Yep, I've brought it up to many about the circulation constraints, that is why I hope to put vents in the hood and fenders, to increase air through the radiator by increasing the ability in which it escapes, something over looked by all.

 

I have had vehicles with both belt/clutched and aux electric fans, or electric only, or belted only. Electric fans give a nice oomph if overheating is a problem. Belted fans seem to be more gradual. Noise is a different story.

Both my vans tended to run cooler than 3 o-clock. However venting through the fenders/hood is an idea I always liked in the summer, rather than fight the doghouse hotness with AC in the summer. In the winter though you want fast heating, and open side / top vents might impede that. If they would be manually-operable louvers, that would be best.

I still think that a (well-operating) clutched fan is the simplest and adequate solution. Operable side louvers would be a nice feature.

Interesting ideas and topic...

 

I'll adjust the air intake the old fashion way, buy covering some of the radiator, operational vents would be too restrictive.

 

Cardboard works....

 

I had a dodge van once what the previous owner custom made a cover for the front, it folded up and was stored in the rear when not in use, buttoned on, I'd put tabs on this one, something to slip in the gaps, I'll not put snaps on the grill of this van.

 

I am running two Hayden electric fans and two thermostatic fan switches. I have one mounted under the inlet and one above the outlet of the radiator. I have the top fan set for operating temp and the other set a hair higher.

My van is a 98 E-250 with a rebuilt high compression PI 5.4 and several other mods. With the electric fans my idle is so much smoother, my throttle response is alot better, as well as my efficiency. overall I love the mod and with both fans and thermostatic switches it was under $100.

How it Performs:
-On the highway in 60-80 degree weather the fans will turn off b/c I have enough air flow already.

-Really cold they mostly stay off, the primary will turn on when I stop.

-80 degree traffic the primary stays on and the secondary cycles off and on.

-75-85 degree pulling 24ft enclosed trailer at 65-70mph in 3rd gear, coolant runs 205-210 F, and the trans ran at 180 until I added a second Hayden heavy duty cooler it runs at 135 now.

I have not had them in 110 degree weather yet but i don't foresee any problems. I would suggest it to anyone, the radiator does need to be removed to mount them to it though. The van always ran at 210-215 degrees with the mechanical in any driving conditions.

Picasa Web Albums - Neil Torbett

Picasa Web Albums - Neil Torbett

This is a picture of the auxiliary transmission trans cooler I added, bough it a salvage for $20

Picasa Web Albums - Neil Torbett

 

Wow. That's great. I stand corrected. The extra space is great too. It looks like a good place for an intercooler.

Neil: I see the bottom fan. Top fan -- I am not sure if I see it correctly. Can you take another photo of the top fan?

Maples also gave me a good idea -- louvers on the fenders/hood. This is mostly to help the AC, by diverting some heat to the outside of the van, rather than through the doghouse.

 

$ 20 for the transm aux cooler? That's not acceptable -- you overpaid for that.

 

FYI those fans mount directly to the radiator, only cooling the cores it's directing air through, not the best idea, you need a shrouded one, I have one from a Lincoln Mark VII, it's a 2 speed, I bought a Hayden 2 speed controller, but have not installed it. I've decided to look into installing the setup on my 73 E-100, I want to upgrade to a G-4 alt and build my own extra fuse box for accessories, I don't want to dump a lot more in my 99. If I change my mind, I'll get a junkyard FACTORY radiator and mount it all to it, remove the poor excuse for an upgrade, which is a lie, which is the same one they sell for diesels, what are they thinking to put the 5.4 and 7.3 in the same cooling category.
Towing is a mandatory cooler upgrade, stock is not large enough, and the induction at the bumper is a prime location for it, been wanting to move mine, but would replace it at the time.
Oil cooler, don't forget to upgrade that, as it will bring the internal temps down too, oil is vital, modular engines all have a cooler.

 

I know it only cools the cores it's mounted on but together they cover the whole radiator and when there running the cores go in hot and come out at air temp and the lower tank always feels cold. I mainly did it for added space for a CAI And MPGs.

 

I'd rather have the pre 97 air box, the filter is easier to access, the round drum is a joke, my brake booster hose puts it in a bind, making it a challenge to line up and get the band on it, gotta give the tech's credit, it's NOT user friendly.
I tried an open element, lost 2-3 MPG, costly thing to learn, especially when city mileage is at 10 MPG already. There was a guy once who increased the size of the diverter that clips to the end of the intake, routing air from in front of the radiator, said it benefited his V-10.
I received increased throttle response after removing the silencer from my intake tubing, no affect to my mileage tho and did not cause a noise at WOT, the reason it was designed was to eliminate noise.

 

I did the fans for MPG's ill do the CAI for power. Cold the air the denser it is, the IAT sensor sees that and compensates with more fuel = lower MPG's.
Also your mass air may have been seeing a screwy signal. 3MPG loss is alot for a CAI. Did you have significant plumbing before the MAF, typically the don't like having a filter clamped to them.

Im getting 14City/16-18Hwy, out of my modded 5.4L E-250. it keeps getting better MPG's and Power as it breaks in also.

 

The MAF is designed to be at the air filter, as it gets the best reading there, that is why you always see them installed there.

 

I know that on the 5.0 mustangs and that era of mafs if you mount a cone filter to them they get a really scattered signal due to air passing over the filter becuase of fans and under hood turbulence. I have seen it with my ethos and experienced problems from it. Unless you have a shrouded filter it will most likely have this problem. Or you can have plumbing to absorb the air pulses. either option will work but typically for a custom job the plumbing job is easier and looks cleaner. KandN shrouds the filters from heat and turbulence.

 

I modified mine, cut the box, only the top was open, not the bottom, to keep the fan from disturbing it.