Electric fan conversion payoff?

[jbmorse02]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

ok ok cheapest way to do a E fan swap:

step one, go to a junkyard and pick up an electric fan out of a car that has the same engine as yours (4 banger-4 banger v6-v6 v8-v8) It doesn't have to be liter specific or even same brand, just get a fan and the plug that plugs into it (cut the wires about a foot long, longer the better)

step 2; go to any auto parts store and ask for a universal electric fan kit, should have an adjustable t stat with a probe coming off it. i got that and a few other stuff for it for like $17...

then you just need a simple 30A 12V relay (if your lucky you can find after market ones on stock cars (typically power fog lamps, alarm systems, etc)

don't need new fancy flex-a-crap fans or $60 fan controllers...

That's great! I was thinking about getting a fan from a junk car but didn't know they had universal thermostats.
Thanks!

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Another couple advantages to an electric fan besides MPG and a little more power (been considering for the Eldorado)...
1. Quieter (I ran my old Volvo one day without the fan...was much quieter)
2. Less stress on the water pump shaft (maybe I could get away from the annual water pump replacement ritual...)

[baddog671]

Not to steal the thread, but I am also converting my 67 Mustang from mechanical fuel pump to electrical fuel pump. Do you think this would also benefit hp/mpg aswell,or atleast a tiny bit? I assume it would do both since it will be one less thing needing a physical "push"...

[jbmorse02]

Doesn't the mechanical fuel pump just get bumped by the crank or camshaft or something as it goes around? I had to replace the fuel pump in my old van and it seemed like it ran on free power. There was the little lever that you inserted into the hole in the side of the block and that lever just gets pushed. Doesn't seem like that's robbing much power.
You would have slightly less weight with and elec fuel pump though.

[VetteOwner]

ok on a 2 ton car a 1 lb fuel pump isn't gonna change anything (btw mechanical pump is prolly half the weight of electric)

its a old v8, have way more power than they know what to do with, i bet the hp needed to bump that fuel pump (turns 1/2 the speed of the engine rpm since their commonly driven off the camshaft, meaning it gets bumped once every 2 revolutions of the crankshaft) is 1/32 of a hp...you will not see any mpg gain from switching. You can save 10X as much fuel by going 1 mph less than what you normally go lol...


and joe bob i have to ask why you change your waterpump every year?

[kamesama980]

no, the electric fuel pump won't gain much if anything the mechanical fuel pump is small and low-pressure and by far the gains from electric fans are the ability to TURN OFF when not needed.... not something you want your fuel pump to do usually.

My old S10 with NO clutch in the fan seems to have gained a mpg or 2 but I almost haven't used the fan (leftover when I removed the AC from my cressida)

JOEBOB: your fan is probably off balance or your belts overtightened which is messing up the bearings. if it's more of a leak problem, be VERY careful replacing the pump. it uses a ceramic seal which shatters easily from vibration (tapping the pump or shaft with a tool, off balance fan, bad bearing)

[opelgt73]

Originally Posted by kamesama980

no, the electric fuel pump won't gain much if anything the mechanical fuel pump is small and low-pressure and by far the gains from electric fans are the ability to TURN OFF when not needed.... not something you want your fuel pump to do usually.

I don't see an scenario where it would help at all. It is my understanding that the fuel system needs constant pressure and thus the pump is running constantly. Going from mechanical to potential energy and back again (in the case of the electric fuel pump) will result in a net loss of energy if running in a constant state. Where as the mechanical pump has no conversion.

[baddog671]

Ok, thanks for the info. I was just curious

[QUOTE=VetteOwner;99493]ok on a 2 ton car a 1 lb fuel pump isn't gonna change anything
QUOTE]

Probably closer to 3000 with the larger engine I put in it.