Hello 40 fam! Searched the forum, frequently ask questions and online and just have not got the answer I’m looking for. My 77 has a 1991 TBI 5.7 with a way to small radiator from PO. I am thinking of putting a 26x19 radiator in. My motor sits pretty far forward in the engine bay and am not sure if I can fit a mechanical fan with a fan clutch. Obviously, that would be the best answer. I see that there are some brushless fans that are getting close to the amount of air I believe I need to pull. Has anybody ran a brushless fan that they like. Should I run two fans or one huge fan? I am planning on building a fan shroud to accompany the fans. Additionally, I will not be hooking my automatic transmission lines to the radiator. I will build an additional system for that. I’m looking for the upper 3000 to mid 4000 cfm. I want it to stay in range no matter how hot it gets and if one day, I wanna run an AC system. Thanks for your insight as always!!!
Electric brushless radiator fan (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 1lukeduke
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Lots of things to consider - a larger better heat transfer radiator is a real plus. Not adding the load from the tranny will help. 2 fans has build in redundancy of sorts - 1 fan out you still got some cooling.
Clutch fan - yea maybe it warms up a little faster and drinks a little less gas at high speed - they ran without them for like 50+ years.
Those big electric fans can pull lots of power - make sure your charging system is up to the task
Clutch fan - yea maybe it warms up a little faster and drinks a little less gas at high speed - they ran without them for like 50+ years.
Those big electric fans can pull lots of power - make sure your charging system is up to the task
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks for the post! I have a 100 amp alternator and will run large wires to and from the relays.
Spal is the industry standard for brushless cooling fans. For transit buses with the cooling package on the side of the bus-- very little ram air-- multiple small electric fans on a high efficiency aluminum radiator will work as well as a deep core brass radiator and single 75hp hydraulic fan. An aluminum radiator has better heat transfer which allows fewer rows of tubes which reduces air flow restriction for the small electric fans.
- Thread starter
- #5
I will look at the Spal fans. Thank you!
I have a brand new 4 core brass radiator from Mr. Radiator or Radiator King I bought like 15+ years ago to put in my 72. It never really runs hot, except the time I was pushing mud with hubs for many miles in low range low. I also have a rear heater that came out a 17 place Chevy van to help move heat.
There was some type of coolant additive that would help transfer heat - not sure from a thermodynamic stand point how well that would work vs larger transfer area and more air flow.
There was some type of coolant additive that would help transfer heat - not sure from a thermodynamic stand point how well that would work vs larger transfer area and more air flow.
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- #7
Nice! Thank you for the information!
Usually one big fan moves more air then 2 smaller ones.
I have a 4LTR Diesel engine with only est. 100-105hp and converted from a fixed fan to 2 smaller electro-fans (120W each, cheaper ones, not the expensive brushless ones). During normal conditions, like going slow in the city (low load on the engine) and cruising on the highway at around 50-55mph it works more or less well.
Lower speed at higher load (going up a hill, etc.) the engine temp. will go above normal. And in all conditions I can tell by the oil pressure, that the oil temp is higher as well.
I returned to the fixed fan, which provides way more cooling, just to be on the save side. The e-fans just help during airconditioning.
What I want to say is, you need to have a good airflow to/from the radiator (the condensor from the a/c won't help) and (when in doubt) stronger fans then weaker ones. I underestimated that as well.
I have a 4LTR Diesel engine with only est. 100-105hp and converted from a fixed fan to 2 smaller electro-fans (120W each, cheaper ones, not the expensive brushless ones). During normal conditions, like going slow in the city (low load on the engine) and cruising on the highway at around 50-55mph it works more or less well.
Lower speed at higher load (going up a hill, etc.) the engine temp. will go above normal. And in all conditions I can tell by the oil pressure, that the oil temp is higher as well.
I returned to the fixed fan, which provides way more cooling, just to be on the save side. The e-fans just help during airconditioning.
What I want to say is, you need to have a good airflow to/from the radiator (the condensor from the a/c won't help) and (when in doubt) stronger fans then weaker ones. I underestimated that as well.
