Clutch vs. Electric Fan

Clutch Fan or Electric

  • Clutch Fan

    Votes: 45 43.7%
  • Electric fans

    Votes: 58 56.3%

  • Total voters
    103
  • Poll closed .
-
I have been having the same problem. I have spent tons on Be-Cool fans and also oil and trans coolers. This is the second motor. The first was a X-block W-2 Batten head 428. This is now a Resto block Indy head 428. Still running hot. I tried everything from pumps to restrictors. I even had a aluminum air dam made to push air throught the rad. The rad flows water fine.

I finally found the problem. Somewhere in this rads life it was over pressurized. The tubes are now round and air does not flow through the radiator. I noticed this by accident when getting out of the car with the hood open and the fan running i didn't feel warm air hitting me in the face. My other car the fans blow your hair when the hoods open. After some investigation I noticed that you can't see light through the radiator in the middle of the core.

I got this rad used. So it could have froze in the past. Or I could have done the damage when I blew the head gaskets on my blower motor. I was playing with pullies and blew the hoses off when the gaskets blew. This is just a heads up it could be the rad. Aluminum rads. are great but they need to flow air.
My radiator looks like new but it is junk. Just a heads up to all. Steve
 

Attachments

  • batten2.jpg
    139.8 KB · Views: 314
  • DSCF0094.jpg
    132.1 KB · Views: 283
I have been having the same problem. I have spent tons on Be-Cool fans and also oil and trans coolers. This is the second motor. The first was a X-block W-2 Batten head 428. This is now a Resto block Indy head 428. Still running hot. I tried everything from pumps to restrictors. I even had a aluminum air dam made to push air throught the rad. The rad flows water fine.

I finally found the problem. Somewhere in this rads life it was over pressurized. The tubes are now round and air does not flow through the radiator. I noticed this by accident when getting out of the car with the hood open and the fan running i didn't feel warm air hitting me in the face. My other car the fans blow your hair when the hoods open. After some investigation I noticed that you can't see light through the radiator in the middle of the core.

I got this rad used. So it could have froze in the past. Or I could have done the damage when I blew the head gaskets on my blower motor. I was playing with pullies and blew the hoses off when the gaskets blew. This is just a heads up it could be the rad. Aluminum rads. are great but they need to flow air.
My radiator looks like new but it is junk. Just a heads up to all. Steve


boy thats a sneaky one! if i was running a high lbs cap i would really check that but being i just have a 16 i think im ok...

P.S. that thing looks like a monster...
 
Why not run an electric fan and keep a mechanical fan under the spare tire or something?? (in case of malfunction)..

I don't have much experience with electric fans so I'm going to ask this...If you are running an electric fan only by a switch, I assume that you would keep an eye on the temp gauge and turn it on when needed, correct? It seems to me that if the electric fan was running constantly-- it would not last very long.
 
Why not run an electric fan and keep a mechanical fan under the spare tire or something?? (in case of malfunction)..

I don't have much experience with electric fans so I'm going to ask this...If you are running an electric fan only by a switch, I assume that you would keep an eye on the temp gauge and turn it on when needed, correct? It seems to me that if the electric fan was running constantly-- it would not last very long.

in the summer i have to run it all time... but like once it gets below 80* or so i dont have to even turn it on lol...
 
You need a shroud. That is a damn good radiator you have but air is blowing all over the place under the hood. It needs to be aimed towards the engine. The e-fans never worked very well for me so I went with mechanical fan but if you just don't have the room then you don't have room. Mopar just didnt allow much room for thicker radiators that is for sure. I don't think they ever figured it needed to be thicker. lol
 
running down the road you shouldn't need the fan. only when stopped or real low speeds should you need it.

well when its 115 out lol...

