Electric Radiator Fan

[twsutt]

Has anyone installed an electric fan in conjunction with the stock fan shroud? If so, what size fan did you use and how well has it worked?

[Z train]

THe fan blade needs to be in a certain position in relation to the shroud.Ask your real question.

[twsutt]

I'm not sure what the "real question" is that you want me to ask, but I'll give it a shot...Let me know if I've got the right question Z Train.

1. What is the diameter of the stock fan?
   
2. What is the size of the opening in the stock shroud?
   
3. Is there any benefit to retaining the stock shroud when using an electric fan?
   
4. Is it overkill to keep the stock shroud when using an electric fan?
   

The first 2 questions I can answer myself when I get home. The second two are questions that I'd have to have the experience of someone that has already been down this road or just knows more about these things than I do.

If there's a question that I've missed, Z Train, perhaps you can illuminate me.

[Z train]

The question i am referring to,is that you are leading up to doing something.What is it?

But i digress.

If you are thinking of going to an electric fan,do your homework on the CFM needed,also you'll have to make allowances for the extra amps the fan(s) will draw.and lastly,use the shroud that comes with the electric fan.

[twsutt]

Z Train, I'm not leading up to anything. I'm trying to decide about buying an electric fan or rebuilding my fan clutch again. And mounting options if I do buy an electric fan.

My fan clutch was drying up, so I rebuilt it. It was suggested on this forum to use Kyosho #5000 silicone oil from an RC hobby shop to refill the fan clutch. I was unable to find Kyosho #5000 and the man behind the counter suggested another brand: OFNA 5000 WT silicone oil. I used the 5000 WT oil. It turns out that Kyosho #5000 is a 5000 cSt (Centi-Stroke) oil. The 5000 WT oil is roughly 10 times thicker. I'd guess that my fan clutch has less than 1% slippage now.:stupid:

So, I'm guessing that I should just loose the shroud and get the most fan coverage I can if I go electric.

[Z train]

Or just buy another fan clutch.But if you do,go this route,call the maker and ask them what temp does the clutch lock-up at.Get the lower of the two.You would think that 810 & Z-car clutches are the same as they are visually identical,but they lock up at different temps.

Or if,you have $$$$ buring a hole in your pocket-go electric.

[ta240]

I'd think it would be tough to get an electric fan to line up with the stock shroud. They tend to mount closer to the radiator. So the shroud would sit out behind the fan and not do much good.

I've seen people mention fans before online out of other cars that have shrouds already on them and fit but can't remember any specifics.

I went through several different electric fans on my last Z. The final one worked pretty good but I've left the mechanical fan on my current Z just because it is so much simpler.

Some electric fans come with a ring around them that works as a bit of a shroud but one that wrapped all the way out to the edge of the radiator would do the most good.

If you go electric let me know, I've got a brand new controller that does a partial power at one temp and full power at another temp and is adjustable that I could easily part with.

I also have a single core aluminum radiator with my old fan still mounted on it but that is a bit too much to ship. It's a radiator setup similar to: http://240z.jeromio.com/camaroradiator.html mounted the fan super close to pull as much air as possible through since it has no shroud. but a good fitting shroud would do more.

My old setup can be seen at: http://240z.me/myoldz.html

The biggest problem I found with an electric fan on the Z is the alternator isn't so strong so the car didn't like the additional load and some fans take a lot more power than others.

I forget if the control I got will run the fan once you turn the car off but I always wanted to set it so it would run for up to a couple minutes if needed since stopping for short periods of time seemed to be the hardest for it to cope with. Whenever I restarted the engine it would be so hot the fan had to work real hard. But if I kept the key on for a minute or so when I stopped it would be fine starting back out in 5 minutes or so.

Not sure what a good source is for a fan clutch (maybe just Nissan) but I went through several local parts store ones on my old Z that just didn't seem to work very well.

Edited September 28, 2010 by ta240

[hogie]

I used the MSA dual fan kit and it works alright. If I hadnt already spent the money I would go back to the factory mechanical fan.

[Z train]

You really have to go way beyond "stock" in your engine to need more cooling than a porperly set-up factory system provides.

[Gary in NJ]

You really have to go way beyond "stock" in your engine to need more cooling than a porperly set-up factory system provides.

I would install a higher capacity radiator before a trial-and-error prone electric system.

[Z train]

I would install a higher capacity radiator before a trial-and-error prone electric system.

I'd go with that.

[twsutt]

I have installed a new aluminum radiator (the original radiator was clogged with calcium deposits from PO's using tap water). In an effort to isolate it from the radiator support, and due to it being slightly thicker than the original, the outermost edge of the fan clutch now rests about 1/2 an inch from the radiator. I was somewhat concerned that engine movement/frame flex may cause the two to come in contact and I figured that I wouldn't have to worry about that if I had an electric fan mounted to the radiator.

I guess that I'll stick to the "it's worked fine for 35 years why change it" original design and just rebuild the stock fan clutch. I don't have anything non-stock drawing on the current electrical system and I'm not really ready to upgrade the 50 Amp alternator to something larger and then have to start upgrading everything down the line from there.