Electric Fan Question...experience?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 74
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From: Santo Domingo DR
Electric Fan Question...experience?
After a long time offline I'm back on the forum for your advice.
I'm supposed to get the vette out of the paint shop early next week.
It was sitting there almost half a year!
Anyway, the work done on the car has been great and the body looks awsome with the lemans blue color back on.
So far I installed the freshly rebuilt and upgrated 427 engine with the 4 speed M21,SPB suspension, Hedman headers, 2.5 inch dual exhaust, flowmaster 40 series mufflers.
I'm thinking about changing the mechanical fan and instead, installing a dual set of electric fans on the radiator. What air flow volume should I look for?
I still have the original radiator, which was fully restored and is installed on the car right now. Any ideas on the dimensions I should look for as well as CFM's?
My vette is a 68 roadster with a 427 CI with PS and no AC.
Thanks
Dan
I'm supposed to get the vette out of the paint shop early next week.
It was sitting there almost half a year! Anyway, the work done on the car has been great and the body looks awsome with the lemans blue color back on.
So far I installed the freshly rebuilt and upgrated 427 engine with the 4 speed M21,SPB suspension, Hedman headers, 2.5 inch dual exhaust, flowmaster 40 series mufflers.
I'm thinking about changing the mechanical fan and instead, installing a dual set of electric fans on the radiator. What air flow volume should I look for?
I still have the original radiator, which was fully restored and is installed on the car right now. Any ideas on the dimensions I should look for as well as CFM's?
My vette is a 68 roadster with a 427 CI with PS and no AC.
Thanks
Dan
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,360
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From: COVINGTON LA
I installed the Dewitt spal dual fans on my stock radiator and I am currently running on one (1) fan. Temp is holding @ 175 deg. We've had some days in the high 70's and low 80's here in south Louisiana, and I've had no proplems. I hooked the second fan to a toggle switch under the dash if I need it I'll kick it on and let the other cycle on the t-stat, but so far one fan has been enough even with the a/c running.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
Originally Posted by Daniels
I'm thinking about changing the mechanical fan and instead, installing a dual set of electric fans on the radiator. What air flow volume should I look for? I still have the original radiator, which was fully restored and is installed on the car right now. Any ideas on the dimensions I should look for as well as CFM's? My vette is a 68 roadster with a 427 CI with PS and no AC.
:
:
The 68 BB radiator is a "carry over" from the midyear corvettes. They used the same copper/brass radiator in 66 and 67. This radiator measures 22.5" on the core and uses no surge tank. The problem is that the dual fans are 23.5" and do not fit on the stock core face. So your only options would be (A) add a single 16" which might do the job with or without the engine fan. This is 2360 cfm and that's about three times the engine fan. (B) Upgrade to one of our "Direct Fit" packages that will allow the dual fans. Here we used a special 23.5" core that provides 100% fan coverage and works really well with just about any HP you throw at it. DEWITTS FANS & COMBOS
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,040
Likes: 672
From: FL
The Spal duals are great.
One of the best reasons to install them is that you can actually access the front of the engine. Pulling the radiator is now a 20 min job. Plus, no danger from the blades while tuning.
One of the best reasons to install them is that you can actually access the front of the engine. Pulling the radiator is now a 20 min job. Plus, no danger from the blades while tuning.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Dominican Republic is in the topics, or damn sure well enough close to it, and therefore the best cooling package for you is....
Dewitts......case closed....
get the entire package as Tom suggested....
GENE
Dewitts......case closed....
get the entire package as Tom suggested....
GENE
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Spal fans are made for mid grade performance. They do not cool my motors even with monster aluminum radiator and higher flow water pumps. Of course you also have to upgrade your alternator to 100 amp or better because the Spals' draw about 30 amps.
If I had it to do over again I would have bought these. Spals don't really cover enough of the radiator surface area.
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html...-electric.html
If I had it to do over again I would have bought these. Spals don't really cover enough of the radiator surface area.
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html...-electric.html
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Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,445
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
Originally Posted by CGGorman
That's great...if you've got a 31" core to cover.
If you look how this flex-a-lite fan has cut frame corners? They clear the in and out hoses. More than twice the cfm of Spals and it's adjustable so you don't have to run them full blast.
270, 280, 282, 285 & 290 puller fans
Mounting Surface Required
17" x 31 7/8" x 4 1/2"
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 34,453
Likes: 665
From: Republic of Texas
Originally Posted by glen242
I am using a PermaCool #19115 2950 c.f.m. 16" fan and it is doing its job. Never over 195-200, if the gauge is accurate. Inexpensive and low amp draw.
Same as above, cools my Big Block just fine. In fact in cool weather I turn it off, temp stays at 180 degrees.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 3
From: SF East Bay CA
Dual flex a lites.. 2400cfm
temp sender to trigger fans and adjustable....
Fits great... looks great, performs great.
I am sure the others are good.. but I am happy with the flex a lite
temp sender to trigger fans and adjustable....
Fits great... looks great, performs great.
I am sure the others are good.. but I am happy with the flex a lite
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 74
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From: Santo Domingo DR
Hi folks,
Thanks for the suggestions. Dominican Republic is extremly hot. In other words well over 90 degrees most of the day and during summer time it reaches well up to 115 degrees at noon.
I'll have to check the dimensions of the radiator prior to make the final decision, but what I'm sure now is that the more CFM's I can get, the better it will work out on the engine.
Thanks for the 100 amp alternator suggestion, I didn't think about that one 'til your post.
Thanks for the suggestions. Dominican Republic is extremly hot. In other words well over 90 degrees most of the day and during summer time it reaches well up to 115 degrees at noon.
I'll have to check the dimensions of the radiator prior to make the final decision, but what I'm sure now is that the more CFM's I can get, the better it will work out on the engine.
Thanks for the 100 amp alternator suggestion, I didn't think about that one 'til your post.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
Originally Posted by CGGorman
That's great...if you've got a 31" core to cover.
This is a great point! The largest core GM ever put in a vette was 27.5" and that monster fan just isn't going to fit anything. At 2760 cfm, the Spals are plenty of air. At 2000 cfm you can start to hear them, at 3000cfm I'd say they were loud. At 5500 cfm they would scream so much you couldn't hear the motor!
I disagree with Gkull, spals are NOT medium duty, these fans are used on all the italian sports cars including Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. I've used our dual fan/direct fit combo on 700 hp engines without any problems, so I don't know why you'd need to go bigger. Spal electric motors are long life, oem type motors. They cannot be reversed because spal angles the brushes to run one way and one way only. This makes a much better motor when it is dedicated to single direction. Dual direction motors have the brushes straight and they will not last nearly as long. We also include pre-engineers brackets that will mount right up to a stock copper/brass GM radiator or one of our aluminum Direct Fits. The flexalite does not have any mounting kit and they don't pay the light bill on the forum
Last edited by Tom@Dewitt; Mar 16, 2005 at 05:47 PM.