HOW TO: Make Room for and Install an Electric Fan

[jeeperjohn]

I just installed this setup on my rig and I am very happy with it. The fans are mounted close enough to the radiator that they don't require a shroud. Very high quality parts at a very fair price.

http://www.ffdynamics.com/jeepradB1.html

 

[stewie]

The ECM kicks the fans on at 218*F IIRC, and I do want something to manage the temp better, just haven't found it yet.

Thanks for all the responses!

look into a fan controller. i have a Delta Current Control FK60 fan controller running my taurus fan. it varries the fan speed to controll cooling and also kicks it up to 100% power when the stock fan comes on (like with AC or at 218*).

and for those searching on my 95 xj i deleated the stock mech fan pulley and used a fan belt from an 83 full size cherokee without power stearing. the belt is routed as stock except goes crank to alt.

hth

 

[dunbad]

jeeperjon, do you have any issues with overcooling for everyday driving? That system looks the daddy! I think theres a sale on att aswell

 

[Achmed]

While it's a great idea and all, not having a shroud is like pissing in the wind. In the hot summer, it will not work. Secondly, it's VERY dangerous. You can get a 2200cfm electric fan with shroud on ebay (fits like it was made for the XJ) for $29.00

A for effort, but F for functionality.

 

[lost honda pro]

I just installed this setup on my rig and I am very happy with it. The fans are mounted close enough to the radiator that they don't require a shroud. Very high quality parts at a very fair price.

http://www.ffdynamics.com/jeepradB1.html

I thought about doing something like this, but I've read in numerous places that on an off-road vehicle, you don't want to mount the fan(s) directly to the core. I suppose the fear of flexing the chassis/radiator is the only real reason. Regardless, most 14" fans will be too large to do it anyway.

the belt is routed as stock except goes crank to alt.

I thought about this as well, but decided there wasn't enough belt wrap around the crank and alternator to be comfortable running it.

While it's a great idea and all, not having a shroud is like pissing in the wind. In the hot summer, it will not work. Secondly, it's VERY dangerous. You can get a 2200cfm electric fan with shroud on ebay (fits like it was made for the XJ) for $29.00

A for effort, but F for functionality.

I will happily address the valid concerns you raised:

1) A shroud definitely improves fan efficiency, no doubt about that.

2) I said multiple times I want to add a shroud, so don't imply I'm avoiding one intentionally, or don't think they work.

3) In summer, in Florida, with 100*F temps and 95% RH, I am 100% confident this will keep my Jeep cooler than the OE setup.

4) While an open fan isn't the best idea, it's only dangerous if strangers are playing in my engine bay with the ignition on.

5) Any 2200 CFM fan for $29 isn't going to last/perform. You get what you pay for, everyone knows that.

6) This setup, while it certainly could be improved, functions quite well as it sits.

Note to all: I respect other people's opinions, and will address concerns as best I can, but please don't ruin my thread with your bull$hit.

 

[Achmed]

3) In summer, in Florida, with 100*F temps and 95% RH, I am 100% confident this will keep my Jeep cooler than the OE setup. I disagree, your new found setup will not perform more efficiently than the stock clutch fan & shroud.

4) While an open fan isn't the best idea, it's only dangerous if strangers are playing in my engine bay with the ignition on. If you leave needles on your night stand, even YOU will eventually get stuck. I think you will only learn this lesson by experience and I hope you dont suffer a major injury.

5) Any 2200 CFM fan for $29 isn't going to last/perform. You get what you pay for, everyone knows that. Wrong. I ran that $29 fan for a long time before going back to the stock shroud/fan clutch. The only reason I removed it was because I was trying to diagnose a cooling system failure issue and did not want to reinstall it. I sold it here on and it is still running fine for the new owner. I never had an issue.

6) This setup, while it certainly could be improved, functions quite well as it sits. Like I said, until the summer. Mark my words.

In closing, the thing I think you are failing to realize is that the fan is not in place to simply blow air on the engine. It is for pulling air through the radiator at HIGH CFM's to cool your radiator and keep your cycle of antifreeze returning to the engine cooled down. Not to mention, the additional stresss on the AC condenser. I promise you that you are not pulling enough to cool your system and it will not work properly. A shroud creates vacuum and currently you have none what so ever. I'm certainly not trying to rain on your parade. However, there is a right way and a halfway to do things. You took the halfway. For what it's worth, I have been wrenching for 18 years and 8 of them were for race teams and major corporations so I speak from experience, but you take the route you desire. I give your setup until the hot months before complete failure and/or removal without a correct shroud.

 

[Achmed]

The fans are mounted close enough to the radiator that they don't require a shroud. http://www.ffdynamics.com/jeepradB1.html

This is due to the fact that there are 3 fans. It's still far from the most effective way to properly cool, but they do have enough casing/shroud combined with 3 fans to help. Its overkill/underkill with this setup.

