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    #1

    Electric Fan

    Alright, I've been contemplating on doing an electric cooling fan for Vicky. The air conditioner is horrible when sitting still, and I'm sure it's the clutch fan not being able to pull in enough air. I was thinking about a Mark VIII fan. My question is, for those who have done it, what did you need to make it work? I know there's a trigger for the air conditioner, but what about regular operation? Was there some kind of module that was used? A sensor that triggered a relay? Also, what was used to stop the horrible amperage draw when the fan first kicks on?
    Also, what did you use to attach the fan to the radiator?
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    #2
    Originally posted by 86VickyLX View Post
    Alright, I've been contemplating on doing an electric cooling fan for Vicky. The air conditioner is horrible when sitting still, and I'm sure it's the clutch fan not being able to pull in enough air. I was thinking about a Mark VIII fan. My question is, for those who have done it, what did you need to make it work? I know there's a trigger for the air conditioner, but what about regular operation? Was there some kind of module that was used? A sensor that triggered a relay? Also, what was used to stop the horrible amperage draw when the fan first kicks on?
    Also, what did you use to attach the fan to the radiator?
    Ah! I can answer these for you. I did it last summer.
    By the way, I noticed no change to my a/c, and in retrospect I'm not sure the electric was worth the $200, maybe $250 in all, and the time.
    Maybe your fan clutch is weak? It's only $30


    Anyway!
    I bought a $100 flex-a-lite fan speed controller. It's supposed to soft-start the fan, but, it didn't do enough for the mark viii fan, which is what I have.
    It takes care of everything. It has a temperature sensor for temperature-based trigger, a trigger to only turn on when the ignition is on, and a trigger for the a/c. $100 controllers are supposed to be able to vary the speed of the fan for a lower, continuous operation; rather than on-off-on-off like a $30 controller does. This is important.

    Others have just installed a switch, and watch their own temperature. I don't trust myself to always remember: or anyone else who ends up driving.


    For the horrible amperage draw when the fan kicks on, I had to install a capacitor. A 3 farad capacitor for about $30, of the type sold for audiophiles and their big subwoofers, worked GREAT. All the amperage comes from the capacitor, and the alternator and the engine never feel a thing.
    The other thing you can play with is the idle speed. Adjusting the iac set screw, or actually a higher stall torque converter, will bump up your idle speed so that it doesn't drag the engine down with it when the fan kicks on.
    But those aren't actual solutions, and, putting in a torque converter just to change idle speed would be nuts. Put in a capacitor. It works.


    Finally, for attaching the fan, some get very pretty with their hold-downs and their wiring. I'm more of a quick-and-dirty guy, although I don't cut any corners that actually could affect function.
    I just took steel band straps, you can buy a roll with holes pre-punched the whole length down for a few dollars at home depot. Two bolts and nuts at the bottom, two bolts and nuts at the top, zip them down and strap the fan to the radiator. Hasn't budged in the year I've had it.

    Comment

      #3
      just a heads up the new elctric fan mod is to use ford countour, or cougar 99 and up or so, these move something rediculous like 3600 cfm of airflow,and they dont draw as much as the mark viii fan does. this will be my next upgrade after i do a 3g swap.
      89 townie, mild exhuast up grades, soon to have loud ass stereo....

      Comment

        #4
        i was debating on electric fan too. just didnt know which is good to get. most used mark viii ones but i think they draw too much power. how about taurus/sable or maybe even the european made cougar ones.

        1982 Lincoln Continental Mark VI Bill Blass Designer Series 2-Door(Larisa)        -Mods: HO Roller 302, GT40P Heads, Explorer Intakes, HO ECM(D9S), Autodimming w/compass and outside temp rearview mirror, Daniel Stern Lighting Mod, Dual Exhaust, 90's GM C/K Series Retractable Hood Light, Red Digital Dash Display, 92-94 White Leather Town Car Signature Cupholder Armrests, HPP Wheels, Police PS Cooler, Police Trans Cooler. More to come!!!!
        1998 Ford Explorer Limited 5.0 AWD(Fiona)-Mods: Lincoln Navigator THX Audio System, Ford Explorer Sport Instrument Cluster.

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          #5
          the mark 8 fan sucks power like you wouldn't believe. my headlights would dim even with the 3g. I gave up on it. Honestly I'd fit a simple pusher fan wired to the AC only, and leave the stock clutch fan. If the electric bails on you, nothing really happens since the clutch fan will handle cooling duties.
          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

          Originally posted by phayzer5
          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

          Comment

            #6
            glad to know I'm not the only one with mark viii issues, then.

