I'm going to be running a mild 302 behind a champion 850 hp rated 3 core radiator in a 33 ford grill. I have room above my water pump pulley for a 14" puller but that leaves the bottom third of my radiator open. Option 2 is the pusher fan that I read blocks so much air, but I can fit the 2' larger fan up front. Can somebody tell me which would be better and how many CFM I need? There will be no hood or fenders. And if all you can say is get a shroud or run a mechanical fan, I've read that already. Thanks
A 14" puller should do the job, get a Spal Fan or Spal type fan. I used to run two 11" spal type fans on my pickup truck, one on a toggle and the other on a T stat. I only used the toggle fan when I was pulling a load and my 400+ HP motor never ran above 195. Anyway a 14" spal fan puller not pusher should cool you just fine. If you go to Summitracing.com you can ask a tech what you need CFM wise. I used to be able to find chart but I haven't got it handy today. Sorry.
i'd go with the puller too and i'd also make sure it was a Spal on my `30 coupe project i had room for a 16" puller. it's a low profile and it's motor is just above the water pump pulley get the biggest CFM that will fit , i believe spal has the dimensions on their website?
Were it my choice to make, I'd choose the 14" puller for the very reason you cited. The pushers block a fair amount of the core area. Ray
Where does high amps on a Spal come from? I've never had a problem using one. Spals will flat out blow your hat off. They don't use them on Ferrari's for nothing.
you got to use amps to get something done! i use a relay and a separate circuit breaker with HEAVY gauge wire to get the most power to the fan i think other manufacturers lie about the performance and amp draw , Spal does not in my opinion if you have an alternator you should be fine do not use a Zirco pos
post pics of your set up - thought about a short water pump (speedwaymotors.com, etc)? - why opposed to running a shroud? lots of extra turbulence around an open motor that does not direct air through radiator - what pressure rad cap planning to use, what coolant mix, what type of fan temp sensor, etc? 2500 cfm should work.
I'm running a serpentine belt so no shorty pump unless ford racing$$$ has one. The rad came with a cap, not sure what pressure it is yet. The highest CFM a 14" spal fan has is 1850. And I can't imagine an ugly shroud covering up that beautiful radiator. At least not until I've tried it without one.
1996 Ford Taurus fan. HAMB tested. HAMB apprroved. Brah, it'll suck the bumper off the car in front of you. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford-taurus-cooling-fan-wow.486504/
You should be fine with the 14 puller. I have a 16 puller on a champion cooling a 350 under a hood. No fan it gets hot pretty quick, 100 degrees outside and it sits a 185 no problem even at idle.
Puller fan, always. Make a shroud so it will pull from the entire surface. I agree on the Taurus fan.
I dont see a point in a shroud for a radiator with an electric fan. It has its own shroud so to speak and is still only going to pull through the fans shroud. edit. I guess if the fan was mounted to the shroud itself rather than the radiator....so yea....but still, if it works without the shroud thats just extra work for nothing.
I don't run a mechanical engine fan and rely entirely on a 14" Spal pusher (1600cfm?) fan hidden behind grill. Works for me and still going strong after 15yrs with no issues whatsoever and it gets damn hot down here where I live. Car sits on 180 all day long with a 180 degree thermostat (?) with temperature only climbing in heavy stop start traffic. It does fluctuate slightly depending on other variables. I only run run a stock 5l with headers and a 700R, nothing flash at all. I run the transmission cooler lines through bottom of radiator and also through a separate cooler as well. If running a puller fan I'd use a shroud, all the manufacturers do so why not take advantage of their R&D.
Not to my knowledge,it is well know I am not a fan,excuse the pun,of electric fans. I ran a Spal electric fan on my 1939 Ford convertible and due to it's failure my new engine was damaged and I was 400 miles from home,I came to the conclusion I would never use a electric fan again. I dislike being at a show or cruise in and having a car pull in and the driver gets out and walks away but their electric fan continues to run for the next thirty minutes,only thing I can think of is the wiring is improperly installed. I understand some builds lack room for a mechanical fan or the electric fan is a personal choice,I just figured I would go on record as to why I dislike them.HRP
Man I knew the traditional police would get me sooner or later! I got away with like three posts before they did though ha ha
HRP - That's the electric thermostat keeping it running. if you wire your fan to run through the thermocouple in the radiator rather than off a switch, it will keep the fan running until the temp comes down to a point where the thermocouple cuts the electricity. for what it's worth, I like mechanical too. And I like to get rid of those thermocouples....
A note on that oversize radiator - bigger isn't always better. For what it's worth, if you put a heater in that thing and ever drive it in the cold you're going to have a hell of a time trying to warm up the cabin. Mike
Add Volvo to the list. And yes, i would like to recommend a puller as well. i will be using one myself WITH a relay. Spal makes a kit for that too.
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