340duster340
Well-Known Member
Anyone running? I ve read mixed guidance on if to use with 4 core due to thickness of the core
Puller electric fan with 4 core radiator?
- Thread starter 340duster340
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Just my opinion... Dont waste your time with an electric fan. Get a direct drive mechanical 7 blade with a "Propper" oem style shroud, propper sized pulleys, and propper HD / AC cooling waterpump.
If you must get a thermostatic fan.
If you must get a thermostatic fan.
Not all 4 core radiators are the same thickness, and how you mounted it may make a difference too. If you want good advice, you’re going to have to measure the distance you have from the nose of the water pump to the back of the radiator core. That measurement will determine if there are good electric or even mechanical fan options for you.
The ‘95-00 Ford Contour electric fan set up I run on my Duster is far superior to the mechanical set up you’re suggesting. Better temperature control, less parasitic loss, more efficient all the way around. I can pretty much set any temperature I want to maintain and that’s the temp the car will run at.
Electric fans on classic cars fail because guys don’t pick fans that move enough cfm, they don’t use good thermostatic switches or controllers, and they overlook the power demands of a good fan that can pull enough air.
A direct drive mechanical fan is stealing power 100% of the time, whether you need cooling or not. And the chances of finding an “OEM style” fan shroud to fit behind an aftermarket 4 core radiator are real slim, pun intended. Not to mention, the factory AC cars that needed more cooling didn’t run HD water pumps. They ran the smaller 6 blade pumps with overdriven pulleys (1.3 or 1.4:1 depending on the engine). The HD 8 blade water pumps were on the non-AC cars with .95:1 pulley ratios.
I installed a 3 core Champion in my 68 Barracuda with an electric fan. There was no room for a mechanical fan.
j par
Well-hung Member
Electric puller for me... Two core radiator..
Work's great...
Work's great...
Most of these modern two row radiators with the 1" or 1.25" flues out cool the 3 and 4 row radiators. Plus you have much more room for a better fan.
Exactly right. By the time you get to the 3rd & 4th row of tubes, they add little to the cooling ability of the radiator.
Best solution is clutch fan. There is a myth that elec fans do not cost power. They do cost some power & the amount will vary with the fan motor rating. A higher rated alt is also likely to be reqd.
Best solution is clutch fan. There is a myth that elec fans do not cost power. They do cost some power & the amount will vary with the fan motor rating. A higher rated alt is also likely to be reqd.
I have a three row in Vixen and the ONLY REASON I have it is because I snagged it NEW on a scratch and dent sale on Ebay for 89 bucks SHIPPED. Other than that, I'd have a two row. BUT, I really believe I could remove the fan and throw it in the ditch and it still would not over heat. It's just a little four blade fan anyway. But I tell you what. That radiator is a coolin MUG. 171 degrees in and 79 degrees out. It's FLAT doin it.
Well, let me state the obvious. An elec fan doesn't cost power when it not on.
Like 72blunblu, I run a Champion 3 row with the Ford Contour fan and a Dakota Digital controller. Engine is a built 340 pushing 425 HP in a 73 Sport. For clearance with the CVF Racing aluminum water pump pulley, I had to go to button top pulley screws. That gave me just enough clearance. No issues with interference or the engine cooling.
340duster340
Well-Known Member
Thx all. So i found in the attic an oe style flex fan and a shroud that i think will work....i am too cheap to go electric right now but will definitely in the future. Idk why i got a 4 core rad..no room for a clutch even
3 rows still work well, again, mine works great and it's just a cheap Champion 3 row. There are definitely better radiators out there, and yet it's still more than enough for my 400+ hp, .060" over 340 with iron heads. The factory ran both 2 and 3 core radiators, and both had smaller tubes than what is common now. But that goes back to my original point, there's a lot more to a radiator than just the size of the tubes or the number of rows.
And of course electric fans still cost power, we're not talking about violating the primary laws of thermodynamics here. But unlike a straight mechanical fan, they only cost power when they're running. Even with a clutch you're only controlling the fan somewhat, either by RPM (which isn't necessarily best) or by vague thermostatic switching, which is no where near as precise as a good electric fan controller. Even if a larger alternator is required, the additional parasitic loss is pretty much only when the electrical load is increased (ie, when the fans are running). When they're off, the load isn't significantly different than a lower rated alternator. The savings in parasitic loss is primarily from better control, and clutch fans are still far less precise than an even half decent fan controller. And that's before we even address being able to better manage the engine temperature, which in and of itself can mean more power.
Exactly.
I'm a believer....my Champion and 2 fans keeping the 408 in the avatar cool. Driving on the street in 90+F weather and gets to maybe 190F peak.
my stock rad kept my 340 cool in 90 degree heat sitting in traffik for hours , good clutch fan and a shroud is all my car ever needed . anything more than 3 cores is money wasted
DrCharles
Well-Known Member
I have a similar setup ("no-name" 3 row, Contour fans and an Autocoolguy PWM controller), except I have a 451. It's tight but I trimmed the plastic on the fan a little. I can sit still in 93F weather and the engine won't get over 185F
That's correct. But it certainly does cost power when it turns on by loading the alternator.
Of course. But my fan is rarely on. Only in stop-and-go traffic.
GEO
Sarcasm Inc.
There wasn't room for a mechanical fan on mine either. I run a puller set up and a pusher set up on a toggle switch in case it gets real hot or as a backup
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