            Like I said, a $30 capacitor fixed it. Lights don't dim a bit.

            But the other suggestions here are good. I like gadget's idea of a small a/c-only fan; lots of cars had that system stock, combines the reliability of a clutch fan with a bit of extra pull for the a/c stopped at a red light.

            Comment

              #7
              why not just aget a contour or cougar fan dual setup they only run 30 amps and push 3500 cfm or so,and a 30 dollar controller from autozone and a 70 amp relay is all you need
              89 townie, mild exhuast up grades, soon to have loud ass stereo....

              Comment

                #8
                I have had a ele. fan for years. I use a two speed fan and the $30 con. from Auto Zone, run it with a fuse and relay. I have the 3G with a 150 amp braker and a fuse block for the fan and headlights. I don't know what the fan is out of, I found it on the ground in the Ford section of the yard. I run the fan on low and don't hear it start most of the time. The temp. runs at a avg. temp of 195, even when the AC worked. My AC is shot so I took it out, didn't feel like spending the big bucks to fix it.
                89 CV LX 225/60 x 16 tires, CC819 rear springs, Front & rear sway bar, trans & PS cooler from 90 cop car. KYB shocks, F-150 on rear. Dual Exhaust w/ H pipe. Dark brown door panels, carpet, steering wheel, trim parts from a 87 Mer GM. Power front buckets from 96 Jeep Cherokee. LED'S front & rear. 3G Alt from a 97 Taurus wagon 3.0. Electric fan. Rear axle from a 97 PI 3.27 with disk brakes. Headlight relays.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Anyone notice a power/fuel milage difference from eliminating the clutch driven fan when going to the electric? I saw some interesting dyno results from those who switch, I would be interested in doing it if there was a noticeable difference, even a small one.
                  -Phil

                  sigpic

                  +1982 Ford LTD-S Police Car. Built 351w, Trickflow 11R 190 Heads, Holley Sniper EFI, RPM Intake+ Hyperspark dizzy, WR-AOD, Full exhaust headers to tails. 3.27 Trac-Lok Rear. Aluminum Police Driveshaft. Speedway Springs+Bilstein Shocks, Intermediate Brakes, HPP Steering Box.

                  +2003 Acura CL Type S 6-speed

                  Comment

                    #10
                    MPG was negligible... butt dyno was awesome. Former probably due to the better off-the line pull and not wanting to lift my foot.

                    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

                    Originally posted by gadget73
                    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

                    Originally posted by dmccaig
                    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      I got nothing out of mine. It just made a lot more noise. Then it failed and caused a heater hose to blow up. The clutch fan went back on.
                      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                      Originally posted by phayzer5
                      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                        I got nothing out of mine. It just made a lot more noise. Then it failed and caused a heater hose to blow up. The clutch fan went back on.
                        This. I noticed no difference when my fan controller failed and I had to go back to a clutched fan. And this on 2 different cars now.

                        I hate electric fans.
                        2020 F250 - 7.3 4x4 CCSB STX 3.55's - BAKFlip MX4
                        2005 Grand Marquis GS - Marauder sway bars, Marauder exhaust, KYB's
                        2003 Marauder - Trilogy # 8, JLT, kooks, 2.5" exhaust, 4.10's/31 spline, widened rear's, metco's, addco's, ridetech's 415hp/381tq
                        1987 Colony Park - 03+ frame swap, blown Gen II Coyote, 6R80, ridetechs, stainless works, absolute money pit. WIP

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                          #13
                          I noticed that the engine revved up a little faster. mileage is about the same. But you gotta figure it's one less thing to drag the engine down. And my a/c gets cold immediately.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            I posted this like 2 years ago, but I think a pusher fan is the compromise I may take whenever I quit being lazy about doing stuff to the car. That way if it dies, all that happens is my idle speed AC performance goes back to sucking.
                            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                            Originally posted by phayzer5
                            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                            Comment

                              #15
                              I have yet to fix the A/C leak, but ever since I had my fan clutch replaced, the thing has spun like an industrial fan with the sound to match.

                              Seems to me that's all one should really need to do.
                              89 Grand Marquis GS.

                              Putting it here because I keep forgetting to mention it. It's not very exciting at the moment.

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