I'm stepping up to the 16" permacool, probably the same one some of y'all are using. Steve said to wire it to a relay, could someone enlighten me on how I would go about doing this, I've done lots of wiring, but nothing to a relay. I plan on having a cockpit-mounted manual switch, I have a brass/copper 4-row radiator, I run 150-160 without a shroud, just a big factory flyswatter strapped to the water pump. I have a shroud, and I'll probably put it on when I do the electric fan. thanks for the help.

Cadet Second Lieutenant John F. Daly III
South Carolina Corps of Cadets, The Citadel
The TorqueKing

 

Just order the relay from PermaCool when you order the fan...the relay will have good instructions and will allow the fans to get full power all the time they're running.

 

What is the main reason y'all are going to electric fans? Is there a sustantial HP or torque advantage taking the waterpump engine run fan off?

I'm all for looking cool, but is there a performance difference?
If so, how mucch?

Will these electric fan(s) run OK with normal stock alternator & electrics on my 1996 351 bronco?

Rob

1996 Ford Bronco, 5.8L:
-Done:Hypertech III,Powerstat, K&N FIPK,cooler TBody bypass,Mac equal length headers, Gibson cat-back, Taylor wires, Urethane bushings, BF Goodrich TA's, Roadmaster active suspension, Nozzle lights, Euro taillights
-ToDo: MSD Coil, Hypertech cap & rotor, Edelbrock performer intake manifold & 56 Tbody, Granetelli MAF

 

Yes there is a performance increase, few HP, and yes your alternator can handle it, unless you have other high amp accessories running.


Primary rig is Green Thunder:
95' F-150 XLT 4x4, 302, 5 spd, MSD 6A, Flowmaster American Thunder Exhaust, Sunroof, Clear corners w/ Diamond headlights, CD player with 2 10" subs and some 32" BFG Muds .

Check out my Gallery for a look-see.

Then theres:
99' Mustang GT 4.6L
88' F-250 Heavyduty 4x4 351/c6
95' Mercury Cougar 4.6L V-8
80' E-350 300/6 with a
3 spd column shifter. Weighs around 7,000lbs w. 65mph top speed, who wants to race me!

 

Anyone run an electric fan set up with an ASP underdrive cranl/water pump pulley set? It seems than would be a bad combination?? As I understand the underdrive pulley (I have a set on order)they don't make a full charge at idle like stock, only over 1100rpm. I suspect the time you need the most out of an electric fan setup is at idle? Sounds like a dead battery situation?

What do you think? I wonder what gives more seat of the pants gain, either the underdrive pullies or separately, the electric fan swap (assuming it's not wise to do both)?

Rob

1996 Ford Bronco, 5.8L:
-Done:Hypertech III,Powerstat, K&N FIPK,cooler TBody bypass,Mac equal length headers, Gibson cat-back, Taylor wires, Urethane bushings, BF Goodrich TA's, Roadmaster active suspension, Nozzle lights, Euro taillights
-ToDo: MSD Coil, Hypertech cap & rotor, Edelbrock performer intake manifold & 56 Tbody, Granetelli MAF, ASP underdrive pulleys

 

I would NOT run the electric fan and the underdrive pulleys. A few people have problems with factory everything with just the pulleys being different. The pulleys by themselves would give you more power than a fan change, I would imagine. I am going to go with dual elctric fans in my car instead of the factory mechanical setup because it will cool better, free up a few ponies (18" fan with big blades), and give me more room for the hot air to go.
If you want simple hp, try a high flow air filter. You have to clean them, but the K&N's are guaranteed for 1,000,000 miles.
If you have a 14" round air filter, you can spend half the money and get a summit brand filter.

 

Another reason, although not one of particular importance to power seekers, is water pump life. No rotating mass on the pump should equal a longer life. Having made it through one of the hottest, dryest summers on record I can state that the electric performed perfectly. One time did it allow the engine to get a little warmer than I like (190*). And that was in heavy stop and go traffic for 30 minutes with outside temps over 100* and high humidity. They're fairly low cost, clean up the engine bay, and add a few ponies in the bargain. I agree about not using one with underdrive pulleys though. I wouldn't attempt that one.

