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Performance Electric Radiator Fan Options

Approximately a year ago I installed the Griffin aluminum radiator that was offered on Quadratec. I was able to get a deal even though it was still quite pricey compared to other after market radiators.
While the installation is a tight plug and play; the upper radiator brace will need to be modified slightly to push the radiator forward to increase thermal clutch fan clearance.
After exhaustive searching.... I found that there wasn't a thermal clutch thin enough to clear the thickness of the Griffin radiator core....
I purchased a Derale steel fan and a 1.5" aluminum spacer to provide approximately 7/8" clearance.
The Griffin aluminum radiator quality is very good and provides ALOT of cooling surface.
 
RAVC1 said:

A few weeks ago I found my electric aux fan was not coming on as designed with regard to the radiator fan switch. I have tested & returned (4) new radiator fan temperature switches including (2) OE from a dealer in LA. The closing temps for these have been: 212F, 208F, 206F and 204F. With a spec of 190F these are clearly flawed. Yes, AMC or Chrysler made a serious mistake when they located this switch just above the radiator outlet hose port, but this has nothing to do with designing a temp switch correctly! Apparently, no one wants to do this correctly these days. I intend to purchase the NAPA ECH FS166 next, but I must evaluate the fan controllers simultaneously because, even the ECH FS166 features a 20F degree window for closing. However, these also feature a 3 yr warranty. I refuse to purchase another inferior radiator fan switch. Many of the Renix vintage NAXJA members have offered excellent help, but these switch issues irritate me. Design and manufacture the damn part correctly!
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I'm not too knowledgeable on the earlier XJs but do know the later model's aux electric fans temperature sensors are set to turn the fan on at 218 degrees (according to the 2000 FSM)
The stock thermostat is a 195, meaning it starts opening at 195, fully open at around 210 degree.
These engine were designed to run hot. In almost ten years of ownership, my 2001 has always has run between 205 and 220, with the stock cooling system. Long uphill grinds will raise it a little more, most likely cause by the AW4 heating up.
Upgrading to the 3-row CSF made little difference, actually I see wider temperature swings with it, possible from the difference in flow rates between the two radiators. I plan on trying a HP Hesco water pump soon.
 
Guys, this is my first post here. I installed the DBO fan shroud and three electric fans. I found the fans on ebay and they supposedly move 1,730cfm each. I installed them Friday afternoon and went wheeling yesterday. Down here in Houston Texas, it was probably close to 100* with high humidity. My temp creeped up to 230* and probably would have gone higher if I didn't turn the heater on.

My question is this, why is it getting so high? I figured the three fans would keep it cooler. The head gasket, 190 thermostat, thermostat housing, heater hoses and coolant are less than 6 months old, the radiator, just over a year.

When I had stock fans on my 96, my temps were at a constant 190 in city and on highway, and would go up a little in traffic. Now, with the three fans, my temps are closer to 200. I find that odd. My temps will creep up with the a/c on but will not creep with the a/c off. I have the factory tranny cooler in front of the radiator but for some reason, it's still tied into the cooler inside the radiator.

I did a quick install Friday afternoon, so I would be ready for Saturday, so I wired all three fans together and then wired them to the factory connector for the Efan. Do you think that might have an effect on the actual performance of the fans?

EDIT... I just ran across this, and that explains that portion of my question.
"Plumb the cooler after the radiator cooler in warm climates and before the radiator cooler in cold ones."
 
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The e-fan circuit comes on with the ac compressor, and also the ecu will turn them on @ about 218*

a little late for primary fans to turn on.
 
I actually had the relay bypassed with a jumper wire, so they were on full time. I think I just bought some weak ebay fans. I might try two factory Efans. My temps are perfect with stock fans with everyday driving, just gets hot when I'm on the trails.
 
there are no 10" fans that can pull 1700 cfm through a radiator. 3 fans might pull 1700 total, but I doubt it.

The Derale fans mentioned in this thread are by far the best I have found yet. They pull serious air and they are rated at 4000 cfm. They put DBO fans to shame.
 
Nick, I think pages 2 and 3 of this thread may answer your questions regarding how going from a clutch fan to 3 electrics can make you LOSE cooling ability.
 
Aggie_Cobra said:
In my thinking, the best reason for moving away from an engine driven accessory to an electric driven accessory is that an engine operates over a wide RPM range, while the accessory has an ideal speed that is usually not going to correspond with the given engine speed. The issue isn't how much power a fan draws from the engine at 2000 rpm, but how much power it draws at 5000 rpm, when you need power the most, and the fan is out of its ideal speed.
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Clutch fans are generally designed to release at those higher rpms so as not to cause the high amount of parasitic drag that would otherwise be there.

I could be wrong, but I also don't believe for a second that retail fans were actually designed to operate at a specific speed or that the blades in them were designed to be optimal at a certain speed either. That would entail research that frankly, I've rarely seen any aftermarket company do.
 
OK...so I had a whole week to test the DBO shroud with 10" fans and they did have an improvement compared to my FF 9" fans without shroud. Again, last week we had an average of about 95* days. My engine temp stayed @ 210* the entire time being in traffic for over an hour without AC on (I tried this Tuesday and Wednesday). The rest of the time I had my AC at full blast. Having the AC on I can stay in traffic for about 45 minutes before it goes over the 230* mark but as soon as I turn the AC off it recovers within 3 minutes. The FF fans takes roughly 20-30 minutes to recover and overheats withing 10 minutes having the AC on.