 

[Spanky88]

In closing, the thing I think you are failing to realize is that the fan is not in place to simply blow air on the engine. It is for pulling air through the radiator at HIGH CFM's to cool your radiator and keep your cycle of antifreeze returning to the engine cooled down. Not to mention, the additional stresss on the AC condenser. I promise you that you are not pulling enough to cool your system and it will not work properly. A shroud creates vacuum and currently you have none what so ever. I'm certainly not trying to rain on your parade. However, there is a right way and a halfway to do things. You took the halfway. For what it's worth, I have been wrenching for 18 years and 8 of them were for race teams and major corporations so I speak from experience, but you take the route you desire. I give your setup until the hot months before complete failure and/or removal without a correct shroud.

inn the guys defence he did say that he planned on adding a shroud later, and why the heck you gotta try to bring the guy down.
to the op, great writeup in my opinion

 

[chpmnsws6]

The ECM kicks the fans on at 218*F IIRC, and I do want something to manage the temp better, just haven't found it yet.

I'm trying to make a circuit that reads off the OE temp sensor and uses it's resistances to operate the fans.



Thanks for all the responses!

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=FLX-31147&N=700+4294860934+115&autoview=sku

I think I'm going to give this a shot next time I get a few days to get the parts ordered and installed

 

[Achmed]

and why the heck you gotta try to bring the guy down.

I would hope someone would care enough to tell me the same thing given the rolls were reversed. Sorry. but I don't cater to halfway mods.

 

[lost honda pro]

great writeup in my opinion

Thanks bro!

http://store.summitracing.com/partd...t=FLX-31147&N=700+4294860934+115&autoview=sku

I think I'm going to give this a shot next time I get a few days to get the parts ordered and installed

Let me know how it works, like I said, I'm gonna try and use the OE temp sensor resistance to trigger a circuit for cheap, but I always like option.




*****



Achmed,

You've made your opinion clear, now please stop posting on this thread.

Thank you.



*****

 

[Achmed]

Actually, it's not opinion. It is fact.

 

[hubs97xj]

Now that both fans operate simultaneously, and the fan is mounted up close to the core, cooling happens almost instantly. If the fans are turned on as the temp is reaching 220*F, it will drop to under 200*F in a matter of 3-4 minutes

Sounds like it works. <shrug>

 

[jeeperjohn]

jeeperjon, do you have any issues with overcooling for everyday driving? That system looks the daddy! I think theres a sale on att aswell

Since I have the stock temp thermostat and I live in Sunny Socal, I have no over-cooling problems but if I were in Alaska or something.........

 

[jeeperjohn]

Is that fan too big to mount in the stock shroud? I had an electric fan mounted in the stock shroud on a '89 mustang 5.0 and it worked extremely well.

 

[dunbad]

you were confident enough to include in your original install, problems that you come across, and you explained how you got round them. Some people wouldnt have done that possibly. But thats what makes this post so good. Youve identified other issues that your working on to keep it running at the correct temp. I hope you keep us updated with how it goes and also the next install is taken on in the same vein.

 

[lost honda pro]

Is that fan too big to mount in the stock shroud? I had an electric fan mounted in the stock shroud on a '89 mustang 5.0 and it worked extremely well.

I probably could've made it work, if you looked at any of the links in Part 2 a bunch of people used the stock shroud. The mechanical fan shroud is ~16" diameter, and it doesn't sit against the radiator particularly well, so I figured it wouldn't help much anyway.

I also like having the option to return to stock in the event of some part failure, and didn't want to chop up the original shroud too much.

you were confident enough to include in your original install, problems that you come across, and you explained how you got round them. Some people wouldnt have done that possibly. But thats what makes this post so good. Youve identified other issues that your working on to keep it running at the correct temp. I hope you keep us updated with how it goes and also the next install is taken on in the same vein.

Thanks for the reply, and I will definitely keep this thread updated as I go.

 

[purplexj]

Nice write up, hope it works out well for you.

 

[Fastdemise]

I did the Flex-a-lite #110 install on mine and shortly after got new hoses, high flow thermostat housing, Mr. Gasket 195 thermostat and just driving around my Jeep sits at 198-202 as long as I'm moving around and the fans never cut on until I'm at a drive thru. IMO I hate letting the temp come up to where I am relying on the ECU to trigger the fan on and off. I used the fan controller that came with the kit and it works pretty well minus the fact the radiator is 1" thick so I used a liberal amount of thermal grease on the probe to make sure it senses the right temp. I plan on later going with the SPAL fan controller. But thank you very much for doing this conversion on this site. Been hoping someone would go the route you did. Hope everything works out for you.

 

[lost honda pro]

Nice write up, hope it works out well for you.

Thanks, it's working like a champ so far

I did the Flex-a-lite #110 install on mine and shortly after got new hoses, high flow thermostat housing, Mr. Gasket 195 thermostat and just driving around my Jeep sits at 198-202 as long as I'm moving around and the fans never cut on until I'm at a drive thru.

Sounds like a pretty sweet setup, got a writeup?

IMO I hate letting the temp come up to where I am relying on the ECU to trigger the fan on and off.

I'm not a huge fan of it either, but since the fans work so well, it hasn't been a problem. Like I said, I'm working on a better solution....

I used the fan controller that came with the kit and it works pretty well minus the fact the radiator is 1" thick so I used a liberal amount of thermal grease on the probe to make sure it senses the right temp.

The obvious solution to that problem is a twice-as-thick CSF radiator

But thank you very much for doing this conversion on this site. Been hoping someone would go the route you did. Hope everything works out for you.

Thanks man, hope yours keeps working too!