convert to dual electric fans?

[kapnklug]

Anyone ever try converting to dual electric cooling fans? I've done this for cheap on a gas-powered blazer, using two junkyard fans from two V6 air-conditioned chevy Lumina's. That wasn't so hard since the fans came with integrated shrouds, I just cut the shrouds and joined them with a plate in the middle, then mounted the whole thing top and bottom to the core support.
But the CUCV has those oil cooler lines running back and forth across the radiator, which is gonna make it tricky. Can anyone supply pix of such an installation? Or perhaps its up to me!

 

[Brent.Cain]

just cut the lines and get an after market cooler stick it in the front and hook up ur fans i have a M1031 and im thinking about putting Elc fans on it and just get ready for a 5.9 12V Cummins swap sum time down the road

 

[doghead]

Why?

 

[DokWatson]

Don't know what you mean by lines running across the radiator, sounds unsafe. But anyways... a Ford Windstar fan is an almost perfect fit, and is already a dual setup.

Doghead, its for deleting the clutch fan.

 

[doghead]

I have literally owned hundreds of vehicles, I don't recall a single fan clutch failure. I remember one that was wobbly/loose, but it never totally failed.

Unless he is modifying for a reason, I just don't understand why change to electric.

I would try mounting fans on the front of the radiator, if you need to go with electric.

Electric motors and water sounds like a plan for failure(yeah, I own a MinnKota trolling motor).

 

[Westech]

just cut the lines and get an after market cooler stick it in the front and hook up ur fans i have a M1031 and im thinking about putting Elc fans on it and just get ready for a 5.9 12V Cummins swap sum time down the road

O boy.. you do know that the lines are the oil cooler lines... and fluid to fluid is 10 times more efficient then fluid to air in heat transfer.
So you better have ONE HUGE oil cooler.

 

[Dodgeman1941]

I did that on my boys m1009, because the fan clutch started to come apart. I picked up 2 of the 16" or 18" from Advanced Auto, and one of the thermostat switch kits. I took off the shroud, and mounted the pass side fan high on the radiator, and the driver's side low on the radiator. I routed the cooler lines below the PS fan, up between them and over the DS fan. Fabbed up a bracket to mount the DS end of the cooler lines. At this time I also replaced the rubber cooler lines with hydralic hoses. Because the fans are completely electricly isolated, I ran the power feed off the 24V lug and returned the ground to the 12v lug so that they work off from the hi volt alternator to give it something to do. BTW, lots quieter. I don't have pics at this point, but if you want to PM me your e-mail address, I'll try and snap some this weekend and get them to you.

 

[dstang97]

O boy.. you do know that the lines are the oil cooler lines... and fluid to fluid is 10 times more efficient then fluid to air in heat transfer.
So you better have ONE HUGE oil cooler.

Westy How could the oil temp be cooler when it goes into the radiator and that is about 180 degrees? right? I would think a Tranny cooler would be cooler in front of the radiator. Interested to know

 

[BlizzardX23]

I did this mod on my Denali... It had a clutch fan, and I swapped it out for dual electric.

doghead, its not a matter of reliability...the clutch fan draws horsepower from the engine. When installing the E-Fans, at least in the 00-06 Tahoes/Yukons, it frees up some hp, and improves performance...not massive, but enough.

 

[Westech]

well when it is flowing it does not have enough time to cool off.
look here is how it goes.

Its flows too fast to cool off by air alone
That is why when installing a trans cooler they say run it thru the factory cooler first.
You do NOT want super cooled coolant or oil flowing back in to the engine, you want Operating temp.
What happens when you dump cool water in to a over heated engine? KAPLOW bad things happen.
Operating temp is the best temp for a engine to run, you don't want to go over that and that is why people install extra coolers for heavy duty use. But dont just bypass the factory system. You can always add but never take away. The OEM took a lot of time to design that engine and operating system, just because you are a couch engineer does not mean you can do better.

 

[DokWatson]

I have literally owned hundreds of vehicles, I don't recall a single fan clutch failure. I remember one that was wobbly/loose, but it never totally failed.

Unless he is modifying for a reason, I just don't understand why change to electric.

I would try mounting fans on the front of the radiator, if you need to go with electric.

