Flex-a-lite Cooling Fan

AZ-Z71 · July 8, 2004

Wonder if anyone is using this? I've been sitting on the fence with this for a while. I see claims of 17 hp and 20 ft lbs of torque increase by ditching your old fan. Out here in the high heat of AZ, I'm still having a little problem with the 3" body lift and letting the truck idle for over five minutes in a drive through. I managed to make one plate for the top of the shroud but I haven't up graded my thinner one at the bottom yet. Making the top one stiffer seems to have helped a little but not sure if doing the bottom is going to totally cure the problem.

If you are running the dual electric fan, do you still leave the fan pulley in and remove the clutch and blades?

I'm just concerned over reliability, electric verses belt driven.

Also who has them and for how much? Seen an ad in Stylin Concepts that says from $299.95.

Just called - $449.95 - dual electric 15" blades.

az'03Silverado · July 9, 2004

I'm not sure about the Flex-a-lite brand but electric fans are plenty reliable. Any FWD car will have one. My parents have a '98 Buick Regal and for a small car it has a huge radiator w/ dual electric fans. 160,000 miles never failed, never overheated. What's more, it will keep your a/c running cooler when you're sitting idle because there's a strong, constant draw through the radiator/ac unit. I've noticed on my '03 Silverado that at stoplights and drive-thrus the a/c gets slightly less-cool in these hot AZ months. I heard that GM will be using electric fans in '05 or '06 on the trucks.

About the pulley. I'm pretty sure (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) that you remove the fan and clutch and bolt the pulley to the water pump then install the electric fans, wire them in, and go.

Good luck. Let us know if it works (if you decide to go with the electric fans)

snoman · July 9, 2004

Wonder if anyone is using this? I've been sitting on the fence with this for a while. I see claims of 17 hp and 20 ft lbs of torque increase by ditching your old fan. Out here in the high heat of AZ, I'm still having a little problem with the 3" body lift and letting the truck idle for over five minutes in a drive through. I managed to make one plate for the top of the shroud but I haven't up graded my thinner one at the bottom yet. Making the top one stiffer seems to have helped a little but not sure if doing the bottom is going to totally cure the problem.

If you are running the dual electric fan, do you still leave the fan pulley in and remove the clutch and blades?

I'm just concerned over reliability, electric verses belt driven.

Also who has them and for how much? Seen an ad in Stylin Concepts that says from $299.95.

Just called - $449.95 - dual electric 15" blades.

I think those number are way off. I can see 5 to maybe 10 hp on a big fan but it would cooling truck at 120 degrees if it drew that much power and air. There are different clutchs and fan assemblies for GM trucks. My 2000 K3500 has a 10 bladed clutch fan. It is not overly loud and the engine temp never rises even in traffic in 90 plus temps with A/C working with high humidities too. My A/C never warms up in traffic either. I am a fan of big engine driven fans on trucks in hot cilmates. You could install a more aggressive clutch fan too.

az'03Silverado · July 9, 2004

Is the main problem the body lift? So the engine-driven fan doesn't line up properly with the stock fan-shroud? If that's the case, it probably would be easier to go to an electric fan than to keep fabricating ducting to match the new position of the fan. IMHO. I'm not an expert though. I could be wrong. Is the truck getting real hot or just slightly warmer than usual?

Blue-2001-Z71 · July 9, 2004

I had a single 16" electric fan on my Coupe DeVille 350 and never had a problem with the temp getting too high. Our '98 STS has a huge radiator with a twin-fan setup similar to the above and it is so constant that you'd think th temp gauge was fixed in one position. I too intend to get the fan package, even though my mechanical one only becomnes an issue idling the A/C in traffic on hot days. Never overheats, just makes quite a racket as I take off.

AZ-Z71 · July 9, 2004

Yeah some days mine is pretty loud when taking off, you can even feel the loss of power. (or maybe it is in my head)

Az'03 - your correct about the fan position. I spoke to P.A. before and they know there is a problem with their body lift and the cooling fan. To most people that is not a concern since they don't get the temps we get here. P.A. has fabricated these same "plates" to reduce if not eliminate the over heating, and have just begun testing in the new body styles, 2003 and up. My bottom plate is a little thin and so it flexes a little. I might try beefing that up first before going to the fans but i have my doubts that it will work.

With the body lift, the radiator, ac cooler, and oil cooler all raised 3" as well. The tranny cooler remained at the same location. The fan shround in the back also remaind at the same location as of course the fan. You wouldn't think that by changing the radiator position by three inches would really effect performance with a big fan sucking air. At most times throughout the year everything runs fine. When the temp hits 90-95 that is when I'll see the temp spike on the guage at drive thru's. The temp has never made it to the red line, but gets pretty darn close. While sitting at the drive thru it will do a jump up to 220, sit there a little and a then edge to 240. Once you get moving again it takes a few seconds to come back down. Yes there is also a noticable difference with the ac. The fan just doesn't pull enough air to cool things down.

Sno- I never thought of using a bigger fan and clutch. Something I can take a look at but I'm thinking for the cost of that it will be pretty close to the cost of the electric.

derek77 · July 9, 2004

One way of looking at the power increase, in all reality, is to say it DOESN'T give you any increase in hp or torque at all. Electric fans just don't use any hp or torque to turn it over as a mechanical fan does. I would say it doesn't use about 10 to 15 hp over a mechanical fan. You can feel a differance.

