Electric Fans

[ccflorida]

I am thinking about eliminating my clutch fan and going totally electric. In talking with the tech. from BeCool he said I could use one 16" or a dual fan set up, he also mentioned I would gain some horsepower with this conversion.. Has anyone done this and if so what fan/fans did you use.. Whada you think???

 

[CSCARLSON]

what year vette are you doing this to?

 

[redmist]

I'm running dual SPAL puller fans purchased from BeCool. Don't buy the brackets, they are expensive and flimsy. The fans come with some powder coated strap iron to fabricate some brackets.
If you still want the BeCool brackets, I'll sell you mine for 1/2 price.
I'm not sure about any horsepower gain as the alternator has to work more to power the babies but it sure cools the car better and really cleans up the engine compartment.

 

[CSCARLSON]

could you send me info and maybe the website?

 

[ccflorida]

Redmist,CsCarlson
Thanks for the reply .Redmist ,I spoke with Dave at Be Cool and he said I could use a 16" or the dual 11" fans... I am leaning towards the duals. But I have read articles that the alternator has to modified to accomodate the fans. Also something has to be done to the amp guage when you go to a higher output alternator as it will fry it.. How did you mount yours as I thought the brackets would be better then the ties through the radiator core.. I might be interested in those brackets..
CsCarlson the number for Be Cool is (888) 243-2999 Tech or (800) 691-2667 Web Site www.becool.com
The price of the duals is $279. I am planning to install in my 79.

 

[redmist]

I didn't mount it through the radiator. I attached the straps (4) to the OEM top radiator holdowns (the ones with the rubber inserts) and to the bottom of the radiator mount. I used some small rubber doughnuts between the BeCool brakets and the radiator. Nice and tight no rattles.
I'm using a 85 amp mini one wire alternator and the the stock guage. No problems, battery still charges with fans and lights on.

 

[KEVS 81]

Electric fan

81's came with both electric and clutch fans. Don't know why or if just the electric would do the job. Anybody have a clue?
Kev

 

[Hib Halverson]

Interestingly the 90-95 ZR1 electric cooling fan assembly can be adapted to most C3s by any DIY having average modification skills.

The system flows a ton of air and has O.E. reliability and durability because it uses stock GM parts.

Details of this modification are at:
http://www.idavette.net/hib/bbfh7.htm

For those in the southwest, the Corvette Shop in San Diego, CA has done several of these ZR1 fan conversions on C3s. Call them at 619 277 8388.

 

[ccflorida]

Hib,
Thanks for the information and great article. I will look into those fans too..

 

[SwaveDave]

Hib is correct. I have this modification done to my 1970 Vette. The twin electric fan assembly with shroud (one piece) is off of an LT5 (dont know which year cause it was already done before i bought the car). They really flow some air and the fit looks like it was made for the radiator. I am running between 500-550 h.p and equal tq....and i have never overheated. I use a mechanical remote bulb controller with the bulb in the passenger side HEad using a compression fitting. I have the Controller set for 200 on (adj) and 180 off (adj). It works well with my 160 degree thermostat. The Fan Assembly fits tight up against the radiator fins and you can even oil the fan motors . Im delighted with them.

Email me and ill show you a couple pics., if youre interested in seeing the Fan Assembly from a distance.

Dave

 

[SwaveDave]

Hib,

Just wondering if you still have your BBFH Vette !?

The guy i bought my vette from, did almost all of the upgrades from your writeups on BBFH. And....im sooooo glad he did !!!!

Dave

 

[Hib Halverson]

Hib,

Just wondering if you still have your BBFH Vette !?
Dave

Yep.
It's sitting out in the shop under the cover.

My intent is to do some more articles for the magazine on the car but, right now, with all the changes in the publishing business, Vette has been a little slow to publish material it already has of mine. Eventually, I'd like to do a write-up on painting the car and another on converting it to aluminum heads. Those of you who are BBfH fans should write Vette Magazine and ask for stories on the project.

As for the ZR1 electric fans, there were three modifications done to that car that greatly improved it's pleasability and convenience. The ZR1 electric fans were one. The other two were the conversion to the CS130 alternator and the modification of the Holley 850 for good driveability on the street.

Info on all that is at http://www.idavette.net.

 

[SwaveDave]

Hib,

I did upgrade to a 100 amp alternator, and i went with the Speed Demon 850 DP, with mech secs and annular boosters.

I still have the EDL 5062 cam from the BBFH recommendation/writeup. Id like your advice on a Roller Cam that would be even better...heres what i have as an engine : EDL 6045 Oval Port Alum Heads, EDL Air Gap Intake, Comp. Cams Roller Rockers, EDL 5062 Cam and lifters, 850 Speed Demon Carb with 1/4" wood insulator under it, Holley (black model) electric fuel pump, L88 hood with fresh air.

