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Fox Fan suggestions

  • Thread starter Thread starter AbhorrentSpecies
  • Start date Start date Jul 8, 2020
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AbhorrentSpecies

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  • Jul 8, 2020
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Any one have any suggestions for a good electric fan that won't empty my wallet? Previous owner has some eBay fan installed and it ALMOST keeps it cool but long drives and it will start to over heat.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
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#2
  • Jul 9, 2020
  • #2
I run a junkyard 94-95 fan. Paid $20 and it's been on my car for 20 years and has done an excellent job of cooling the car. They are plenty of OEM options out there that are cheap and far more reliable that many of the aftermarket fans being offered.

Hpowever, if your car is overheating during long drives, it might be a sign that your radiator/coolant might need attending to. Once i'm over 30MPH, I no longer need my fan on. In fact, I sometimes shut it off with a manual toggle when I know i'm just cruising and won't be stopping.
 

AbhorrentSpecies

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#3
  • Jul 9, 2020
  • #3
Mustang5L5 said:
I run a junkyard 94-95 fan. Paid $20 and it's been on my car for 20 years and has done an excellent job of cooling the car. They are plenty of OEM options out there that are cheap and far more reliable that many of the aftermarket fans being offered.

Hpowever, if your car is overheating during long drives, it might be a sign that your radiator/coolant might need attending to. Once i'm over 30MPH, I no longer need my fan on. In fact, I sometimes shut it off with a manual toggle when I know i'm just cruising and won't be stopping.
Click to expand...
I saw something about the 94-95 fans last night and saw two 94s sitting at my local pick a part. And thank you for the heads up. I suspected the radiator was trash. I'm pretty sure it's some eBay garbage that the previous owner put on. I've already flushed and refilled the system, new tstat and replaced all hoses. Could it be the water pump? I know it works, isn't leaking, pulley is fine. Definitely corroded a bit. Or would you go straight to replacing the radiator?
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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You have replaced everything but the water pump and radiator, I would. Gunk built up in the radiator and also build up around the impeller in the water pump.
Those tiny tubes in the radiator plug up easily and start a the bottom of the radiator so you can't see the restricted flow. A infrared temp gun can show temp differences
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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  • Jul 9, 2020
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General karthief said:
You have replaced everything but the water pump and radiator, I would. Gunk built up in the radiator and also build up around the impeller in the water pump.
Those tiny tubes in the radiator plug up easily and start a the bottom of the radiator so you can't see the restricted flow. A infrared temp gun can show temp differences
Click to expand...
I heard something about using a temp gun to check it. Thanks... Ill just replace both as I don't want to pull the cooling system apart again. Might as well just do both I guess.
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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  • Jul 9, 2020
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General karthief said:
You have replaced everything but the water pump and radiator, I would. Gunk built up in the radiator and also build up around the impeller in the water pump.
Those tiny tubes in the radiator plug up easily and start a the bottom of the radiator so you can't see the restricted flow. A infrared temp gun can show temp differences
Click to expand...
How about a good aluminum radiator then? SR performance? Mishimoto? SVE? I'm not going to spend more than 250. And I'll just get a motorcraft water pump.
 

elarm1

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#7
  • Jul 9, 2020
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I have a Mishimoto and SVE dual fan set up that I just installed. I really havent tested it in hot weather yet but so far so good. Also another good option is the Mark VIII fan. I have one that I will be installing in my F150 one of these days. The parasitic draw from the clutch fan kills all the hp in my F150 in the summer
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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As far as radiators go, I'm replacing mine soon but I don't know which one yet and I'm going back to a clutch type stock fan.
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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#9
  • Jul 9, 2020
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Nice. Well let me know what you end up going with. There's like 100 good reviews of that SR radiator in American muscle. I think that's what I'll end up with.
 

90sickfox

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#10
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Ford Contour fans are best bang for the buck. Check and make sure your air deflector is at the lower core support. If that thing isn't there the car temps will creep up while driving....the deflectors that are between the bumper support and sides of radiator are important too. Without them the air will bypass around the radiator and not through it at highway speeds.
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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  • Jul 9, 2020
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90sickfox said:
Ford Contour fans are best bang for the buck. Check and make sure your air deflector is at the lower core support. If that thing isn't there the car temps will creep up while driving....the deflectors that are between the bumper support and sides of radiator are important too. Without them the air will bypass around the radiator and not through it at highway speeds.
Click to expand...
Im pretty sure none of that is on the car anymore. Would LMR have some?
 

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands
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#12
  • Jul 9, 2020
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Yes..

 

AbhorrentSpecies

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90sickfox said:
Yes..

Click to expand...
Awesome!Thank you!! If it's something that easy I'm going to my pants. I might even someone else's pants.
 

Ryuk

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General karthief said:
As far as radiators go, I'm replacing mine soon but I don't know which one yet and I'm going back to a clutch type stock fan.
Click to expand...
If memory serves, Engine Masters did an episode and found that clutch fans were more efficient and no fan shroud gained HP.
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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#15
  • Jul 9, 2020
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JD08 said:
If memory serves, Engine Masters did an episode and found that clutch fans were more efficient and no fan shroud gained HP.
Click to expand...
I wish I still had the clutch fan but previous owner(s) got rid of it. And me, like a dumby, have already invested money in a nice new electric fan controller so I have no plans to scrap that and go back to clutch fan. Good info though. Thanks!!
 

90sickfox

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands
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#16
  • Jul 9, 2020
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No fan shroud will cause the car to run hotter sitting or stop and go traffic. Air takes the path of least resistance. I thought a shroud the fan pulls air from the sides. Clutch fans are proven to work...when the clutch is working properly.
 

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
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#17
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Nothing wrong with using electric cooling fans, as long as the alternator is up to the task.
 

Ryuk

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#18
  • Jul 9, 2020
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90sickfox said:
No fan shroud will cause the car to run hotter sitting or stop and go traffic. Air takes the path of least resistance. I thought a shroud the fan pulls air from the sides. Clutch fans are proven to work...when the clutch is working properly.
Click to expand...
All I said was it added HP. Same with the clutch vs electric.
 
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AbhorrentSpecies

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#19
  • Jul 9, 2020
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JD08 said:
All I said was it added HP. Same with the clutch vs electric.
Click to expand...
Didn't mean to cause an argument. Come on boys, I thought you guys were friends? Haha
 

Ryuk

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  • Jul 9, 2020
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AbhorrentSpecies said:
Didn't mean to cause an argument. Come on boys, I thought you guys were friends? Haha
Click to expand...
If this is an argument, nobody told me.

I did think it was funny that a properly working clutch fan yielded more hp. The episode is behind a paywall now, but it's funny to see something that was supposed to be another piece in the hp puzzle get debunked after magazine article after magazine article touted it 30 years ago.
 
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