Electric cooling fans? whats the best?

[slaminum69]

Hi there, i have a 2000 Chevy Tahoe limited edition, I am looking to remove the exsisting mechanical radiator fan and installing an electric fan, which are the best ones out there? Thanks

 

 

Dennis

00 Tahoe Limited Edition

K&N FIPK, 70 Series Flowmaster

Jet Chip, Amsoil

Ridin 20"s

[C & A s Dad]

Dennis, I have researched this pretty good but have not actually made the change. In my opinion, you really have 2 options. The Flex a lite dual unit which is made to fit your truck or you can find an OE unit from an 05 or 06 model from a slavage yard. It is my understanding that Nelson Perf makes a harness that will tie into your ECM to control the fans. I have not researched this but read it in another post.

 

If you do, this, make sure you do it 100% right using the instructions that come with the fan kit. You do not want to damage your charging system or be left without fans on a 100 degree day.

[Giant]

And it is pretty much a gurantee that the fans from a later model GM SUV/Pickup would fit my 99 Yukon with a 5.7L?

 

I just want to be 100% sure it will fit before I try it.

 

Also, anything I should look for when I'm doing a junkyard pull? Wouldn't the vehicle you pull the fans from come with a wireing harness that would tie into the PCM? If so, do you think something from an 06 or so would fit on a 99?

 

Sorry for all the questions. I'm all about doing this for cheaper, but I still want to do it right.

[C & A s Dad]

Robert, I am afraid that you will likely need to go with the Flex a Lite set up. I am pretty sure the later model e fans will not fit your 99 and if they did, your ECM would likely not control them.

[whmayhew]

Go to the SilveradoSSweb site and do a search. Alot of the guys there have done this successfully. I am pretty sure alot of them have used the factory fans.

[slaminum69]

I appreciate evryones help on this, I have looked into the flex a lite, my understanding it already comes with a module that controls the fans when the temp rises and stops when it lowers, also it comes on automatically when you kick the A/C on it. I guess iw ill give it a try in the up comming months. Thanks

 

Dennis

[200ksilverado]

This subject caught my attention so I just joined as a member!

 

I drive a 2000 Silverado, 5.3 Auto, Long Bed, Regular Cab with almost 200K miles of city driving. I changed my water pump back in February, and had the bright idea that I could save gas and increase HP by leaving the factory fan off the new water pump and installing electric fans. Well... when I use my A/C It does not run properly with the electric fans installed. The electric fans don't pull the proper amount of air flow over the A/C condensor coil when the A/C is running. your A/C system needs the right amount of air flow passing through it at diffrent engine RPM's. My high side and Low side pressure readings are now out of "wack" which causes my compressor to "short cycle". My advice to anyone thinking of changing to electric fas is dont do it. I haven't seen any improvement in my gas mpg's or any HP gains. When I get the time I will have to buy a new fan as I threw away the OEM fan when I made the switch.

[C & A s Dad]

Just cruious, what kind of Electric fans did you install? I have not done this and really gave up on the idea after reading some advise on a towing website. One thing I like about the manual fan is the very steady temps in the summer and even in traffic, my A/C never changes from being ice cold.

[200ksilverado]

I installed two Hayden electric fans, part number 226114. Each fan is attached to the radiator, between the radiator and engine block, (side by side they cover the whole radiator) with the upper and lower fan shrouds removed.

 

With the fan blades reversed to "pull" air through the radiator, Each fan draws 11.5 amps and "pulls" 1050 CFM across the radiator (for a total of 23 amps, 2100 CFM).

 

I have the fans wired through a 90 amp relay bought from Napa, in addition they are wired to a thermostat which is also connected to my A/C. That way the fans come on when the A/C is being used regardless of engine temp.

 

But I should have kept the original OEM fan attached to the water pump, as per my A/C mechanic. He said GM caculated the amount of air flow that needs to remove heat from the A/C condensor, along with A/C compressor RPM's, cooling fan size, the fan being temp controled, and fan shroud size.

 

Now I realize when I "improved" my cooling system I realy didden't, I can't be smarter than 100's of GM tech's with years of experience. Well I live and learn.

[C & A s Dad]

From what I know about this, and that is not a great deal, the OE mech fan moves over twice as much air as the two fans that you have installed. Not to cause you more greif, but I would caution you if you installed the fans using the tie strap type install through the cooling coils in the radiator and condensor. The vibration of the fans will eventually cause the plastic straps to wear into the water passages in the radiatorcausing a leak. You can mount a trans cooler in this fashion without harm because it does not cause any type of vibrations such as fans.

[Falconcbu2]

This weekend i will be installing a dual fan setup with a Spal Controller.

Its a S blade off a lincoln continental and it fits just right... ya..ya.. i know putting a ford in a Chevy... I got it Dirt cheap for 65 bucks on Ebay and is brand spanking new!! So I went to a ford dealership (Fords) and they said it was 750.00 bucks..

 

I found a fan controller SPAL.. www.spalusa.com which i believe is better then Hayden. The temp range is from 160 to 220 something and its programmable. When it first turns on it kicks in slow and once it reachs max temp it goes balls out.. It comes with all the wires you need in the kit even a wire to tap into your temp sensor. Comes with great instructions for one fan to two fan setup also with or with out A/C hookup. If you have two fans all you need to get is a relay harness, and a fuse. I got my spal unit for 75 bucks shipped so it was a good deal. ill refer who ever is interested just contact me..

 

Any ways ill be putting it in on Sunday and ill post how hard or easy it was to put in.. also if it runs any better or if it blew up!!!

[Falconcbu2]

I did the Fan install and it was really easy took like 3 hours. I was surprised the ford fan shroud fit. All i had to do was cut off the 4 side tabs and it slid in place. Just the left side has a inch opening. It can be covered with something no biggy. it even had a hole to put my radiator hose tab into too..

 

The Spal programmer unit was very easy to hook up to. so no fan probe needed like the hayden kit, a wire came with the spal unit and just tapped into the coolant temp sensor. I highly suggest using Spal. www.spalusa.com

 

I noticed more power right away and its not in my head...

 

So i guess time will tell if it will work properly under hot weather conditions..

[C & A s Dad]

So you put a Ford Fan on your GM truck and it helped the power? Man, if you would have used one from a GM product it would have really increased the power. something does not sound right about installing ford stuff on a GM truck. I kind of see this like Jessica Simpson wearing Rosanne Barr's undergarments.

 

Hope it does well for you and I would like to know if you see any MPG increase.

[Falconcbu2]

Ford in a Chevy..

 

Well hey i was trying to get a GM LS1 fan on Ebay with shroud but everyone wanted one. So i got the measurements of my radiator and i went on Ebay and seen the Duel Ford fan with shroud for 60 bucks shipped. I was lucky to get this at this price.. Well I just checked today and seen 3 sellers selling it for 450.00 on ebay!!... d**n i shoud have resold it!! oh well...

 

Oh ya and for the A/C compressor problem... Spal has a setup to resolve this problem on Duel Fan Setups..

 

Anyways i got horse power and i normally drive it hard so i noticed it for sure...

 

So ill try and keep track of the MPG of normal driving conditions...

 

I said I'll try..

[Falconcbu2]

Well i been driving it for a couple of days and its running great!!! The Spal controller works great..

 

I only been running at 50% fan power but its been kindof cold the past couple days.. I did notice in the middle of the day once the temp goes pass a point it kicks in 100% so i programmed it correctly..

 

Also i been watching my gas MPG..

I'll let all you know what i get once i go though my half tank of gas....