sxr6

Thinkin I'm gonna go to the wrecker & look for a suitable electric fan to run on my 69 BB. Anybody else do this? Any suggestions on which auto to rob a fan off that would best fit the application?
How about pusher vs puller fan, I'm thinkin a pusher would work best.

Or am I wasting my time & just run the mechanical?

SIXFOOTER

You can get lucky and locate a Mark fan, or just pop for a couple 12" fans off Ebay and figger out what type of control you want, manual, auto, 2 speed, variable speed....

Durango_Boy

There are a few things to consider, and first is your reasoning. Is there a cooling problem and you need more air flow through the radiator? If this is the case replacing the fan clutch will usually make a big difference as they wear out over time and are less effective.

If you want to clean up the engine bay and free up a few ponies then that's fine, there are plenty of good options. Keep in mind though that your stock alternator may not be up to the task of an added electrical draw and a full time one at that.

If you switch to an electric fan you will also need to look into a higher output alternator, and a fan controller of some kind. They range from cheap at $30-$50 and good units run around $135.

If you're out in the junk yard look for a Lincoln MarkVIII or a late '90's Taurus. The MarkVIII fan is an 18" fan with it's own shroud and will pull about 3000 CFM at full power and draw plenty of amps.

The Taurus fan is a 17" fan with a shroud that may fit your radiator a little bit better and it too has it's own shroud.

Again, it all falls back on what you want to change for. I will be going electric but only because I have to. If you don't have to but want to it can be done but there are other things to consider other than what type of fan you need.

andylmusic76

i installed a 16" and i believe a 12" fan in my 77 vette. it stays fairly cool, but you have a big block which runs hotter.

my vette runs at 200 the most. isn't that still too hot even for a sbc??

Crunch-o-Matic

I have 2, 10 inch generic fans from Auto Zone hooked to a relay and thermostat control. They work great.

Durango_Boy

No that's actually quite normal for a lot of guys living in warmer climates.

King Lear

I'm running these on mine with no colling problems what so ever. In the winter I turn the adj stat up and summer I turn it down. I am running a 180* thermostat in it and never see over 200. I get right up to about 180 and it stays there even in stopped hwy traffic in 80*+ weather. Also I am running alum heads and a Be Cool alum radiator so that probable adds to their performance as well. My engine is a 383 sbc stroker so I am not sure how they would cool on a BB.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

SanDiegoPaul

Dual Spals inside the radiator where the OEM fan/shroud used to be. No pusher needed; it will run as cool as whatever thermostat I use.

vettenoir

I'm running dual fans out of an '85 Camaro. (They were in the car when I bought it.) I have them each on their own circuit with separate relays. They simply are on or off depending on the coolant. temperature (no intermediate mode with one fan running) They draw 30A apiece when they kick in. I'm running a 95A alternator and it barely keeps up at idle with the headlights, fans and wipers on.

Wrencher

Most of the posts recently seem to lean toward the Ford fan. It's used in the Lincoln MKVIII, Crown Vic taxi cabs and police cruisers. Nice 2 speed fan, but needs work to fit. It won't work (at least the way I tried) if you have a spreader bar and a big block. I was going to use a twin fan setup out of a Subaru Legacy that had the exact same dimensions as my DeWitt radiator or else DeWitt's real nice SPAL setup, but settled for a free (brand new) large single Flex-O-Lite fan with controls built in. It also had provisions for the A/C cut-in. I'm satisfied with how that's working.

Hans

DR.Jay

I used one out of a Crown Vic. Here are the threads I posted with pics on the install.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...&highlight=fan

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...&highlight=fan

Jc3vette

Puller fans are more efficient than pusher fans.
I run the two 11” Spals on my stock radiator. No problems yet, even with the AC running

sjmaster

In my book, switching to electric fans may be one of the best mods I have done....my Bilsteins either tie or come in second!!!

sxr6

Decisions...decisions...Do I pick up an electric fan & make a mount allowing me to use all the brackets off the truck 454 with the long style water pump I have & sell the BB vette stuff
OR do a complete switch over to vette BB bracket & have to purchase a new short style water pump?

442olds

There are all sorts of choices in the boneyard.

To start there is this 16" fan found on most all late 80's early 90's f-bodies. It worked well to cool my Big Block but I had no backup, if this couldn't cool it down in heavy traffic I was stuck.



So the next stage in the evolution was this, Not only does it look a little nicer but now I have two fans. Both are off FWD GM's, one as from a cavalier the other I can't really remember. 14.5" and 12". Take note that the 12" is a reverse spin, not sure why they did that but it functions just the same. the 14.5" is plenty of cooling power for highway and most cruising until the temps get above 85~90, then with a flick of a switch I turn on the 12" and the motor stays right around 180~185 without any problems. They pull about 15~20 amps each. So depending on how many other electrical devices you have you may need to upgrade your charging system to handle the extra load.

Durango_Boy

442Olds - GREAT fab work.

442olds

Thanks Durango, to bad I don't have pics of it installed on the net yet. its been in operation for about 2 years now without any problems. Here's a few more pics of the cooling system as a whole. I moved the radiator cap to a swirl pot that is fed off the water pump bypass circuit. There are air bleed lines from both sides of the radiator and from the top of the thermostat housing into the swirl pot as well. I did this so I would have a radiator cap above the highest point of the system and so I could have the possibility of actaully getting to the cap on the road. With the tilt nose its not so easy getting to the radiator for a quick check and fill. The location the the front of the head is much easier to get to.

TheSkunkWorks

Definitely go electric. Only reason to keep a fan on the water pump is to please the NCRS crowd.

Nice setup, 442olds. Who's serp. pulleys do you have on there??

442olds

TheSkunkWorks - The serp setup is a mix of things. The pullies are from march. But it wasn't a direct bolt on. The pulleies are for a short water pump, which I have but the accessory brackets from an early 90's chevy truck is for a long water pump. I have moroso water pump spacers on the water pump and I made a pulley spacer to push out the water pump pully even further. The crank pulley also recieved about a 3.5" spacer and the pulley itself is the 6 or 6.5" version to clear the frame without having to notch the frame. I also added an idler pully just above the powersteering pump to get enough belt wrap around the crank and powersteering pully because I am running a regular flow water pump as compared to a reverse flow. I'll have to get the picture uploaded, but I have one that shows the belt routing and the extra idler pulley, which by the way is an idler pulley for a mid 90s lumina. The tensioner is from the early 90's truck.

TheSkunkWorks

Thanks. Was hoping you'd found a stright forward conversion setup. Why can't March just make a v-belt to serp kit for us??