coach is only going 15MPH...the coolant temperature never goes over 190. The fan NEVER comes on unless stopped in traffic for more than 10-15 minutes.

11000+ miles on this setup so far with NO trouble outta the cooling system.

[roxxx]

I used this type of fan in my old vet . This just come out, not sure if this will fit but there is one more all purpose that flows even more cfm on the web site. if you find one of these make sure it has the (S) blades they work way better had a mech one of these to that did a super job
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/262-diesel.html
This is the Universal Truck Fan guess its new to
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/universal.html

[ofcmarc]

I like the potential for increased mileage with the electric piece, but will it keep it cool enough? I was thinking somebody just did this, but I can't remember for sure.

I believe it was MHUPPERTZ (sp?) I know he's on DTR and I'm pretty sure he's over here too.

[roxxx]

I know I was pushing the idea around with my 2001 truck . The fans do not free wheel when the truck is idling so it will stay hot in the winter . lol now i know some of you may laugh but some of us weather challenged people have a bit of a problem with that . Faster warm-ups and constant heat which means better mileage would be nice considering my 2006 needs to have weather front even in the fall

[swampthang]

hi i just did a right up on elec fans on a first gen they cooled better than the factory direct drive and were pretty much a bolt in check out rcc for more info


JC

[Begle1]

Riverside Community College?

[Murdawg]

I put two electric fans on mine also. Only one is turning on and it still never gets hot. I was reading something on flexalite fans for the newer dodges and it said it saved like 27 hp.