2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Fanless

[Roger rodbolt]

illflem and drawson, can you help?

Questions for you fanless (and electric fan) guys.

How do you deal with the a/c pressures? My Horton fan cycles even in cool weather due the a/c compressor running in all heater/defrost positions (other then vent on '98 and newer CTD's). I added an electric fan wired to run with the a/c clutch but the fan is low on cfm due to limited space between the condensor and grille. With R 134 freon, the compressor head pressure skyrockets without airflow across the condensor. The Horton rarely engages from radiator temps, even when towing at interstate speeds in the summer. I manually engage the Horton in traffic or idling to keep a/c pressure down and because I dislike the cycling of the Horton. I do enjoy the lack of fan noise and improved throttle response after removing the OEM fan.



Second question, what brand and type of intake air temperature guage do you recommend? My aviation guage didn't survive the CTD. I've been testing ram air intake systems and found that intake temps increase at lower speeds (fanless and otherwise)and consequently, low boost smoke increases. A larger aftercooler would be a plus when we are truly BOMBed!!!?

 

[drawson]

I'll be un plugging my A/C relay here shortly then no problem. I have an electric on the outside of the A/C condenser that come in when the A/C is on. I ran with the relay unplugged all last winter and had no problems at all with mine but HemiDart had something fail on his doing the same.

 

[Cooker]

You can also do the "fix" posted on Fritz's site as JJW-ND has done.



-Ryan

 

[illflem]

I have also performed the switch fix on Fritz's page, easy job. Before that I just pulled the plug on the compressor for the winter. Since I'm in a dry climate I don't notice much difference with no AC in defrost.



Roger, for intake temp I'm using a Inteltronics digital 0°-300° temp gauge from JC Whitney ($34+$15 sender) which is switched to another sender for AT temp. Just tapped a port in the intake horn for it. Whitney now carries another brand, but it looks the same. Click here I don't think the picture is right, the numbers are red. I've used this same gauge on tractors for hydraulic temperature for many years with no problems.

 

[Roger rodbolt]

Thanks illflem!

Illflem,



I appreciate link to Cyberdyne guages, prices are good too, I've got one on order. Also, we Missourian's have dry air envy..... our windows do fog without the a/c.

 

[Lsfarm]

A couple of questions

Hi everyone, could someone post the address for 'Fritz's site' please? I would like to see what wisdom is there.



Also, I would like to remove my fan, someone posted a few weeks ago about using a blunt punch and hammer to break the big 1 7/16" nut loose, then removing the fan. Could someone post whether this nut is normal right hand thread , or opposte, left hand thread. I don't want to go beating on my fan nut in the wrong direction.



How tight is this fan nut usually? If I remove a couple of the fan blade attachment bolts, I can probably find an open end wrench to fit [big honker!], but if the nut is really tight, then I will put a big strain on the belt and pullys trying to break it loose, [especially if I get the thread direction wrong]



Thanks everyone, Greg L

 

[illflem]

I'm taking this from another post so folks can have instructions, isn't cut and paste wonderful?



All you need to remove is the fan, it comes out the top without removing anything else even though it doesn't look like it. Looking at it from the truck front, hit the large fan nut with a long drift and hammer on the right side of the nut flat, put a 1-7/16" or 1-1/2" wrench on the nut and hit it to the right. It is a left hand thread. Once it breaks loose you can unscrew it by hand and pull it out the top while pushing the upper radiator hose out of the way. If the pulley wants to turn you can hold it with a large pair of Channel-Locs on the non belt part or use a 3/8" breaker bar on the belt tensioner to tighten the belt. Store the fan upright so the oil doesn't come out. Do this when the engine is cool. Try it, you'll love it.



Fritz's website is http://dodgeram.org/

Click here on how to disable AC in defrost.

 

[bighammer]

Just got mine off a couple weeks ago. It seems like it's quieter and warms up quicker. Should also be safer and more comfortable (no wind chill) doing something under the hood with the engine running. There is also less fluctuation in the temperature guage.



I had done the modification of the fan switch to disable the A/C in defrost mode, but pulled the A/C relay just to make sure it stays off.



