My '90 XJ runs really cool, around 160. I'm thinking of converting to an electric fan for cooling my 3 row radiator. Do you think the stock electric fan would be enough to cool by itself? I mean...I would add another just like it so I would still have two, but usually only one would be on. Would that be a big enough fan?
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Is the stock electric fan enough to cool on its own?
- Thread starter ZmOz
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Sponge Bob
Attitude Racing
- Location
- Mokena,ILL
If you run the air it may not be enough but otherwise it will be fine.
Spoung Bob
Spoung Bob
- Location
- Terra Firma
ZmOz said:
NO!
CW
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Re: Re: Is the stock electric fan enough to cool on its own?
what he said!!Eagle said:
Rev Den
NAXJA Forum User
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- Plainfield, IL
ZmOz said:
Umm.....you're running to cool, you should be up around 200.
Rev
CW
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
If you are running that cool you are running too cool and you can damage your engine, as it is designed to run around 200*. You would want at least a larger electric fan than the stocker. The aftermarket radiator will help alot, but just compare the amount of air that the two fans move and you can tell the electric doesn't move enough air. I would try it and see if it works for you, but keep an eye on the temp guage.
- Location
- Terra Firma
ZmOz said:
The OEM auxiliary electric fan moves considerably LESS air than the stock mechanical fan. By removing the stock primary fan and subsituting another OEM electric fan, you will be reducing the airflow through your radiator.
I've seen numerous posts by people who have tried this -- except most use aftermarket electric fans that flow better than the OEM, which was after all designed and intended only as an auxiliary fan and not as a primary. I'd estimate (from meory) that probably 40% felt they had as good or better cooling than the OEM setup, and the other 60% found they had made the problem worse instead of better.
Those figures might be off, could be 50/50. But those were mostly using electric fans that push more air than what you're describing.
Eagle said:
Well the people who have tried it and say it works can't be wrong, unless they are unbeleiveably stupid. This isn't a "yeah, I fell that extra 2hp" kind of thing, there's a little gauge right there that says whether it's working or not.
I think I'm going to take off my fan blade and hot wire the aux. fan...and see how it works. Does anybody have any idea how I can force the stock electric fan on without cutting any wires just to see how well it works? Maybe if I unplug the thermostat that screws into the radiator and jump the two prongs in the connector?
Dr. Dyno
NAXJA Forum User
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- Al Ain, UAE
ZmOz said:
Definitely no. A single electric fan is marginal at best without the A/C running and with the A/C on, the engine will overheat. You'll either need a second electric fan or to keep the original stock set up. I have dual electric fans on my XJ.
- Location
- Terra Firma
ZmOz said:
That's a simplistic view. If you have ten people who tried it and 5 say it works, and 5 say it doesn't work, who is "right"? They all have that little dial to look at.
And remember, most if not all the folks who have tried dual electrics are running aftermarket fans that push a lot more air than the OEM. And even then people find it doesn't work.
Lucas
NAXJA Forum User
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- ZOO YORK CITY
welll.... I switched my mech to electric a while ago and I loved it. Last time I went wheeling, the mech fan pulley (minus fan obviously) got torqued into the new electic fan and killed it. So for about a month ive been running with JUST the factory aux fan.
I drove to NYC and back with no problems on the highway, and driving in Manhattan traffic at night, the engine temp was normal. Driving in Manhattan traffic during the day did start to warm the engine to the point where I felt uncomfortable.
Driving here in knoxville where the temp is an average of 50 degrees or so now, the aux fan is doing a fine job on its own.
Am I going to replace the trashed electic one? Hell yes. There is no way I would take it out into the woods like this. I am positive it would overheat badly.
I am running a GDI too.
I drove to NYC and back with no problems on the highway, and driving in Manhattan traffic at night, the engine temp was normal. Driving in Manhattan traffic during the day did start to warm the engine to the point where I felt uncomfortable.
Driving here in knoxville where the temp is an average of 50 degrees or so now, the aux fan is doing a fine job on its own.
