Electric Fan Replacement¿¿¿
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Electric Fan Replacement¿¿¿
Not sure if this should be posted in this forum or not.......oh well, here goes. 
OK, I have decided to get rid of my engine mounted cooling fan and replace it with an electric slimline type fan & shroud. I would like to get some more HP and reduce the amount of engine noise at idle. Here are my questions=
1. What brands and part numbers of fans will fit on my 97' V6? (This question is for all you whom have done this mod.)
2. Will the factory temp gauge still be functional?
3. How does the electric fan get connected to sense when it needs to turn on or off?
4. Was the mod really worth it, for those of you that have done it?
Thanks in advance!
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97 F150 Reg Cab Short Bed
4.2L Auto
Current Performance mods=
Accel 9000Series Race Plug Wires
Motorcraft Platinum Plugs 60 Series Heat Rating
K&N Air Filter(Modified Stock Airbox)
Flowmaster 40 Single in/out.
B&M Shift Improver Kit(highly recommend!!)
Current Musical Improvements=
California Profile3600 running two front Pioneer5x7 three way speakers and a single 10" Cerwin Vega in my homebuilt port tuned box.
Pioneer Cassette/cd control head unit with matching Pioneer 6 disc changer.
1/2 Farad Stinger cap.
My other truck is an in the works 1950 Ford pickup.
OK, I have decided to get rid of my engine mounted cooling fan and replace it with an electric slimline type fan & shroud. I would like to get some more HP and reduce the amount of engine noise at idle. Here are my questions=
1. What brands and part numbers of fans will fit on my 97' V6? (This question is for all you whom have done this mod.)
2. Will the factory temp gauge still be functional?
3. How does the electric fan get connected to sense when it needs to turn on or off?
4. Was the mod really worth it, for those of you that have done it?
Thanks in advance!
------------------
97 F150 Reg Cab Short Bed
4.2L Auto
Current Performance mods=
Accel 9000Series Race Plug Wires
Motorcraft Platinum Plugs 60 Series Heat Rating
K&N Air Filter(Modified Stock Airbox)
Flowmaster 40 Single in/out.
B&M Shift Improver Kit(highly recommend!!)
Current Musical Improvements=
California Profile3600 running two front Pioneer5x7 three way speakers and a single 10" Cerwin Vega in my homebuilt port tuned box.
Pioneer Cassette/cd control head unit with matching Pioneer 6 disc changer.
1/2 Farad Stinger cap.
My other truck is an in the works 1950 Ford pickup.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
After reading some threads on this board a year or so ago, I bought a Flex-a-Lite Black Magic fan from Summit Racing. It includes everything you need (except for the tool to remove your stock fan) and it was about $180.
BTW - I ordered it online and it was delivered less than 20 hours after I ordered it! Very impressive, Summit!
Installation was a bit of a pain to get the fan clamped how I wanted it onto the radiator. Wiring is pretty simple (one wire goes to the AC compressor so that the fan is on whenever the AC is on). One other wire needs to be 'hot' when the engine is on, so I wired it to the red wire that goes into the engine's Mass Air Flow sensor in the intake system. The fan's main power wire goes direct to the battery.
The fan's adjustable thermostat works well. Unless the AC/heater panel switch on your dash is set to off or panel, the electric engine fan will be on.
With an automatic transmission, I really could not feel an increase in power, but there must be SOME (probably less than 10 hp at high rpm). BUT my mileage DID increase - hard to say exactly how much as my mileage varies from tank to tank, but I would say from 0.5 to 1.0 mpg.
No problems at all with the fan. You do need to rent or borrow a fan clutch removal tool to get the old one off. I borrowed it from Pep Boys. The threads on the fan clutch are normal right handers, not left handed like one of the manuals (Clymer?) says.
BTW - I ordered it online and it was delivered less than 20 hours after I ordered it! Very impressive, Summit!
Installation was a bit of a pain to get the fan clamped how I wanted it onto the radiator. Wiring is pretty simple (one wire goes to the AC compressor so that the fan is on whenever the AC is on). One other wire needs to be 'hot' when the engine is on, so I wired it to the red wire that goes into the engine's Mass Air Flow sensor in the intake system. The fan's main power wire goes direct to the battery.
The fan's adjustable thermostat works well. Unless the AC/heater panel switch on your dash is set to off or panel, the electric engine fan will be on.
