Page 1 of 1

Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 9:56 am
by shipwrecked
Engine 223 inline 6. Was planning on using the mechanical fan, but now I’m looking into adding a 16” electric fan instead.

My radiator is a Champion aluminum I bought about a year ago. Core size is roughly 26 5/8” wide by 17 3/4” tall

I need to find a reasonable universal fan shroud, or make my own. (I saw a YouTube where a dude used a huge aluminum cooking sheet he got for $8.). eBay and online sources say around 60-80 for a universal shroud. The champion company I bought the radiator from sells a shroud for $150!

Now for the electric part... how does it work by adding the electric fan? Would it be just one speed on all the time the engine is running or should I find a thermostatic switch?

If I could find all this in a junkyard that’d be great cause I really don’t want to be spending a ton of money right now.

What say you?

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 10:26 am
by orangeRcode
I've not done the conversion although I would like to. I would think you could find one that fits at a salvage yard. I would get the t state relay with it and see it that would work. I read about it being done.

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 12:58 pm
by ratrapp
definitely put it on a relay system.i 've found that oem fans cool better than most aftermarket universal ones.you may have to hit the local salvage or pick n pull yards with a tape measure and see what would fit best.my dodge intrepid system on my 88 foxbody cools way better than 3 different aftermarket fans I tried.

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 2:16 pm
by unibody madness
I just finished putting a champion with dual 12" in my LWB w/ 460 bbf in it. I agree with the sensor relay (I will have to get one). However I do not know why you need one, the stock fan should work great if everything is tuned/timed correctly. Just a few notes if you decide on shroud/electric.
Fans should always pull air through rather than push.
You need a shroud that spaces the fans away from the radiator surface to suck air from the entire radiator.
If you can, put a relay in at the fan(s) so you draw directly from the battery thru a fuse same as you head lights

I can tell you that the twin fans directly attached to the radiator on my 460 give it all the cooling it needs, given I have not had it in 100+* weather yet.
At some point if it worries you you can get the hd water pump with the larger diameter shaft and add a larger fan.
John

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 2:43 pm
by unibody madness
By the way HC7103 is the number for the 12" fans if your looking on Ebay

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 3:16 pm
by 64 f100
I'm wondering why you would need anything but a stock fan even without a shroud you should have not problem with cooling. 223 engines were not a hot running engine as a general rule, and with an aluminum radiator you should have no problems.

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 15, 2018, 8:38 pm
by greentruck
Also wondering why you want an electric fan?
I hauled hay and silage on a 62 1 1/2 ton with the same engine engine as yours ,it always ran cool.

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 16, 2018, 12:17 am
by slick4x4
Use the KISS Method...

K.eep I.t S.imple. S.hipwrecked

The stock water pump fan combo works perfect
No need to add a load to the electric system

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 16, 2018, 10:58 am
by Day 2
Although mine is an FE, it still uses the stock fan, never runs hot, but I have an electric backup as well..and have never even turned it on. Stay stock. cuz if you lose electric to the fan, well!!!

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 17, 2018, 9:30 pm
by Toyz
If you have the wide Champion radiator, snatch either a Taurus or Lincoln MK 8 fan assembly and controller. Be aware that while the MK8 is variable, both may use 50 amps when first engaged, so wire accordingly. Also note that the fan should operate anytime the a/c is on, LOL!
Paul

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 17, 2018, 10:32 pm
by bobenhotep
If you have room run a puller fan, and have a thermostatic switch and a relay to run it. Since you have a basic engine with no power accessories or a/c, the fan will pretty much only run when you sit still for a while, or you shut it off and turn it back on. I ran a 14 inch pusher on my truck after I switched to the 300. I would have ran a puller, but I couldn't find one that fit. Later I ran an aluminum radiator for a big block Chevrolet, and then the 14 inch pusher didn't fit anymore either. I have two 11 inch fans now. So, pullers are better than pushers. Relays are a must, along with a thermostatic switch, and you have to make sure the fan switch is set higher than your thermostat, otherwise the fan will never shut off when the engine is running. That's about all I can think of at this time.

Dan

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 24, 2018, 5:30 pm
by Leeroy
I have done shrouded twin puller fans on both my slicks with great results. I ran a single 16" but it wasn't up to it alone. Both these slicks were 351C running in 'hot this week' Australia, so if yours is a 223 the results of a single might be fine. Shrouds for factory setups are long gone for slicks in this part of the world, there is a guy repoping them locally but they were far more expensive to buy than rigging up the fans and relay setup.
A relay/thermostatic switch is a must. They really aren't designed to run continuoiusly at speed and realistically if you are doing more than 15mph, the airflow is doing more than the fans anyway, so keeping it running will actually slow down the airflow once you are moving.

Problem.... Output of the alternator.... in both mods I was running a ford stock style alternator (stock for the engine not slick :lol: ) one was 60amp ext reg and the other was internally regulated. No way were either up to the challenge, not even close. Add to that driving at night with the headlights on maybe the wipers and you could hear the fan slow down as you came to a stop. All this will cost you precious cooling power whilst you are stopped! Those fans will probably pull 25amps to start and settle at 10-15 running. The stock alternator probably isn't putting out much more than that at idle but you will already be taxing that simply by running plus 50 year old wiring.
Its only my :2cents: but if you are going to go an electric fan route you really must do a 3G alternator upgrade also, which is easy as falling off a log btw I have written it on the site a few times. If you do theres a host of other comforts you can install like... a radio! or halogen headlights! and even a/c if you dare!

Re: Swapping mechanical fan for electric

Posted: January 24, 2018, 6:27 pm
by shipwrecked
I’m going to stick with the mech fan for now, but wanted a bit of info to potentially have options.


Leeroy, yes I would like a radio! AC is roll down the window. No need to add it to this truck.

Been a busy week for me here and company staying in town a few days. Have t had any time to look at this or the truck.. :cussing: