Electric radiator fan ?
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 47
Likes: 1
Electric radiator fan ?
Hi All,
I'm thinking of going with an electric fan on my 1987 F-150 5.0 4x4 auto. Anyone have any experience and/or recommendations?
Also., can anyone recommend a good Ford Truck accessory/parts catalog? I have LMC Truck catalog just wondering if there is an alternative out there.
Thanks
I'm thinking of going with an electric fan on my 1987 F-150 5.0 4x4 auto. Anyone have any experience and/or recommendations?
Also., can anyone recommend a good Ford Truck accessory/parts catalog? I have LMC Truck catalog just wondering if there is an alternative out there.
Thanks
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 238
Likes: 14
I put dual electrics on my '97 F350 w/460. They provided BARELY adequate cooling in hot weather even if I didn't work it very hard. The gain in power or gas mileage was insignificant, if any. I spent close to 300 bucks for bragging rights. They are coming off any day now before hot weather driving season. I'd say stay with a properly functioning factory setup.
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 24,742
Likes: 2,669
From: SE Florida
Electric fans can't come close to an engine driven fan when it comes to moving air. If you live where it doesn't get hot and you don't work your truck hard you MIGHT get away without overheating the powertrain.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,904
Likes: 2,450
I put dual electric fans with a shroud on my ‘87 Bronco when I had the engine replaced. Even though the cfm rating should have been more than enough it couldn’t keep up. I went back to the mechanical fan and never had another problem with overheating.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 904
Likes: 115
From: Laurel, MS
I put in an electric fan when I did my engine swap this fall. It hasn't gotten really hot here yet, so the real test will be this summer when the temperature hits 100+ degrees, BUT so far it's been great. Really, it only kicks on if I'm sitting still idling. (i.e. when I'm rolling down the road there's enough ram-air moving through the radiator to keep cool without a fan).
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 12,351
Likes: 1,320
From: Central Mississippi
Nothing wrong with a properly sized & shrouded fan with suitably supported electrical system & control along with a mechanical water temp gauge to eliminate guessing.
Rarely do all those things come together in a retro fit application on a truck.
For some the answer is the KISS principal in keep the big heavy thing spinning on the end of the waterpump all the time & sounding like a Piper Cub at take-off under the hood.
I love my conversion & it's done just fine for 15 or so years in the deep south & occasionally it has to actually function as a truck.
It's not for everybody.
Rarely do all those things come together in a retro fit application on a truck.
For some the answer is the KISS principal in keep the big heavy thing spinning on the end of the waterpump all the time & sounding like a Piper Cub at take-off under the hood.
I love my conversion & it's done just fine for 15 or so years in the deep south & occasionally it has to actually function as a truck.
It's not for everybody.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,190
Likes: 620
I'm not completely anti electric fan, but unless packaging forces me to, I stick with mechanical.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 12,904
Likes: 2,450
The OEM fan clutch never sounded like a plane taking off but the aftermarket HD clutch sure did. I don’t think that clutch ever disengaged.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 156
Likes: 6
From: San Jose, CA
I put in an electric fan when I did my engine swap this fall. It hasn't gotten really hot here yet, so the real test will be this summer when the temperature hits 100+ degrees, BUT so far it's been great. Really, it only kicks on if I'm sitting still idling. (i.e. when I'm rolling down the road there's enough ram-air moving through the radiator to keep cool without a fan).
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 904
Likes: 115
From: Laurel, MS
I used this one, but I didn't use their included "install kit" which basically just zip-ties it to the rad. I mounted it in my existing shroud (which was a thin 6-cylinder shroud since this was part of a I6 to V8 swap). I mounted it in similar fashion to the way Scndsin mounted his taurus fan. I've read that a shroud significantly improves cooling, so I felt like installing it without a shroud was leaving some free cooling on the table.
More Turbo
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 685
Likes: 1
From: Western NC mountains
I used a dual set for a Chrysler 300 from dorman on my 87 f250 460. I have it come on with a grounding switch screwed into the top of the water outlet. I does the job except for long slow uphill pulls then I must be careful and watch the temp.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,930
Likes: 1,201
From: Mojave, Ca
Just my 2 cents. Been there, done that.
