Bad Fan Clutch?

[UNGN]

An oem type fan and shroud will always move more air than any electric fan setup.

Not even close. Try sitting in traffic with a 502 with a clutching fan setup (and a huge AL radiator) and watch the temp gage go to 230.

A $35 300M Dual Fans will pull 2000 CFM AT IDLE, WHERE IT MATTERS.

RPM kills Clutching fans. My Pontiac 2+2 spends a lot of time above 5000 RPM. We went through 2 Clutching fans in 2 years (back in 2002-2003) and switched to a intreped dual fan set up (from Ramchargers), and temps went from 230 in traffic to 170, so we were able to block off the upper grills for more aero (and it is still under 180 in traffic).

No other changes but switching from a clutching fan to electric.

 

[airboatgreg]

I am still good with a clutch fan. In many years as a shop owner and drivability tech I don't remember a catastrophic failure other then those caused by neglect. Just a point of info most factory electric fans don't come on until about 230 degrees cementing the fact even more for the proper coolant mix and radiator cap

 

[Bar50]

I will say that another point to consider for electric fans is that they require a charging system that is up to the task. So, an upgraded alternator is almost a requirement. Also with a couple of sensors and a relay or two.

I will have to check out the 300 Chrysler fans, I have been using Dodge Intrepid fans and they fit and function really well with two fans and two speeds.

 

[MrSony]

Your car is basically a cruiser. The stock type clutch fan and shroud is all you need.

Yeah. I'll be lucky if I break the 400hp mark anytime soon. I do want to break it open, inspect my handywork, maybe have the heads done up with some porting and polishing, aluminum intake, 10:1 pistons, headers, etc. Nothing too extreme. Might keep my cam too. TA told me it's about as radical as I can go with the stock pushrods and rocker arm setup. Just a cruiser that sounds good and does good burnouts.

 

[MrSony]

Not even close. Try sitting in traffic with a 502 with a clutching fan setup (and a huge AL radiator) and watch the temp gage go to 230.

A $35 300M Dual Fans will pull 2000 CFM AT IDLE, WHERE IT MATTERS.

RPM kills Clutching fans. My Pontiac 2+2 spends a lot of time above 5000 RPM. We went through 2 Clutching fans in 2 years (back in 2002-2003) and switched to a intreped dual fan set up (from Ramchargers), and temps went from 230 in traffic to 170, so we were able to block off the upper grills for more aero (and it is still under 180 in traffic).

No other changes but switching from a clutching fan to electric.

Yeah, that's fine in your situation. With a race car. My car almost never sees the far side of 5,000 unless I'm racing, and even then I shift at 5,500. Right now, even with the clutch just about to go, it gets right upto 195* and stays there no matter what the conditions, since I put in that 195 Thermostat after I thawed my block out.

 

[MrSony]

And how much of that air is actually directed at the engine, not just being shoved all around the engine compartment?

 

[565bbchevy]

switched to a intreped dual fan set up (from Ramchargers), and temps went from 230 in traffic to 170,

That is the set up I bought when Ramchargers was selling them with a Painless wiring harness, I only bought the fans and wired them myself and they are still on my Monte cooling the 565 Big Block.
Funny thing is I never new what the fans were originally for until I heard about the Intrepid set up on here and realized that I had the same fans.

 

[UNGN]

Yeah, that's fine in your situation. With a race car. My car almost never sees the far side of 5,000 unless I'm racing, and even then I shift at 5,500. Right now, even with the clutch just about to go, it gets right upto 195* and stays there no matter what the conditions, since I put in that 195 Thermostat after I thawed my block out.

My 2000 Yukon XL 2500 isn't a "Race Car" but the fan clutch failed on that and took out the fan. The mechanic originally thought my motor mount had broke from the racket it was making. I was 800 miles from home so I had to spend $130 on a fan and Fan clutch, but when I got home, I promptly ditched it all for Dual Electric (just like GM did four years after my trucjk was built, probably after the bean counters saw they were replacing too many clutching fans under warranty).

There have been about zero performance cars built in the last 10 years with clutching fans. Kind of makes you go hmmm.....

 

[MrSony]

My 2000 Yukon XL 2500 isn't a "Race Car" but the fan clutch failed on that and took out the fan. The mechanic originally thought my motor mount had broke from the racket it was making. I was 800 miles from home so I had to spend $130 on a fan and Fan clutch, but when I got home, I promptly ditched it all for Dual Electric (just like GM did four years after my trucjk was built, probably after the bean counters saw they were replacing too many clutching fans under warranty).

There have been about zero performance cars built in the last 10 years with clutching fans. Kind of makes you go hmmm.....

It's just one of those things man. Just because new cars have it doesn't mean it's better and everything else before is automatically sh*t in comparison. And again, I've NEVER heard of a fan clutch going bad and doing anything other than sounding like a jet taking off. electric fans only started becoming popular because technology caught up to the automotive industry, and now they are by default a better, I suppose, and safer option for a car. I rather the less tech bullshit I have on my car that I don't want, the better.

 

[UNGN]

I will say that another point to consider for electric fans is that they require a charging system that is up to the task. So, an upgraded alternator is almost a requirement. Also with a couple of sensors and a relay or two.

I will have to check out the 300 Chrysler fans, I have been using Dodge Intrepid fans and they fit and function really well with two fans and two speeds.

The Late LH cars (Intreped, LHS, etc). have the same fan as the 300M which is the fan Ramchargers sold (2 short motors). Early LH cars have a different fan with 1 long motor and on short motor. The long motor can interfere with stuff in the engine bay.

At the junkyard, I first look for 300M's because all of them have the 2 short motor fans. With the other LH cars they have to be later models to have the good fan. At my local junkyards, EVERY LH car had long/short motors and only the 300M's had the dual short motors.