Flex-A-Lite 262 Fans Installed

[Hammer]

Today a good friend and I tackled the install on my Flex-A-Lite 262 fan and shroud. Scot did all the hard work and for that I owe him a HUGE THANK YOU!. I must say the install of the hard parts went as slick as could be and we didn't even need to remove the upper radiator hose as they recommended. The hardest part was the factory fan removal because when it was recently off the shop reinstalled it and man it was tight. Scot held the fan pulley and got a big wrench on the fan nut and it finally gave way to him and off we went with the rest of the install.



The hardest part of the entire install was the wiring of the controller. It was time consuming and to be done neatly we took most of the afternoon to run the wires. IF I had given it some more thought I would have relocated the controller and made its access a tad easier,but,we wanted to see what we got and left it alone. Once the wires were fished to the cab interior for the 12v keyed hot and the fan on switch(which I will install when my panel comes in) we had it done.



The first run was smooth and when the temp reached about 180 they came on at 60% and then at 190 they came on 100% and the temp dropped very quickly. When you turn the A/C on they come on at 60% and then level off as they are needed. Remember on my truck the instructions do not tell you which wire on the A/C switch to tap and we figured out it was the blue wire.



I have yet to drive it a long way other than to home as my knees were sore and I was exhausted. I will chime in as the week goes on while I drive it locally with how they work. THANKS SCOT for all the help... ... ... Andy



Photo's are here... .

Picasa Web Albums - Andy - Flex-A-Lite F...

 

[John - K5AWO]

Thanks for that post. I have been looking for a way to make my a/c work here in Phoenix for a long time. When the truck is idling, the stock fan/clutch does not pull enough air for the a/c to work... ...

 

[WUnderwood]

great write up, I wish they would make them for the 3rd gens already

 

[Graphic man]

Looks good!!!



i think i may get one myself for next year... . i bet it frees up some HP and a quicker spool up





Scott

 

[Yooper1]

Scott, why don't you come to Philly and put one of those on my truck?:-laf



I'll be in the U. P. of Michigan in a month or two.



Mike

 

[Graphic man]

Scott, why don't you come to Philly and put one of those on my truck?:-laf



I'll be in the U. P. of Michigan in a month or two.



Mike

Ok... i'll trade ya for your twins :-laf

 

[Yooper1]

Ah, that's it? where do I sign?













NOT!

:-laf

Mike

 

[Hammer]

One thing I failed to mention last nite is when you do this install its a good thing to have a new fan belt handy. After you remove the factory fan you can easily get to the belt to change it and do not have to dance around all the extras on your truck. I also learned during this deal that doing the belt change with a Fluidampr is a PIA as you have to loosen the factory tach sending unit to take the belt on and off and I was glad it was changed while the motor was empty up top,LOL.

i think i may get one myself for next year... . i bet it frees up some HP and a quicker spool up

Graphic Man...

I am not sure on them adding any HP yet as I am one who has learned that until I strap it down and see the power,I do not believe any claims. I will say that I am amazed at how much quieter the motor is now with out that rumbling out front. I also have notice when driving home a difference during acceleration as its alot smoother and it seems like it accelerates a tad quicker. I am going to try and redyno again before I do a different charger to see what it did to my baseline numbers. If you want a set I am certain we can get you one and come up and help with the install,if you would do some flame graphics wrap for the nose of my truck,LOL... ... . Andy

 

[Nate]

$540... ouch!



I like this:



"Not designed for towing applications over 18,000 combined gross vehicle weight. "

 

[Graphic man]

If you want a set I am certain we can get you one and come up and help with the install,if you would do some flame graphics wrap for the nose of my truck,LOL... ... . Andy

sure... . you bring the fans and i'll do the graphics Oo.

 

[Hammer]

Well I went back to our famed myth busting Dyno-Jet today we Mason-Dixon TDC members call "The Humbler". Its called that because it makes no claims and takes those who makes those claims weak with fear.



Today's runs were done in the same mode as the last recent runs on my truck at our clubs Spring Fling event. The correction factor was the same and the only difference was a minor elevation of humidity with the storms rolling through. I had the same injectors,same intake,same fuel pump so nothing was different mechanically.