Its hard to beat a mechanical fan. Electric fans simply cannot compete against a factory fan spinning at 3000 rpm. Dual electric fan may blow enough of air to keep your truck cool around town or at idle, but when you get into sand or start towing, they cant keep up with the demand.
Just for some fun math, all electric fan manufactures say their product improves gas mileage and frees up horse power. To even have a slightly noticable effect, itll need to free up around 5 hp (or 2.5% on a 200hp engine). 5hp is a realistic number for the mechanical fan to consume when the fan-clutch is fully locked up. There are 746 watts in a hp. 746x5=3730 watts of energy get consumed by the mechanical fan. Our trucks run 14 volt electrical systems so 3730/14=266amps. So youd need a 266 amp electric fan to move an equal amount of air that our mechanical fans does. A hyden 16" electric fan pulls 20 amps of current. 15 of those amps probably actually moves air, and 5 of those amps gets converted into heat.
Long story short, unless youre installing an electric fan that requires an in-line 300 amp fuse, stick with your mechanical fan.
Its hard to beat a mechanical fan. Electric fans simply cannot compete against a factory fan spinning at 3000 rpm. Dual electric fan may blow enough of air to keep your truck cool around town or at idle, but when you get into sand or start towing, they cant keep up with the demand.
Just for some fun math, all electric fan manufactures say their product improves gas mileage and frees up horse power. To even have a slightly noticable effect, itll need to free up around 5 hp (or 2.5% on a 200hp engine). 5hp is a realistic number for the mechanical fan to consume when the fan-clutch is fully locked up. There are 746 watts in a hp. 746x5=3730 watts of energy get consumed by the mechanical fan. Our trucks run 14 volt electrical systems so 3730/14=266amps. So youd need a 266 amp electric fan to move an equal amount of air that our mechanical fans does. A hyden 16" electric fan pulls 20 amps of current. 15 of those amps probably actually moves air, and 5 of those amps gets converted into heat.
Long story short, unless youre installing an electric fan that requires an in-line 300 amp fuse, stick with your mechanical fan.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 231
Likes: 16
From: Bismarck ND
Just my 2 cents. Been there, done that.
Its hard to beat a mechanical fan. Electric fans simply cannot compete against a factory fan spinning at 3000 rpm. Dual electric fan may blow enough of air to keep your truck cool around town or at idle, but when you get into sand or start towing, they cant keep up with the demand.
Just for some fun math, all electric fan manufactures say their product improves gas mileage and frees up horse power. To even have a slightly noticable effect, itll need to free up around 5 hp (or 2.5% on a 200hp engine). 5hp is a realistic number for the mechanical fan to consume when the fan-clutch is fully locked up. There are 746 watts in a hp. 746x5=3730 watts of energy get consumed by the mechanical fan. Our trucks run 14 volt electrical systems so 3730/14=266amps. So youd need a 266 amp electric fan to move an equal amount of air that our mechanical fans does. A hyden 16" electric fan pulls 20 amps of current. 15 of those amps probably actually moves air, and 5 of those amps gets converted into heat.
Long story short, unless youre installing an electric fan that requires an in-line 300 amp fuse, stick with your mechanical fan.
Its hard to beat a mechanical fan. Electric fans simply cannot compete against a factory fan spinning at 3000 rpm. Dual electric fan may blow enough of air to keep your truck cool around town or at idle, but when you get into sand or start towing, they cant keep up with the demand.
Just for some fun math, all electric fan manufactures say their product improves gas mileage and frees up horse power. To even have a slightly noticable effect, itll need to free up around 5 hp (or 2.5% on a 200hp engine). 5hp is a realistic number for the mechanical fan to consume when the fan-clutch is fully locked up. There are 746 watts in a hp. 746x5=3730 watts of energy get consumed by the mechanical fan. Our trucks run 14 volt electrical systems so 3730/14=266amps. So youd need a 266 amp electric fan to move an equal amount of air that our mechanical fans does. A hyden 16" electric fan pulls 20 amps of current. 15 of those amps probably actually moves air, and 5 of those amps gets converted into heat.
Long story short, unless youre installing an electric fan that requires an in-line 300 amp fuse, stick with your mechanical fan.