You need a shroud. That is a damn good radiator you have but air is blowing all over the place under the hood. It needs to be aimed towards the engine. The e-fans never worked very well for me so I went with mechanical fan but if you just don't have the room then you don't have room. Mopar just didnt allow much room for thicker radiators that is for sure. I don't think they ever figured it needed to be thicker. lol

today i set my rad farther into the core support so i can get a better fan system on it... with a shroud...

went from 2.25" to 3.25" clearance with minimal work...
 

Attachments

  • 100_4786.jpg
    129.3 KB · Views: 283
  • 100_4788.jpg
    142.7 KB · Views: 293
I hear ya! That one inch you gained is a lot. I know because Ive been down this road before and one inch is a country mile. lol
 
I hear ya! That one inch you gained is a lot. I know because Ive been this road before and one inch is a country mile. lol

so im thinking of adding another 16" pusher opposed to the one i have now or figuring out duals on the back... the 22" core kinda sucks for big fans lol...
 
Two fans tend to work against each other if they are opposed like you say. You neeed a real shroud to get it to pull air thru the whole core... Either decide to push it, or pull it, not both. Also, the Neon fans may not work... If they are like the ones on my '97, they are meant to be run with a controller, and running 12 volts to them doesnt work... I tried...lol. I havent had working fans on that car in 7 years. The other thing you might want to play with are water restirctors vs a thermostat. Sometimes controling the collant speed through the radiator and engine will help it cool better by allowing more time for removal of heat from the block, and removal of heat from the coolant by the radiator.
 
Another thing to think about is putting a minnie swith on the throttle that will turn the alternator off at WOT, saves about 2-3 hp and it'll run off the battery while you go down the track. To add save even more power, you can get an electric water pump drive, it's just a little electric motor that runs the water pump with a belt.

I don't have much experience with electric fans so I'm going to ask this...If you are running an electric fan only by a switch, I assume that you would keep an eye on the temp gauge and turn it on when needed, correct? It seems to me that if the electric fan was running constantly-- it would not last very long.
They make temp probes that you stick in the fins of the radiator and you can wire it in after the switch on the dash. On the street, the fan comes on only when the radiator gets hot enough and you don't have to worry as long as the switch is on. Go to the track, flip the switch off, boom.
 
Another thing to think about is putting a minnie swith on the throttle that will turn the alternator off at WOT, saves about 2-3 hp and it'll run off the battery while you go down the track. To add save even more power, you can get an electric water pump drive, it's just a little electric motor that runs the water pump with a belt.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/...e/Water-Pump-Electric-Drive-Kits/?Ns=Rank|Asc
They make temp probes that you stick in the fins of the radiator and you can wire it in after the switch on the dash. On the street, the fan comes on only when the radiator gets hot enough and you don't have to worry as long as the switch is on. Go to the track, flip the switch off, boom.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-890015/
 
Two fans tend to work against each other if they are opposed like you say. You neeed a real shroud to get it to pull air thru the whole core... Either decide to push it, or pull it, not both. Also, the Neon fans may not work... If they are like the ones on my '97, they are meant to be run with a controller, and running 12 volts to them doesnt work... I tried...lol. I havent had working fans on that car in 7 years. The other thing you might want to play with are water restirctors vs a thermostat. Sometimes controling the collant speed through the radiator and engine will help it cool better by allowing more time for removal of heat from the block, and removal of heat from the coolant by the radiator.

the fans would be offset so they wouldn't be fighting each other... but yes will figure out a shroud

has a 160 T stat in it also

Another thing to think about is putting a minnie swith on the throttle that will turn the alternator off at WOT, saves about 2-3 hp and it'll run off the battery while you go down the track. To add save even more power, you can get an electric water pump drive, it's just a little electric motor that runs the water pump with a belt.

i like the alt kill idea...

They make temp probes that you stick in the fins of the radiator and you can wire it in after the switch on the dash. On the street, the fan comes on only when the radiator gets hot enough and you don't have to worry as long as the switch is on. Go to the track, flip the switch off, boom.

i have the fan already set up... all time switch, and temp sender...
 
