Is electric fan necessary?

[ViperTed]

I'll be installing a 305 sbc in my '38 plymouth coupe and was wondering if an electric fan will be necessary? I see some people using the fan clutch as well as electric fans.......but some aren't using electric fans. I know they weren't an option back in the day. So the question is......can I get adequate cooling with the mechanical fan alone? I'm hoping I don't need to cram yet more "stuff" in the engine compartment.

Oh yeah, I'm in Southern Oregon where we DO have summers, but not like Arizona, S. Cali, New Mexico, etc.

 

[PORTnPOLISH]

I would say no you don't but I guess it depends. If your engine is a hipo build and is going to run hot I would say an electric fan would help. My dd truck is a 89 k1500 and it cools just fine with the mechanical fan, hell it doesn't even have the bottom shroud intact.

 

[42chevy]

I have a '42 Chevy with an Olds 350 that runs a clutch fan and a '57 Chevy pickup radiator. It runs cool and I am in E. OR so similar weather to you. Good luck with your buid.

 

[DJ3100]

My '53 (avatar) has a Flex-O-Lite fan, no shroud and runs 180 degrees all the time even when it's 110 and in traffic.

 

[CR55]

Mechanical fan on my 37 chevy with a built 350. It would heat up at traffic jams. Added a fan shroud and now it runs cool. You should be fine with a clutch fan. How about some pics? I love mopars!!!..CR

 

[Reign]

although everyone else has already said it, i figured i would throw my $.02 in also since this topic just came up in my Lightning forum also (used to have a Lightning in the low 12's/high 11's).

you should be fine with the clutch fan, like stated if you see the temps creaping up a little then focus the air with a shroud. there really is no need for an E-fan unless you are in a high intensity race application or off-roading where you would want more control over the fans.

 

[ViperTed]

Great! Thanks guys. I will post pics soon. I'm happy to hear that most of you are running WITHOUT an electric fan and are satisfied. One less thing.....

 

[Tripper]

I prefer elec fans & the way the Daytripper sat it wasn't possible to get the mech fan to hit the radiator properly so elec was the only way but of course I live in Houston & it's blazin' hot here & looks to be a *very* hot summer... dang that global warming!!! Sittin' in 100+ degree H-town traffic is where elec fans pay off big time!!!

BoB

 

[BigIrish]

Another thought - if you aren't getting good enough cooling with a mechanical fan, it's going to be easier to hook up an elec fan than build a custom fan shroud.

I like an elec fan too (esp at stoplights, traffic), but of course I live in TX so it's more necessary down here.

 

[Brooks W]

Mech or elec ?

With the mechanical fan use a clutch type, keep it close to rad use shroud. Standard or auto? If auto do not cool trans with rad, use separate auto cooler. Or delete fan, clutch, and shroud, go electric gain power cool better.
PS Make sure alt and wiring is up to snuff when going electric.

 

[Gastrick]

I personally like mechanical fans. I usually only use electric fans on blown engines or where there is just no room at all for the mechanical. I hate it when an electric fan decides to give up and you are left with no fan at all. I just like the simplicity of a mechanical fan. They make good finger shorteners too.

As a side note, a 15" mechanical fan with no shroud keeps my 10:1 compression 392 hemi cool...even in traffic and Florida heat. I'm not running hood sides though so I'm sure that contributes.

 

[donsrods]

I'm on the other side of the table, I prefer electric fans. Nothing wrong at all with a good mechanical fan and thousands and thousands of cars have been built for decades with them. The clutch portion even made them better IMO, giving some HP back.

My main reason for liking the electric ones is that I don't have to worry about where my water pump pulley ends up on the backside of the radiator. In most of my applications the center of the pulley ends up too high or low to get a fan centered on the radiator. By using an electric fan I don't have to worry about that aspect at all.

I also use a simple toggle switch rather than an electronic sensor to turn my fans on and off. I watch my gauges constantly, and if I see the temp starting to go over 180 at a light I momentarily flip on the fan until traffic gets moving again. I only use SPAL fans, and the reliability has been fantastic.

Finally, I still wear a small scar on my left arm where a spinning fan kissed it while doing a tune up. I also know a guy who put one large louver in his 50 Ford hood when the fan exploded on a road trip. With no hood on any of my cars I don't want a boomerang coming unglued at 3,000 rpms.

But it is a personal choice, and those are just my reasons.

Don

 

[sweetnomad]

Mechanical

I once contacted Vintage Air in reference to a 61 Nomad i was having some a/c issues with. Their tech dept pretty much told me that NO electrical fan can surpass the efficency of a properly set-up mechanical fan. They suggested using the electric fan only when room or radiator location was an issue. There's my .05 worth. Good luck on your decision !!!!! If you do run the electric fan with a coolant sensor that dictates the turn on and off cycles, make you put a grounding switch somewhere in the wire going to the sensor. That way if the sensor malfunctions you can create your own ground and make the fan come on

 

[34rat]

I plan on ditching the clutch and useing a flex fan but it will be around 6" away from my radiator will it still cool it down?

 

[donsrods]

Probably you will need a shroud. The fan will suck air from around the sides of the radiator rather than pulling it through the radiator. A shroud directs the air over the fins. 6 inches is pretty far.

Don

 

[34rat]

Thats what I thought thanks Don