Electric Fan... I need/want one

[dblmikeusa1]

I can't seem to find a thread that has a good write up on the install and what the majority has gone with.

I want a fan that will work now and for a future swap. Everyone seems to lean towards the SPAL... but I see a lot of pusher/puller back-and-forth conversation.

Also, I am curious, for those of you with one, can you write a good how-to on the install???

[ethree]

You probably want a pusher if you're thinking about swapping anything in the future. I'd take some measurements go to the junkyard and find something with dual fans like a ford taurus or a dodge neon and do some fab work.

[kishg]

spal as pusher is best.. are you keeping ac or no?

[jlevie]

You want to use a pusher fan, and I'd suggest one rater for at least 1800cfm. It is much easier to come up with a mount for a pusher fan than a puller.

[dblmikeusa1]

I am definitely keeping AC... I live in Texas and it gets way too hot not to have it.


Jlevie- for your reccomendation, when you talk about mounting... is that on the front side of the car or in the engine bay? Also, what mounting kit/other car fan can I get?

[jlevie]

If you plan on keeping the A/C you have to use a puller fan as it is necessary to retain an operational aux fan as both fans are needed when idling in traffic with the A/C on.. The simplest, easiest, and cheapest solution is to retain the OE engine driven fan and clutch if you keep A/C. Otherwise you will have to fabricate a mount for the puller fan, add a thermo switch switch (82C for an 80C thermostat or 77C for a 75C thermostat), and relay for the electric fan. Don't even consider using anything that mounts the fan to the radiator core. in time that mount will wear a hole in one of the tubes.

The only pre-made mounts that I know of is a kit that replaces the aux fan mount with a mount suitable for an SPAL. That's intended for use on race cars and does require removal of the A/C condenser. It won't work for you. So a mount for a puller will be a custom made unit, as far as I know.

[guibo09]

arent guys successfully runing just the aux fan with an 80C thermo switch and watter wetter while keeping the AC?

[nando]

I did it.. worked fine until I smashed my car into the back of an SUV. then I had to remove the AC. :p

[Kingb]

I have a aux fan on the front. My car doesn't have AC. I used zip ties to hold it onthe core. I do need to make a bracket. Good advice Jlevie. I don't have it wired up but I haven't gone over half way yet.

[kishg]

jim, you can buy metal straps for the spals that attach to the holes on the radiator that the shroud snaps onto.

[JGood]

I have been using the $70 14" fan from autozone/pepboys/advance auto on my DD (which is now m50 powered) for about 5 years and on my track car (m20) for 2 years with no problems. I used the $20 thermostat kit that they also sell.

I have mine wired as follows:

-12v switched power goes to pin 85 of a 4-pin Bosch relay
-Pin 86 of that relay goes to the thermostat, and the other pin on the thermostat goes to chassis ground
-Battery power goes to pin 30 of the relay
-Pin 87 of the relay goes to fan positive, fan negative goes to ground.

Make sure you use a 30-40 amp fuse in the battery power, and a 1 amp fuse on the switched power. For switched power, I spliced into pin 87 of the main relay on the engine harness.

I make no guarantee to the reliability/logic behind this setup, but it's worked for me for a while and seems like it shouldn't hurt anything.

Here is a quick pic I made:

[Hallen]

I just used the wiring for the original Aux fan to hook up my Spal fan. It's a pusher (although I think it works either way depending on how you wire it) that I have mounted in front of the radiator. It's nice because I can toggle it on with the A/C button in the car. It also works using the temp switches that are already in the radiator.

I don't have A/C and this isn't a daily driver, but I would bet that this one 16" Spal fan would work for an A/C car. The only real reason the Aux fan is there is because the engine driven fan doesn't move enough air when the car is idling or moving slowly. The Aux fan kicks in to help with this.

I know the E46 is a way newer car, but after the first year, they dropped the engine driven fan/ Aux fan setup and went with a single electric pusher fan in front of the radiator. I doubt the E46 is any more efficient at cooling that the E30 is. Also, my Aux fan was burned out on my 99 E46 and it was fine even with that A/C on as long as I wasn't sitting in traffic on a hot day.

[dblmikeusa1]

Are you running AC with this setup?

I have been using the $70 14" fan from autozone/pepboys/advance auto on my DD (which is now m50 powered) for about 5 years and on my track car (m20) for 2 years with no problems. I used the $20 thermostat kit that they also sell.

I have mine wired as follows:

-12v switched power goes to pin 85 of a 4-pin Bosch relay
-Pin 86 of that relay goes to the thermostat, and the other pin on the thermostat goes to chassis ground
-Battery power goes to pin 30 of the relay
-Pin 87 of the relay goes to fan positive, fan negative goes to ground.

Make sure you use a 30-40 amp fuse in the battery power, and a 1 amp fuse on the switched power. For switched power, I spliced into pin 87 of the main relay on the engine harness.

I make no guarantee to the reliability/logic behind this setup, but it's worked for me for a while and seems like it shouldn't hurt anything.

Here is a quick pic I made:

[JGood]

Are you running AC with this setup?

Nope.

[vic_325]

Jgood, is that fan your using a pusher or puller? where is it located; between rad and engine or in front of rad?