Ron

 

Hi Ron,

Took a look at your pic, looks good. A few questions, I am thinking about this for my 96 Bronco 351 that today has all factory radiator, clutch fan, etc.

A few questions:

- How loud is your electric fan? From inside cab at idle can you hear it when it's on, how about driving slowly (30mph?, on the higway?)

- Do you think that 16" permacool unit cools as well as the OEM clutch fan? I'm wondering about towing (up mountains!)

- On the installation, those square tie things thru the radiator look pretty slick. It looks easy to mount on the engine side of radiator - when OEM fan and shroud are removed there should be plenty of room to move around with mounting stuff. My concern is getting your hands in the front side (toward the grill)to secure those square ties??
- Can you reach thru the grill to do this? I am particularly concerned about problems installing what would be the left upper mount facing the front of the truck because that's where there is an auxillery small radiator attached to the front (grill) side of my radiator now, I think that's maybe the transmission cooler?
- Does this reqire taking out my radiator, taking off that auxillery radator to reach the front of that corner of the radiator to reach the mount tie stuck thru the big radiator.... and/or do I have to take off the grill to do this (have enough room to manuver those mounting ties). It sure would be an easier mounting job if you don't have to take the grill and or radiator out!

- It seems like some people use two fans, some one. Does it stand to reason two draw more current (a bad thing?). Do you think I might be best just getting what you got... the price is reasonable and I suspect on my 351 the stock shroud is big enough to be relaced with the electric that would help cooling with the electric even more?

I appreciate any help you can provide or help from others on these questions. Thanks!

Rob

1996 Ford Bronco, 5.8L:
-Done:Hypertech III,Powerstat, K&N FIPK,cooler TBody bypass,Mac equal length headers, Gibson cat-back, Taylor wires, Urethane bushings, BF Goodrich TA's, Roadmaster active suspension, Nozzle lights, Euro taillights
-ToDo: MSD Coil, Hypertech cap & rotor, Edelbrock performer intake manifold & 56 Tbody, Granetelli MAF, ASP underdrive pulleys

 

Rob,

I have a 1995 F150 and a 5-speed with a 351. I think the little radiator that you are talking about is part of the A/C.

I put an electric fan in my truck with a temp control. What I did was cut the stock fan shroud with a dremmel tool. Just big enough to fit the electric fan in. Then bolted the electric fan to the shroud. 4 bolts and then bolt the original shroud back in. The only thing that touches the radiator is the temp control sensor.

You can hear the electric fan a little from inside the truck, but the easiest way to tell if it is on is to look at the alternator gauge. It will go down a tick as soon as that fan kicks on.

One thing to keep in mind, if you wire that fan up to kick on at a temp that is too low and it is hot wired into your battery, that thing could kick on at anytime. Whether the truck is on or not. I wired my fan so that the temp control has power when the truck is on and can be switched on if the truck is off. That way I can let is cool down if I am not in the truck. It does wear down the battery a little.

You definately don't want to use the power pulleys with an elctric fan. They make your accessories turn slower, which in turn causes the alternator to charge less. Bad news at idle.

I have had my electric fan in for all of this summer. Even with temps in the 100* range, the truck temp never got above 190*. With the stock flyswatter, the truck would start to heat up when the temp got over 80*. So I would say that the electric fan cools better than the stock fan. If you mount it to the inside of the shroud it is about 6-8" closer to the radiator than the stock fan. I use one single electric fan. I actually got mine from a junkyard, out of a Bonneville. It fit perfectly inside the stock radiator shroud. I used my truck to tow my boat around in NH and it never even came closed to heating up all summer.

 

Thx for advice. Very much appreciate it!

Rob

1996 Ford Bronco, 5.8L:
-Done:Hypertech III,Powerstat, K&N FIPK,cooler TBody bypass,Mac equal length headers, Gibson cat-back, Taylor wires, Urethane bushings, BF Goodrich TA's, Roadmaster active suspension, Nozzle lights, Euro taillights
-ToDo: MSD Coil, Hypertech cap & rotor, Edelbrock performer intake manifold & 56 Tbody, Granetelli MAF