jhdeval
Well-Known Member
I have two questions. First can the fan be removed without removing the water pump? Second can the fan be replaced with an electric fan? I understand this can loosen a few extra horses.
Removing Fan
- Thread starter jhdeval
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jhdeval
Well-Known Member
Interesting I do not have a fan shroud. Should there be one?
805moparkid
Slant and AFX Guy
you can use electric fans but you need to get good ones that flow alot of air...
you have to figure a clutch fan flows 5500cfm of air so you need two big fans to even get close to it...
you have to figure a clutch fan flows 5500cfm of air so you need two big fans to even get close to it...
I came on here to post pictures of what I just got done doing. I added an electric fan. The one I put on is off of a 2001 dodge neon I just had to cut up the shroud a bit and it fits in there. As far as needing two big fans this one little one works for me so far about half an hour in town and half hour idling in the drive way afterwards. My temp gauge is just barely 1/4 over operating range which is where it always ends up.
C130 Chief
Mechanical Genius
Sure, you can remove the fan. 4 screws. Just replace them with shorter ones to hold the water pump pulley on. And yes, you can easily fit an electric. And yes, it will free up a few ponies until you turn it on. At that point you just TRANSFERRED THE LOAD to the alternator. Is this a big deal? No.
Think about it. The fan is only needed when the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly. Once you are above 30 MPH or so there is plenty of airflow through the radiator. More than any reasonable fan can pull. So long as the fan is connected through a thermostatic control, your car will be more efficient. The fuel you save will even pay for the fan (in 10years maybe).
Beware of a couple things: First, mounting the fan as a pusher (in front of radiator). At higher speed this is a restriction and actually reduces airflow. Look at most OEM setups, they are pullers with "air doors" allowing more flow through the radiator at high speed. Second, having the fan on all the time. No only will the alternator be supplying the energy to turn the fan when not needed, the fan will run at a constant speed/airflow causing a restriction at higher speed. But the fan is a DC motor, and if the air is pushing the blades won't it act as a generator taking the load off the alternator? Yes it will, but this makes it worse. While the fan will act like a "windmill generator" the energy it takes from the airflow results in slower airflow. That is, a restriction.
Whats the best solution? A fan clutch, and a shroud. Most clutch fans are HUGE and can move a LOT of air at idle. Think about when these started showing up. Early 70's on A/C equipped cars. With A/C the condenser operates at a higher temp than the radiator, and is in front of the radiator, so you need a lot of airflow at low speed. But that huge fan would use a lot of power at high RPM. So you have a clutch that releases the fan based on the temp of the air coming through the radiator. If you don't need the fan, no load. At high speed the fan can actually freewheel, spinning far faster than the water pump, no restriction. Also, clutch fans are simple, relatively cheap, and really durable.
Think about it. The fan is only needed when the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly. Once you are above 30 MPH or so there is plenty of airflow through the radiator. More than any reasonable fan can pull. So long as the fan is connected through a thermostatic control, your car will be more efficient. The fuel you save will even pay for the fan (in 10years maybe).
Beware of a couple things: First, mounting the fan as a pusher (in front of radiator). At higher speed this is a restriction and actually reduces airflow. Look at most OEM setups, they are pullers with "air doors" allowing more flow through the radiator at high speed. Second, having the fan on all the time. No only will the alternator be supplying the energy to turn the fan when not needed, the fan will run at a constant speed/airflow causing a restriction at higher speed. But the fan is a DC motor, and if the air is pushing the blades won't it act as a generator taking the load off the alternator? Yes it will, but this makes it worse. While the fan will act like a "windmill generator" the energy it takes from the airflow results in slower airflow. That is, a restriction.
Whats the best solution? A fan clutch, and a shroud. Most clutch fans are HUGE and can move a LOT of air at idle. Think about when these started showing up. Early 70's on A/C equipped cars. With A/C the condenser operates at a higher temp than the radiator, and is in front of the radiator, so you need a lot of airflow at low speed. But that huge fan would use a lot of power at high RPM. So you have a clutch that releases the fan based on the temp of the air coming through the radiator. If you don't need the fan, no load. At high speed the fan can actually freewheel, spinning far faster than the water pump, no restriction. Also, clutch fans are simple, relatively cheap, and really durable.
1 hp is about 750 watts. Most fans draw less than about 20 amps when running. 20A x 12V = 240 watts. I don't think you'll notice the load with the fan pulling less than 1/2 a hp. Mechanical fans take from 10 to 30 hp from what I have read and pull almost no air at idle where you need a fan. Many newer cars switched to electric for a reason. I paid $13 for my fan but I've only driven a few miles so far so I don't know about fuel savings yet.
Valiant50
Well-Known Member
Sorry to say but the statement "pull almost no air at idle" is way off
Modern cars mostly have transversally installed engines - and that makes an electric fan a must .
My installation(s) have a pusher fan to help with heatsoak once switched off here in the South African Karoo (hot high altitude),and a BIG 7 blade clutchfan - with and without the shroud there is so much airflow at idle that the pusher gets spinned up.
more so with the cars with shrouds oh yes and all have A/C cept the 60 R Val
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