Electric fan for 69 coronet

[Drakenman]

Does anyone have any idea if it is worth it to up an electric fan on my car? And if I do out one on there, how big can i go or should i get 2? If anyone has done this already please help me out.

[Jims451]

What's the reason for going to the electric fan?
Will the fan be a pusher or puller?
Is it to replace the mechanical fan or to aid cooling (pusher) when also using a mechanical fan?
Does your car have A/C?

I think Hot Rod or Car Craft just did an article on electric fans and they said the electric fan from an Astro-Van? worked really good as a puller fan.

I use a decent sizes pusher fan along with my MP viscous mechanical fan on the Charger. The pusher fan really only helps a small amount when driving, but it works good to cool the radiator between rounds when racing at the track since I can let the fan run with the engine off.

[Drakenman]

I was thinking that the electric fan would be more efficent and at the same time allow me to gain a little bit more horsepower. It would be a puller fan or maybe both. What do you think?

[kekoakeakane]

First thing you need to do is figure how much HP you'll be making. Some electric fans are rated for HP of the motor. Since you have a 440, you may be close.

Secondly, an electric fan may not be that much gain over a good viscous clutch for your belt driven fan. Remember that the alternator will be working harder when that electric fan kicks on.

If you do find an electric fan that meets your HP needs and you want max performance for the strip, you may also want to look at placing a switch in the cab to turn the fan off while you do your run.

[Drakenman]

The thing about the elctric fan though is that i can keep it running after the car shuts off. I plan on getting a more amperage alternator after I solve my charging problem. This will help everything and if the voltage regulator works correctly, it wont create any problems. Also plan on putting a deep cycle battery in the trunk and removing the one in the front. But the electric fan idea is one that i really want to do. Its not a strip car. Just trying to make a street legal drag car.

[kekoakeakane]

I'm kinda curious why you want to run the fan with the engine off? If you drain your battery in the down time, your alternator will work harder to charge it back up when you start the motor. No freebies.

[Drakenman]

Only to a certain temperature. I will have it shut off with a series of relies to shut it off. Just to help cool it. Plus it will cool it better in traffic.

[DusterBill]

I'm putting an electric into my 72 Duster after I couldn't get a thermal clutch to fit with the standard setup. Most manufacurers want about 10 cfm/hp. For a street car I think using that formaula based on steady state power production is a good place to start. The fan most likly wil not run at all with the car cruising, and should only run sitting in traffic. Of course this is when your alternater isn't spinning really fast and doesn't want to crank out the amps.

How long do you wind up stuck in traffic?
How much power are you using at cruise?
Do you like to show off a little at cruise night?

Perma-cool has some 17 or 18" fans intended as replacements for stock mechanical fans, but they pull alot of current (17 amps?) Two smaller fans may work better. I though about using two fans and two thermostats for them set about 15 deg. apart so only one fan would be used unless it wasn't enough.

The perma cool wiring kit uses a thermometer that you are suppose to push through the fins in the radiator, this part makes me a little nervious as I worry about tearing a hole in my radiatior.

[Drakenman]

Send me an email. Drakenman@aol.com. I want to talk to you more about the research that you have done on your machine. Thanks!

[PRO]

My rule of thumb is if your clutch fan cant keep it cool and its in good internal condition then you need a bigger radiator period not a bigger fan.I only use them when you have restricted airflow and then they still dont do the job as well as a belt driven fan.Electric fans are great for cool downs during rounds but not for daily drivers that idle in stop and go traffic.A simpler solution is an aluminum radiator but the temp drop over a steel/copper one ids usually 10*.If you have a hot motor my advice is pull the thermostat,with cast iron heads youll run .10 faster in the 1/4 for every 10* you run under 200*,but dont run at less than 150* and come winter just reinstall a 160 or 180 thermostat.A little known fact is a 68-71 factory air cond BB car had a special impeller in the water pump,it didnt use fins but had molded blades which are much thicker and cooled much better,if you can find one just ship it to a w/p rebuilder and have it rebuilt,most parts houses should be able to handle it for you.........PRO.......