After trying to get a wrench in there (none fit) I used a chunk of flat bar stock to hammer the corner of the nut. It came off pretty easily but I wonder how much abuse the bearings can take.

 

[jsimpson]

best solution!

Tried stock factory fan - no overheating but temp rises a bit when stopped in traffic. Poor performance of AC in heavy traffic. Oil pressure low at idle.

Tried no fan - overheating in heavy traffic and at idle, damage to AC compressor, oil light flickered at idle.

Now I use twin PermaCool electric fans (14"), mounted side by side behind radiator - no overheating at any time, AC blows ice cold all the time. Oil pressure stays two notches higher than stock fan.

No question in my mind that $200 for a pair of PermaCools from Summit is the best improvement you can make to a Cummins cooling system.

 

[Lsfarm]

Well I did it!

I removed my fan today, but I really can't tell much difference.



I've done a lot of sound reduction work on the engine compartment and cab, so I really can't tell if it is any quieter.



The engine may be a bit quicker in throttle response, but the EZ box makes it pretty good already.



And I got caught in a traffic jam this afternoon, and was concerned about it heating.



I will put on an electric fan if I can find one to fit inside the factory fan shroud, just to keep some air moving. If not, I'll reinstall the factory wind machine.



Greg

 

[Cooker]

Lsfarm,



What trick did you use to get the fan off?



I tried today and failed. I took a few wacks at the nut with drift. Maybe I didn't hit it hard enough? I am concerned about damaging something putting that much blunt force on the nut.



Maybe I need to get some balls and beat the hell out of it?



-Ryan

 

[Lsfarm]

CP 714 air hammer!

Hello Ryan, I used a Chicago Pnuematic 714 long stroke air chisel with a blunt bit in it.

I did have to whack it rather hard to get it to break loose.

I think that a 16 OZ hammer with a thick blunt drift should do the job.



I really don't like hitting a shaft that is supported by a bearing, hopefully I won't have to do it again.



Greg L

 

[JohnE]

I had to work at getting the fan off, too.



First, the belt slipped and snugging the tensioner did not help. I only had one water pump pliers and was using that on the nut.



Second, the 1-7/16" wrench I located was too thick to get on the nut. I removed one of the fan bolts and could barely squeeze it in there. Water pump pliers holding the pulley and a quick jerk on the wrench and it was loose.

<em>Forgot to add, I unbolted the fan from the clutch and removed each separately. I couldn't get both as a unit past the shroud. I alread had removed one bolt and the others came out easy. </em>



I did the hammer and punch trick, but not sure if it was necessary in my case. The threads were not frozen. If you do, make sure to rotate the fan so you hit the nut on opposite sides. I've always had better luck on frozen fasteners by swatting on opposite sides.



I'm disabling the A/C switch this morning. I forgot it on defrost one day when I let it idle for a few minutes. Temps skyrocketed.



-John

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Fan is off for the 10th year.....

Hands down one of the best mods I have done. Engine noise is cut by 30%, faster warm-ups, improved throttle response, idle speed increases by ½ a needle width, mileage improves a solid 1-2 MPG so I don't see the winter fuel blend mileage decrease. This will be about my 10th year fanless during the cooler months. Highest I have ever got the temp up to is about 200° during bumper-to-bumper traffic.

 

[WTBurke]

Wow,

I haven't seen this thread in years... . good deal on ten years Bill... some of our newer guys could benefit from this.

Funny... I started reading this thread from the top and I thought Bill Flemming was back with us until I noted the dates.



I'm going fanless for the first time this winter... your test run is good enough for me.

Thank you,

William

 

[Extreme1]

I've been fanless winters for years after reading this thread. I haven't done Fritz's AC disable on the heater positions, it is needed to clear the glass sometimes. Am I puttingthe AC system at risk?



I did run fanless last summer for the first (and only) time. The only place I had temp trouble was parking on the interstate in Chicago. My cool down set up failed to shut off once too, it got hot that day so the fan goes on in the spring and off in the fall. It can idle in the winter without overheating though.