Flex Fan Install

[Tynan918]

Wanting to replace my stock coil fan with an aluminum flex fan...

'84 Monte Carlo 305 SBC

I have a stock fan shroud and a long water pump...

What fan size and spacer size would I need ?

 

[08Malibu]

Of course he went in with the most confrontive attitude possible. The factory GM 4 blade fixed fan cools very well if he was dead set on no clutch or electric fan.
View attachment 192661

Do they even make those in reverse rotation?

 

[DRIVEN]

Do they even make those in reverse rotation?

Just flip it over .

 

[olds307 and 403]

Do they even make those in reverse rotation?

Not that I know of. Is his car serpentine drive? Isn't a universal flex fan also questionable in reverse rotation? I used my 70's 7 blade cooling fan with the serpentine drive, didn't think of the reverse rotation. It didn't fly apart but a bunch of rivets disappeared! It didn't like going the wrong way but surprisingly did still cool fine. The fixed 4 blade came factory on my 70S, I never got above 190 even with the old 2 core Cooper Brass rad and no shroud with my Olds 350.

 

[Tynan918]

Tynan, what is it about a flex fan that makes you want another one so much? Years ago I put one on a Cutlass with a 350 in it. Back then, flex fans were a fairly new concept and every speed shop in my area sold them. It accomplished three things. Created a lot of wind noise, reduced my fuel mileage and robbed horsepower. Most new cars have electric fans (not flex fans) for a reason…. The technology is superior. Have you considered getting some fans from the junkyard and wiring them in? There are several write ups on how to do this and we can help walk you through the process.

Yea I've considered it and looked around online a bit, but electric is out of my budget, I don't know what to look for specifically, and I'm sure will need wiring of some sort...

Flex fan, it's cheaper, I just get a spacer, and bolt it to the water pump pulley...

I read a bunch of mixed reviews about flex fans...good and bad, "ran it for years with no problem" and "threw a blade in a couple of months" ...problem is more likely with aluminum fans than steel fans.

Heard here that the stock shroud should be swapped out and replaced with a steel shroud, and I can see why one would, but I'm not finding that information from anywhere else on the web mentioned by anyone else...

 

[joesregalproject]

What kind of fan are you currently running? Was it overheating with the fan it had?

 

[scoti]

Yea I've considered it and looked around online a bit, but electric is out of my budget, I don't know what to look for specifically, and I'm sure will need wiring of some sort...

Flex fan, it's cheaper, I just get a spacer, and bolt it to the water pump pulley...

I read a bunch of mixed reviews about flex fans...good and bad, "ran it for years with no problem" and "threw a blade in a couple of months" ...problem is more likely with aluminum fans than steel fans.

Heard here that the stock shroud should be swapped out and replaced with a steel shroud, and I can see why one would, but I'm not finding that information from anywhere else on the web mentioned by anyone else...

I haven't seen anywhere that there's a 'stock' metal shroud thats available as a bolt-in on a g-body.
A metal shroud would be an aftermarket part & a DIY/modify to install approach.

 

[Tynan918]

I haven't seen anywhere that there's a 'stock' metal shroud thats available as a bolt-in on a g-body.
A metal shroud would be an aftermarket part & a DIY/modify to install approach.

I'll look into it some other time...

 

[565bbchevy]

I'll look into it some other time...

If anything I would look into going with an electric fan set up when the time comes, this is the one I have in my Regal.
The Intrepid dual fan https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fss-75203
You can do it pretty cheap just using toggle/rocker switches with some high amp relays, fuses and wiring.
A quality fan controller will be the most expensive add on

 

[Tynan918]

If anything I would look into going with an electric fan set up when the time comes, this is the one I have in my Regal.
The Intrepid dual fan https://www.summitracing.com/parts/fss-75203
You can do it pretty cheap just using toggle/rocker switches with some high amp relays, fuses and wiring.
A quality fan controller will be the most expensive add on

I'll keep that in mind, thank you 👍🏾

 

[08Malibu]

What kind of fan are you currently running? Was it overheating with the fan it had?

I was wondering this as well. My clutch fan has been more than adequate for my 305. I’m only removing it to switch to electric.