Not sure if you have tried this or not, but try running without hood and see the difference in temp you get with just that. I fought overheading this summer also when temps were over 100*. I ended up getting a be cool radiaotr that helped alot but that left me no room for a puller type fan. Switched to a single 16" fan and installed trans cooler on rest of radiator and wired that fan also into temp control. Here is electric fan I am running:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HFM-ZFB16S/

Now back to why I asked about hood. After all that I still would over heat on highway or fast then 40 mph cruising. I could run it in garage all day and at track and never over heat. But, if I ran with out hood it would stat at 190* or below. So I ended up taping of the scope and would never get above 200* even when it was over 105* or so outside.

Sorry for long post but just give it a try without hood and should tell you if that could be causing your problem. I see you have a plate but could not tell if it actually sealed to hood or not.


Troy
 
Not sure if you have tried this or not, but try running without hood and see the difference in temp you get with just that. I fought overheading this summer also when temps were over 100*. I ended up getting a be cool radiaotr that helped alot but that left me no room for a puller type fan. Switched to a single 16" fan and installed trans cooler on rest of radiator and wired that fan also into temp control. Here is electric fan I am running:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HFM-ZFB16S/

Now back to why I asked about hood. After all that I still would over heat on highway or fast then 40 mph cruising. I could run it in garage all day and at track and never over heat. But, if I ran with out hood it would stat at 190* or below. So I ended up taping of the scope and would never get above 200* even when it was over 105* or so outside.

Sorry for long post but just give it a try without hood and should tell you if that could be causing your problem. I see you have a plate but could not tell if it actually sealed to hood or not.


Troy

beat you to that to lol...

helped by about 10*
 

Attachments

  • 100_4574.JPG
    139.4 KB · Views: 269
  • 100_4572.JPG
    135 KB · Views: 277
  • 100_4567.JPG
    141.6 KB · Views: 268
I live in the tropical hot northern part of Australia so we get pretty good at solving cooling issues.
On my 440 1969 barracuda I run two 16" electrics.
One pushing.
One pulling.
They are mounted on opposite sides of the rad to get maximum coverage.
The puller is thermostatically controlled and copes by itself much of the time.
The pusher is manually operated by an on/off switch in the cab and is used when really hot,prolonged idling,etc and it copes fine.
Might be an easier,cheaper idea for you to try?
 
Focus on getting some sort of shroud and you will fix your problem. I'm running 12.5 CR in my Hemi Dart with a mech. fan with shroud and be cool radiator and the car runs at 170-180. I even drove it in a parade this summer with the temp in the low 90's. for 45 minutes and the car did pretty good untill the end when it had warmed up to 220. I turned right when the parade turned left and 5 minutes latter the dart was back down to 180.
 
well when its 115 out lol...

i don't care how hot it is out. when cruising down the road you shouldn't need the fan. you should have enough air flow through the core to keep it cool. if not you have other issues. sure it isn't lean with the the hood sealed tot eh carb like that?. you need it at lower speeds and while sitting.
 
I live in the tropical hot northern part of Australia so we get pretty good at solving cooling issues.
On my 440 1969 barracuda I run two 16" electrics.
One pushing.
One pulling.
They are mounted on opposite sides of the rad to get maximum coverage.
The puller is thermostatically controlled and copes by itself much of the time.
The pusher is manually operated by an on/off switch in the cab and is used when really hot,prolonged idling,etc and it copes fine.
Might be an easier,cheaper idea for you to try?

i have my single on a switch and a thermostat so i just need another fan lol... and a shroud

i don't care how hot it is out. when cruising down the road you shouldn't need the fan. you should have enough air flow through the core to keep it cool. if not you have other issues. sure it isn't lean with the the hood sealed tot eh carb like that?. you need it at lower speeds and while sitting.

well with a 65 primary jet it never lean pop's... dosn't surge either...
 
-
Back
Top