help buying electric fans for 86 350 tbi

[cleansquare]

Hi all my dad was wanting some efans for his 86. 350 engine. What is everyone running for these trucks and is there a kit thatb includes relays and wiring? Thanks! Oh and its tbi if that matters
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[Shyguy]

Summit and Jegs has kits. Many people go to junk yards and get electric fans from vehicles with them at a real good price and buy controllers.

[nosfed2]

You may have to upgrade your alternator. Depends on the fan or fans but i know my stock alternator can barely handle the blower on high with the brights on...lol...If i was going to do efans i would get a Taurus or Mark Viii/Thunderbird Lx fan and order a controller from DCControllers...thats just me...good luck

[piecesparts]

Yes I would consider an upgrade on your alternator, I put a unit from Tuff Stuff on my trucks to get the 140 amp capability and the 80 amp support at an idle, where most alternators only carry 35 amps at idle.

I am running a set of dual 11" electric fans from SPAL on my 84 truck and I am using a fan controller that lets me adjust the turn on and off points. A person can do it cheap, but it is your truck and you want it to work without a lot of down time, so spend the right dough the first time and don't worry about it later. I also had the same fans set on my 91 Silverado and it worked fine until I sold it. The SPAL fans come iwth their own shroud, so all you have to do is make the mounting brackets for hoding the shroud up to the radiator. I made mine from mill stock aluminum straps from the hardware store in my area. The electric fans took some drag off of the enigne and the upgrade in the alternaotr put a little back, but I realized a small mileage gain in the daily driving of the truck, with the fans. The enigne warmed up easier in the winter and the cooling worked even when the truck was sitting at a stop, where a mechanical fan would slow down due to the engine not turning as fast. YOu can buy the fans in Summit Racing under the Be Cool fan line. OR you can go to the junkyard and build what you want from a reclaimed fan setup.


http://www.centechwire.com/Fan-Controllers_c10.htm Check this site out for fan controllers.

[silvereagle07]

Here's a picture of one that member UAThahoe posted a few weeks ago. I think it turned out nice. You can get it online at Advance Auto for around $215 shipped. Part number is 536288 and apply coupon code DOW12 for $50 off. You will have to get a seperate controller but Hayden and Spal make a universal kit.

[UATahoe]

Was actually getting ready to post this up. LOL. I will be using the painless wiring 30115 electric fan relay kit to control it.

[cleansquare]

Originally Posted by UATahoe

Was actually getting ready to post this up. LOL. I will be using the painless wiring 30115 electric fan relay kit to control it.

this wiring kit...it will allow you to work any efan setup on your truck? ie is t universal? Trying to see if this kit would allow me to wire up my e fans I bought from an 04 rendzevous that a buddy also put in his 85. they fit great

[J_PEPIN87]

I run dual fans off a v6 3.8 impala with a home made relay control, with a manual switch instead of thermometer. And thats enough to cool the 468 in my truck.

[str8axle55]

A Volvo S80 99 and up, or V70 01 and up is a pretty nice set up with a shroud, close to size of stock rad. My buddy has one inhis K5, and I think I might put one in my K30, as I have several.

[piecesparts]

Spal 11" fans in a 91 silverado and also in an 84 GMC.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I just picked up a Ford Windstar dual fan setup. Apparently alot of guys on CK5 use them, they flow alot of air (4400 CFM). Unfortunately your TBI ECM (1227747) does not support electric fan control. You can use a thermo fan switch for an 86 Camaro 2.8L (Part # TS82), its fairly inexpensive and 3/8 NPT, to control the fans.

[cleansquare]

Thanks for all the input guys I really appreciate it

[cleansquare]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Buick-R...d10a68&vxp=mtr


would these work for his truck?

[cleansquare]

also, can anyone recommend a beefy alternator for this application? Nothing too spendy!

[UATahoe]

The relay kit is universal. Should work with any fan setup.
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[cleansquare]

ended up buying this kit
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hda-3651

[BamaDave]

Resurrecting the dead......do electric fans actually free up a lot of HP?

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by BamaDave

Resurrecting the dead......do electric fans actually free up a lot of HP?

The drag from a stock belt driven fan has been related to approximately 20 HP, so yes removing that fan can free up the engine to do better things. I realized a good solid 1 MPG gain on my 91 daily driver, when I got rid of the fan and went to electric. That may not sound like much, but on a brick, that is quite a bit.

[rich weyand]

Originally Posted by BamaDave

Resurrecting the dead......do electric fans actually free up a lot of HP?

1) It frees up horsepower, although it takes a bigger alternator. You can just get a 12SI to replace the 10SI alternator. 12SI go up to 94 Amps stock and a couple hundred amps aftermarket.

2) You don't need a fan at speed anyway, because the ram air is going faster than the fan can move air.

3) I couldn't maintain a decent operational temperature in the coldest part of the winter. Even when the thermostat is closed, it leaks some fluid past. Result: when it is coldest out, little heat in the cab. Sucks.

So I put in an electric fan (just blowing through from the front, not shrouded from the rear), and I block off the ram air in the winter. (Note: 350s run cold, 454s run hot. I wouldn't recommend this for a BBC.)

Here's the write-up (on another forum; let's see if this links ). Scroll down to see the pic of my grill cover.
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/g...tall-pics.html

And the alternator upgrade.
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/forum/g...e-55a-94a.html

[hatzie]

An additional 1mpg when the vehicle gets 18mpg is a 5.4% gain. That's more than a small improvement.
An additional 20HP on an engine that's rated for 145-165HP is 11.5% - 10.3%. Again nothing to sneeze at.

The LT1 engine Impala and Caprice B-Bodies used electric fans.

[piecesparts]

It is still on the road and the fan install is over 5 years old.

[hatzie]

The T400 chassis CS130 or CS144 conversion is an option for higher than 94A... if you need it.
A custom 12SI can't be sourced at just any parts house when it fails... the stock amperage CS series can.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I swapped a CS144 from a 93 Fleetwood onto my 86 when it had the TPI 305. Used the mount spacer from the stock alt and swapped the pulley over, Upgraded the main charge wire to 8AWG and swapped the plug as well. Not quite plug and play but close.

[piecesparts]

Hint: The place that you will need a larger alternator is not at highway speeds, but sitting at a stoplight with the fans running, the A/C on and if you are up to date an upgraded stereo playing. That means what you need is an alternator that carries more load at the idle speed and not at highway speeds. I went to the company "TUFFSTUFF" and they carry such an alternator. Good people and prices that are not to bad. I have used more than one of their alternators and they last.