i took off flex fan on 86 f150 and went electric, liked the performance gain and wired for switch on dash....gets warm..turn fan on. only ran twice since i put it on

 

The trouble with non-OEM electrics is cheap mounting methods and even cheaper wiring. The multitude of connections add failure points and non-factory wiring methods don't help. The power to run the electric fan is not free either. Converting from mechanical to electrical and then back to mechnical power is inefficient.

Ronclark is correct in that the fan is only needed at low speeds. When the vehicle is moving above 30+ MPH depending on vehicle aerodynamics the vehicle motion forces air thru the radiator.

Thermostatic clutch fans have entirely different operating characteristics than clutch fans or flex fans.

More info:
http://www.haydenauto.com/installation/faqs.htm

 

Flex fans do not work well in towing applications. I used one for years and found that when backing or climbing at low speeds and high rpms the fan would flatten out and not move any air. This would cut the air flow down and thus cause overheating. I switched back to the OEM fan clutch and the cooling improved greatly.

I have never found an electric fan that could move enough air to cool the 460.

 

I'm with Torque1st on this.

Nothing works any better than a clutch fan.

There are "flex fans" and electrics that are better quality than others. But flex fans in general will not to the jobs as well or as efficiently as a good clutch fan. Some are just terrible. Same with electrics, in that you have to spend a lot of money to get performance as good as the stock clutch fan in good condition. Stay away from electrics with mickey mouse mounting and wiring.

 

I guess none of you guys have actually installed an e-fan kit. They are great. The wiring is easy provided you are not a complete **** and make good connections. Mine is mounted via some plastic ties used for mounting trans coolers.

 

I have installed a few under duress and have seen the results of those plastic mounts when they ruined the main radiator. Absolute junk!

 

I agree with you Eric, e-fans are a joke!!!!!

Check out this report. It's on a RX-7, but the principles are the same:

http://www.aaroncake.net/rx-7/efanmyth.htm

 

His last statements re cost are really the only differences. Thermostatic clutch replacements for stock American vehicles are very cheap and E-Fans are much more expensive. He didn't mention what those plastic mounts do to radiators but maybe he covers that in his mounting segment.

 

[QUOTE=73Fastbackv10]Electric. Less rotating mass means more power and better gas mileage. Plus it only works when you want it and can flow up to 5500 cfm. No flex fan can do that.

I had an electric fan on my 87 Supra Turbo with 352 RWHP and on my dad's 70 Skylark that had a 350 with a 4:71 blower.[/QUOte


A stanless flex will out flow any elect fan if installed properly !!!

Don Cross

 

I don't agree with that aritcle in that it mainly refers to an RX-7 application; we're dealing with two totally different animals here. Some of the reasons I see people complain about e-fans in general is because the units they've installed were to small (for a truck). The black magic and smaller perma cool units are not meant for a truck; there are fans for truck applications.
If anyone goes shopping for an e-fan kit, don't look for cheapest unit you can find because you WILL be dissapointed. There are applications that are truck specific and will out perform the smaller kits like the black magic and some of the smaller perma cool kits.
I've been running a dual puller with a variable speed controller on my Lightning for over two years now and I've never had a cooling problem with it. The shroud covers the entire radiator, it has metal mounting bracketry, it works with my A/C system and has a foam seal/cushion between the shroud and the radiator, and max current draw is 28 amps.
Yes, this fan kit is more expensive than the smaller units, but you get what you pay for and nothin' is cheap for a truck.

 

Sounds like you got a good kit but the comparisons are still valid in that article. Most guys don't buy the good stuff with solid mounting systems etc. They buy that cheap stuff again and again and again... hehe! The vehicles with computer controlled fans are the best. The computer knows not to turn on the fan if the vehicle is moving more than a certain speed and knows whether the AC is on or off. Those systems can get fairly efficient but for top efficiency the old thermostatic clutch fan is very hard to beat which is why OEMs use them if at all possible.

 

I think it's a good comparision for that particular vehicle indeed. However, I would like to see a similar write up on a truck with the stock fan/clutch and either the FAL 295 and/or 270, being that both of those have large shrouds and move about twice as much air as the smaller units.
Now, I'm not suggesting that everyone ditch their stock units for an e-fan kit; if it aint broke, then don't fix it. But for those who are shopping around, don't be afraid to spend a little extra $$$ to get one that fits.

 

I have twin electric twelve inch fans in my 82 4x4 toyota pickup with a 375 hp chevy.. They cool the radiator just fine and are the cheap ones. They have been in there for 14 years without any trouble to the radiator core. I did have one quit working a couple of years ago so I changed it for a new one. I used the install kit that turns them on automatically at 190 (adjustable). I am amazed at their performance. You can idle forever with them. Now why did I put them in? Because in this conversion there is no room for a regular fan. If there had been room it would have a clutch fan. Simplicity is best by far..... However, if they are the right sized fan, and installed the right way, they will last a very long time as mine have.

 

Keep in mid that nearly every new car, and an increasing number of trucks, come with e-fans from the factory. Predominantly due to control and fuel-efficiency issues.

I completey agree that some (OK, most) e-fan setups are cheesy, but that pretty much goes for anything - you get what you pay for.

It's tough to equal OEM quality with many aftermarket products..but done the right way, e-fans offer some advantages.

I have yet to see an aftermarket e-fan setup that rivals an OEM e-fan setup as far as quality of installation goes. But I've got them and they've work great for me, even in the heat of the summertime CA desert.

 

Not really, it is because of sidewinder engines in FWD vehicles and lack of space in others. Where possible the OEMs still use the T-clutch fans. There are some now using hydraulic driven fans using wasted PS pump power. However the only really good way to run an E-fan is under computer control. OEM wiring is much better than most aftermarket wiring because they have to stand behind it for warranty reasons.