Durango_Boy

I have had to change my electric fan approach a few times and I finally hit a home run.

This, is my SPAL killer. It cost me $65 shipped, is brand new, and has dual 11" fans contained in a 24" x 14" shroud. It fits perfectly between the upper A-arms, and while there were a few minor things I modified...it was a relatively easy install.

The first pic is of it right before install. I made the harnesses from scratch all the way up by the motor and loomed them along the curve of the fan to keep it out of the way of the airflow.

I have the lower brackets finished and installed, and the fan is held up against the radiator for right now until I can finish the upper bracket.

I have the smaller 5 blade fan on an IGN triggered relay so it's always on, and mounted over the passenger side of the radiator. The 9 blade fan is on a T-stat triggered relay, and only comes on if the coolant temp in the motor hits 180 and then back off at 160.

I have been trying to find details about the fan motors, but the word on various forums I searched is that this fan tested at a flow of around 4000 CFM with both fans on high.

So, I have 2000 CFM during warm up, and 4000 CFM when the engine warms up past 180.

Here are the pics.

Fastguy

Looks good. Does the ig fed fan draw a lot of voltage?

Durango_Boy

I do not know the exact draw, but from the factory these fans have a 40 amp relay for BOTH. I would guess no more than 20 amps per fan at full speed. During just the testing I was running the crap out of these fans off of just the battery and the Optima stayed at 13V the whole time.

Buccaneer

Nice...You have mail!

Bullshark

Certainly a step in the right direction. Beats the hell out of that Lincoln Mark "mega amp" fan you were playing with earlier. As to whether it is a Spal killer our not, I would need to see how easy it is going to mount up. Tie wrapping thru the core is not an option. Matt, If it were me, with my engine, I would look at turning the primary on at ~198* / off 185* and the secondary on at ~210* / off 198*. The rational is that you would want your fans to let the engine get to optimum operating temp asap, and regulate it to that temp as best it can. At higher speeds, the secondary fan would hopefully turn off. I use 198* as my preferred engine operating temp. The Accel DFI makes it easy to setup on/off thresholds so one can optimize it to the individual cooling system. I agree, the 5-blade fan would be better used as the primary, but that may have to be switched if the system demand is high at low rpm and needs a quick response?????? Now you can throw that fan speed regulator in the chit can, where it belongs.

Bullshark

Durango_Boy

I thought about doing that Bob, but my engine has always heated up very fast, even when I had the old electric on it and the mechanical. I thought about controlling it too, but in the end decided to try it as an always on fan like the mechanical would be.

The other reason I left it on all the time was to pull fresh cool air into the engine bay at all times, and being right up in the front where my intake is, I will get a fresh charge of cool air even as the motor warms up.

adam

So where did you get them ? Or who makes them ?

Durango_Boy

This fan set is from a 2006 Ford Focus. Model doesn't matter, and I think all of them had the same fan with the exception of the very first Focus. I found mine on Ebay, a guy selling this set brand new. Most were expensive. I also found a few in some salvage yards ranging from $35 to $55 depending on where, but they will all be used.

CA-Legal-Vette

Are the brakets attached in this pic the one you made or the one that came with it? Looks like they might fit right on to the shroud studs on the rad support.

Durango_Boy

I made those to slide right down into the tray under the radiator for the bottom support. They are a specific height to center the fans in the radiator up to down. They don't actually bolt to anything, just designed to slide in and hold the bottom secure. I will make an upper bracket that either reaches up over the top to the core support or one that will span sideways to the shroud supports.

I'm Batman

Looks pretty good.

mrvette

Have to admit, they look fine, and should work well, need to know two things, with the a/c ON, and the car cruising in 100+f weather at say 70 or so, does the engine stay cool, then getting off the freeway, does it stay cool....was a HUGE problem with my car here in Florida for years in summer...but now last summer with the Spals, it's gone....

Curious as to how that fan set was rated....if it is in the car with a full rad/condensor load, that's cool....but if not, well it's kinda like rating audio amps, and THAT racket is all over the map, as we know.....

Durango_Boy

From what I understand, the Focus radiator is the equivalent of a 2 core rad in our cars, and the A/C condenser is only in front of the A/C fan. I don't know exactly or for sure...but when installed and on, the 5 blade fan was pulling dust and leaf remains up off the garage floor. I have no doubt it moves a crap ton of air.

mrvette

hehe...well we all obviously have to wait till July/Aug to see if they work well or not...under MY test, which is all I have to relate to, really...

yel76low

That's awesome, DB. What all is required to control them?

Can't wait to hear how they work out come summer.

Durango_Boy

For the 5 blade fan, I have a relay triggered by an IGN lead so it's on whenever the car is running.

The 9 blade fan has a T-stat mounted in the intake manifold, in the water jacket. It's a ground switch...so when the T-stat reaches 180 degrees it closes the loop, giving a ground to the fan. When the T-stat lowers below 160 it opens the circuit again so there is no ground to the fan.

I can't wait either for hot weather to really test it.

I'm glad you guys seem to like it.

68 NJConv 454

I found 4 holes in my rad support on the sides of the radiator that used to bolt the brackets too. Didn't have to add any holes.
I also added two lower supports to hold the fan in place but your idea sounds good with the slide in method.
I'd also think about grabbing some airconditioning around the window foam insualtion to put between the fan and radiator. It will help protect the fins on the radiator and force the air to come thru the radiator instead of around it.
I used this stuff, and it has worked great so far. $15 sure beats the $100 replacement seal kits from the vette suppliers.





I have my fan coming on at 180 degrees.
I saw when I had it coming on off the ignition key the temp never ran above 98 degrees sitting still in my driveway in my tent. Maybe its the quality of the Dewits aluminum rad...not sure.
So I put the fan to come on at 180 and it only does so when I'm sitting at a light for about 10 seconds then turns off. When I was cruising around this weekend with the cool air the temp never hit 100 degrees...until I got in my driveway and the fan came on for 10 seconds. The summer will be a whole other test.
I enjoy watching the temp drop like a rock in a pool when the fan comes on or when you hit the freeway!

gyopp

It all looks good Matt. except for the part where you put a ford part on your vette

CorvetteDave01

Looks good Durango boy, makes me wonder if I should have spent the $200 I just spent on the dual spals...I just got mine mounted up tonight too.

Hey Bullshark, How much control does the FAST DFI computer give you exactly on your fans? Can you go more than 1 speed somehow or just on and off and certain temps? I have the FAST setup and haven't messed with mine yet.

Bullshark

Dave, I think both Accel and Fast can be configured to control a dual fan setup. Both can only turn each fan on/off based on preset temp settings. (No PWM variable speed control capability) You can also control a fan based on A/C on. I captured the output configuration setup page out of Accel to give you an idea. Fast will be similar.




Bullshark