Thread: Can a electric fan cool a 454?

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I want more horse power, by removing my stock fan in place of a electric fan. My problem is all the E. fans I find cant be used on big blocks. Is thier a fan that can cool my B.B.?
Is a dual truck fan ever used for cars?

Thanks

I see Electric Fans on BB street rods all the time. Get a 16 inch scewed blade that pulls around 3000 cfm and shroud it! That ought to do it!

I use an electric fan from a 95 Ford Windstar van on my Chevelle w/ 454. It cools fine, and the shroud fits my large radiator like it was make for it. There are two fans, one 10" and one 13"....you can wire them to come on together, or one at a time depending on temp. But if the only reason you're taking your regular fan off is to free up a few horses, it isnt going to help much....you certainly wont feel it if that's what you're thinking.

Friend of mine has a low 10 sec. Elcamino w/a BBC. He cools his with an electric fan. Has it on a dash switch. He says the electric fan coupled with the electric water pump works great. He says when racing he sometimes has to turn the fan off and on. If he leaves it on he can't get the 454 up to racin' temp.

I had an electric fan on my drag cars, I don't see where the few extra ponies are worth the hassle on a street car. Oh yeah, by the way, how much horse is that 100 amp alternator taking that you have to have to keep the big dual electric fans running??? Just wondering, never have seen any dyno numbers comparing the two, seems like it would be something of a trade off.... ????

Haven't got that far yet but i spoz' I'll be using the electric fans since I'll have a blower belt in the way.

That's about where I figured the numbers would be. Must be getting old, I still prefer a good flex fan and a properly fit shroud. Room being a concern, seems a pusher fan could be made to be equally efficient for cooling, if place properly like Denny said. Might have to compare the options next time I rent some dyno time..... Thanks for the insight, Denny.

72 Monte Carlo w/ 455 Olds. 4 row copper/brass radiator, 2 E-fans and all the A/C I could ask for in the Florida heat. Never saw 190 with a 180 thermostat. And ran 12.9's in the 1/4.

The only reason I ran an electric fan drag racing was so I could shut it off and get the engine up to temp quicker....would be curious to see dyno numbers on both setups for comparison. Drag strip numbers don't mean much unless you were running back to back runs and could duplicate all the conditions, temperature, track temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, etc, etc....... I guess I've wasted my dyno money on lesser causes, might have to give it a try.

I'm really surprised to see that no one has issues with electric fan setups. I hang around alot on an Astro/Safari site. Alot of the guys have swapped in 350's, most of 'em have had issues of some sort with electric fans keeping up with the load, especially when towing in warm ambient temps. I'm swapping a big block into my Safari and I know I won't have any room for the clutch fan. Got my heart set on a dual 15" electric setup c/w shroud and 2-stage controller, which recieves inputs from temp sensors as well as a/c signal. Supposedly flows 5,000 cfm. Can't remember the brand, but it's a popular name. The model is the Monster?? something or other.

Petey

I think you misunderstood what I said, I'm not running a dual fan, I asked if a dual fan COULD be used. I have a clutch fan currently.

Originally posted by Dave Severson
I had an electric fan on my drag cars, I don't see where the few extra ponies are worth the hassle on a street car. Oh yeah, by the way, how much horse is that 100 amp alternator taking that you have to have to keep the big dual electric fans running??? Just wondering, never have seen any dyno numbers comparing the two, seems like it would be something of a trade off.... ????

Thats what I've also heard that electric fans, at low cfms cant cool big blocks, that are towing or driven hard. I think the genral info I'm getting is that if the cfms are above 3500 it will cool the engine fine, but often the amp draw is higher depending on brand.

Originally posted by Peter Smurf
I'm really surprised to see that no one has issues with electric fan setups. I hang around alot on an Astro/Safari site. Alot of the guys have swapped in 350's, most of 'em have had issues of some sort with electric fans keeping up with the load, especially when towing in warm ambient temps. I'm swapping a big block into my Safari and I know I won't have any room for the clutch fan. Got my heart set on a dual 15" electric setup c/w shroud and 2-stage controller, which recieves inputs from temp sensors as well as a/c signal. Supposedly flows 5,000 cfm. Can't remember the brand, but it's a popular name. The model is the Monster?? something or other.

Petey

I would never recommend electric fans only for towing applications.

I would presume the reason no one has raised the issue here is this is a hot-rod forum, not a towing forum .

Really?
I have never heard so many negative things about electric fans.
For cruising on the highway I love having the insurance of them.....496 500hp....12.20's with horrible 60' and granny shift, plus this is my daily and she has never seen 200 degrees.
But thats just me

4speedTerror, I was thinking the same thing....I love mine, they work great (even if they are FORD) The CFM issue is a big one, you have to make sure they're big enough...I ran an aluminum radiator in a big block with one 16" electric fan, and it did not cool enough... you need the CFM's to do the job. How do you like the 496?? Im building one right now, the block is being machined as we speak, and the heads are going to the shop later this week for bigger valves.