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Radiator Fan's Kill Power?

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Saw that video.....it was pretty crazy the numbers that the types of fans draw from peak horsepower!
 
All fans kill power. Either mechanical with the amount drag on the water-pump belt. Or, electrical...with the load on the alternator. It's all parasitic loss.
 
Yea but this was HUGE! Like 30hp or something from a solid steel non clutch fan! I mean I always figured 10-15hp but 30 is a crazy number on the dyno. That's like a cam swap difference! :wtf: The electric was the least at only a few HP, then the flex fans were pretty bad, but that solid steel non clutch fan was HORRIBLE!
 
Yep, the old solid steel fans can suck up a considerable amount of power especially at high RPMs. Way back when engines ran at much lower RPM it didn't make that much difference but when the factories started producing higher revving, high HP engines the engineers went to clutch fans to reduce parasitic power loss. Fan clutches were a pretty ingenious invention if you think about how simple and effective they are. I had an old mechanic friend tell me to always replace a fan clutch and water pump together because if one is bad the other is probably on it's way out too.
 
Sorry Guys didn't know you had to log in, Anyway 30 Horse power lost, and almost 19 on the torque Side, Electric fans are a Good option !!

For a track car, definitely yes. On a street car..... I've had trouble with electrics. I ran a puller. I ran a pusher. I ran two small pullers. I ran a big puller + 2 small pushers. All overheated in traffic.
 
For a track car, definitely yes. On a street car..... I've had trouble with electrics. I ran a puller. I ran a pusher. I ran two small pullers. I ran a big puller + 2 small pushers. All overheated in traffic.
Wow bummer, i live in the desert and mine runs at 190 degrees ! also most new cars today use Electric fans, maybe its the fan your using? idk
 
Wow bummer, i live in the desert and mine runs at 190 degrees ! also most new cars today use Electric fans, maybe its the fan your using? idk

Could be.... but with a big puller and two pushers and STILL hot... I just gave up and took the horsepower loss. My theory is that I didn't have a complete-coverage fan shroud on the pullers, so I didn't get air through the entire radiator. That's when I put two small pushers in addition to the big puller.... and now that I think of it, that actually cured my overheating in traffic BUT the two pushers blocked too much of the front of the radiator and made me overheat while driving. 3.91's and no overdrive didn't help that any. I was running water-only too! (+ Water Wetter).

With the stock mechanical, 4-row Champion & modified shroud I'm back to running 50/50 & put the thermostat back in & have had no problems yet (we'll see in Summer).
 
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