I was going to go electric but I have like no room in my 65 falcon only like 2" so i have to stick with mechanical fan .I wondered what is the most effecient of all of them .I hear the flex fans suck by some and others they say good.I also hear the rigid original style pull the most air.I see there is some more extreme looking flex fans and it says pull more air .I do see the point when they say the flex fans are not too good cause it does not make sense to have the blades flatten out cause they will pull less that way . I do have a stock shroud but what is the most effcient of all the mechanical fans
I ALWAYS use a mechanical fan ... by choice. Speedway sells a nice fan ... go here for specs http://www.speedwaymotors.com/HEAVY-DUTY-STEEL-COOLING-FAN,1846.html But I usually just find one off a air conditioned Ford product. The mid 60's Fords have the same fan bolt pattern as my Chevrolets. .
I would say a Big block truck thermal cluth fan....the temp will rise and the clutch will lock and pull air like a mofo
I went from a stock steel fan to a stainless flex fan and after that it was like a tornado under the hood of my car. that sucker moved some air. the blades flatten out at higher speeds/RPM, when the air flow through the radiator is enough to keep things cool. when they are flattened out it takes less horsepower to spin them.
I am concerned on the fact the speedway or stock steel ones are only rated to 6000 rpm .That would suck to have it fly through my bubble glass hood .
Check with a local radiator repair shop. Most have a selection of fans that will pull more air for air conditioning applications. They are available in different diameters, pitch and blade count so finding a match shouldn't be too diffcult. Frank
I will check with radiator shop but then again wouldnt it not be better for anyone to pull the most air you can with air or not?
Flexlite nylon fan speedways pn 359-415,417,418 has it in 15",17",18" best fan ive ever used , will hold up to rpms,and saves the waterpump due to its light weight.This fan will cool unless you have a mechanical problem,have one on a 434 sbc shortfill plugged steamholes 11.5 comp runs 195 tops with walker z 32 rad .They really move the air with there high pitch.
I thought about the nylon they just look like they no blades barely,but i believe you .Any other good words on nylon?
The Nylon FlexALites work great. They are light, strong, and move plenty of air. I will never use another stainless flex fan on anything. I had one sling a blade at about 6500 on an old Road Runner I used to have. It barely missed the lower rad. hose and actually dented the subframe when it cut loose. It would have went right thru the hood or anyone standing around if it had went another direction. I then closely examined a couple of other stainless flex fans I had laying around the garage and found very small cracks in them too. That was 20 years ago and I've never used another one since.
The best mechanical fan that I have used, came from Walker Radiators and is a 17" Stainless flex fan. HemiDeuce.