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Electric fan install

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Old 04-03-2018, 06:59 AM
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Electric fan install

I am installing an electric fan and aluminum radiator ...does anyone know how to hook up the fan ???
Old 04-03-2018, 08:00 AM
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Yes..
Old 04-03-2018, 08:09 AM
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What I did was to install 2 fans with individual fuses and relays for each. power and ground are right to the battery, the relays are triggered by an adjustable thermostatic switch that has a kill switch in the cab (for deep water crossings) also fused and supplied from a switched ignition circuit. The thermostat came with a wiring diagram that will walk you through a standard installation, but I went beyond that and I don't have a diagram to show you.
I can tell you that the mechanical fan will pull more air than most electrical fans so make sure you have a good reason you want electric and test it out on a hot day in a mud hole working it hard. I still need to perform this test myself and I am not totally committed yet as I can replace the mechanical fan any time.
Old 04-03-2018, 08:39 AM
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Speaking as a lifelong desert dweller------ Don't do it. Stick with the factory fan and shroud.
Old 04-03-2018, 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by millball
Speaking as a lifelong desert dweller------ Don't do it. Stick with the factory fan and shroud.
Second this.
Stock is more reliable than anything that relies on electricity.
Old 04-03-2018, 11:57 AM
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Electric fan

Why does everyone make it sound like electric fans are an upgrade then ? Mechanical things can break just like electrical components? . The 4banger 22re is down on power and I thought this would be a help to the engine , eliminating the belt and fan clutch . Don't electric fans do a better job at slow speeds? Why would they be unreliable if they are installed properly and are of good quality?
Old 04-03-2018, 12:01 PM
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Akwheeler what is the brand of thermostat that you are using and where do I purchase it
Old 04-03-2018, 12:03 PM
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Akwheeler , what fans , what size
Old 04-03-2018, 12:05 PM
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Millball do you know of someone who had failure with electric fans I have not heard of any one having problems
Old 04-03-2018, 12:06 PM
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Depending on the engine, and cooling system design, electric fans might be an upgrade, however it is usually a downgrade in the 22R series engines.

The stock mechanical fan is able to produce more CFM (airflow measured in Cubic Feet per Minute) than the majority of the electric fans able to fit in the mechanical fan's place.

This means that many electric fan setups people do on the 22R or 22R-E are not able to move enough air through the radiator during the highest demand, which leads to the engine overheating.

I am curious if Akwheeler is able to keep his engine cool. It helps that he lives in Alaska though!

Old 04-03-2018, 12:07 PM
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Most of the race trucks here in baja have electric fans even the trophy trucks
Old 04-03-2018, 12:12 PM
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The guy I talked to at summit racing said he uses 2 16inch fans one inboard and one out ...said it will never over heat moves just as much cfm and keeps the whole engine bay cooler due the "puller"fan

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Old 04-03-2018, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Baja bound 22re
Why does everyone make it sound like electric fans are an upgrade then ? Mechanical things can break just like electrical components? . The 4banger 22re is down on power and I thought this would be a help to the engine , eliminating the belt and fan clutch . Don't electric fans do a better job at slow speeds? Why would they be unreliable if they are installed properly and are of good quality?
The 22re originally had 105 horsepower, even if yours is a weakling with 50 HP it has way more power to turn that mechanical fan than you will get out of an electric fan.
reliability wise, if your engine is running, the fan clutch is good and the belt is spinning it will pull air and plenty of it. Adding electric fans doesn't get rid of the belt and on the 22re it's spinning the water pump right? so you are only adding components and adding points of failure.
The dual fans I added to mine had to be slim line fans due to some other modifications I did and aren't rated for very much air so I had to make my own shroud.
If you are going through with this put in the biggest most powerful fan you can fit on the radiator and not hit your belts and pulleys or go with duals or even up to 4 if you can get more CFM out of it. do your best to make a shroud and test it thoroughly to make sure you won't be overheating when you need to power out of a mudhole or tow something up a hill.
I want to have electric fans because I have seen mechanical ones pull themselves into the radiator when submerged and they throw a lot of water around in the engine bay drowning stuff.
In your case I don't think you will notice much of a power gain, but if you do please let us know.
Old 04-03-2018, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Baja bound 22re
Most of the race trucks here in baja have electric fans even the trophy trucks
they are also moving at over 60 mph almost all the time
Old 04-03-2018, 12:16 PM
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Seems like cfm would be dependent on blade size and angle ...plus electric fans have way more rpms
Old 04-03-2018, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Baja bound 22re
....Mechanical things can break just like electrical components? . ...slower speed....
...Why would they be unreliable if they are installed properly and are of good quality?
Electric fans are upgrade in performance (theoretically because of less drag) but has anyone measured by how much?
Stock fan system has less parts to break. My fan clutch (liquid coupling) got weak after 30 years, but it never completely stopped working.
There are more things to break in an electical system; The thermostat, the fan motor, the wiring.​​​.
Old 04-03-2018, 12:21 PM
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Originally Posted by old87yota

I am curious if Akwheeler is able to keep his engine cool. It helps that he lives in Alaska though!
I have only had them on for a couple of months, I work out of town, and there is still snow on the ground (cold weather) so apart from finding an issue with thermostat location I really haven't decided if it's going to work (also has a 3.0 and I don't want to warp heads cuz I want to sell it as a good running motor when I finally do my 3.4 swap).
Old 04-03-2018, 12:27 PM
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Ok I submit...I think you're right about adding points of faliure , and since belt won't be removed , forgot about the water pump ,duh . then there is no point . Are there better fans for the replacement of OEM, ie bigger blades , non plastic????
Old 04-03-2018, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Baja bound 22re
The guy I talked to at summit racing said he uses 2 16inch fans one inboard and one out ...said it will never over heat moves just as much cfm and keeps the whole engine bay cooler due the "puller"fan
In my application I added an auxiliary trans cooler in front of the radiator and I have A/C so no room for a pusher in front and I had to move the radiator back about 1/2 inch to clear the cooler, so I am a little cramped between the pulleys and the radiator.
I am looking into tying my A/C fan into the cooling scheme and adding a third smaller puller fan below the two I already have. I'll update my build thread this summer with some updates on whether or not it works.
Old 04-03-2018, 12:31 PM
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You're sure right about the trophy trucks


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