Help Me Cool Down

Incorrect.
Your fan would have to pass over every sq in of core for that to be accurate.
That's what the shroud does though, it's funneling the air through the entire core to the fan's draw.
Your fan (and mine) only draw air through the fan blades swept area.
Some combos will need a shroud to keep cool, some wont.
It's not "run it close and you won't need a shroud".
I fit one to my app. but haven't needed it.



What I said was, if the fan moves enough air at idle and low speed, the shroud doesn't need to be there. In fact, funneling all that air through the shroud after 15 MPH or so is a power killer.

That's what I'm saying. If the fan is too far away from the radiator, you must have a shroud.