Electric fan install question

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truckosaurus

truckosaurus

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Joined
Feb 15, 2005
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Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Website
www.runestonestudios.com
I'm looking to install an electric fan in my FJ60. It's got a 350 in it so the mechanical fan doesn't quite line up and has lots of space between it and the radiator. So right now there's no shroud to protect my fingers or to direct the air flow. So between fabricating a custom shroud and installing an electric fan- the fan won out.

I'm looking at this Flex-a-lite-

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/black-magic.html

at $215 (Part# 165) their website says it's a Direct bolt-on for the Toyota 4x4 applications. 1984-1996, 4 wheel drive. 2800CFM and 14 amp draw looks like good specs.

Anyone else have suggestions for other fans or experience with this fan? Is a variable speed fan better? I was looking for a dual fan (for redundancy) that would work but this seems like the best bolt in fit.
 
I battled this issue to no end. I would over heat in summer time temperatures. But I solved the problem with a dramatic solution. The story goes:

I did the conversion and ran a flex fan, the conversion put the engine in perfect place so I could run the stock radiator and shroud. Problem was not enough cooling while idling and crawling when it was hot out. Next I installed a Perma-Cool fan with 2950 cfm and a 16" diameter with no shroud. Well it cooled great at idle but did nothing for me with the rpms up. So I changed again and put a non flex 7 blade fan on and it cooled real well with rpms but not as good at idle and it would eventually heat up. Next I added "water wetter" to help, which it did but it still overheated. By this time I had already changed the thermostat and radiator cap to make sure it wasn't just a simple solution.

Finally I left on the non flex 7 blade fan and pulled my A/C (the pump, lines and condesor) in order to put the flex fan in front of the radiator as a pusher with the reostat on it to come on at 200 degrees. Well the 16" fan didn't fit so I put in a 14" and it fit fine. I put in an Autometer mechanical temperature gauge last winter so I could really see what temp my rig was running and when I had overheating problems it was hitting 230 before I would shut it down, it would have kept climbing.

Now with no A/C, a 7 bladed non flex fan and an electric 14" fan kicking on at 200 degress I ran the McGrew trail with the TLCA in the end of July with the temperature outside hitting near 100. It was my do or die run and the hottest my rig got all day was 203, I was idling for long periods of time and rock crawling all day in the heat. I solved the problem but lost my A/C. I guess it's better to have a rig that will run than one that keeps you cool but only runs on the freeway.

Long post, but I hope to save someone the trouble and money I spent working on mine. :beer:
 
truckosaurus said:
I'm looking at this Flex-a-lite-

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/black-magic.html

at $215 (Part# 165) their website says it's a Direct bolt-on for the Toyota 4x4 applications. 1984-1996, 4 wheel drive. 2800CFM and 14 amp draw looks like good specs.

Anyone else have suggestions for other fans or experience with this fan? Is a variable speed fan better? I was looking for a dual fan (for redundancy) that would work but this seems like the best bolt in fit.
Click to expand...

I ran that fan with mixed results(with Be Cool rad).Kept up around town but ran way hot at BHCC.So
I replaced it with a Ron Davis rad with dual e-fans and this is the way to go imho.Not cheap though.
V8FJ60 too.
Good Luck!
 
Right now I don't have any overheating issues with the stock radiator and the fan just spinning in the open. I'm replacing the original with a new CSF radiator I got for $200. Thought the original had to go since it's looking pretty beat up and rusting through.

Driving, my temp guage goes to half and then just stays there even though I'd be climbing long stretches of steep freeway - like the Grapevine north of LA. No movement on the trail either. I replaced the thermostat and decided to go with a 180 degree setting. Now the temperature guage sits at about 1/4 and doesn't move noticeably. I have an AC radiator in front as well.

I'll be installing an aftermarket guage to get a more exact idea of the actual temps. Where is the best location? I put in a new top water outlet with an opening for a temp guage on my 350 but the probe runs into the thermostat.

Any good experiences with any electric fans? I don't see how any fan would make much difference at freeway speeds. Only if it's blocking the flow. And electric would be best for slow moving situations.

TOY350 - you have a pusher AND a puller fan installed? My understanding is that it's not such a good idea.
 
truckosaurus said:
TOY350 - you have a pusher AND a puller fan installed? My understanding is that it's not such a good idea.
Click to expand...

Yes. A normal non flex mechanical fan with shroud and then an electric fan in front of the radiator where my condensor used to be set up as a pusher that comes on at 200. Good or not, all I can say it works for me and I was going nuts trying to solve my cooling problem. I went through all the little things first until I solved my problem. My next step was goint to be an aluminum radiator, I'm glad I didn't have to go there since my radiator is only a year or so old. I am not saying do what I did with the 2 fans but just giving you the solution I came up with for my overheating problem. It sounds like yours is running nice and cool which is great, I wouldn't change anything unless you have to, like the old radiator.
 
Got it - non flex 7 blade fan = mechanical fan. Got the idea that you still had the 16" electric on back. Mechanical + electric seems like a good combination - that I've seen done on a few factory cars.

My old radiator has signs of rusting through and looked like it had take a few hits on the back- the fan blades were bent so it may have been that something got dropped in there. The fan sits pretty high so I don't want to get whacked by it also.
 
Customer service recommended this for my application-
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/180_black_magic_x-treme.html

Anyone have any experience with this fan?

Looks like it should just fit.

Height (in): 17 1/2
Width (in): 21 1/2
Thickness (in): 4 3/16
Flow Direction: Puller
Fan Quantity: Single
Maximum Fan CFM: 3300
Number of Blades: 8 blades
Maximum Fan RPM: 2450
Amp Draw: 18
 
Ford Taurus 3.8L 2-speed fan. I've already got all the plans ready to go, and it's just a matter of collecting all the necessary parts as soon as I get home. If I'm lucky I'll be able to do the install while I'm at my parents' place during my comp. time. My plan is to have the high speed switchable between a manual on, or switching on automatically when I turn on my A/C. The low speed will be either manual on, off, or thermostatically controlled. I needed an off function so I could make sure low speed wouldn't come on when high speed is on and prematurely kill the fan's motor.

I'll also have indicator lights, a master kill switch, and a full control panel made from a Radioshack project box to finish off the project. As with every mod I make on my truck, there will be an extensive and highly detailed writeup when it's done :D

BTW, on high, the fan supposedly pulls 5800 CFM IIRC from what I read a while back on Pirate.

Correction: The fan will move about 2000 CFM on low and about 4500 CFM on high.
 
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Ebay

I got a 2-speed Taurus/Sable fan coming that I got off ebay, $40 USD + shipping, will let you know how it goes when it arrives. The Taurus fan and integrated shroud dimensions are real close to the cruiser radiator dimensions, and they're supposed to pull ALOT of air.
 
i'm running that black magic set-up on my tpi 350 in my 60. it works great. fully loaded up the grade at 65mph. no overheating here. i got mine cheaper from sommit racing. about $180 bucks, no tax, free shipping. www.summitracing.com
:beer:
 
I'm running a Volvo fan in my 89 fj62. Fits the rad. perfect and pulls more than the Black Majic I was running. Was a bunch on Ebay awhile back got mine for $18.00 + shipping.
 
truckosaurus said:
Sounds like a good alternative.. What's price on that fan? New or salvage? Sounds like it might be a common fan to locate. keep me posted on the write up. I'm ready to get mine installed soon.
Click to expand...

A local Ford wrecker in Spokane has a bunch for about $50 apiece.
 
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