cooling fan

[MARQ2277]

Okay; I want to try and replace the stock clutch fan with an electric fan. Has anyone replace one with an electric fan. If so; (1) How many CFM should I be using. (2) At what temp should I have it kick on at, i.e. 170, 195?? And, (3) Does an electric fan setup increase the MPG of a 7.3 IDI with (as in my case) a turbo setup.

 

[towcat]

check out this discussion
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=20148&highlight=electric+cooling
when you have a chance, check out the tech articles section, there's a couple of articles dealing with whatever you can possibly imagine and if there isn't an article, the "search" feature at this site really does work even for really old threads.

 

[FordGuy100]

You can do it, but I would stongly go against converting your truck to an electric fan if you tow things, which I remember you saying you have a 5th wheel or travel trailer of sorts, in which case I would have to say stick with the mech fan.

 

[MARQ2277]

Yea, I know the argument, I want to know if anyone has actually claimed it saved on gas while they (he/she) used it.

 

[Agnem]

I think I'm going to make that claim. I don't have any facts, but it's unusual for me to go from Somerset PA, home to Delta, across the Appalachians on the PA Turnpike at 65 MPH, and use slighly less than a third of a tank. Oh, and while towing the Moose Tail. Oh, and with a Moose Pump, and DPS injectors.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

The only thing cooler than the fact that you are saving fuel with your new fan set up is the fact that you documented, pictured and posted it for the rest of us.

You rock Mel , can you post some before and after fuel mileage after you puts some miles on your rig?

 

[MARQ2277]

Sweet. That's good enough for me. Now I just got to win the lotto, and add electric fan to my wish list. Let's see, electric pump, fan, intercooler, and UMO (fuel) set up!!

Marq
________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no fuff on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Marq, Mel's truck is a bit unusual in that he has no A/C and that's a factory setup, the radiators of these trucks are a bit wider that those of the A/C equipped. My buddy Jake (Fast Burn here) has an '86s that is teh same way, I never measured the differences, but his radiator is significantly wider than mine, don't think tis any lower tho, which means the brat probably lucked out with a larger than mine radiator from teh factiory. In any case, Mel's layout of the dual electric fans may not work out quite the same way for your truck if you got A/C. Also, I'd recommend using not the 3.8 Taurus fans, but two off a Lincoln Mark VIII, (you'll need two donor cars, obviously), as those monsters can pull 4800cfm each on the high setting - if that don't cool your truck, dunno what will, lol

All that said - I just locked my fan to the water pump, didn't pin the clutch, but instead made some brackets from 1/16" plate steel, I have them running from the water pump bolts to 4 of the 6 blades-to-clutch bolts. I initially tried that setup with only two brackets and they were aluminum, fan ripped them right out upon startup. What I have now is very very sturdy and solid, but just to be on the safe side I'm adding one more bracket next week when our shop is open, I'd actually add two and utilize all six bolts on the fan, but one of them is stripped so I can only rely on 5 to transfer torque from the water pump to the fan. So far I'm very pleased, we were at 80 degrees and very high humidity today and I left the truck idle for quite a while and it stayed nice and cool. Will test it in rush hour traffic soon enough, should be good tho, as my clutch was way too loose to begin with.

 

[MARQ2277]

Sweet. Yah, I do have air, although it don't. I do know that my radiator is freakin' huge. It is thick. My dad has an 92 Dodge Cummins, and his radiator looks like it came out of a chevy vega compared to mine. At any rate, when I do go electric, that's how I'll do it.

Thanks bro.

marq
_____________________________
1990 Ford F-250 4X4:
7.3 IDI with 120K on the clock:
ATS Turbo with waste gate:
Stage One Injectors (Oregon Injector Service):
Complete Return Fuel Kit (Oregon Injector Service):
DB2 Pump, cranked up with Cold Advance wired permanently on:
4” down pipe, 4” straight through exhaust stopping between cab and bed (no fuff on my stuff):
Torque Converter Lock Up Switch (On/Off/Lock-Up):
E4OD Line Pressure Controller (adjusted to fast/firm shifts):
4” lift w/Rancho shocks:
Big Fat Tires on custom rims:

Tows 1985 fully loaded heavy 28 foot RV (my house) everywhere:

 

[JPR]

Thanks for the heads up the Mark VIII fan.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Marq, don't think the non-A/C radiators ain't any thinner than ours, at least Jake's looked just as fat as the one in my truck.

On the fan flows, how much does a stocker pull, with the clutch fully engaged, at let's say 2k rpms?