Has anyone put an electric fan kit in a late model F-150 with a 4.6L V8?

In the TruckPerformance site, I searched for a electric fan kit for my 99' F-150 4.6L and 2 (two) Flex-o-Lite twin fan kits came up. They ranged from $409 to $480!!!!!!!!!!!! They also noted that an electric fan kit was not recommended as the PRIMARY cooling of a 4 CORE RADIATOR. Does a late model F-150 4.6L have a 4 core radiator?

Anyway, I will not pay 400 to 500 bucks for a kit. I know some people will use a Mark VII or Mark VIII electric fan in the F-150s. Does anybody know where I can get some "how-to" instructions on what kind of car fan(s) to get, what kind of thermostat/wiring and how to install/wire it in my 99' F-150 4.6L?

I am able to pay a small fee if someone can email me the instructions and or point my to a source. You can email me at jason5761@yahoo.com

Thanks.

 

Read this. HE knows his stuff!

You gain about 1-2 mpg with the addition of the electric fan and free up hp. IT is all about parasitic power loss.

Do this, take and spin a broom stick in your hand. Now install a 14" wide broom head on the end on the handle and spin it. Which one is easier to turn? Same idea, same principle.

Cobra R water pump? What is that? That would have to be a hi-flow unit from the 00 R cause it is the only R to run the modular engine. If it is high flow, it will increase the drag, cut the power a bit but increase cooling. Now add an underdrive and you are back to stock capacity. I see that as a waste of money.

Here is my writeup of the CV fan:

Crown Victoria '96 Electric Fan install:

Tools:
-fan wrench
-zip ties
-wire strippers
-7/16" bolts, nuts and washers
-30amp circuit breaker
-wire 8-10 gauge
-Hayden fan controller

Install:

-pop the hood
-Remove the jack rod
-remove the plastic pop nuts that hold the plastic skirt over the top of the radiator. use a phillips screw driver to unscrew them, then pull out.
-remove the plastic cover/skirt
-You need a fan wrench. Autozone has them for $30 or free tool loaner program.
-The fan unscrews from the water pump shaft. If you will look you will see. The Haynes manual is WRONG in there. It is right hand thread. So torque towards the passenger side to unscrew it. Just break it lose now.
-use a 8mm socket wrench and remove the 2 bolts holding the fan shroud.
-Finish unscrewing the fan, and remove the shround and fan.
-toss the fan to the side.
-take the CV (crown vic) fan and place it inside the shroud. Since it is fiberglass and covers the whole radiator, we are going to use it to mount the CV fan to. Keeps a stock look also.
-there are 3 mounting tabs on the fan. I used 7/16" bolts, nuts and washers to mount it. Drill the 3 holes. The first at the 6 o'clock bottom position, using the fan as a guide. Bolt it in place, then the other use the fan to drill the other 2 holes. Install the bolts.
-Bolt the electic fan up, use locktite on the bolts.
-Now put the shroud/fan setup back in. It slips into place on the lower sides of the radiator, then held in place with the stock bolts.
- Now to wiring up the fan! I bought a HAYDEN brand electric fan controller and a simple 30 amp circuit breaker. The hayden has AC on and adjustable temp selection. Very easy to install. Ran me $30 and has a 30 amp relay in it also. I may replace this with like a 45 amp relay later if I run into problems.
-I mounted the controller to the left of the radiator. I drilled 1 hole and used a self tapping screw to mount it. I also used some black gasket maker silicone on the back of the controller to glue it down also. The circuit breaker was mounted below that.
-Drill another hole above and to the side of the contoller for a ground.
-mount the ground wire (black wire) from the controller and the ground from the fan. You will need a piece of wire to extend the fan ground wire here. I used the blue lead that I cut off.
-I cut the second fan lead from the controller (blue wire) and hooked up the positive from the controller to the positive on the fan (orange wire)
-the green wire goes to the positive AC wire. This is a PIA to get to! The AC unit is under the belt tensioner. Remove the plug, strip back the tape and splice into the black/green stripe wire there.
- Now I am a bit lazy, but this works well. I wired the positive wire from the controller to the circuit breaker and then to the batter. I also wired the "iginition on" wire directly to the battery. Works well in the stang, and have not had any dead batteries from it. It will only turn on when it gets to or above the preset temp. In the summer it only did it about twice for 20 seconds before not running again. Some extra insurance once the key is off in the summer that things will stay cool.
- mount the temperature probe by the water inlet hose. There is a large opening in the top left of the radiator that I used. I did not have to punch through the fins there. Secure it as per the instructions with the plastic zip ties parts.
-now time to test! turn the key to on. Then turn on the AC. The fan should kick on. Check to see that it is blowing air into the engine compartment, not out the radiator. There should be a LOT of air movement! You can feel the air flow in front of the radiator!
-once that is good, turn off the truck. Use zip ties to secure all the wires.
-start the motor and test again. You will not be able to adjust the temperature until the truck is at operating temperature. So leave that for a while. I have noticed that they are preset at 190 degrees on the hayden units. That is when the stock thermastat opens, so that is about perfect.
-install the plastic skirt/cover back and the jack rod, drop the hood and enjoy! You just freed up soem HP from the parasitic drag of the stock fan! this will help in acceleration and MPG!


Addition --

Which fans work:

Crown vics 93+
Thunderbirds, Mark8s and Towncars all use a monster fan. You can run this on low speed. To run on high speed, you have to run through a 75amp relay.

http://www.geocities.com/smithmonte...arkVIII_Fan.htm

3.8L V6 taurus
Camaros/Firebirds/Corvette fans
Caddy fans
SN95 mustang fans -- 3.8 is single speed, the v8s are dual speed. High needs to go through the 75 amp relay.


Any of those will flow plenty of air for you even on low speed. I have the crown Vic fan, CJ has the Mark8 on LO speed and they both flow about the same amount of air. No issues either on cooling.

http://www.f150world.com/mygallery.asp?id=596&album=657

http://www.f150world.com/mygallery.asp?id=537&album=673

 

Cowboy-Up,

Thanks a whole lot! I just read the instructions just once, and I already feel that I can tackle this project my self. Salvage yards, here I come!

I wonder where you get the Hayden electric fan controller?

Some of you guys are a lot more knowledgable than Ford mechanics!

Thanks again.

 

Anybody know a good junkyard in Tucson, where I can get one of these fans?
This was the single post that decided me on doing this sometime this week! Thanks Cowboy!! I would consider a replacement motor for piece of mind. Does Ford sell just the motors?? I will never buy another electric motor product from an auto parts store, a blower motor I bought had half the power of the Ford unit.,,,,,98

 

98screamer,

I don't know any salvage yards in Tuscon, but a guy named "Kelly" that started the engine thread, "Underdrive pulleys" provided me with some detailed info on the electric fan mod. at

http://www.geocities.com/smithmonte/...rkVIII_Fan.htm

Amoung other detailed info., it also shows that, a brand new Mark VIII fan can be purchased for $109.00 at Houston Performance.

Hope this helps.

 

Houston Performance now sells the Crown Vic fans for $139.00. That's what I paid three months ago.

 

Sounds like Ford has caught wind of it, like the L headlights. Sheez, we can't get anything for a decent price with Ford jacking up prices on the popular stuff.,,,,98

 

You can get the Hayden control unit at Autozone, 30-40$ IIRC.

 

bjoern,

Thanks!

 

I used a Camaro fan for my setup. It was really easy, check it out: my fan setup

 

I hope you all are as happy with the conversion as I am.

CJ