horsepower

[1979C20]

I was told by a guy who buils racing engines and 1/4 mile cars that if you remove the clutch fan on the water pump pulley and replace it with 2 electric fans, you can boos your horse power by like 40 because the engine doesn't have to spin the fan. Is this accurate?

[Captkaos]

40, NO. More like 5 and it isn't at you peak horsepower....

[1979C20]

So would I get any benefit at all from swapping to electric fans?

[Captkaos]

yes, but not 40hp.  It will generally give you better gas mileage.

[Da67goatman]

It also lets the truck warm up faster, means less driving in the cold.

[1979C20]

Better gas mileage and warming up faster sounds nice. Would I remover the fan shroud, clutch fan, and attach the electric fans directly against the radiator?

[Da67goatman]

Thats what I did.  You can make a fan shoud out of sheet aluminum if the fans alone don't cool your engine.

[1979C20]

Well, as of right now, I have a fan that is an inch smaller than stock, and my radiator is about 3/5ths full and I run at 160-180 at a stop light. So, I think anything would work really. should I just get 2 similar sized fans out of pick-a-part and slap them in my truck wired to the ignition RUN position? is there any way to make them thermostatic, so they only kick on when needed? Because I have a bad battery and I cant run anything too long before I start up.

[Irish_Alley]

they sell temp switches for fans at the parts store. I think they save you fuel when not used but when they are used they draw more from the bat. causing the alt to run harder causing the engine to run harder causing you to burn more fuel then with a clutch but its when they are off it counter reacts all that. and in a 1/4 mile you turn them off so your not using any power except what it takes to run the engine but it will increase your mps by .01

[txchainsawgogi]

Seems kind of pointless if you live in a hot climate.

[78 Chevyrado]

Plus when it's cold, the clutch won't be dragging the engine power down for the first 4 or 5 miles you drive it, sounding like a WWII jeep.  I hate that, especially since when you come out of my driveway sometimes you gotta take off quick or get ran over.

[Irish_Alley]

The fans are off while you at highway speed. And even if you have a clutch it still drags the fan

[fitz]

My electric fan is placed inside the factory shroud.
The fan is bolted to 1" metal strips that are bolted to the radiator (hidden by the shroud) This eliminates the plastic tiewraps that come with the fans(they can wear through the radiator).

[1979C20]

that looks pretty nice, fitz. but I kind of want to get rid of the fan shroud. Haha. I like neatness and that crowds things,

[78 Chevyrado]

Look for a thread vilezambonie put up about his E-fan.  he made a flat pan to mount the fan to.  Looks the best I've seen.