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viscous or electric


jintu

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I have fitted a L28 into my hardbody 4x4 ,all i need to do is mount the radiator.If i use the viscous it pushs the radiator further out ,which is alright .But if i fitted an electric fan it can be fitted on the front and wont stick out so much.But is electric good enough????

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Ummmm, every new car I've seen lately has nothing but electric fans so yes, I would say they're good enough. I would be a bit concerned about power draw though.

 

My vote is for viscous over electric.

 

If you mount the fan in a "pusher" configuration in front of the radiator, it will be less efficient.

 

I just mentioned this in another post, but after having messed with electric fans for quite a while and gone back, I'm pretty well convinced that its hard to beat the performance of the stock clutch fan with a proper shroud.

 

Many modern engines don't have the option of running anything but an electric fan due to package constraints, and they probably help a bit for fuel economy, but I think that the "free horsepower" notion is a bit overblown.

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I don't want to argue the relative performance of a clutch fan versus electric, but TimZ pointed out that a primary reason to go with electric fans is to fit the required package of parts together in the space available. Mayn many L28s run on exclusively electric fans, and if you try to find a large double fan panel, and go to the trouble of making sure you have a good strong alternator on the car (maybe install a 90 amp maxima unit? internally regulated, you can search for that one) BUT the need for the extra power is debatable.

 

Any chance you could mount two small electric fans, on opposite sides of the radiator? I am thinking one inside the the engine bay on the right side, pulling and one in front of the radiator on the left side, pushing. In any case, electric fans would likely suffice if everything else in the cooling system (radiator size and condition, hoses, etc) is in good condition. I like the L28 pickup idea myself, do you have a project thread going?

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Many modern engines don't have the option of running anything but an electric fan due to package constraints, and they probably help a bit for fuel economy, but I think that the "free horsepower" notion is a bit overblown.

 

Plus many modern FWD car's have no choice when the motor is in a vertical position like that

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Plus many modern FWD car's have no choice when the motor is in a vertical position like that

 

exactly. my parents' "modern" '97 chevy van has a mechanical fan, as well as my friend's '91 q45 (though it has an auxilary electric mounted as a pusher for a/c while idling in traffic).

 

especially after reading over the material in the other thread bouncing around in this forum, I have been sufficiently convinced that mechanical fans (in good shape, with shrouds) are a-okay.

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My old school background always taught me that an electric fan releases more power from the engine. This is because the electric fan is not always needed and at speed there is enough flow across the radiator to keep things cool. Having a mechanical fan (even a viscous one) will be working even when not really needed, sapping HP. This info is not specific to Z's and others may have better real life experiences.

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My old school background always taught me that an electric fan releases more power from the engine. This is because the electric fan is not always needed and at speed there is enough flow across the radiator to keep things cool. Having a mechanical fan (even a viscous one) will be working even when not really needed, sapping HP. This info is not specific to Z's and others may have better real life experiences.

 

I think I've mentioned this already, but I think that the power gains to be had are pretty minimal, especially vs. the viscous clutch fan. I know that I've never been able to tell the difference. IME the difference in cooling performance IS very noticeable.

 

If the viscous fan setup won't package in jintu's vehicle then the point is moot, but I wouldn't recommend the electric setup on the grounds of power gains alone.

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What is your opinion on the weight differences? I need to shed 240 lbs from my car and every bit helps.

 

I guess it depends on your goals - I don't know what the weight difference is - it will definitely depend on what electric setup you end up with. Sounds like your goal is Targa Newfoundland, and I would suspect that the ambient temps aren't going to be terribly hot there. So, if it's a couple of pounds lighter and that matters, an electric fan setup would probably work fine for you.

 

My issues are more for being able to drive the car under any circumstances, like hot summer day in stop and go traffic.

 

Also, since it looks like you are n/a, you won't have as much 'stuff' restricting the airflow through your cooling package - probably just the rad and maybe an oil cooler. This should be a much easier situation to handle.

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Tim I respect and value your opinion. What is your opinion on the weight differences? I need to shed 240 lbs from my car and every bit helps.

 

Somewhat off topic for this thread, but regarding weight loss, I discovered in this thread about betamotorsports carbon fiber pieces, that you can get a fiberglass hatch with a lexan or plexiglas (I forget which) window for something on the order of $420 dollars... and that sheds ALOT of weight. Just thought I would mention it.

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