electric fan vs regular fan

[qonos]

Which fan is better- an electric one with no fan from the engine, or the one from the engine, both? 2 electric??

 

[Flash1034]

electric is lighter and doesnt draw away engine power.

flash

 

[qonos]

Start with one and add a second if necessary? I live in southern Arizona.

 

[RockDoc]

electric is lighter and doesnt draw away engine power.

flash

It draws power via the charging system, electricity isn't free power.

 

[qonos]

Ain't nothing free, but if I go with the 4.3 litre, any extra HP would be nice.

 

[RockDoc]

Try using the advanced search function, and search "electric+fan" here in the 40s forum. I *think* the opinion of most is to stick with mechanical, unless the engine swap makes fitment an issue.

 

[marks69cruiser]

I prefer the simplicity of a mechanical fan. Stone reliable. However I have never had an issue with electric fans on my passenger cars...

 

[Bret]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned much on the electric fan FJ40's, I got a lot of extra heat in the floorboards and tranny tunnel. I put a small flex fan behind my big electric and it helped a lot. I would prolly get a big clutch fan with a HD clutch and call it a day. Unless you spend a lot of time in deep water/mud.

 

[qonos]

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[bsmith123]

fans

someone mentioned to me today they had a electric fan in a NFJ (NON FJ) and I wondered how they work in water?

any issue with them being electrically driven if you get in a little deeper than planned?

 

[Mace]

someone mentioned to me today they had a electric fan in a NFJ (NON FJ) and I wondered how they work in water?

any issue with them being electrically driven if you get in a little deeper than planned?

wire it with a switch and turn it off for water crossings.

Mechanical is basicaly superior unless there is a room issue.

 

[Downey]

I've grown to dislike electric fans for engine conversions because:
(a) They usually require as much space as an engine driven fan.
(b) They have 1/200th or less h.p. than an engine driven fan. They seldom can produce the gosh darn hurricane needed to blow out the engine compartment.
(c) By the time you find one with enough cfm (3'500 to 4,000 cfm), it's usually two 12"'ers side-by-side, and they don't fit between your inner fender aprons.
I just don't know of anything that has ever worked better than a 17" or 18" diameter, 7 or 8 blade, engine driven air conditioning fan blade!!!!

 

[fj40_73]

just put a ford torris fan ($30 pick n pull) in mine.

Works great, and that's just on the low setting.

 

[gid1972]

I just don't know of anything that has ever worked better than a 17" or 18" diameter, 7 or 8 blade, engine driven air conditioning fan blade!!!!

does this hold true for SBC applications? if so, where might someone find a fan like this? I was told (heck berated) for attempting to put a 17" fan (with shroud) to replace my 19" (shroudless) setup. Although, it was only a 6 blade 17"...

 

[joeyg1973]

just put a ford torris fan ($30 pick n pull) in mine.

Works great, and that's just on the low setting.

I agree the Taurus fan is the bomb. Also... electric fans use way less engine power than mechanical. If the fan is off it is nothing... when it starts up it does a full amp pull and this will be it's heaviest load on the engine... once it is up to speed the amp draw drops significantly 1 amp or less and that is how it frees up about 5-15 hp depending on the motor. It will also give you better gas mileage as the engine doesn't need to work as hard to do the same work.

It is however a nightmare to find an electric fan that is appropriate for the FJ-40 and I have been through a bunch... the Taurus is the only one that works... I haven't found an aftermarket fan worth spending the money on and I have wasted my share of money on these fans. The Taurus fan is the best one out there and the cheapest.

 

[Adventure Teq]

Had 1 push 1 pull and 1 direct. Now I only use 1 pull and the direct. No cooling probs on a 350 but I have a huge radiator.

 

[Adolf]

This is my opinion, but refers more to a 2F engine with carb!

The electric fan on the radiator does not increase rotation with revs like the engine driven fan. Also the blades of an electric fan (those we find here) do not blow as much wind into the engine bay, they merely suck/push the air through the radiator. That wind does not reach the carb as effectively as the wind blown from the viscous fan, especially at low speed or when standing! The carb heats up very quickly then, also due to the exhaust manifold below. You might then get the problem of boiling fuel in carb!

Rather install an electric fan with a switch to help the mechanical fan in case cooling is a problem. I have that setup on my FJ43 and works like a bomb!

 

[qonos]

Great info, all! Thanks for your input. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[Tools R Us]

Start with one and add a second if necessary? I live in southern Arizona.

If your plan is to drive/wheel it in the desert, summer I would run a mechanical, stock fan if possible. I have seen way too many put electrics on, to remove them due to overheating. AZ deserts require max cooling and I have never seen an electric that will blow like the stock fan.

 

[DSRTRDR]

I agree with the Tool Master (as I better should ;p)

I wheel in AZ and have a mechanical fan (wish I had a shroud) - but just in case, I also have an electric pusher fan that I can independently switch on/off