Electric fan conversion

[BamaDrewski]

I have tried the flex-a-lite 675 and it is CRAP!!! I installed the first one, brand new from Amazon.com and it ran for about 4 weeks. While I was having the tires balanced, the mechanic noticed the temp was hot. Looked under the hood and the cheap fan had cracked and shredded into pieces and bent the fins on the radiator. Amazon sent a replacement and it was JUST AS BAD!!! I went back to the stock fan until I can find a better setup. SPAL makes good fans and I think they might be a better alternative. If you want to save your four runner, stay away from FLEX-A-LITE. If they fail, the pressures in your AC system rise and you risk a great deal of damage resulting in big $$$$! Not to mention your engine overheating........

 

[ramrod]

I've done this to 3 different vehicles and spent no more than $100 on each one. Go to Jegs online to get the fan. Just search for "electric fan" and you can easily find one for around $80 with free shipping. Then go to your local Auto Zone or Auto Zone online and search for "electric fan thermostat." They have a couple of options from Compressor Works. I have always used part # 733653 because it is an adjustable thermostat and is about $20. It couldn't be easier to wire as well. Power wire to relay, power wire to fan. Ground wires of course and then the thermostat probe which is probably the most difficult part. I simply push them through the radiator, between the fins where the coolant enters the radiator. Yes the thermostat probe will bend the fins a little but if you're not an idiot you won't permanently damage your radiator. Once everything is zip-tied and pretty I just let the engine idle until it reaches normal operating temp then slowly turn the manual thermostat control on the relay down until the fan kicks on. Of course this takes some trial and error to get it right where you want it but its easy as pie. 2 of the installs have lasted over 4 years and the other is going on 3 years without a hitch. After doing this to my Tahoe I got 4 extra MPG freeway and about 2 extra just doing stop & go to work. Don't spend hundreds of dollars for something that should cost you $100 and a Saturday afternoon

 

[Gerdo]

Looks like you need a fan that moves ~2500cfm.

 

[ryankmasuda]

I am researching an electric fan conversion into my 3rd gen, I am aware of the taurus fan one, but I am looking for a fan that will fit directly into the hole that the stock fan sits in.

Anyone do this? I feel with using the whole opening, it will cool more efficiently, and be a bit easier to install?

Does anyone know how big that opening is, or a fan that will fit in there?

I measured the opening once. It's either 19" or 22"

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

worst mod i have ever done i ended up going back to stock. not worth the trouble i went through at all.

 

[ddach]

Jegs electric fans

Any of you familiar with Jegs brand electric fans, like this one or this one?
They also have a mounting kit for those here.

OR, they have a universal mounting bracket, if I were to go with a single, large fan.

I already know about the flex-a-lite dual fan 675 & 680, but have read too many gripes about quality & failure.

Thanks guys!

 

[RockstarCondoms]

The fan switch is triggered by temperature, its a simple open closed switch, that I used to activate a pair of relays. SC switch should also be run to trigger the relay, just make sure you either use separate relays or diode isolate the signals from each other. I actually have to hook my sc up again,as the original set up I used with the Toyota switch didn't work, and when I switched to the Honda part I needed to re-wire and never did. I'll see if i can get a better pic of the current switch and wiring when I clean up the truck this weekend.

How did you make out with the Flex-a-lite 675 Dual Electric Fan? I want to upgrade my old fan with a more efficient electric one now that it's getting hot outside, but I do not want to down grade in performance or quality. I read that one guy's experience to STAY FAR FAR AWAY from the Flex-a-lite 675. Thanks in advance.

 

[ddach]

How did you make out with the Flex-a-lite 675 Dual Electric Fan? I want to upgrade my old fan with a more efficient electric one now that it's getting hot outside, but I do not want to down grade in performance or quality. I read that one guy's experience to STAY FAR FAR AWAY from the Flex-a-lite 675. Thanks in advance.

I ended up just installing a new fan & clutch.

 

[Stick Figure]

How did you make out with the Flex-a-lite 675 Dual Electric Fan? I want to upgrade my old fan with a more efficient electric one now that it's getting hot outside, but I do not want to down grade in performance or quality. I read that one guy's experience to STAY FAR FAR AWAY from the Flex-a-lite 675. Thanks in advance.

I never had or recommended Flex-a-lite fans. I have told everyone to run SPAL if they want to do the conversion. I still haven't had an issue with the perma cools either though.

 

[twitchee2]

im gonna save everyone the trouble. stick to the fan/clutch. its not worth the time and effort. I have sense ripped out my e fan and im back to stock.

 

[tyr0981]

im gonna save everyone the trouble. stick to the fan/clutch. its not worth the time and effort. I have sense ripped out my e fan and im back to stock.

i'd love to stay OEM, today is my first time of "getting warm" when bogging through ~1-2 ft of soaking wet snow... doing 1/3 ~ 1 mph in 4lo with snow flying everywhere, she got abou 3/4 up in the temp gauge.... is that normal? i stopped and let her cool down and everything was normal, but that doesn't seam "normal" too me.....

:sadwave:

 

[98OzarksRunner]

i'd love to stay OEM, today is my first time of "getting warm" when bogging through ~1-2 ft of soaking wet snow... doing 1/3 ~ 1 mph in 4lo with snow flying everywhere, she got abou 3/4 up in the temp gauge.... is that normal? i stopped and let her cool down and everything was normal, but that doesn't seam "normal" too me.....

:sadwave:

No that is probably not normal, but you probably were running it pretty hard. You might have other problems in the cooling system or your fan is bad. It's possible you packed your radiator or fan with snow!

I used the Taurus fan in my 65 Mustang and it works great (same motor as the Mark VIII). It will suck in small children if they stand too close. It kept my 550HP 4.6L motor cool in 100+ weather, sitting in traffic, just fine. They are great.

However, the reason to use an electric fan is airflow while moving slowly or sitting in traffic. There might be some power to be gained by an electric fan, but the Taurus/Mark VIII fan pulls 30 amps or more running and that will eat up any power gains you might get from it. And a clutched fan will not eat power at highway speed when it's not needed.

Having said all that, I've never seen my temp go much over 200 deg on any of my 4Runners, even wheeling in 4-low. I am surprised at how well the stock system cools even at low speeds. If there was a need for more cooling I definitely would have installed one already (though the Taurus/Mark VIII fan is overkill for these little motors) but I think you'd just be wasting money and time (spend it on other goodies). The power gains would be negligable, if any, and if you're having cooling problems you probably have a bad stock fan, a clogged radiator, a bad thermostat or some other problem.

 

[pdx650]

I thought, all along, that the thermostat regulated the coolant temperature, not the fan. Note the sarcasm.

 

[tyr0981]

well, my radiator was failing! replaced it and all "appears" well.... Dual core all the way baby!

 

[Kenjan]

Running a fan off a 335i bmw turbo
No probs n fans only kick on for 20sec

And only when I come off the high to a light

I can sit in the driveway at idle n it may come on once in 10-15min