Hello,

I need yall's help.

I have a single cab 460. PO did not put the fan/fan clutch in after the 460 swap. My idea was to get electric fans to cool it. A buddy of mine gave me a windstar dual fan set up and some autozone controller. i hooked it up and it works well, cuts on/off when it is supposed to.

I have a couple of concerns.

1) the fans are bigger than the radiator, they stick out maybe about 1-1.5 inches on the sides.
2) there is about 6 inches at the top and bottom that is not covered by the fans.
3) i dont think my charging system is up to the task of having does fans running

My question is, can i make this set up work with my original equipment? or just go back to the normal fan/clutch fan combo? i am fine with doing that, i am planning on going to the junkyard this weekend to see what i can find.

I do not want to upgrade anything at this time (alternator, battery). I have a radio and speakers that i just put in so i know this will also need some juice. I would rather keep the radio and speakers instead of the e-fans.

As for the size, i think the fans sticking out a little is fine, but i know if i cover the areas that the fan did not cover, it will cool better. Currently the temp sensor that goes through the radiator is in an area where the fan does not cover. So i know that it may run hotter because of this. When i touch the radiator from the front, the area where the fans are is cool, but the area where the fans are not is hot.

When the truck is at idle, the fans turn on and off. When the truck turns off the fans will turn on and off until cool. This is when the drain occurs. Sometimes the truck will cut back on and sometimes it drains the battery. Can i just kill the fans with a toggle switch when the truck is off to avoid them turning on?

If y'all think fan/clutch fan combo is best, will an F250 combo work? PO gave me a fan shroud that i think is for a 460, but i will need to take a look at it to make sure.

Any help is appreciated. Thank y'all in advance.

 

Your OEM alternator is only like 60 amps. Electric fans are amp suckers so you really need to think about upgrading the alternator with a 130-amp, 3G alternator. Some have done the swap for as little as $25.

A better option would be the two-speed, Lincoln Mark VIII fan. It'll suck a cat flat to the grill...... but ya still need to upgrade the alternator.

 

The OE type fan and shroud works great on mine ('78 400). No problems with the OE alternator. Agree a 100+ amp alternator upgrade is needed with electric fan.

 

The shroud is as important, if not more important then the fan you choose. A good fit and seal is key.

 

I run a 460 in my 76 F250 high boy and pull a 7000lb trailer without a clutch fan; just a 6 blade fan with a shroud. No problem with heating up at all.

 

Thank y'all for the quick responses.

Yeah i have read about the 3G upgrade and i think i may do that in the future. Right now i just want to get it running and driving.

Yesterday i pulled the e-fan and control. I fit the fan shroud that came with the truck, it fits the radiator perfect. Tomorrow i am going to the junk yard to see what i find. Last time i went i saw a lot of F250/350's and an old Econoline.

So what is the difference between cluth and no clutch. I know the clutch engages at a certain temp, but do i need it? IF there is no clutch does this mean that the fan will be spinning the whole time?

Thanks again.

 

A directly connected mechanical fan is fix-mounted to the water pump hub and yes, spins/cools all the time.

A fan clutch has nothing to do with engine temperature... rather, it is the engine RPM which engages or disengages the internal clutch mechanism. The engine needs cooling at low RPM (typically low speed, right?) and relies on oncoming air flow at higher speeds. Therefore, the clutch is engaged at low RPM and freewheels at high RPM.

 

Update.
After looking in three junkyards I didn't find anything. I went ahead and bought this fan

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fl...ne?prefilter=1

Now I need to know if I need a thermal or non thermal clutch. Heavy duty or not. What do y'all think?

The truck will be for street use, no towing. I'm guessing a regular clutch will do.

Once again thank y'all I'm advance.

 

you're obviously joking, right?

 

I stand corrected... and you are, sarcastically!, correct by your comment. There are both thermal and non-thermal fan clutches.

Unlike others, I can admit when I'm not totally correct. Thanks!