[b][/b] I am thinking about taking the engine driven rad. fan off and replacing it with an electric fan. Is there one out there that will keep the engine cool?

Why?

[b][/b] Fuel mileage! Have you ever picked up one of those fans and clutch? Plus it frees up a few ponies.

The difference won't be noticable.

half of the HP you gain by loosing the belt drive fan you loose because of the extra load on the charging system to run the electric fan.

Unless your truck is an application where tenths of a second or a couple extra HP is going to be noticed, the cost of the change over is pretty much wasted.

I'm running an electric fan on my 49 because there wasn't room for a belt driven fan. It has a mild 5.2 (318), when that fan comes on, you can see the amp gauge jump. If I had a choice, there would be a belt driven fan on my 49.

[b][/b] I had an electric fan on it, but when the weather got warm it wouldn't keep it cool. SO, I put the engine driven fan back on it. I LOST ABOUT 1 MPG. Plus the fact that the electric fan doesn't run continuously keeps the load off the alternator except when the fan comes on. I had it set up on a thermostat. the horsepower loss is noticeable too. Those factory fans and clutch is heavy!

Too get one strong enough to cool the motor you will end up with something as heavy as the stock set up that will pull a lot of power when it's working.

What fan and how was it installed? It needs to have a shroud that covers all of the rad cooling surface and have a lot of CFM. flex-a-lite makes some good fans with 6000cfm but they are not exactly cheap.

flexalite duel fan bolted right in to shroud on my V-10 ram went from 12 mpg to 11.99999999

[i couldn't help myself. ]

I (just yesterday) ordered a 3 row all aluminum one for my 12.
Looked at a lot of them, many admit to the tanks being somehow "bonded" instead of welded, this one is only one on eBay that claimed 10 year warranty, all TIG welded, supposedly aircraft grade aluminum.
My 12 1/2 ton with it's (ugh) 4.7 seems to have been running a little warmer than usual lately compared to the previous 2 years when I first got it.
And that's without my camper on the ball, and the midsummer temps. This is my 1st 4.7, I have heard the horror stories on them, trying to head off the valve seat problems that I hear so much about.
I put a "champion" 3 row in my fury about 5 years ago and it stays almost too cool... Though that car never gets driven in temps where I need the heater ...

Due to space limitations, my 49 Dodge truck (on a 96 Dakota4 chassis) with a 5.2 efi has a very small radiator in it. The crossflow radiator core is 16" high, and 24" wide (the biggest off the shelf radiator that fits in the space available). It is a 4 core aluminum radiator Champion Radiator (V8 Chevy Monza listing). It has a single, high output, electric, 16" diameter, multiple curved blades, fan that is thermostatically controlled. Since the fan diameter covers the entire height of the crossflow radiator, there is no fan shroud other then the fan housing itself. The upper and the lower radiator hoses are on opposite sides of the crossflow core and the fan is positioned towards the upper radiator hose side of the radiator and effectively covers the entire height of the core (so it clears the mechanical belt driven water pump). The remaining radiator core is open for air to flow through it.

The last couple days we have been in the mid 80s around here. In town driving the electric fan cycles on and off regularly. On the highway there is enough air flow through the radiator the fan does not run while the truck is moving. When the fan kicks on, you can see it in the amp gauge jump (the fan is on a 30 amp relay), and you can hear it humming above the glass pack exhaust.

Electric fans have their place, but if you use one, make sure it produces adequate air flow to cool the motor. Electric fans that produce enough air flow draw current, and make noise.

The usual Mo'Farts replies. I guess that's why all the MFG's have gone away from electric fans, huh?

I'll start with reasons from my experience:

1. No roaring clutch fan.
2. Approx. 1/2 mpg better
3. No 8 pound dead weight hanging off the water pump. Have not had to do a water pump change since switching to electric.
4. Easier to work on with all the space freed up.
5. Vehicle is quieter, just more pleasant to drive in general.
6. No viscous to ever replace.


I'm using an old Dodge Omni electric fan someone was throwing away on my 5600 pound '01 360. Wired to a 20 amp switch, it turns about as fast as a house fan on Low speed.

Never a problem, barely use it. It takes 3 red lights in a row in traffic to require turning it on. The rest of the time, as long as you stay above 20mph the fan is never needed up to 85 degrees. Had my EC now for 15 years.

I would recommend getting an OEM fan from a minivan or Dodge Neon and wiring to an aftermarket controller from Amazon. They are reliable and powerful.

My personal experience would be to get rid of the shroud that blocks the rad off. I think half the problem with people having cooling issues is the rad is blocked off to funnel the air to the electric fan. If the block off is removed, air can pass freely through the rad. Another is the idea is the EC needs to be "on" at 180.........when vehicles have 195 thermostats, SMH, lol.

If you are chasing mileage: between cutting my catalytic convertor out and electric fan, I picked up 1.5mpg out of my 360 Magnum.

I removed my electric fans from my shroud when i did my last water pump(1.5 years ago). I still had the mechanical fan also(long story but additional cooling was why i installed them). Well the replacement pump is starting to leak. Since i have to remove it i may mod my shroud to fit two Flexalite SKU 105390 (16")fans and get rid of the mechanical. Each fan is advertised to move 3000 CFM X2. My old fans are 14" and i doubt they move that much air. I can cut the shroud back and put both fans in by modding the existing shroud with fiberglass. This way the existing shroud still holds the reservoir for the antifreeze and washer fluid. I plan on getting a variable speed fan controller to keep the cooling in check with the the temperature. If i proceed with this i will post pics and how i like it.

You have 3 fans on the front of your vehicle?

If so, fans..........are not the cooling problem.

[b][/b] Let me clarify. I am a retired repair shop owner with many yrs. of experience working with electric cooling fans on vehicles. I knew it would work. Finding the right one was key. I ended up going with the Flex-a-lite kit # 183. We've had some incredibly hot days here in SC this summer! {upper 90's and even above} I have a 180 t- stat. I set the the controller to come at about 185, it cuts off at about 191. No overheating problems, and of course it's no strain on the alt. Around town, it looks like .7-.8 mpg increase. On the Highway it is probably 3-4 mpg increase, not to mention the increased power and quietness!