Keeping it Cool
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,095
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Keeping it Cool
Getting ready to fire up the Vette after a year long body off. Purchased the car with dual electric fans for the radiator, they look original for the car. Would like to go a different direction, and switch to what I feel is a more reliable system. A flex fan on the pump. I know there are pro,s & con,s to this and I would like to hear what others have done to keep it cool. My Vette is a 69 with a 71 LS 454.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,095
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Thank you Nowhere Man. Dug up some great info on Toms radiators. My car already has a direct fit aluminum radiator. Not sure if it is one of his. My concern is that the electric fans could fail, plain and simple. I have also read the argument that it is better to pull cool air in rather than 195 degree air out. Want to get this right. The fans are a significant draw on the electrical system as well.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2013
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From: perth Aus w.a
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (stock)
C3 of Year Winner (stock) 2019
I went with dewitt radiator and the 427 has never over heated or even came close . Dewitts are well made radiators that look good and some nice tig welding by some one who knows what there are doing .I will definitely get another one if needed.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
stock seven blade fan and OEM clutch. unless you don't like your hood when that flex fan fails. and make sure your fan shroud is in good shape
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Thunder Bay
Tried the flex fan thing when I was young and foolish. Don't make that mistake. Get a good quality factory fan and try and find a good fan clutch. The factory system works well. The fan noise without a clutch will drive you nuts. And be aware its hard to find a good fan clutch these days. Most of the aftermarket units suck.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2012
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From: Allenton Wisconsin
You must like noise. Flex fans sound like a turbine, plus a fan schroud is required. Electric fan failure? Then why are so many newer cars running electric fans? T
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Tried the flex fan thing when I was young and foolish. Don't make that mistake. Get a good quality factory fan and try and find a good fan clutch. The factory system works well. The fan noise without a clutch will drive you nuts. And be aware its hard to find a good fan clutch these days. Most of the aftermarket units suck.
Team Owner
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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There is a reason no car manufacture uses them. Car manufactures still use clutch fans to day for a reason.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
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I just replaced my new clutch fan with an electric because it works much better than a clutch fan when sitting in traffic. Its mounted on the radiator and with the fan shrouded so tightely it pulls more cold air through than the clutch will with the big air gaps. Most new cars do come with electric fans. Its pretty easy to upgrade your alternator to handle the load and the system can handle it since the higher amperage is going though the main wires back to the battery, if they were to get too hot the fusible links would let go and no one here has posted those problems. The only difference I noticed is thtat my amp guage stays in the positive side more than in the negative. I upgraded for the fan and the new H4 lights I'm using. Very happy so far
If your electric fans are pusher fans I could see how they wouldnt function as well as pullers. Good luck.
If your electric fans are pusher fans I could see how they wouldnt function as well as pullers. Good luck.
Team Owner
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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I just replaced my new clutch fan with an electric because it works much better than a clutch fan when sitting in traffic. Its mounted on the radiator and with the fan shrouded so tightely it pulls more cold air through than the clutch will with the big air gaps. Most new cars do come with electric fans. Its pretty easy to upgrade your alternator to handle the load and the system can handle it since the higher amperage is going though the main wires back to the battery, if they were to get too hot the fusible links would let go and no one here has posted those problems. The only difference I noticed is thtat my amp guage stays in the positive side more than in the negative. I upgraded for the fan and the new H4 lights I'm using. Very happy so far
If your electric fans are pusher fans I could see how they wouldnt function as well as pullers. Good luck.
If your electric fans are pusher fans I could see how they wouldnt function as well as pullers. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
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From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Thank you for the advice guys. When I got home last night the Summit box was already on the porch. Going to put the fan on the shelf an use it on another project. It won’t be going on the Vette. I had no idea that a fan could steal so much power from an engine. Will be using the dual electric fans. Sounds like they will do the job well, if they are wired correctly.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
Thank you for the advice guys. When I got home last night the Summit box was already on the porch. Going to put the fan on the shelf an use it on another project. It won’t be going on the Vette. I had no idea that a fan could steal so much power from an engine. Will be using the dual electric fans. Sounds like they will do the job well, if they are wired correctly.
read this
http://www.camaros.org/pdf/corv_cooling2.pdf
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
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From: Kernersville NC
Thank you for the advice guys. When I got home last night the Summit box was already on the porch. Going to put the fan on the shelf an use it on another project. It won’t be going on the Vette. I had no idea that a fan could steal so much power from an engine. Will be using the dual electric fans. Sounds like they will do the job well, if they are wired correctly.