With an automatic transmission, I really could not feel an increase in power, but there must be SOME (probably less than 10 hp at high rpm). BUT my mileage DID increase - hard to say exactly how much as my mileage varies from tank to tank, but I would say from 0.5 to 1.0 mpg.
No problems at all with the fan. You do need to rent or borrow a fan clutch removal tool to get the old one off. I borrowed it from Pep Boys. The threads on the fan clutch are normal right handers, not left handed like one of the manuals (Clymer?) says.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Thanks DirtBikeDave,
The kit you have sounds too involved/complicated for me. I want something a little easier to wire up. You didn't mention if your stock temp gauge is still used with the electric fan or not? Also, did you notice a huge decrease in engine noise at idle? And thanks for the fan clutch removal tool tip!
The kit you have sounds too involved/complicated for me. I want something a little easier to wire up. You didn't mention if your stock temp gauge is still used with the electric fan or not? Also, did you notice a huge decrease in engine noise at idle? And thanks for the fan clutch removal tool tip!
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
cigarxtc - the temp gauge in the dashboard is not impacted at all. Keep in mind, on these trucks, the temp guage is 'damped' so that it stays in the same spot on the dial even though the engine temp is fluctuating.
The electric fan has its own adjustable thermostat (not marked for temperature) and the adjustment **** allows a pretty wide range. To set, you drive the truck until you think it is hot enough for the fan to turn on and adjust the **** until the fan starts. The thermostat sensor for the fan is mounted against the top of the radiator.
When the electric fan is turned off, there is a very noticeable reduction in fan noise compared to stock. My buddies that have F150s have remarked how quiet the truck is as soon as they get in, but I'm used to it now. However, when the electric fan is on, it is quite a bit louder than the stock fan becuase the electric is turning high rpm even though the engine might be idling. You can always tell when the fan comes on unless you have the stereo really cranked up
Wiring is not too bad; essentially there are power and ground wires for each the fan and the thermotstat, and a seperate wire to the air conditioner compressor to turn the fan on anytime the AC is on. However, the universal wiring instructions that come with the fan are not very helpful.
I was hoping for a more noticeable power increase, but other than that I am very happy with the fan. After a year including some mountain and city driving on hot days with the AC on, I know it keeps the engine cool enough.
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1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, Ford bed liner
Clarion ARX8570z Head Unit, Sony 10 disc CD, Infinity 610cs components & JBL GTO7520 speakers; USAcousitcs 4065 amp and Polk 8" subwoofer
Edelbrock IAS, Energy Suspension anti-sway bar bushings, Steeda Rear Anti-sway bar, 2" rear drop.
Superchip, Airaid FIPK, Flex-a-Lite Black Magic electric fan
The electric fan has its own adjustable thermostat (not marked for temperature) and the adjustment **** allows a pretty wide range. To set, you drive the truck until you think it is hot enough for the fan to turn on and adjust the **** until the fan starts. The thermostat sensor for the fan is mounted against the top of the radiator.
When the electric fan is turned off, there is a very noticeable reduction in fan noise compared to stock. My buddies that have F150s have remarked how quiet the truck is as soon as they get in, but I'm used to it now. However, when the electric fan is on, it is quite a bit louder than the stock fan becuase the electric is turning high rpm even though the engine might be idling. You can always tell when the fan comes on unless you have the stereo really cranked up
Wiring is not too bad; essentially there are power and ground wires for each the fan and the thermotstat, and a seperate wire to the air conditioner compressor to turn the fan on anytime the AC is on. However, the universal wiring instructions that come with the fan are not very helpful.
I was hoping for a more noticeable power increase, but other than that I am very happy with the fan. After a year including some mountain and city driving on hot days with the AC on, I know it keeps the engine cool enough.
------------------
1999 XLT S/C, 4.2 V-6, auto, 3.55 rear, dark torreador red/harvest gold, Ford bed liner
Clarion ARX8570z Head Unit, Sony 10 disc CD, Infinity 610cs components & JBL GTO7520 speakers; USAcousitcs 4065 amp and Polk 8" subwoofer
Edelbrock IAS, Energy Suspension anti-sway bar bushings, Steeda Rear Anti-sway bar, 2" rear drop.
Superchip, Airaid FIPK, Flex-a-Lite Black Magic electric fan