Electric Fan Conversion?

Has anyone here converted to elecrric fan or fans? I didnt necessarily measure my own but saw the core dimensions listed on a new radiator as 16x24". That got me thinking about a 16" 3000cfm fan or a pair of 12" 2000cfm fans...

Another thought as well, if engine bay space is at a premium in an early cj5 for a v8 swap, could it be possible and/or helpful to mount the fan in front of the radiator as a pusher?

 

I did the electric fan deal. It works fine. I pushed my engine further forward during my last build.

The fail safe feature of the mechanical fan is nice though.

 

I converted to electric fans in 99 during my last rebuild, I had two 12" fans mounted side by side, worked for years. I just went back to stock in 2014. And I am surprised that I don't have any pix's

Jay

 

A pusher fan is less efficient then a puller. And you need no fan above about 15mph as the air moving through the radiator from the forward motion is greater then the fan can pull.

I converted my Wifes 67 Mustang 200L6 to an electric fan set at 185 with a 185 thermostat and it was amazing how little it was on and how the engine temp stayed right where it should.

 

No matter what kind of fan is used, mechanical or electric, a shroud makes the fan much more efficient by pulling air through the whole core, rather than just adjacent to the blade circumference only.
Post #2 of 47v6's setup illustrates this.
-Donny

 

I did an Electric Fan Conversion 22 years ago. It's still going strong.
My brother has a V-8 in his 55' M38a1. He has a 1" mechanical fan with a shroud. He found that the 1" fan isn't enough to cool the V-8. He then mounted an electric puller fan on the front of the radiator. Both seem to help.

 

i pulled a used fan from a chevy car and mounted it up. been working for 10 years plus. it was a tight squeeze but it's in there. someday i will install a automatic switch but for now the toggle switch works. i turn it off as soon as i start driving.

 

Don't have installed pix but here are the fans I used. I was wrong above, the two 12 " were first, they were mounted on 1x2 wood frame, later I went to the larger fan, and used parts of the wood frame. It bolted on using the radiator mounting bolts.


The two 12" fans were noisy, even at highway speeds, the larger one was OK, but I was having a problem with the gas line getting too warm. Years of trouble shooting, but the end result was not enough underhood air. So I went back to Shroud and fan clutch. I also had a bilge pump fan installed to force cool air on the carb during short stops, which was disconnected when I installed stock cooling, but I have noticed it kind of worked so I will be reconnecting that soon.

Jay

 

Maybe just old school here but still believe if you really want to move air, a well set up mechanical fan is still the best. Maybe not as economical as electric but will move more air. And a large mechanical fan will fit in a flatty or CJ with a sbc. Just need the short water pump. For a Jeep, I like to run a water pump pulley a bit smaller than the crank pulley to speed it up about 15% and I've become somewhat fond of the FlowKooler aluminum water pumps. They work really well.

And as pointed out above, a well designed, well fit shroud is absolutely essential no matter what system is used if you actually want to utilize the whole radiator.

This is the system in my 3B. FlowKooler 1880 pump, 19 1/4" 7 blade fan, 19x26x2.5" aluminum radiator, and my home built shroud.


Keeps the 381 sbc running cool in all conditions.

 

Contour dual fan is a good candidate, but for every electric fan you could use, if you have the oem alternator you will need to upgrade it.

 

ye

yeah when i put mine in i did the bigger alt and made it a 1 wire while i was there.

 

Duffer, I thought you had a chevy 327 in your jeep. 381? gorgeous engine bay by the way.

 

The 327 made its exit in 1974, replaced by a 1970 350 LT1 which really didn't like the off-road bit, and was in turn replaced by the 381 in the early 80's. That engine has seen several head, cam, induction changes over the years but the same short block has soldiered on-but starting to get a little tired. All the pieces for its replacement are sitting in the garage if I find the time to get it assembled but I don't think the D18 will like it much so going to have to be some other changes as well.