Installed Derale Electric Fan

skywalker · May 4, 2011

After a couple hiccups with the relays for my MSD system, I installed a derale electric fan and automatic fan controller.

There fan is rated (and I'd say probably pretty accurate if not understated) at about 2200 cfm and comes with a cowl attached. The automatic fan controller is awesome and has an A/C override circuit as well.

The fan fits the '66 radiator like a glove and is very easy to mount. It was relatively cheap and easy to do. The fan controller PN is 16749 and the fan PN is 16926. They sell a mounting kit which I found to be redundant as the plastic pieces that come with it do a good enough job in my opinion.

mustangmutt · May 4, 2011

blown65 · May 4, 2011

I have the 16" fan of theirs on my car. Been a great fan and moves lots of air.

skywalker · May 4, 2011

mustangmutt said:

I'll get you in the morning I was a little busy today.

skywalker · May 4, 2011

blown65 said:
I have the 16" fan of theirs on my car. Been a great fan and moves lots of air.

I think it's the same one.

65fastbackresto · May 5, 2011

Question about this setup

Did you have to upgrade stock alternator to make this work? I`d love to do this project, but I`m afraid my alrenator can`t cut it. My 5 blade mechanical fan howls like crazy and is sucking the life outta my motor.

mustangmutt · May 5, 2011

65fastbackresto said:
Did you have to upgrade stock alternator to make this work? I`d love to do this project, but I`m afraid my alrenator can`t cut it. My 5 blade mechanical fan howls like crazy and is sucking the life outta my motor.

It you buy an Alternetor for an 82' GT, they put out 75 amps and look the same as the old ones that produce 35 amps. All you have to do is swap out the pulleys and the external regulator. You can paint the regulator to look vintage and keep the original look of the engine bay.

skywalker · May 5, 2011

65fastbackresto said:
Did you have to upgrade stock alternator to make this work? I`d love to do this project, but I`m afraid my alrenator can`t cut it. My 5 blade mechanical fan howls like crazy and is sucking the life outta my motor.

I put a rebuilt 130amp one wire that I got off ebay. The fan draws 20 amps so an upgrade is pretty much a requirement.

65fastbackresto · May 6, 2011

Mustangmutt

Would the wiring be the same on the bak of the alternator too? I`m totally no good at rewiring stuff.

skywalker · May 6, 2011

65fastbackresto said:
Would the wiring be the same on the bak of the alternator too? I`m totally no good at rewiring stuff.

It's less wiring - just one big one to charge the battery

65fastbackresto · May 6, 2011

How much did the fan and controller run you?

And won`t I need a relay to run it off of? Or does that come with the controller?

I have original stock wiring fyi.

skywalker · May 6, 2011

The controller has a socket for a relay and includes a relay. For that matter so does the fan, however the fan only includes wiring for a constant run - kind of silly.

Part of the benefit of the electric fan is the car will warm up a little faster. Well the goes backward if the fan is always on - the extra pull keeps the car cooler, longer.

With the automatic controller, you can do what I just did and turn the controller to full warm, let the car warm up to where you want the fan to come on, and then adjust the controller down to it. The fan will cut off 10 degrees lower.

I have original wiring too. I'm mostly okay with that, though I'm about to put in some relays for the headlights and I'm probably going to do a relay for my radio too.

If I ever redo the wiring fully, I'll have an accessory and on wire that will turn relays on to allow juice to flow to the circuits - like a car should have. The way the electrical system is design in this car borders on dangerous.

skywalker · May 7, 2011

I did this today:
Brighter Headlights

I simply spliced into the existing harness which is sufficient for switching. HUUUUUUGE difference in headlight brightness. Amazing difference. I mounted the relays on the drivers side in the forward corner by the headlight. Only had to run one wire any significant distance and that was the battery wire.

A66Auto · May 8, 2011

How did you guys mount the fan? I used the zip ties and want something a little more secure.

tx65coupe · May 9, 2011

I'm contemplating doing an electric fan conversion on mine. How thick is your aluminum radiator? And how much room do you have between your fan and the water pump? Maybe a more appropriate question is how thick is the electric fan assembly? Is it really only a little over 3 inches like the description on Summit says?

Good choice on the headlight relays. Did you get some Silvania Xtravision bulbs to go with it?

If you want inexpensive brighter tail lights, get some GE Nighthawk 1157 bulbs from Amazon. They are noticably brighter especially when the brake lights are on.

skywalker · May 9, 2011

A66Auto said:
How did you guys mount the fan? I used the zip ties and want something a little more secure.

There is a mounting kit they sell, which is essentially little metal bars and rubber end caps to secure it. But honestly, I thought the zip ties included with the fan were a lot more secure and easier to use. I used both.

skywalker · May 9, 2011

tx65coupe said:
I'm contemplating doing an electric fan conversion on mine. How thick is your aluminum radiator? And how much room do you have between your fan and the water pump? Maybe a more appropriate question is how thick is the electric fan assembly? Is it really only a little over 3 inches like the description on Summit says?

Good choice on the headlight relays. Did you get some Silvania Xtravision bulbs to go with it?

If you want inexpensive brighter tail lights, get some GE Nighthawk 1157 bulbs from Amazon. They are noticably brighter especially when the brake lights are on.

The fan is right around 3 inches thick, the radiator is about 1.5-2 inches thick. I have PLENTY of space to the water pump. I had to go out and get some shorter bolts obviously.The wiring is the thing that took me the longest because I solder my wires for security and better conductivity. Which was hard btw, behind that head light bucket .

I'll look into those tail bulbs. I currently just have the bulbs that were on the car when I got it, which are some crappy H4 bulbs with weird colors. Oh well, they're bright enough for now and they're brighter than before.

One other issue I am having is that some how, some way, one of my dash illumination bulbs is switch with the left turn signal indicator bulb - and I am not sure how to switch them!

Loup-garou · May 10, 2011

The dash lights are an easy fix, they just snap in from the rear of the instrument panel. I have a question about the fan controller, as I picked up a similar rig at a swap meet not long ago (mine's from Old Air Products, but it looks just like that Derale): Is that fan controller the one with the 3/8" threaded temperature probe?

Mine came with the dry bulb type that you stick in the bottom of the radiator, which I think Derale also sells. Just trying to decide which sensor type and location is best - I've seen both described as the preferable setup.

skywalker · May 11, 2011

Loup-garou said:
The dash lights are an easy fix, they just snap in from the rear of the instrument panel. I have a question about the fan controller, as I picked up a similar rig at a swap meet not long ago (mine's from Old Air Products, but it looks just like that Derale): Is that fan controller the one with the 3/8" threaded temperature probe?

Mine came with the dry bulb type that you stick in the bottom of the radiator, which I think Derale also sells. Just trying to decide which sensor type and location is best - I've seen both described as the preferable setup.

I thought that's how the lights worked, but I'm having trouble getting them to pop out.

Yes, the fan controller has a wet bulb. I like it, little more useful to me since it is getting the water temp which is also what your gauge reads. I bought an aluminum water inlet from some cougar shop that had a port threaded in it already since the only spot on my intake (RPM Air Gap) was the one already the gauge sender. Didn't cost much.

Dry bulb will only get the heat of whatever you press it against, which is fine, but you have to remember that's going to lag a little off of the water temp - depending on what you press it against.

skywalker · May 11, 2011

Wet bulb also makes for a cleaner install IMO.

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