The car is used for hi perf. street use. I dont mind a lope, but i dont want the car 'wiggling' too much at idle !

Whats your recommendation on a roller cam ? And...how much additional power can be picked up by changing out the EDL5062 , with your recommendation ?

Ill contact Vette and tell em i want more BBFH writeups in exchange for your help with this....

Thanks Hib,

Dave

 

[1979toy]

I've got twin Flex-a-lites on my 79 L-48. Gained a bunch of power since I had a stock fan but no clutch. Also gained some overheating from other problems. My fan has failed to cool the engine down after it has heated up in highway driving. After slowing to in town speeds I would have expected the fans to bring the temp. down, hasn't happened. In Flex-a-lites defence other people have reported no problems at all even though they live in hot states also.
The fans come with a thermo switch and an automatic override switch for when you have the A/C on. All mounting brackets are included. I got mine from Summit.
What's a BBFH?

 

[SwaveDave]

Im sorry to hear about your problems with your flexalite fans. I assume you have checked all other possibilities such as : Your lower radiator hose collapsing under higher rpms, radiator is sealed well on sides and top, thermostat is a balanced type , inside of cooling system is very clean, youre running no more than 30% coolant to water if you have a/c and if you dont have a/c youre running straight distilled water with 2 bottles of Water Wetter ??????

You asked :"What is a BBFH" ? (he he ....!) . Its a Big Block From Hell ! (actual terminology, to describe a rebuild of Hibs 1971 BB which he wrote 16 articles about in Vette Magazine. Read the series, its great info and my Vette follows almost all of his upgrades).

Regards,

SaveTheWaveSwaveDave

 

[iwannafly]

electric add on fans

a word to the wise. Don't run aftermarket fans with the nylon/plastic ties through the radiator to mount the fans unless you are prepared to buy a new rad. Trust me. They will eat through the rad tubes and thats the name of that tune.

 

[ccflorida]

After a lot of consideration and input from this post. I have ordered the 90- 96 Vette dual electric fan assembly. I am excited about this conversion from the clutch fan to the electric fans.. I also know there will some problems but hopefully with the help of this forum they will be up and running. I want to thank everyone for their input on this post..

 

[80convertible]

I'll be attending a huge auto show here in Charlotte in 2 weeks. I am very interested in using fans out of a 90-95 vette. Besides the fans themselves, do I just need the thermal relays and switches? If so, how much for those from chevy dealer? Does anyone have the wiring diagram for these fans? Also, what are you using for brackets to mount them?

Regards,

Jim

 

[ccflorida]

Jim ,
Please read Hib Halverson's reply on page one of this post and visit his address. Everything is explained there. I ordered the fans with the shroud and I know there will be some modification to that . Brackets will have to be made and attached to the shroud. Also The alternator will have to be upgraded to a 105 or 140 amps which I am fact finding now.. Jegs offers a Electric Fan relay kit for $60 ... What I am trying to find out is if you have to run both fans to cool or how to kick in the second fan at a certain water temp . I believe two thermostats would be necessary. I have a lot of ground work to do before I start. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated on this project...
Thanks to everyone for all of their advice and support..
Roy

 

[Hib Halverson]

(snip)
The car is used for hi perf. street use. I dont mind a lope, but i dont want the car 'wiggling' too much at idle !

Whats your recommendation on a roller cam ? And...how much additional power can be picked up by changing out the EDL5062 , with your recommendation ?

Well....my "conservative" recomendation is to use the mechanical lifter roller used in the later version of the BBfH engine. It's a Crane and it's covered in BBf6 which is at http://www.idavette.net/hib/bbfh6.htm.

That said, we all need to remember that article was written nearly 10 years ago and camshaft engineering and technology have some quite a ways in a decade. I suspect that Crane, and even other cam mfgs, have more powerful cams available. If I were going to recam the BBfH today, I'd go looking for another mech. roller with more lift but about the same duration.

Ill contact Vette and tell em i want more BBFH writeups in exchange for your help with this....

Thanks Hib,
Dave

Any of you reading this thread who are Big-Block from Hell fans ought to contact Vette Magazine and express your opinion. Last week Vette's Editor, Bob Wallace, indicated to me he was no longer interested in having the series in the magazine. He told me he has received no email or snail-mail about the project as long as he's been Editor of the magazine and that means to him the readership is no longer interested in the project. If your opinion is different than that of Editor Wallace, the only way to let him know is email or, better yet, writing a letter.