Am I going to replace the trashed electic one? Hell yes. There is no way I would take it out into the woods like this. I am positive it would overheat badly.
I am running a GDI too.
2xtreme
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Kayak Pt, WA
Before you worry about fans and what type and how many. You need to fix the real problem.
Your engine is running too cold (it needs operate with the thermostat open, not closed). This should be your first and primary concern and needs to be fixed.
There are conbinations of electric fans (with aux or without) that people have tried and say work fine) do not expect two aux fans to work for you, you are going to end up with a problem eventually)
Search for adding a switch to turn the aux on manually there is a lot of good writeups depending on what year your xj is there are two different ways of controlling it. It is a very easy conversion.
Michael
Your engine is running too cold (it needs operate with the thermostat open, not closed). This should be your first and primary concern and needs to be fixed.
There are conbinations of electric fans (with aux or without) that people have tried and say work fine) do not expect two aux fans to work for you, you are going to end up with a problem eventually)
Search for adding a switch to turn the aux on manually there is a lot of good writeups depending on what year your xj is there are two different ways of controlling it. It is a very easy conversion.
Michael
mbryson
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Woods Cross, UT
ZmOz said:
Heed Eagle's advice. He's a pretty sharp kind of guy and knows his way around Jeep/AMC items. I'd put a thermostat in to get your engine up to operating temperature--say a 195.....that will keep your engine running most efficiently.
Speed_racer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ft Myers, Florida
Re: Re: Is the stock electric fan enough to cool on its own?
Dude, thats just TOO COOL, the 160, you need to be at 200 or so like Rev Said... your mpg must be like, 8 cuz best fuel burn ration is between 195-210.....
So, seriously, go buy a 195* mopar thermo....
Rev Den said:
Dude, thats just TOO COOL, the 160, you need to be at 200 or so like Rev Said... your mpg must be like, 8 cuz best fuel burn ration is between 195-210.....
So, seriously, go buy a 195* mopar thermo....
Well, maybe one wouldn't be enough at all times, but I still would have the original electric fan for backup. 
I do live in oregon, so 3/4 of the year it is around 55 degrees. The other 1/4 of the year it's only 80-90...so nothing majorly harsh for the engine and not much AC use. My AC isn't working right now anyway...
I want to take off my fan blade and drive around with only the electric fan to see for myself how well it can cool. Does anybody know of a way to force the fan on without cutting any wires? What if I disconnect the thermostat that plugs into the radiator, and shorted the two pins in the connector together?
I do live in oregon, so 3/4 of the year it is around 55 degrees. The other 1/4 of the year it's only 80-90...so nothing majorly harsh for the engine and not much AC use. My AC isn't working right now anyway... I want to take off my fan blade and drive around with only the electric fan to see for myself how well it can cool. Does anybody know of a way to force the fan on without cutting any wires? What if I disconnect the thermostat that plugs into the radiator, and shorted the two pins in the connector together?
ZmOz said:
Why do you need to over ride it for the experiment anyway? The stock electrical one will still come on when the temperature gets high enough and when you need it anyway. With you running around that cool and wearing your engine out faster it will be better for it anyway.
I asked about this recently over on JU. There was some positive feedback. I asked if another electric fan could be added to eleiminate the viscous one.
The thermostat issue is important, and should be addressed first.
Aside from that, I do know other vehicles that are set up this way, but that doesn't mean the XJ is optimized to do this. I wouldn't start using my fan clutch as an anchor until I got through the first summer.
I got to trusting electronic ignition finally, I can eventually trust this. (Yes, really really old school.)
The thermostat issue is important, and should be addressed first.
Aside from that, I do know other vehicles that are set up this way, but that doesn't mean the XJ is optimized to do this. I wouldn't start using my fan clutch as an anchor until I got through the first summer.
I got to trusting electronic ignition finally, I can eventually trust this. (Yes, really really old school.)
Rev Den
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Plainfield, IL
ZmOz said:Well, maybe one wouldn't be enough at all times, but I still would have the original electric fan for backup.
I gotta ask....Why? What reason do you want to ditch the mech fan?
I give up.
Rev
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