blackhat620
You Had to be There
Why don't you seem them?
Because electric fans that will fit on the radiator will not provide enough air flow in high heat applications.
Why don't you seem them?
Hmm I guess for some applications that you need the air flow that a large blade fan can make.
But most of our trucks don't put out the kind of heat, the monster ford that prolator? he has Efans on his truck, the dessert racers have Efans most rock crawlers run then and the Extreme hill climbers i've seen run them, on large diesel engines that need more air flow around the engine you can't run them.
Lets take these one at a time:
Proilators truck is in the PNW, not the desert SW
Any race truck/car does not really need much of a fan because the natural air flow do to high speed provides more than adequate air flow. Race vehicles do not spend much time idling in traffic.
Rock crawlers run them for a couple of reasons, ability to turn them off when crossing water, and less weight. Rock crawlers also seldom run A/C, forced induction, most rock crawlers are fairly light weight vehicles, etc.
Hill climb same as race truck/car
Diesel engines do produce heat (diesels actually like heat compared to a gasser). The modern diesel has a problem with high Oil & CoolantTemps do to the EGR systems and the use of aluminum engine parts limits the temps they can safely sustain.
As far back as the 70's up to today, running big block gassers in 1/2-1 ton pickups and bronco's in the desert SW with A/C, auto trans and also towing the boat or rv causes some drastic heat loads and the electric fans will not cool properly in these conditions. Not to mention the increased heat loads do to the emissions systems installed. Also in the late seventies and early 80's the manufactures switched to cross flow radiators to increase the cooling efficiency. This was needed do to the higher heat loads on newer EPA friendly vehicles.
I'm sorry blackhat but I just can't agree with that.
I've been running my flex a lite fan for over 2 years now and I just can't see any thing wrong about it.
But for most it is a reasonable upgrade.
Ben are you still talking about the bronco?
I thought this is what you were speaking of, your "wheeling rig"
I have one on my truck and I run cooler now then I ever did with my fan and shroud..
^^ A fair point that you make... But what about us guys that HAVE done the mod and HAVE experienced the results first hand? I'm not reiterating some crap that I read in a magazine about increased numbers. I DID the mod and SAW the gains for myself.I am not against modifiy engines or vehicles at all, as if have built and raced cars for years, but i am not big into changing things because they are hyped in a magazine or A/M manufactures liturature. The A/M automotive industry has more chaf than wheat and it takes alot of time, beta testing and personal money to find out what actually works in your specific application.
As for Proliators truck he runs a BBF i think a 557 screamer, on nitrous.
He has his radiator mounted on the roll bar, roughly 3" above the top of the cab, and angled, so it catches plenty of air, and he has electric fans too, it ads a load to the cooling system but set up properly i see it being more efficent, at cooling, no hot air from the engine to contend with.
Does that make since?
^^ A fair point that you make... But what about us guys that HAVE done the mod and HAVE experienced the results first hand? I'm not reiterating some crap that I read in a magazine about increased numbers. I DID the mod and SAW the gains for myself.
That is were you and i will agree to disagree, as i do not feel it is an "upgrade" at all, in fact it is a "downgrade" in most applications. Yes i worry about overheating the engine, especially after having lived in the desert SW for 40+ years and seen all the problems heat causes with internal combustion engines and automatic transmissions.
The only people that hype electric cooling fans, are the people selling electric cooling fans, racers who are looking for every speed advantage possible and off road applications were having the ability to turn the fan off in water crossings is needed.
Also most A/M electric fan applications cover/restrict part of the air flow through the radiator do to there mounting setup and one size fits all design. An OEM electric fan setup that was designed for the specific application and to properly fit the raditor will work as designed, and provide proper cooling for its intended application.
I am not against modifiy engines or vehicles at all, as if have built and raced cars for years, but i am not big into changing things because they are hyped in a magazine or A/M manufactures liturature. The A/M automotive industry has more chaf than wheat and it takes alot of time, beta testing and personal money to find out what actually works in your specific application.