My biggest fan...

[ZEUS]

I am thinking about replacing my belt driven fan with an electric to free up that extra bit of horsepower. Has anyone done this yet? Or can anyone give some tips or warnings about it? Is the gain so minimal it is not worth it?

[tom4bren]

I can't see it making an appreciable difference but they do it on race cars so there must be some benefit.

Why don't you remove the starter too like they do in Drag racers (LOL).

[ZEUS]

Well, I know there are benefits besides more power. Quicker warm up and more power and better gas mileage! That is enough for me! I know they did this on the 5.9 Limited to free up some ponies. But to my understanding, removing the mech fan and replacing it with an elec. improves the throttle response because there is no accelerating fan fighting the air. I think it is worth trying it personally. And what about underdriven pulleys? Any possibility of fitting some of those to the 3.5?

[orion]

what timing! I just finished installing a fan/shroud assemble from a 90's dodge caravan. it fits very well, only a half inch shorter than the stock shroud. I made some tabs and used the stock mounting points. got the wiring kit from painless, very easy to install. electric fans are all benefit, the load on the alt. is not even close to the drag from the stock fan. my throttle response is much better, and tho i haven't driven that much to check mileage, I'm sure it will be some what better. see my gallery for pictures.

[ZEUS]

orion, that's awesome! Looks like a factory job! Thanks for the pics, I agree with you, electric is all benefits! So that must have run you around $100 maybe?

[orion]

$13 for the fan from junk yard, $60 for the painless kit. installing it myself, priceless. sorry, had to say it

[etlsport]

sweet.. i want to do this.... did you have to change to a new serp belt? what size?

[ZEUS]

sweet.. i want to do this.... did you have to change to a new serp belt? what size?

Nah, there is no belt change. All you are doing is unbolting the mech fan from the pulley and putting the nuts back on to secure the pulley to the water pump.

[orion]

Yep, i didn't even take the belt off, just used some washers to make up the fans gap. also the wiring kit i got has the switch that comes on at 185 and off at 170. Ive found that's too low temp, the fan was running all the time once the engine came up to temp. so i got a 200 on 185 off switch and now it's much better. the kits are the same price for ether temp.

[tom4bren]

I was thinking about this on my way in to work this morning (Hey, it's 45 miles on I95 in some pretty heavy traffic so I had time to think).

I'm don't mean to pee on your charcoal but I just can't imagine it making as much of a difference as y'all make it out to be.

Assume that the electric fan motor is 1/4 HP (reasonable) and that it is twice as efficient as the mechanical (I'm being generous here). The engine is 215 HP. That works out to about 0.1% more horsepower being available to send down to the wheels. Am I missing something here?

All that said, there are some benefits and the mod is worth doing. I'll probably do it too - someday - but we've already established my procrastination status.

Gentlemen, do the swap and enjoy your 0.1% increase in throttle response. LOL.

[etlsport]

true... i want to do it simply because my fan clutch is bad.... and its gonna be like 100 to replace it anyway.. so i might as well go elec and not have to worry about it again

[ZEUS]

I was thinking about this on my way in to work this morning (Hey, it's 45 miles on I95 in some pretty heavy traffic so I had time to think).

I'm don't mean to pee on your charcoal but I just can't imagine it making as much of a difference as y'all make it out to be.

Assume that the electric fan motor is 1/4 HP (reasonable) and that it is twice as efficient as the mechanical (I'm being generous here). The engine is 215 HP. That works out to about 0.1% more horsepower being available to send down to the wheels. Am I missing something here?

All that said, there are some benefits and the mod is worth doing. I'll probably do it too - someday - but we've already established my procrastination status.

Gentlemen, do the swap and enjoy your 0.1% increase in throttle response. LOL.

You are not peeing on my charcoal! I see the potential for increased performance; if you don't, that is your own fire you are putting out. I am about to fit bigger, heavier tires. The tires about 1% bigger and are going to rob some performance. Judging by calculations I have seen over time, your calculations are off. I have read mechanical fans can rob as much as 5 hp. Electric fans may use as much as 2 hp - but they are hardly ever on, so at most times no hp is lost. I have grown accustomed to being overgeared with my 4.77's and would like to offset the torque lost by adding these new tires as much as possible. An electric fan is cheap and easy.

[tom4bren]

All Mighty Zeus - I stand corrected. Don't drop a lightning bolt down my shorts.

I'm curious about what I might have left out of my logic but I'll let it go. No doubt it's an cheap/easy mod so well worth the effort. Like I said ... someday.

Excuse me while I go piss on my charcoal.

[ZEUS]

:rollg2: Hey you asked if you were "missing something here" so read instead of type or I will put two bolts down your shorts!

[tom4bren]

Good, I can use one to relight my charcoal. The other I'll save for my commute home tonight.

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change

the strength to change the things I can

and a lightning bolt to drop down the shorts of anyone who pisses me off.

(After I do the electric fan conversion of course so the 0.1% added throttle response will let me chase them down).