About the mech fan, after thinking about it a lot since I started of thinking about putting it back on, it won't really help. My overheating issues only happens when I'm stuck in traffic. Sitting in traffic at idle most of the time the fan isn't rotating fast enough to cool anything, hence my overheating issues prior to installing the electric fans.

Yes, the mech fan does draw in more air but that's 1 big fan that covers about half of the radiator so of course comparing that to a 9" or 10" fan cfm is like comparing apples to oranges. So either way for me, I'm still going to overheat due to my AC :-/
 
USMCGunrock said:
OK...so I had a whole week to test the DBO shroud with 10" fans and they did have an improvement compared to my FF 9" fans without shroud. Again, last week we had an average of about 95* days. My engine temp stayed @ 210* the entire time being in traffic for over an hour without AC on (I tried this Tuesday and Wednesday). The rest of the time I had my AC at full blast. Having the AC on I can stay in traffic for about 45 minutes before it goes over the 230* mark but as soon as I turn the AC off it recovers within 3 minutes. The FF fans takes roughly 20-30 minutes to recover and overheats withing 10 minutes having the AC on.

About the mech fan, after thinking about it a lot since I started of thinking about putting it back on, it won't really help. My overheating issues only happens when I'm stuck in traffic. Sitting in traffic at idle most of the time the fan isn't rotating fast enough to cool anything, hence my overheating issues prior to installing the electric fans.

Yes, the mech fan does draw in more air but that's 1 big fan that covers about half of the radiator so of course comparing that to a 9" or 10" fan cfm is like comparing apples to oranges. So either way for me, I'm still going to overheat due to my AC :-/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update....

?? Did you have the OE Fan Shroud over your mechanical fan while running it and also the OE Electric fan? The reason I ask is that can cause a HUGE difference in cooling while running the mechanical fan. Just checking...

I have my DBO 3 10" fan and shroud kit on my '01... it does a good job. I got to thinking the other day... I have my 3rd fan wired directly into my OE Electric 'turn on' and it rarely if ever runs. SO in essence, I'm running on 2 of the DBO Electric fans ~ 99% of the time and the temp on my OE gauge rarely moves over the 210 mark... so maybe 215ish while in stop/go traffic and only if the outside temps are > 95 degrees. I had thought about putting my OE mechanical/Electric combo back on but think I'll just stick w/the DBO kit. I may have to rethink re-wiring my 3rd fan to come on w/the center fan so I'm running all 3 fans when the temps warm on my Jeep. We'll see....
 
Redsnake said:
Thanks for the update....

?? Did you have the OE Fan Shroud over your mechanical fan while running it and also the OE Electric fan? The reason I ask is that can cause a HUGE difference in cooling while running the mechanical fan. Just checking...

I have my DBO 3 10" fan and shroud kit on my '01... it does a good job. I got to thinking the other day... I have my 3rd fan wired directly into my OE Electric 'turn on' and it rarely if ever runs. SO in essence, I'm running on 2 of the DBO Electric fans ~ 99% of the time and the temp on my OE gauge rarely moves over the 210 mark... so maybe 215ish while in stop/go traffic and only if the outside temps are > 95 degrees. I had thought about putting my OE mechanical/Electric combo back on but think I'll just stick w/the DBO kit. I may have to rethink re-wiring my 3rd fan to come on w/the center fan so I'm running all 3 fans when the temps warm on my Jeep. We'll see....
Click to expand...

Yes, OE Shroud w/ mech fan and OE E-fan can't keep my truck cool enough with the AC on. Again, I have new FFD rad, my trans fluid goes straight to an external B&M cooler, new water pump, new Mopar t-stat (190*), cooling system flushed. Maybe the aftermarket headers is really doing a number on engine bay temp? I do have louvers. Or maybe I need a new temp sensor? I don't know. One thing is for sure..it's doing a bit better compared to my stock setup because I did have overheating issues back then also even when the AC is off.

O-Gauge Steamer said:
Here is an idea:

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/direct-fit-flex-a-fit-aluminum-radiator-and-electric-fans-for-87-01-jeep-cherokee.html
Click to expand...

WOW:wow: over a grand for a setup that only pulls in 2400 cf all together?! No thanks.
 
Price aside. The flex o lite is a good cooler. I have it and have the external trans cooler. I lost my serpentine belt on the highway driving across Arizona in May and the rig did not overheat. That cooler is extremely efficient and will keep it at 160 when you remove the T-stat. I had the new thermostat that locks open after going over the heat range (mine locked at 205).
Yes $1000 for a rad setup is a lot, but when you have much more invested in the motor it does not sound bad at all.
 
Well that is good news indeed. Maybe they will get a bit less expensive once the sales start to pick up. You can find them for less than recommended retail, but not by much. I friend of mine here in the Springs sent me a link on it. He is thinking about putting one in for his 5 litre.
 
I'm sure some of you have, but how many have actually checked actual temp underhood vs the stock gauge. My stock gauge seems to read about 5-10deg over what the actual temp is. I currently have some sort of OE replacement rad, which PO had installed, and the DBO fan/controller setup. In the times I run it hard on the beach, up hills, etc. I'm pretty sure that it's the AW4 heating up that pushes the temps up a bit. I do not have an aftermarket trans cooler yet. It is definitely on my to-do list. I live on the central coast of california, so I will most likely bypass the rad "cooler" when I install it.
 
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