qdude79

With my rebuild almost complete, I've decided to yank the fan/clutch and do an electric fan with a thermo-actuated switch. With 18 1/4 inches being my limiting measurement, I'm thinking a nice single 16" puller is what I want.

My question: what's a reliable manufacturer? As vital as it is that this thing function properly, I'm not wanting to go cheap, but I don't want an overpriced gold plated one, either. Any generic knock-off names produced by reputable manufacturers I should know about? Any I should run screaming from ?
TIA,

Qdude

iamsuperbleeder

check out a company called Spal; their OEM for a lot of manufacturers, but make a lot of universal and custom fit setups that they offer on their web-site; just google Spal fans, or something similar.

I used a dual 12' fan setup from Spal on a Monte Calro that I built up, and after installing it and removing ol flex-fan, the car struggled to reach 160 degree, no matter how much I dogged that bored and cammed 350, lol

they tend to be a lil $$$ depending on what your looking for, but they may have came down a bit, I haven't checked their site out in a long while...

bigarms23

i use a flex a lite electric fan

fillsrunner4

I personal used a flex a lite and a Lincoln 4.6 v8 fan which I definitely prefer more. Better cooling, bigger fan, 2 speed. The flex a lites are junk IMO

Look into Ford taurus fans and the swaps they cool better and can be picked up at junk yars and online for very cheap

qdude79

Interesting about the Spal. I was going to contact my cousin, as he uses either that, or a Derale. I can't remember which. I KNOW he's done his homework. I went to their site and they specifically list them as individually balanced with a fully sealed motor. I liked that...

Sidenote: any ports to plug the sensor into on the 22RE, or should I just plan on the "between the radiator fins" sensor?

iamsuperbleeder

I've seen people with the sencor for the cold start valve removed and a probe threaded in in it's place; give's a cleaner stock look, but makes the truck harder to start when it's cold; just requires a little more turning over

the probe that goes into the rad fins works fairly decent, but I can tell you from experience, be sure to get an adjustable one if you go that route. they tend to take longer to kick the fan in in cold weather, and can sometimes kick it on too early in hot weather. If you get one with an adjustable temp controller, you can at least pop the hood and turn the dial when the weather starts to change to make up for the varience.

for another option, many places like Summit sell a probe kit to go in-line on a rad hose. Just cut the hose clean about right in the middle, pop in the probe adapter (wich it pretty much no more than a metal pipe the size of the inner diameter of the rad hose), and thread the temp probe into a hole on the pipe.

qdude79

Not keen on sacrificing the cold start injector... I like the idea of splicing into a return hose, though. True readings there. Hmmmm....

iamsuperbleeder

yeah there's some pictures here on YT of it done before... maybe someone with it done will chime in and post their pics.

if done right, it's a pretty clean install and it's works great, but I really never liked the idea of cutting up a perfectly good rad hose

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

my flex a lite has given me problems. #1)dial adjusted vibrated temp up, #2) auto thermostat (between rad fin type) failed, #3)two fan blades broke

#1) email flex a lite they mailed me a new control unit
#2) have a constant on swith wired into cab, till replace switch above
#3) freak'n glad I carried old mech fan as back up. Motor rocked up in low with RPMs up so the PS tensioner bolt hit fan. Tighten motor mount ancher bolt (3.5"x1/2" grade 8 bolt through drilled out motor mount) back down, will tach weld. Don't know if will ever reuse electric fan.

Pistonman

I am going to use one I found on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TOYOT...d=p3911.c0.m14

iamsuperbleeder

here's the thing about eBay sells like this one...

it's not "made for Toyota"... it just happens to be a universal size fan that fits directly and snugly on a stock Toyota radiator... I just took a look at the brand they say the fan is made by, FF Dynamics. 1) their clame of a 3300 CFM fan is NOWHERE on their website... 2) I, personally, have never heard of them, and I've been tinkering with and customizing cars and trucks since I've been old enough to hold a wrench in my oily hands... 3) although it is a decent price, I could build an equal, if not better system from name-brand products that I know of and trust to keep me going with the going get's tough... er hot rather...

qdude79

I'd still like to hear any stories, good or bad, about function and reliability of certain brands. I've seen 16 inchers (fans, that is) on summit that claim less cfm's and more amp draw than others claiming outrageous cfm's with considerably less draw. What gives? I know some electric motors are more efficient than others, but how do you know whose numbers to trust????

qdude79

Example:

Kragen sells Hayden (brand name I've heard of) and ProForm (that isn't familiar to me): Both 16"

Hayden: curved blades, rated at 1500 cfm and 17.0 amps of draw

ProForm: straight blade (as I understand, not as efficient as "S" blades) 2100 cfm rated and only 9.0 amps of draw.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Jay351

Personally, the only reason I would EVER go with an electric fan would be if space was limited... The stock motor driven fan will out perform most of the better electric fans out there.. plus its much more reliable.

SwampThing

^ They're definitely worth it if go into deep enough mud or water. Plus control is a very nice thing.

x2 on the going to the scrap yard and getting a taurus' fan.

blackspyder

I use 2 flex-a-lites (one 12" and one 16") the 12" in front of the radiator and the 16 behind. both came off of dads project cars (they cant quite cool a BBC)

mt_goat

Hard to beat a Taurus fan in price or performace. About the only thing more powerful is the Mark VIII fan, but it is really too big for our trucks.

fillsrunner4

Just put the MarkVIII in mine. Had it in front on stock radiator and now gonna be my rear with an aluminium radiator. Needless to say i dont think ill ever over heat the thing The fan is so powerful and it was really cheap and the best fan I think I could have bought




The Mark VIII is big I believe its a 18" blade the taurus fan is a bit smaller and an easier swap than what I did but im happy with what ive got

Junkers88

Some questions about this.

1) What years of Ford Taurus fans will work?
2) How do you wire them up? Toggle switch inside for water/mud and on full time otherwise?
3) (don't laugh) If I go the "probe in the rad hose" route which one is the return hose?

Oh and on a funny note a buddy of mine used to have a Taurus and I took some mailbox letters and put CLI in front of the TAURUS.

He drove like that for weeks until he noticed it and dang near killed me when he found out who did it.

fillsrunner4

Do a search on the taurus fan youll find all the questions you just aked there. I just recently say a real good one on a 3rd gen some one did a write up on