Should I Install Electric Fan?
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Ontario
Should I Install Electric Fan?
I have an 18 inch aftermarket electric fan, took it off my 79 Firebird before I sold it.
My question is, will the there be an overheating issue under the hood,(not the engine itself), but with the rad being on an angle does the air circulate properly under the hood withoout the stock fan, the electric fan would be on the same angle and when it does come on it would blow on that angle, so is there a build up of engine heat that can't escape or be circulated by installing an electric fan that could cause problems?
My question is, will the there be an overheating issue under the hood,(not the engine itself), but with the rad being on an angle does the air circulate properly under the hood withoout the stock fan, the electric fan would be on the same angle and when it does come on it would blow on that angle, so is there a build up of engine heat that can't escape or be circulated by installing an electric fan that could cause problems?
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 70
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From: Ontario
Originally Posted by Pacin'California
I thought the fan was supposed to push air through the radiator and cool the water in there, not cool off the engine.
I'm sure the 18" fan will do fine regardless of the theory.
-Steve
I'm sure the 18" fan will do fine regardless of the theory.
-Steve
I know it will cool the coolant in the rad and cool engine, I just want to know if the hot air won't circulate, build up and cause trouble like making the hood to hot and damage the paint or cook the seals in the master cylinder etc.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: Hoosier
Cruise-In III Veteran
Originally Posted by pcfred
No, the fan pulls air through the radiator to help cool it and blows air on the engine to cool it also.
When I'm in slow stop light traffic and the fans kick on, I can feel the engine heat blasting out of the side vents. 
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,957
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From: Chico Ca
I also thought the air blowing over the motor made a big difference in cooling but I think the air being pulled through the radiator is really the reason it cools the motor. I know there are a few C3's in here running an electric fan against the radiator with no shroud and they work great for them. Of course a nice aluminum radiator is the optimal way to go.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 174
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From: brandon florida
I'm running a Trimline Electric fan with a 5 blade flex fan and it pulls plenty of cool air through the radiator plus makes a considerable difference in engine temperature. One things for sure, it definitely won't hurt installing the fan and i'm sure you will notice a difference in engine temp whether motoring down the road or sitting in stop and go traffic. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Europe , Luxembourg
Hi
You got a point in the engine compartment cooling question.
I also installed electric fan(s) and thought they should only turn on if required by the water temp.
Soon found out that when the car stands at a stop light or so if the fans are not running, the open air filter /carb setup started to give a rough idle due to very hot engine compartment air temps.
I now have 2 each smaller fans installed, one that constantly runs to eliminate this engine compartment heat . I do run headers that don't help keeping the compartment cool.
An other good thing using 2 fans instead of only one big one is the backup in case one fails.
Rgds. Gunther
You got a point in the engine compartment cooling question.
I also installed electric fan(s) and thought they should only turn on if required by the water temp.
Soon found out that when the car stands at a stop light or so if the fans are not running, the open air filter /carb setup started to give a rough idle due to very hot engine compartment air temps.
I now have 2 each smaller fans installed, one that constantly runs to eliminate this engine compartment heat . I do run headers that don't help keeping the compartment cool.
An other good thing using 2 fans instead of only one big one is the backup in case one fails.
Rgds. Gunther
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Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,414
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From: Barrie
I got a 16" fan from a ford Taurus.
The fan is mounted directly to the rad and has 2 speeds
With a 180 degree high flow thermostat my car has never seen more then 190 degrees, It always runs around 170? (I guess the stat is off by 10 degrees)
The one time it did go to 190 was when I was playing with two C4's at 120+ MPH at 3:00AM
and it wasn’t just a quick burst of speed, we covered several miles at that speed.
The fan is mounted directly to the rad and has 2 speeds
With a 180 degree high flow thermostat my car has never seen more then 190 degrees, It always runs around 170? (I guess the stat is off by 10 degrees)
The one time it did go to 190 was when I was playing with two C4's at 120+ MPH at 3:00AM
and it wasn’t just a quick burst of speed, we covered several miles at that speed.
