Adding electric fans to an antique car

I don't. But by the same token, don't think that older is necessarily better. Remember that American corporations have held back on innovation simply to give the shareholders that extra 3/100ths of a cent per share dividend.

 

Puller fans are able to draw more air through a radiator. Pusher fans tend to be primarily used for condenser fans, at least when dealing with factory setups.

 

Based on what physics, exactly? Airplanes have been built in both puller and pusher arrangements. Again, the radiator neither known nor cares which side the fan is on. Factory designs are governed mainly by lowest possible assembly cost, which includes considerations on the labor required to assemble as well as the parts count.

 

Something else you can try is Evans coolant. It is much more efficient, and can not boil over. There is a little prep work, and it is expensive, but it has some distinct advantages. The liquid never boils on the cylinder walls, and therefore conducts heat better. It is also non electrolytic, and your assortment of metals in the coolant system will not affect each other. When installed properly, it is forever coolant.

 

All this discussion about fans. Fans won't cool a motor or radiator if the system is not up to par. Has radiator and engine been flushed properly? This is more critical with .060" bore.

 

Hello,

I own and have owned a number of vehicles, including several from the 1960's. I have done plenty of electric fan conversions of many different types, and aftermarket AC on all of my 1960's cars.

Puller is more efficient than pusher, because causing a vacuum behind the core causes air to move only toward the vacuum source. With a pusher, the air being forced in can take any path it wants, including directly up the core.

I have pusher fans for my condenser on my pickup, and I can feel a lot of air coming straight up out of the core, and straight down out of the core. Once you are dealing with more than one heat exchanger parallel to each other, the problem gets even worse, because the forced air will strike the next core, and having lost velocity, will being to bypass the next core entirely.

Where electric fans are concerned, you're going to have to do a lot of work. Your battery, alternator, and wiring must be up to the task. You should have at least a 130 amp alternator, an appropriate fan controller, and appropriate wiring.

The best ticket I did for my classic Fords was to use Ford two-speed electric fans, Volvo 2-speed fan controllers/relays, and BMW two-speed temp switch, combined with 3G alternator.

Honestly, you can't beat a good mechanical fan swinging a good 9-11 blade fan on a thermal clutch. Electrical draw is zero, and cooling is going to be as good as it gets. In my Caprice, I decided to forgo electric fans, and upgraded to the latest GM 11-blade fan, along with a heavy duty thermal fan clutch. It blows a hurricane. When moving at slow speeds, you can see the air clearing the ground of dust.

Engine drag is a non-issue. Thermal viscous fan clutches will slip under acceleration, and disengage completely when not needed.

I have an R12 AC system, and at no time does the system want for any more airflow than it gets. I've monitored pressures under all conditions, and the head pressure never runs away. Temps are always very cold.

Adding a low-draw electric fan to the front of your condenser (rigged correctly with a relay, fuse, etc) that turns on when your compressor clutch engages is not a bad idea at all, and a good compliment to a mechanical fan driven by thermal clutch. When the mechanical fan is idle due to the engine being cool, the electric fan will push a thermal "signal" to the fan clutch via the hot air it is pushing, causing the fan clutch to engage and further cool your condenser.

By improving your engine driven fan, and adding a reasonable low-draw electric fan to your condenser, your engine, AC, and charging system will all be happy. As will your wallet.

 

Now, you all see, that is knowledge and experience. A set of fans, controller and cooling temp switch. Plus, upgrades to the electricals, and ensuring the base cooling system is doing its part.

 

TY.

Here's a pic of the fan blade I am running now:



This is a pic of my old steel fan blade, and another GM 11-blade fan.



The black plastic fan is a quieter high-capacity fan, and the white plastic one in the first picture is a take-no-prisoners HD cooling fan. Both fit the same fan clutch bolt pattern that GM has been using for decades. Pair that up with a Hayden Heavy Duty fan clutch (90% engine speed when engaged), and you'll not have to want for cooling ability.

At hot idle, I can feel the air being pulled past my legs with jeans on.

 

Wait, I forgot that you are still going to be running a standard rotation arrangement. You'll not be able to use these modern reverse rotation fans.

 

Actually, if you transfer over the accessory drive system, yes you can. An ABC with serpentine setup would be perfect for an older non-fully-original Chevrolet car, as all the mounting points are standardized from the 265 CID on up. There are other examples also (I've thought of using an Explorer serpentine setup from the 5.0 on a 5.0 or 5.8L engine, such as what's in my Ranchero.

 

Yes, but isn't he running a Poncho 455?

 

That's true. I made my statement in general terms. So for his rig, I would ask, "is the water pump new or recent? Does the radiator have scale to be rodded out? When was the coolant last serviced and the thermostat last replaced?" If the answers are all satisfactory, then an electric fan setup would be the bee's knees.