*EDIT* I put some AutoZone electric fans on my 450 hp, 383, 12sec hot rod and don't have any trouble cooling it. I can't imagine you have trouble. I've had them for maybe 5 years or so.*EDIT*

The Escalade will have electric fans for the '05 model year. I believe the Silverado will have it to, but I can't find the info right now.

snoman · July 9, 2004

I had a single 16" electric fan on my Coupe DeVille 350 and never had a problem with the temp getting too high. Our '98 STS has a huge radiator with a twin-fan setup similar to the above and it is so constant that you'd think th temp gauge was fixed in one position. I too intend to get the fan package, even though my mechanical one only becomnes an issue idling the A/C in traffic on hot days. Never overheats, just makes quite a racket as I take off.

Your coupe deville has a lot less of a HP requirement to cruise down the road too. The more HP needed, the more heat produced.

snoman · July 9, 2004

Is the main problem the body lift? So the engine-driven fan doesn't line up properly with the stock fan-shroud? If that's the case, it probably would be easier to go to an electric fan than to keep fabricating ducting to match the new position of the fan. IMHO. I'm not an expert though. I could be wrong. Is the truck getting real hot or just slightly warmer than usual?

Good point on the body lift and the shroud. I had not considered that.

Blue-2001-Z71 · July 10, 2004

I had a single 16" electric fan on my Coupe DeVille 350 and never had a problem with the temp getting too high. Our '98 STS has a huge radiator with a twin-fan setup similar to the above and it is so constant that you'd think th temp gauge was fixed in one position. I too intend to get the fan package, even though my mechanical one only becomnes an issue idling the A/C in traffic on hot days. Never overheats, just makes quite a racket as I take off.

Your coupe deville has a lot less of a HP requirement to cruise down the road too. The more HP needed, the more heat produced.

Did I mention this was an '82 RWD FULL-SIZE Caprice-based Coupe? Not the POS FWD mid-sized models of late, but the old 2-ton land yacht. The 355 I built was in the neighborhood of 350 HP, with a 160 deg thermostat, 3-row radiator, and the single electric fan.

snoman · July 10, 2004

I had a single 16" electric fan on my Coupe DeVille 350 and never had a problem with the temp getting too high. Our '98 STS has a huge radiator with a twin-fan setup similar to the above and it is so constant that you'd think th temp gauge was fixed in one position. I too intend to get the fan package, even though my mechanical one only becomnes an issue idling the A/C in traffic on hot days. Never overheats, just makes quite a racket as I take off.

Your coupe deville has a lot less of a HP requirement to cruise down the road too. The more HP needed, the more heat produced.

Did I mention this was an '82 RWD FULL-SIZE Caprice-based Coupe? Not the POS FWD mid-sized models of late, but the old 2-ton land yacht. The 355 I built was in the neighborhood of 350 HP, with a 160 deg thermostat, 3-row radiator, and the single electric fan.

Still a LOT less cruising drag and HP requirements than a 5000 lb plus 4x4 truck. I know as I have owned a lot "lead sleds" in years past.

therock · July 11, 2004

I'm running them on my 03 Z71. The only problem for them is a bad\cheap plastic fuse holder. I am going to a better metal holder from an audio shop. Cooked Holder

Gains?

Maybe 5 HP.

I see a 1 mpg highway.

For sure 2 mpg city in the summer stop and go.

My favorite is the AC in cab cooling temps are maintained in stop and go city traffic.

The 2005 Z71 ECSB should come OE with e-fans. I can't wait. I'm looking to price one with the new L33 310HP Aluminum Block and Heads 5.3!

Supurban · July 12, 2004

I'm running them on my 03 Z71. The only problem for them is a bad\cheap plastic fuse holder. I am going to a better metal holder from an audio shop. Cooked Holder
Gains?

Maybe 5 HP.

I see a 1 mpg highway.

For sure 2 mpg city in the summer stop and go.

My favorite is the AC in cab cooling temps are maintained in stop and go city traffic.

The 2005 Z71 ECSB should come OE with e-fans. I can't wait. I'm looking to price one with the new L33 310HP Aluminum Block and Heads 5.3!

How about noise? And whatr did you pay for the fans?

therock · July 12, 2004

With the windows up at very slow speeds I can just hear them.

Mustang Motorsports

10944 Grissom Lane STE#708

Dallas TX 75229 ? or 75234?

[email protected]

(972) 406-9199

He is not very prompt to answer e-mails or phone messages, but once I got a hold of him and conducted the transaction the fans came. He calls Flex-a-Lite as a reseller and the fans ship from Washington state.

It was the best deal I could find.

You will however want to improve on the fuse holder. It is VERY important that the + & - connections be made to the battery posts in any fuse holder type of setup. Do not substitute by grounding to the frame and such. These fans really move some air so they pull current. I have the audio shop type of gold plated side post replacement bolts that have a nice 3/8" bolt on the end for other connections. You can get large wire eyelet crimp connectors from an audio shop also.

The Achilles heel of the Flex system is the holder. The newer VSC's seem to be holding up well.