At any rate off the Dyno-Jet today my truck had a increase of 7. 67hp and 26. 34tq over what was made at the spring show. I had a best run there of 478. 61hp/981. 92tq at the spring show and todays numbers were 486. 28hp/1008. 26tq. So what did I learn today,they must have made their 26hp gains on something other than a heavily fueled 12v.



My fuel milage gain has been at 3. 1 mpg doing my normal driving which is a combined city and highway conditions. The truck had been averaging 16. 93mpg and now the last two tanks have been over 20..... Andy

 

[monkeyman]

I have had that set up on for six months now. I should ad the fastest way to hook up A/C clutch is with the A/C relay under the hood with the fuses. Also I hooked up the optional switches to turn fans on manually or so they won't go on at all (winter)

Rick

 

[Reb.B]

i think its ridiculous to make a dependable cummins less dependable. Not going to be very happy when a $0. 15 fuse causes a $10,000. 00 motor to overheat in line at McDonalds drive through. Also, you really don't gain HP. There is no such thing as free HP, it just works the Alternator more. Don't belive me?, listen to the motor pull down when the grid heater comes on. The motor will is still spinning the fans just less reliable now. I would really consider this before buying these electric fans.

 

[231jasonS]

How reliable are those famous DC fan clutchs? And if you wirring is done correctly and carefully why should the fuse blow. If it did fail in the drive through would it really cause such a drastic overheat to occur?



grid heaters pull way more amps than an electric fan. Hammer showed the supposed HP gain on the dyno. The parasitic draw of a locked up fan clutch is way more than the alt full output.

 

[Reb.B]

the fans from 94-02 are more reliable than an electric fan. motors, fuses, relays,thermostats, corrosion, etc, all reasons not to go with electric fans. See what happens in down town Las Vegas or LA, 4 in the afternoon, bumper to bumper traffic the fans don't turn on, ... better start blowin' real hard.

 

[Hammer]

the fans from 94-02 are more reliable than an electric fan

So a while back when my truck was at the dealership for the first of two KDP problems and they replaced the so called "reliable" fan due to a TSB due to early failure of the clutch and a different fan pitch they made it better?.



Most ALL of your class 8 trucks are now equipped with electrically switched fans and some are even using total electric setups. Are you then saying they are going to fail also because they are electric?. I have ALOT of miles in Class 8 trucks equipped with electric cooling fans,and their manual over rides to engage them at will, and have yet to have any fail. I have had many viscous fans and clutch fans fail over the years and in traffic also. Nothing is fool proof and nothing is perfect and your attempt to say one is better than the other holds no water with me.



The post was put up as info for those who may be thinking down the line of this as a avenue they may want to pursue. If you have hard facts showing us they have failed and cost someone you know a motor,then by all means please add to the thread. If not your meager attempt at scare tactics don't hold water with me. They are what they are,a nice product with a clean install and they didn't cost you a penny. I am a owner who will post if they fail and will not hide it... ... ..... Andy



BTW Reb...

What are YOU going to do when your trusty old clutch fan will not engage in that scary traffic you speak of,blow real hard also?

 

[231jasonS]

you go Hammer!

 

[Hammer]

One thing I could not compare is what the difference on the dyno would be if the stock fan was fully engaged and running. I would be willing to bet if the stocker was in total lockup then the HP difference would have alot more significant. I really didn't look at it that way and late last nite when chatting with fellow TDR/DTR member B Kirk he was the one who reminded me of that and I thanked him... ... ... ... ... Andy

 

[BTowler]

the fans from 94-02 are more reliable than an electric fan. motors, fuses, relays,thermostats, corrosion, etc, all reasons not to go with electric fans. See what happens in down town Las Vegas or LA, 4 in the afternoon, bumper to bumper traffic the fans don't turn on, ... better start blowin' real hard.

Based on your statement, there should be no wiring or electrical circuits of any kind on the truck because they are unreliable! Many of the products sold on your website are electrically operated, are they then unreliable? I remember the day when people would say things like this about electric fuel pumps. Anyone that would make a statement like this is not basing it on fact or current technology, but rather a lack of knowledge!

 

[hdtrukn]

Got to put in my 2 cents.

First off $540 for 7hp is crazy. But then you have the added mpg.

How long would it take to make the investment gaining 3mpg ?

Spent $6000 on my diesel, got almost 200k on it, another 100k and I'll be saving on my fuel. breakeven is about 300k miles.

Sorry Reb, got to ask how reliable can a 1200hp truck be.