If you mount 2 small electric fans directly to the face of the radiator core, you are only flowing air thru the core directly below the fan. With an old style brass serpentine fin radiator, you would not get enough heat transfer. If you build a shroud and mount the fans to the shroud, you are flowing air through more of the radiator core. Increasing the spacing between the fan and the core gives you more swept area increasing heat transfer. Spacing of a single large electric fan would be limited by the water pump pulley.
I installed it with a kind of shroud and made sure that the sides are closed.
Those are 10" fans and are rated at 13V / 9.5A. At 14V those are taking around 10A which would be around 140W each and 280W for the pair.
As per datasheet, they should provide something like 900cfm each.
I (tried) to convert from the OEM fixed fan, since those consume a lot of power at rated engine speed to maintain enough flow during low engine speed/high load conditions. At the end I installed the fixed fan again, since I can't tell a difference in power and the additional consumption is almost nothing (like 0.1-0.2 Liter per 100km). But the engine compartment is cooled with a fixed fan as well and the engine runs a bit cooler/better with it.
But it's also pretty hot here in Brazil, means, at lower OATs (maybe 20°C and below) the e-fan might work well.
What I wanted to say
: to cover low speed / high OAT / high load events, I would go as big as possible.
For 4000cfm (what I would consider as ok), the fans would need around 40As. That's a lot, especially, if the alternator needs to deliver that at low engine speeds. It will get hot for sure.
Those are 10" fans and are rated at 13V / 9.5A. At 14V those are taking around 10A which would be around 140W each and 280W for the pair.
As per datasheet, they should provide something like 900cfm each.
I (tried) to convert from the OEM fixed fan, since those consume a lot of power at rated engine speed to maintain enough flow during low engine speed/high load conditions. At the end I installed the fixed fan again, since I can't tell a difference in power and the additional consumption is almost nothing (like 0.1-0.2 Liter per 100km). But the engine compartment is cooled with a fixed fan as well and the engine runs a bit cooler/better with it.
But it's also pretty hot here in Brazil, means, at lower OATs (maybe 20°C and below) the e-fan might work well.
What I wanted to say
: to cover low speed / high OAT / high load events, I would go as big as possible.For 4000cfm (what I would consider as ok), the fans would need around 40As. That's a lot, especially, if the alternator needs to deliver that at low engine speeds. It will get hot for sure.
- Thread starter
- #11
Thank you for your response. Those are some great pictures and lots of information. Appreciated!I installed it with a kind of shroud and made sure that the sides are closed.
Those are 10" fans and are rated at 13V / 9.5A. At 14V those are taking around 10A which would be around 140W each and 280W for the pair.
As per datasheet, they should provide something like 900cfm each.
I (tried) to convert from the OEM fixed fan, since those consume a lot of power at rated engine speed to maintain enough flow during low engine speed/high load conditions. At the end I installed the fixed fan again, since I can't tell a difference in power and the additional consumption is almost nothing (like 0.1-0.2 Liter per 100km). But the engine compartment is cooled with a fixed fan as well and the engine runs a bit cooler/better with it.
But it's also pretty hot here in Brazil, means, at lower OATs (maybe 20°C and below) the e-fan might work well.
What I wanted to say
For 4000cfm (what I would consider as ok), the fans would need around 40As. That's a lot, especially, if the alternator needs to deliver that at low engine speeds. It will get hot for sure.
View attachment 3719105
View attachment 3719106
- Thread starter
- #12
I am thinking a 18” fan. This makes sense. Thank you.
- Thread starter
- #14
Here is the link for the 18” that I found.
18" Brushless Fan Kit
High Performance Brushless Cooling Fan Kit. 18" Fan with 4,100 CFM 26 amp @ 13vdc with Soft-Start 100% Waterproof, Sealed and encapsulated motor and components. 8-28vdc, No changes needed. Ask us about our 48v ECM. Variable speed with our Digital Controller or +PWM High static pressure capable...
deltapag.com
