Electric Fans

[Darrin Tosh]

Heyall, I know that the debate over electric fans have been hit hard for a long time but I plan on giving it a try with the Cummins.

I will have pics an do a write up on it once I get it done. I got ahold of 2 electric fans from a Ford Taurus and a Mercurey Sable with the 3.8. from the pick and pulls for $17.00 each.

Both fans with shrouds will fit real nice over the Diesel rad. They are 2 speed fans, and pull around 3750 CFM.s each on high speed.

From the reaserch that I have been doing it is easier to cool the Cummins than the IDI so I believe it will be sufficent.

More pics and info to come as I get it all together.

 

[FordGuy100]

Cummins are easier to cool, so electric fans will work better on your repowered rig. IDI's have part of the combustion in the heads, that's why they are harder to cool.

 

[rubberfish]

I run with no fan at all. But a friend that has a Fummins
runs four and says they're not enough. The difference?
He tows heavy and I don't. Run the fans. Better to be
safe than sorry. Two is good, four, if you can make them
all fit will be much better if you're towing heavy.

 

[BigRigTech]

The electric fans should work fine, ISB's don't run all that hot anyhow. I just ordered one for my 63 Mercury, the one I have on there now isn't quite big enough....It made a noticeable difference in power on my car.

 

[geonc]

Way to go Darrin!

better be some progress pics in that write up ;p

Just don't forget to include a relay/temp sensor to tie in the A/C

 

[72f2504x4390]

I have 4 fans on my IDI. Seems to work fine. Have not done any heavy pulling in the hot of the summer but otherwise is fine.

I use my truck 95% of the time in the winter on the highway(Snowmobile trips) so it makes sense for my application.

I have a temp sensor in the lower hose that turns all the fans on, a relay hooked to the A/C that turns the two in front of the rad on, and switches to manually override. The A/C blows very cold at a stoplights. Much better than with the stock setup.

 

[Agnem]

Darrin, are you using Geo's article, or are you coming up with a different way of mounting them? I want to go this route too, but haven't found the fans I want yet.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Hey Guys, I am making my own setup,

Here is how to do it:

There is a tab on the side of the fan that is not used, Trim it off, shorten it up and bolt it to the bottom left side of the fan shroud. The bottom right of the fan shroud already has a tab on it that is long enough to use for the feet. If you add one to the left side, you will have 2 tabs that will nicely slide into the bottom of the radiator. The fit is snug but not too tight.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Next, you can easily bolt each fan to each side of the radiator shown here:

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Then drill a couple of holes and make a smple bracket where the ratchet is sitting. This will tie the 2 fans together.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Here are a couple of pics of the fans sitting on the radiator showing how much of the radiator that it will cover

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Basically the rest is simple wiring, you can get a thermostaticly controlled relay that will kick both fans on when needed, or just one. It will also kick them on then the AC is turned on.


The Ford Taurus fans are 2 speed so you can throw that into the mix as well. On high they are rated at 3750 CFM,s so double them up you get 7500 CFM.s total I would think should be plenty of cooling,..

What I was planning on doing is using the electric fans and have one fan on the thermostat and the other on a toggle switch, but my plans have changed...

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Here is why my plans have changed:

The reason the I was looking into electric fans was clearence issues with the stock fan. I knew it was going to be tight and figured now is the time go to electric.

Some of the advantage to go to electrics are to make more power and better MPG by removing the heavy 15 pound steel fan and clutch. If you have enough CFM's you can have more controll over your cooling by hitting a switch and turning on the fan anytime.

However, Yesterday I was able to drop in the front support and the radiator. Once they were in place I slid in the electric fans and they fit niceley. Then I grabed the Cummins Fan and it fit perfectly as well.

Then I grabed the Intercooler and ran into another problem, The electric fans stick out a little farther than the rad, right where the 3" pipes have to go for the Intercooler.

Then I took the Cummins fan, compared it to the IDI fan. The C fan is plastic and 1/2 the weight of the IDI fan. 15LBS compared to 7 LBS.

SO, Snce the Cummins fan will fit with no modificatoins, It is lighter than a Steel Fan, I can fit the Intercooler in with little modifications, I won't have to spend $100 or so for wiring switches and contorllers, it has been tested and known to cool suffiently, at this time I will be using the stock Cummins fan and the IDI fan shroud and not going with the electric route.

 

[Agnem]

Boo hisss....

 

[Optikalillushun]

will the cummins fan bolt up to the idi water pump and which rotation does the C water pump spin?