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fourgivn1
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
11:20:08
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 Subject: fans
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I keep hearing that if I switch to an electric fan, I will 'free up' some horsepower/MPG. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
11:42:28
|  RE: fans
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Your radiator fan is attached to a clutch unit that allows the fan to spin freely when it is not needed for extreme cooling. Any vehicle travelling faster than 35 mph with an unobstructed radiator in the front doesn't need any form of a radiator fan. When you get stuck in heavy traffic and it's really hot outside, the clutch locks up the radiator fan and it makes a huge roar and "soaks up" LOTS of horsepower. It's turning at the same speed as the engine at that point. Even when the clutch is not engaged, it is still a heavy weight that the engine must use power to turn. If you remove this clutch/fan assembly, the engine will not have to use that 10-15 hp to turn the heavy assembly any more. Therefore you have just gained (or taken back) 10 horsepower that was being elsewhere. Niiiiice.
So how do you keep air flowing thru the radiator when idling in heavy traffic? You buy an electric radiator fan. The newest Dakotas already have one of each kind. The electric fan from the factory is controlled by the A/C compressor. When the compressor cycles on (with the A/C in summer or with the defroster in winter), the factory electric fan kicks in to supplement the clutch fan. But if you have a 1998 or older truck, you will need to buy an electric radiator fan. They mount directly to the radiator shell, they are wired directly to the battery and they use NO horspower to function. It's a worthwhile modification, but that depends on where you live. I had an electric fan on my old 92 V-6 and here in Atlanta, sometimes it just wasn't enough for summer heat. I have got a new way home from my new job that doesn't require so much heavy traffic, so I might eventually do this mod on my 2000 V-8.
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RizeAbuv
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
11:48:45
| RE: fans
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How does the clutch on the clutch fan know when to engage?
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fourgivn1
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
12:04:21
| RE: fans
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Well, mine is a V6, and it's a 2002, and I live in Va. Beach. So if I understand you correctly I should not need to buy an electric fan? Or do I need to buy a better one than what the Dakota already has? I won't say the V6 sucks at HP, but I will take whatever I can get.
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Bryan
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
12:59:10
| RE: fans
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If you look close at the fan, you will see what looks like cooling fins. These fins pick up heat from the radiator and will cause A bi-metal strip ( like A thermostat ) to lock in the fan. after engine cools off, cooler air will flow through the radiator,accross the fins of the fan,causing the bi-metal strip to release the fan.
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Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
13:03:32
| RE: fans
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If you look at the front of the clutch fan, there is a circular "spring". When this is heated it moves-when it moves it causes orfices to line up which oil travels thru. Causing the fan to lock up. This is the best way I can explain it-anyone feel free to add or correct me. I hope it helps.
I've removed my "clutch fan" on my '00 Dakota and have had no problems with overheating.
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ALEX
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
14:14:16
| RE: fans
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I am hearing more & more tales of having "no problems" with just leaving the stock electrical fan in place and removing the clutch fan. The V-6 will "wake up" a good bit by removing that clutch fan. The engine can wind up into the power band a bit quicker.
The water pump pulley may be different on the V-6's but the 4.7 pulley uses the nut that holds the fan unit on to also keep the pulley on. If you remove the fan, the pulley has no way to attach. That's on the 4.7's I've heard.
Personally I'd rewire the factory electric fan so that I had control of the ON/OFF from inside the cab, rather than counting on the thermostat telling the fan to come on. That's what gave me so much trouble on my old V-6. The fan waited too late to come on and the engine would get to 210 degrees before you could blink. Then when the fan came on, it would run too long and then blow the fuse. Then I would have to pull over and change the fuse. But Atlanta traffic sucks. Don't let me freak you out over electrical stuff. I'd give it a shot, there in Va Beach. But don't throw the old fan away. You can just put it back on if it ever becomes necessary.
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fourgivn1
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
14:19:29
| RE: fans
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Ok, yet ANOTHER question. (This should be my last one.) Any suggestions as to where I can find instructions or a sort of 'assist' picture(s)? I'm no idiot, but I like to know EVERYTHING before I get started.
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
14:51:26
| RE: fans
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Jon Smith in Raleigh NC has a website www.fast4x4.net that has plenty of how-to's. Lots of pictures and power reccommendations. He also answers almost alll of his e-mails and can really talk you through almost anything. He just installed a Black Magic 150 on his 1995 truck and has pictures up and everything. I had a friend help me with wiring last time cuz I don't like electrical crap. But Jon's pretty much the guy I would ask.
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Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
15:20:23
| RE: fans
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ALEX-The water pump pulley is pressed on. Removing the fan won't hurt anything.
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
15:25:51
| RE: fans
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Huh. How bout that. I thought I had read on this board about a year ago that the pully was held on by that big-ast 1" nut. So when you loosen that nut, is it a left-hand thread or anything? When it comes off the pulley is still just there & fully functional, right?
Did you modify the wiring on the elctrical fan?
Where do you live?
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Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
15:36:20
| RE: fans
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alex-I live in New York. I didn't modify anything else. It's really easy to take off, just loosen it like any other nut. No worries on the pulley.
In the summer my temps rise up to 210 (at a stop light) my electric fan kicks on and the temp drops nicely. Driving around the temp remains constant 190-200, somewhere around there.
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
16:35:04
| RE: fans
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Cool. Literally. Hee.
Thansk for your input. I really haven't pursued that mod any further because of how I thought the clutch was mounted. I may even take it off for race day and put it back on during the week. Hmmmmm.... a world of opportunity.....
Thanks.
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Mike
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
17:12:22
| RE: fans
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Yep!!!!
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YA
Dodge Dakota
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1/21/2002
23:07:55
| RE: fans
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I use the Spal dual 11" set up on my 95.
This is the same fan that BeCool uses on an aluminum radiator they rate to cool 1000hp.
IT WORKS!
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4wDakota
GenIII
1/22/2002
09:45:22
| RE: fans
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Whats the part # on the Spal. Do you have some dimensions or a website? What did it cost you?
Thanks,
Corey
98 CC 4x4, 5.2 Auto 3.55LSD
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YA
Dodge Dakota
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1/22/2002
13:10:38
| RE: fans
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Here is the specs. for the fan from the company I bought it from. They had the best price and in stock.
http://www.carolinarodshop.com/11dual.htm
If you Yahoo here is a pic of it on my truck.
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Gen2Dakota/lst
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4wDakota
GenIII
1/22/2002
16:48:47
| RE: fans
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The black magic 150 fan pulls 2800 cfm vs 2780 for the dual and it pulls less than 14amps vs 25 for the spal. I'll probably stick with the black magic by flex-a-lite.
Thanks for the info
Corey
98 CC 4x4, 5.2 Auto 3.55LSD
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YA
Dodge Dakota
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1/22/2002
18:05:21
| RE: fans
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The black magic fan is a much easier install also.
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