73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Captkaos on August 25, 2008, 09:44:52 pm
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I generally buy Flex-a-Lite when it comes to electric fans, but I ran across Perma-cool the other day, and it is designed to fit our trucks with the existing mounting points, which I like.
I just upgraded the radiator to a Proliance 433730 2 row radiator
http://www.pliii.com/catalog?searcher%5Bproliance_part%5D=433730&search_proliance_parts=SEARCH
I am looking at these fans:
http://perma-cool.com/Catalog/Cat_page18-1.html
and
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/27inch-electric.html
Anyone have any info on the Perma-Cool?
This is the radiator in my 87 now.
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I grew up with my Father and Grandfather both using flexlite fans for years... If I am able to do an electric conversion, I will probably go with them since they are local, and I can get the parts quicker.... I have heard nothing but high remarks about various Perma-cool products(through several magazine articles over the years and friends that have used them), so I have been wanting to try their remote oil & trans filters/coolers...
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I looked at that permacool unit, but the price scared me off. When I'm ready for electric fans I'll buy a pair of separate SPAL 14" fans and make my own shroud out of either sheet aluminum (riveted) or fiberglass.
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I've also looked into buying their close to drop in set-up for our trucks and thought that the price vs the benefits wasn't worth it. I would just make my own or stick one inside your existing shroud.
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The Factory shroud won't work, the radiator is that much larger. I am trying to do the upgrades for the future Twins.
I am entertaining the idea of building my own shroud and my buddy has a TIG welder....
Right now, I can't drive it because of no shroud.
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I don't understand, it sure looks like the same size radiator in my 85 with the 7.4L. I have the same upper mounting that the shroud bolts to at top.
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I cut and modified the upper brackets to hold the radiator in.
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How about we design a nice drop in for our trucks and you can sell em here.
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hehehe, that is kinda where I was going with my previous post.
Ok, what are the specs we wnat to work with?
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well there is essentially what? 3 different mounting options?
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I had a 4.3 in a Toyota couldn't cool it with aftermarket electric fan or a belt driven flex fan and it had a griffin aluminum radiator. Done some research on line found people were using a two speed Taurus fan. You can pick them up at junk yards fairly cheap and the shroud I made out of aluminum diamond plate. I live in Florida and I could run the ac while mud ridding and it would never run hot. I had the fan wired to a toggle switch for the fan speed so if it started to run warm I could switch the fan from low to high. I plan on on running two Taurus fans on my 454.
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The Flex-a-lites are dual speed, they are 60/100%.
Yes I think there were 3. The radiators physical size was the same though.
Do we want to focus on factory, or?
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How about we design a nice drop in for our trucks and you can sell em here.
I like where this is going.
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How about we design a nice drop in for our trucks and you can sell em here.
DITTO!!
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I'd be in for the purchase of a drop in...
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I would buy one as well. But i wonder... what are the advantages of electric fans instead of belt driven? Free up a little power i guess?
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When they are on there is little or no advantage, because they convert the drag that would be experienced at the water pump to drag at the alternator (which turns less freely under higher electrical demand). The main advantage is when not needed (cruising down the highway) they are off, relieving quite a bit of drag. Also they take up less space and make working under the hood a little nicer, and little safer (when working around a running engine).
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I like this idea, been wanting to do this for a while.
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I've done it to my Furd Expedition and loved the way it freed up alot of space. Performance wise (seat of the pants dyno), I didn't "feel" a difference.
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I've done it to my Furd Expedition and loved the way it freed up alot of space. Performance wise (seat of the pants dyno), I didn't "feel" a difference.
Really? I notice a huge difference without that mechanical fan pulling on the crankshaft. Throttle response is where I always "feel" the difference.
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You stand to gain as much as 25+ hp on performance motors by losing the belt driven fan. Drag from the alternator I don't feel would be significant enough to to call a con. Take it the next step and put an underdrive pulley set up also good for up to another 5hp on the up side.
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I've done it to my Furd Expedition and loved the way it freed up alot of space. Performance wise (seat of the pants dyno), I didn't "feel" a difference.
Really? I notice a huge difference without that mechanical fan pulling on the crankshaft. Throttle response is where I always "feel" the difference.
No, no difference. I felt the "most" difference with the custom program chip I installed. Throttle difference was night and day compared to the stock programming. I had to put in 93 octane to get the most benifit - started to get VERY expensive. I was going to do underdrive pulley set before I decided to get rid of it for a 3/4 ton Suburban with an 8.1 liter. I have plenty of pulling power now - and at the same fuel usage as the Furd.
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So uh... yall working on designing us a drop in electric fan setup yet? ;D
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I don't think we got all the specs yet, but I plan on working on one soon.
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I didn't feel a difference when I added my e-fans to my 2000 GMC. I now have those same fans on my '82. Another guy in town has the same exact fans(from a 2002 silverado) on his '81.
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It sounds like you're already sold on buying brand new parts Chris, but why not consider a cheap-o junkyard parts option? I robbed the twin fans out of my IROC and just threw in the exact relay setup and everything from straight out of the Camaro.
There's a bunch of options for just stealing the parts outta any old grocery grabber or whatever for sure. I can say that adding the fans from the Camaro was super easy and very minimal fabrication was required.
In fact, I am not even running a shroud at all on mine! If you're wanting the shroud for safety sake, now that's another thing. But I don't even need the shroud for cooling purposes. The twin fans suck hard enough to keep a shop rag sucked to the front grille and even with a stock radiator I never see much hotter than 210 deg. when idling in traffic in summer.
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I will be adding alot of heat to the motor with 2 turbo's and the one I purchased is rated at 5900CFM, it has no shroud either.