Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Electric Cooling Fan

[Jdorfmeyer]

Is Anyone Running An Electric Cooling Fan On There 2001. How Big Will An Electric Have To Be To Keep My Cummins Cool. My Fan Clutch Is Out And Thought Now May Be The Time To Change To Electric Or Other Options. Any Help Would Be Appreciated. Thanks

 

[RustyJC]

If all you do is drive unloaded, electric fans might work. If you tow heavy in hot weather, they probably won't. I tried a set of Flex-a-Lite 350 puller fans on my 1996 V-10/47RE dually. These fans drew 50 amps and could discharge a battery in a hurry at night with the lights on at idle!! There's no way these fans would cool my truck when pulling our previous 5th wheel in Houston summertime traffic. To see why, 50 amps x 12 volts = 600 watts = 0. 804 BHP. Depending on whose numbers one uses, the stock fan consumes anywhere between 6 and 20 BHP. Therefore, the electric fans just don't have the power to move the air that the stock fan can move under these most severe conditions. I replaced the fan clutch on my engine-driven fan, reinstalled it and had no more problems.



Rusty

 

[Jdorfmeyer]

Thanks For The Info.

 

[SRadke]

You should be able to buy a fan clutch for far less than it would cost to buy electric fans and you wouldn't have to deal with installing or controlling them. The mechanical fan clutches have always worked flawlessly for me.



-Scott

 

[Todd T]

not to hijack but OK, I will



what about the electric clutch fan hubs like the horton for example: what's their claim to fame? less drag when disengaged?

 

[RustyJC]

The Horton clutch is a nice piece if you can find one. The benefit - it's completely on when needed and off when it isn't.



Rusty

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

I tried and electric fan too. Did not help at all. Money wasted.

 

[WestTN]

I tried electric fans and found they are not a good deal. No fuel economy increase, less reliability, the A/C didn't work as well, and engine temp varied more than with the stock fan hub. So I put the stock setup back on.

many think ther is a power savings, but the bottom line is it takes energy to move air. You can input that energy from the fan belt at the fan hub or the alternator. The fan hub modulates to use only what is necessary to move the air and regulate the engine temperature. The radiator, cooler and A/C need some flow all the time.

 

[Huff N Puff]

It is really difficult to cool the Cummins down with eletric Fans

I tried electric fans and found they are not a good deal. No fuel economy increase, less reliability, the A/C didn't work as well, and engine temp varied more than with the stock fan hub. So I put the stock setup back on.

many think ther is a power savings, but the bottom line is it takes energy to move air. You can input that energy from the fan belt at the fan hub or the alternator. The fan hub modulates to use only what is necessary to move the air and regulate the engine temperature. The radiator, cooler and A/C need some flow all the time.

But its not impossible,It took awhile to dial it in. I have finally got my fans dialed in last year. It was worth it. My A/C is ice cold. This summer it never went over the center of the guage we had alot of days over 95deg I only have one battery the alternater seems to keep up well. I have two flex alite 2500cfm pushers up front I found a 18in diameter fan on a jeep liberty that moves 3300cfm puller I control them with two flexalite fan controllers,I kept burning relays up,The controllers work well, not over working the fans, but only turning them on when needed. Heavy wiring with soldered connections make it dependable. The controllers enable the fans to turn faster and draw less current 30amps total. I have towed 4000lbs with this setup. I don't think it would handle more than that.

 

[RustyJC]

I have towed 4000lbs with this setup. I don't think it would handle more than that.

Which really goes back to what I said:

If all you do is drive unloaded, electric fans might work. If you tow heavy in hot weather, they probably won't.

Rusty

 

[Deerediesel]

I wonder what the big dogs who pull run?

 

[RustyJC]

I wonder what the big dogs who pull run?

They probably could get away with running nothing. How long does a pull last compared to, say, running 23K GCW up a 5-mile long 7% grade on a 100 degF day?



Rusty

 

[vssman]

I've run electrics for about 2 years now without any issues - now I don't tow anything but still temps are right on 190 regardless of outside temps (got into the upper 90's quite a few times this summer with high humidity), traffic, etc... About 3 weeks ago I was stuck in a 2 hour traffic jam and she stayed nice and cool - with ice cold air too. The fans are off of 2 Late 80's Buick Park Ave. Any set of decent size fans would work. If you can stip some yourself out of the junk yard, get the relays too. The only part that cost a little was the temp sender. I used the adjustable universal type from NAPA that slips between the radiator hose and radiator. But if your clever, you can get one that screws into a port on the block. I run 1 fan at 1/2 speed to cycle on with the a/c clutch. The truck also heats up nicely in the winter.

 

[RustyJC]

Oh, the Flex-a-Lite 350 electric puller fans worked fine even in Houston summertime stop-and-go traffic - until I hitched up to a 5th wheel. As I originally said, if you don't tow heavy, electrics will probably work. If you do, they probably won't.



Rusty