flex - a - lite elec fans

FrontierTuner · Nov 29th, 2004, 12:34 AM

has anyone intalled the flex a lite elec fans? if you is it worth the money to install them?

**88pathoffroad** · Nov 29th, 2004, 01:02 AM

It's cheaper to find a junkyard Ford Taurus or Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager fan than to buy a new one. I have one of each, they both work great, no problems.

96R50 · Nov 29th, 2004, 06:47 AM

At one time I thought that electric fans were a great idea. Now I don’t see any real advantage to them for the everyday driver and occasional off-roader. The engine driven mechanical fan is a reliable fail-safe design that has never let me down.

The relay for my flex-a-lite fans failed while I was towing my ski boat. I suspect that had I removed the OE relay and replaced it with a solid state relay the system would have been much more reliable. The fans were also loud and they vibrated the entire truck when they running.

**88pathoffroad** · Nov 29th, 2004, 01:32 PM

I've had my electric fan on the vehicle for YEARS with no problem, full reliability, low noise level and zero maintenance. I see how it's possible for one person to have had a bad experience, but overall, that's just YOU. That doesn't make electric fans a bad idea or not worth it over stock mechanical fans. Electric fans actually cool better in stop-and-go traffic and low speed situations, plus they free up a little extra bit of full-time engine power that would otherwise be used to spin the fan.

jadcock · Nov 29th, 2004, 01:53 PM

I think it all depends on what you use your truck for. In most cases, electric fans are probably fine. We had one on a Jeep that would not cool that 318 engine when we towed. Your stock fan probably has more capacity than most any electric fan you will find. That's why almost any high intensity application uses an engine-driven fan. For light use (not towing), the electric fan probably will work fine.

The best of both worlds, I like an electronically-clutched engine-driven fan. My dad's F-650 (with a Cat engine) had this. The fan set idle when not needed, but would clutch in when the coolant warmed up enough. It worked exactly the same as an air conditioning compressor. It was great -- when you didn't need it, it would not cause any drag (electrical or mechanical), but when you did need it, you get the big-pull capacity of a real mechanical fan, without the draw of an electrical motor. In my opinion, the 2 hp you gain by not turning the fan with the engine mostly gets eaten up with the increased load on the alternator anyway. If you are doing it for a cool project, then by all means, go ahead. But I wouldn't do it expecting a big difference in real-world performance.

FrontierTuner · Nov 30th, 2004, 12:10 AM

[quote=jadcock]I think it all depends on what you use your truck for./QUOTE]

my frontier type S project is just to make it fast at the drag strip. So If I use it for the occaisonal drag race and mostly daily driving (no towing) would is be good? or should I save my money for something else

**88pathoffroad** · Nov 30th, 2004, 12:17 AM

That would be fine. Mine has never overheated, even in the summertime at the sand dunes at high revs for extended periods.

Quote:

In my opinion, the 2 hp you gain by not turning the fan with the engine mostly gets eaten up with the increased load on the alternator anyway.

Heh, my fan pulls about 8 amps continuously to run. It does pull 15 amps on startup, but that dwindles to 8 within two seconds... My stereo draws more amperage than that to run the subwoofer. Tell me again how I lost 2 HP by using an electric fan?

Oh, by the way, I have a 110+ amp alternator installed to begin with...

jadcock · Nov 30th, 2004, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88pathoffroad

Oh, by the way, I have a 110+ amp alternator installed to begin with...

That certainly helps!

If I understand it correctly...and I could certainly be wrong, the same load (8 amps for example) will take more power out of a 60 amp alternator (stock on my '95) than it will out of a 110 amp alternator...putting more load on the alternator pulley. So if you have a lower-amperage alternator, the same electric fan will put more of a load on your engine than if you have a high-amp alternator?

FrontierTuner, I'd say you could do this project pretty cheaply with used parts. Again, I don't think you'll see a lot of benefit, so I wouldn't spend 500 bucks on it, but then again, everything helps.

FrontierTuner · Nov 30th, 2004, 11:59 PM

well if its not that worth of it, maybe i will invest on making a custom intake

jadcock · Dec 1st, 2004, 07:47 AM

If you're trying to make it a dragstrip runner, I'd invest in airflow for the engine. Intake, exhaust, camshafts, header, etc.

BaLLZaCH · Dec 2nd, 2004, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrontierTuner

well if its not that worth of it, maybe i will invest on making a custom intake

As far as flex-a-lite fan, no, its NOT worth it.

I have a 98 S10 4.3, and installed 2 14" flex-a-crap fans. They cant cool enough. ESPECIALLY when in traffic or hot-ass-weather.

I replaced them with quality aftermarket mustang dual fan, BUT still, they dont cool as well as the stock clutch fan.

My s10 is geared towards being fast as hell, so I didnt mind the slight inconvienience of having to watch the temp gauge. Most of the time, people will not have any problems with electric fans, but unless there is a specific reason why you want to convert your truck, then its not worth it. (As far a flex-o-crap goes)

Ohh yeah, and as stated above, about the "Ford taurus" fans, well, the only thing I have to say about that is ...... hrmmmmm, only if you want to fry your alternator. My buddy got 2 from a junk yard, and DAMN, I dont know how many amps they draw, but man I tell you what, its ON UP THERE. I wouldnt use them unless you had PLENTY of extra power.

Peace.

**88pathoffroad** · Dec 2nd, 2004, 10:20 PM

They draw 12 amps on startup, then 8 for continuous operation on low speed. 20 amps startup on high speed and about 12 amps continuous operation on high. Not exactly too much, but a lot more than when it was stock...