Electric motors and water sounds like a plan for failure(yeah, I own a MinnKota trolling motor).

You have it backwards, clutch fan+water=plan for failure. Electric fans are used when crossing deep water. Electric fans can be shut off. Clutch fan cant be shut off, they seize up the engine when submerged.

Going to electric fans is stupid if done for any other reason than water crossing. The horsepower gain is minimal, not even worth the cost of doing a conversion.

 

[ODdave]

doc, i wouldnt say its "stupid", what if there is no room for a mech fan? Here is a pic of my elct fan setup for my 5.9 cummins swap.

 

[DokWatson]

doc, i wouldnt say its "stupid", what if there is no room for a mech fan? Here is a pic of my elct fan setup for my 5.9 cummins swap.

An engine swap is a completely different story now isn't it? We were talking about a clutch fan delete, not a 6.2 delete.

 

[ODdave]

just cut the lines and get an after market cooler stick it in the front and hook up ur fans i have a M1031 and im thinking about putting Elc fans on it and just get ready for a 5.9 12V Cummins swap sum time down the road

Well mabye it will help brent............
Also the thread starter asked for input and pictures, Not negative additudes. To him i say, re-route the lines, try it and post your results! Fab-On

 

[jimmy-90]

Anyone ever try converting to dual electric cooling fans? I've done this for cheap on a gas-powered blazer, using two junkyard fans from two V6 air-conditioned chevy Lumina's. That wasn't so hard since the fans came with integrated shrouds, I just cut the shrouds and joined them with a plate in the middle, then mounted the whole thing top and bottom to the core support.
But the CUCV has those oil cooler lines running back and forth across the radiator, which is gonna make it tricky. Can anyone supply pix of such an installation? Or perhaps its up to me!

Are you looking into putting a body lift on your truck and useing electric fans to overcome the cooling issues that the manufactures say you will have if you use a body lift on a truck with a 6.2L diesel?

 

[southdave]

well when it is flowing it does not have enough time to cool off.
look here is how it goes.

Its flows too fast to cool off by air alone
That is why when installing a trans cooler they say run it thru the factory cooler first.
You do NOT want super cooled coolant or oil flowing back in to the engine, you want Operating temp.
What happens when you dump cool water in to a over heated engine? KAPLOW bad things happen.
Operating temp is the best temp for a engine to run, you don't want to go over that and that is why people install extra coolers for heavy duty use. But dont just bypass the factory system. You can always add but never take away. The OEM took a lot of time to design that engine and operating system, just because you are a couch engineer does not mean you can do better.

I asked this question the other day. A 6.5 turbo oil cooler is nothing but a stand alone direct air cooler, similar to a after market tranny cooler. I figured it all coming from the same heat source. The 6.5 rad. may be more effiecient than the 6.2. About the electric fans, I think you have to look at the CFM's of what you are installing. and the what get to OPtium operatertion of system. It all about balancing the system imo

 

[AKM1008]

I was also thinking about ditchin the clutch fan for electic fans. my reasoning is when its -40F i dont believe i need a fan. even at idle with the grill completly blocked off there is alot of air moving around under the hood. electric fans would stay off unless needed. i was hoping it woud help my truck warm up. i think its an upgrade, they only turn on or off when they need too.... instead of running all the time. plus with the bonus option to run them manual.

 

[doghead]

Clutch fans are thermostatically controlled. That's why they are called a "clutch fan".

 

[kassim503]

Why dont you try setting the fans back or cutting the shroud on the fans a little to let the lines stay in their existing spot with the fan behind them? Or mabye opening the system where the oil sampling valve is and route new lines around the rad. The OEM setup uses the fluid/fluid cooler on the outlet tank which is really efficient & helps the oil heat up in the winter.

If its for water crossing reasons I would just flip the air cleaner so it sucks air in from near the firewall and be done with it, never had an issue with any metal blade clutch fan sucking itself into the radiator.

 

[AKM1008]

clutch fans also only partially disengage

So, when the engine is cool or even when it is at a normal operating temperature, the fan clutch will still run The other problem is that it will draw the air at a very high rate, so in cold weather the heating system will blow out lukewarm air and it won’t ever deliver enough sufficient hot air. cold wether fronts stop air flow and help alot but not enough, changinge out the fans might improve it even more.