No Fan

[FordGuy100]

With the truck running again after a long hiatus, here are my results. This is with a new waterpump, new coolant, new thermostat, and no cooling fan....

Outside temperature: 90*
Humidity: 50%
Wind: SSE 15mph
Feels like: 92* (although that means nothing...)

Anyways driving around this is what I notice. Idling, not moving, water temps like to creep up. Also, fast warm ups . Driving around water temp: 185* Idle water temp: 190-195*

Its actually lower than it was with my cooling fan on before. Probably thermostat related?

 

[FordGuy100]

Also, I love my truck. A couple months away from it made me want to get it done real bad. Feels like a sports car compared to the black truck (N/A 1988 F350 CC).

 

[oldmisterbill]

Cool - Glad its running again.

 

[bbjordan]

look ma, no fan!

My son has my old 1993 F-150 with the big 6. It has had no fan for over 3 years. It over heated more than a couple of times, but it keeps running!
The water pump was replaced years ago, but it was the wrong one for the fan.
It still pumped water, but I left off the fan. As long as you are moving, it cools. Sitting in rush hour traffic is a killer tho. Short forays into the hot can be made by turning on the heater full blast. Its not pleasant for humans tho.

Supposedly the water pump will last longer too because it doesn't have a large weight wobbling around on the front of it.

 

[FordGuy100]

My son has my old 1993 F-150 with the big 6. It has had no fan for over 3 years. It over heated more than a couple of times, but it keeps running!
The water pump was replaced years ago, but it was the wrong one for the fan.
It still pumped water, but I left off the fan. As long as you are moving, it cools. Sitting in rush hour traffic is a killer tho. Short forays into the hot can be made by turning on the heater full blast. Its not pleasant for humans tho.

Supposedly the water pump will last longer too because it doesn't have a large weight wobbling around on the front of it.

I think if i was hellbent on running no fan I would find a small radiator and large electric fan and rig it up in the bed. Run heater core lines to a sort of thermostat and then back to that radiator. Water temp triggered fan. That way you have your regular cooling system, but when getting hot you have an extra large "heater core" to help cool.

That would also rate up there with running my batteries in the bed

 

[92F350CC]

So did you get your bodywork done?

 

[FordGuy100]

Nope I'm rockin my stock bed. Just up and running.

 

[92F350CC]

Always good to know that it will run after sitting a while. I ran mine the other day to haul garbage to the dump(took back roads to avoid the 5-0, unregistered).

 

[Agnem]

I've not had any cooling issues with my electric fans in the Moose Truck either. They don't even come on unless I'm not moving.

 

[FordGuy100]

Maybe it will help out with fuel mileage. I will post Val when temps are in the 100+ degree range with my findings. Might even put a small load behind it at that point.

 

[FordGuy100]

Alright update. Temperatures are 100+ degrees at midday. Humidity 20-30% attgat time of the day.

Driving down the road 65-70mph

Water temp: 185-190*

Driving at 60mph

Water temp: 185*

City driving. AKA stop At lights and idle a minute, driving 30-55mph

Water temp at a red light 190-195*
driving cools it down in a matter of 200yards to 185*

I have not idles that long to see watertemps go over 200*. Cooling takes effect at anything over 20mph.

Like others have said, you really don't need a fan unless you are using AC and or idling for ling periods of time.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I have similar results with no fan, it's kind of amazing how even idling with no air moving through the radiator as soon as you start spinning the water pump faster it immediately cools down.

I will say: I can't run my a/c in traffic. I am going to break down and do electric fans pretty soon, but I think I'm gonna ditch them in the Fall as soon as "air conditioning season" is over.

I have definitely seen power and mileage improvements without the fan, and I also think it idles smoother as my gear clattering SMF noise quieted down substantially.

 

[FordMan1014]

After sending my fan into my radiator and bending the blades to hell, i don't think i want to put a stock fan back in... Ive got 2 electric fans of a grand prix that are 16 in each, what side of the rad should i put them and should i pull air away from the engine or towards it???

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I don't know anything about the GM fans, but most folks put them on the engine side of the radiator and "pull" air through the radiator rather than push. Do some research on what the CFM rating and current draw is for your particular set up. I can tell you that the Ford Taurus fans pull lots of air but draw lots of current during initial start up, so an alternator upgrade might be necessary to run both simultaneously.

Do a thread search, lots of info on postioning/relays/wiring/current draw.

Good luck

 

[david85]

I've made it a routine to remove my cooling fan during the winter months every year. There are some slight fuel economy boosts to be had on the freeway, but for short trips, the difference is more noticeable thanks to the much shorter warmup time. Most of those miles are towing a trailer at freeway speeds.

I don't have any aftermarket meters so I can't give any specific numbers. One thing I learned real quick though, is the trailer manouvering time is limited!

Typically I have maybe 5 minutes of manouvering or backing up before the needle starts to creep (especially if backing up). Never had overheating problems when idling in traffic but I disconnect the AC when the truck is without the fan. The compressor wil overheat pretty quick if not.