Ok you have your opinion and then I have mine, that is one thing that a person can always get from this site is many differing opinions. One of the reasons that this site is so successful. My reply was in order to answer a question that was posted and that is what it was. As for the major auto manufacturers using e-fans that will run after shut down, they do use that type of fan and though I cannot say for all I do know for a fact that most do. As again do the major aftermarket fan kits. Read more if still confused here are but a few articles you can find on the fact that they do run after shutdown and about heat soak. There is also a warning label on most electric fan I have ever seen that warn the fan may come on at anytime.

Flex a lite instructions for mounting the fan speed controller, read down to the operation section: http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/vsc.html

Here is one about the Jaguar that talks about the axillary fan for post shutdown cooling. Good article about heat soak and it's theory: http://sowell.ecs.fullerton.edu/jag/coolingsys/fancontrol/FanCtrl.htm

Maybe a little info from a bronco tech area. Another one suggesting the need for it: http://www.projectbronco.com/Technical_Articles/Aux_Fan.htm

 

Yes, we all do have different opinons. But as I have said, I dont have any e fans that run on and I doubt that it is nessasary in the majority of well engineered vehicles.

The link regarding the Jaguar sounds like he has alot of heat problems with this vehicle, which doent surprise me with a Jag. Its too funny that you site this article and it specifically reiterates what I said, that there may be problems with the battery getting drained....

Also, not to rain on your parade but, if you think your getting "heat soak" that is a problem, what about the zillions of vehicles that use good ol belt driven water pumps and fans that shut off all fan use when you turn off the motor? They are the most common and the zillions on the road that have been made for decades all seem to work fine, so this therory doesnt hold alot of worth.

 

True there is a not an ordinary need for this function but over the years and especially on smaller high revving engines it has showed that there is indeed a need for such a function. That is a main reason that car manufacturers use them on their factory cars. If in doubt just go to a big parking lot and watch how many cars come in and when they turn off the motor and get out the fans are still running. The debate could go on for ever and never satisfy every side, but the facts speak for themselves, there is a need and a call for such a function. As far as running the battery down, well if it does then you either have a weak battery to start with or the fans are not set up and functioning correctly.


Heat soak is not a sign of another problem as you say it is a matter of scientific fact. Though I will grant that under normal driving conditions there should not be a heat soak issue, but if you run hard then it is inevitable. Maybe you should ask why race cars have fans directed at the engines after the races. Maybe you should ask why all driving manuals and books will advise that after extremely hard runs you should drive a little to let the motor have a chance to cool. Your opinion is fine and holds some weight, but it does not cover all aspects of how engines run, cool, or are driven. There has to be a need for the function or the factories and aftermarket companies would not even put them in. I do again agree that probably the normal driver and vehicle would never have a problem but the chance is there, so hence the run after shut down function. A well engineered vehicle as you say would definitely have the function built in, for if it was well engineered it would cover all scenarios. If your fans do not allow for this function I would say they are not the top of the line fans but rather ones that leave features out in order to cut prices. The idea that the belt driven motors have worked for many decades so it rules out my theory, well that alone is not worth the words to write it. First it is not a theory, and second just because it has been that way for decades doesn't make it perfect. If this were the case then why do we have electronic ignition? Points and breakers worked fine for years. Why do we have fuel injection? Carbs worked great for decades. See where this is going, change is a matter of life and the automobile has had to change through the years to keep up with the times, technology, and to improve where improvements were needed. Thus we will have future developments as time goes on. Now I do not want to get into a this and that match and would rather just end the debate. Your opinion is great and I respect what you have said, it's just that I disagree in my opinion and stand behind the facts and figures that will back them up.

This has been fun and it is good to hear from others with differing views. Thanks for the time and fun posting.

 

Yes Rollie, there are extreme instances where there may be a need for a fan to cool a motor, like you were talkng about race cars and such.

I was pointing out that in your link to the Jag info, the author cited that he himself had issues with his battery draining from the fan going on.

The use of stock, manufacturer installed factory e fans that run on have disappeared over the years. The mfgs used to use this technology back in the 80's, but most if not all shut off with the ignition now, so it stands that the run on systems are actually getting shelfed by most if not all factory installs.

I really dont think that your going to hurt anything having the fans run on, thats for sure. But there is alot of vehicles out there that probably would have more problems with their battery than those that wont given the high amperage draw of the fans. This is probably why the run on feature gone by the wayside from the factory. The fans I have installed on my vehicles are definitly not the cheap flex a light kits, I'm afraid I have used much better fans and electrical parts than what you will find from manufacturers kits like this. By the way, speaking of flex a lite quality, wasent it you that had a fuse holder melt down on a flex a lite e fan unit?

Anyhow, not trying to say that its useless, just that I doubt that it is going to do much. I havent really seen any real facts presented to prove otherwise.

 

ive seen plenty of cars with run on fans. my moms saturn fans keep running after she shuts the car off. ive seen many cars in the high school parking lot right before school that have fans running after kids get out of them. theres a reason that mfg are doing that, dont you think?

 

Touché, yes it was me that had a fuse holder burn up and melt. But to be fair I also said that it was my fault. The company like many others, discovered the problem and issued a recall to correct it. I on the other hand decided to wait before installing the fix and ended up paying the consequence's for it . Ahh but that was a lesson well learned and not forgotten.

Kevin my friend it has been great, but duty calls and I must once again get back to other matters such as the big Rally coming up, so adiós for now but hopefully in the future we may once again liven up a conversation . Until then have fun,enjoy the site and keep the info coming, thats what keeps the site alive and interesting.

 

Rally sounds like it will be alot of fun Rollie, hope it all goes well!

 

Those cars with fans running are using an electric t-stat control, its just hooked up to constant power all the time, not sure where the t-stat is located but this is what they are using.

 

Several in this post said they were going to get an electric fan.
Since the thread is several months old, wondering how many now have electric fans and what the results have been.

Be honest in describing any changes you may have noticed.
Let us all in on it.

Anyone else reading this that has an electric fan on your Ford please tell the rest of us any likes/dislikes, goods/bads, etc.

Yes, I know there's a sticky thread about e-fans at the beginning of the forum, but this thread also has a worthwhile discussion groupand possible results.

 

Yeah i will hopefully getting my fans put in here in the next week or so if everything goes good, if not i'll have to push it back another day. But when i do i'll do a full write up on the subject.

 

My fan keeps running after the motor is off. But after reading this thread I hooked up a switch on the fan relay, just in case.