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Changing mechanical to electric fan ideas..

D

dka99burb

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Reidsville, NC
I am thinking that I could pick up some MPGs if I swap the fan out to dual electrics on my 6.0 gasser. What do you guys think? Anyone done it? Only thing I have read is that I should find OEM fans in junkyard since aftermarket ones don't last.
Thoughts?
 
All fan types are trouble. Fuse goes pop on electrics and your AC compressor bends all it's rods and the engine cracks heads. Fan clutches wear out, but, other than that you will notice the broken belt quicker than a failed electric fan.
The main reason your HD truck has a mechanical fan is for the HD rating. Electric fans simply can not deliver the 10,000+ CFM you need with the radiators in place and the hood closed on the HD truck. The cheaters rate the electric fan CFM with no restrictions in place like radiators. Electric fans also fade away at idle in some applications for AC. Others the do better for idle AC performance. Electric fans put a 40+ amp load on the alternator.

Run hard or tow and you will regret the electric fans on a hot day when you need them the most and least expect it. Electric fans reduce the capabilities of your truck in the extremes - don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Electric fans come standard on daily driver extremely light duty GM 1/2 tons since like 2005. Most of those don't work a day in their life anyway. Yes they have more pep and MPG than a HD truck, but, you didn't buy a light duty 1/2 ton...
 
For your 2003 you could get the stock setup, have it custom tuned and let the ECM control it just like FACTORY. I tuned one for a 00 6.0L with a lot of add ons making over 600HP to the wheels, and he has no trouble keeping it cool in Florida heat towing his gooseneck. For your truck I would definitely only go with the OEM style fans, and use the OEM style control setup which is easy to activate via EFILIVE, HPTUNERS, and I think LS1EDIT also does it. Check out BLACKBEAR PERFORMANCE as I believe he is still selling kits to add them onto your truck with OEM type hookups, and they can also do a custom ECM tune for you to enable them. I would also look into going with the 130 or 145 amp alternator if you do it though. And no your A/C compressor will not go boom from having them as the high pressure switch will prevent the compressor from turning on if the head pressure is to high. Being you have an 03 you can do quite a bit safely as the ECM is setup in it to control the fan's in 3 stages via engine temp, A/C temp, and A/C high side pressure.
 
Ive had justin @ blackbearperformance tune in E fans. He even sell a harness to hook up the fans to work. People usually use trailblazer ss fans iirc.

Justin just tuned our '13 6.0L and has retuned it 5 times to adjust for driving style and truck abnomalities. Good guy and good tuner.

Planning a Oklahoma Blackbear tuning day in OKC soon. Hope to take the wife truck and a few of my buddies and their trucks down there.
 
My 1993 1500 R-12 system that didn't have a factory high side switch went boom when I experimented with electric fans. You had better hope the made in china high pressure AC kickout actually works when you need it during an electric fan failure. (Your second defense is the high pressure relief valve.) GM isn't noted for reliable low side switches esp in the mid 2000's and neither is the aftermarket. Can't say I have faith in the high side switches esp. after just changing a bad one out that vented the system through the relief. Trailblazer Super Sports also have the issue of not enough airflow at idle with the AC on with most of the electric fan kits offered. You have to fix a bad air recurc issue over the top of the stack - but never tried that combo. When you are hitting 300 degrees on the engine oil that last thing you want is less cooling! One Trailblazer owner went back to a clutch fan because electrics wouldn't keep it cool going through sand dunes in 4WD Low at WOT.

My 1995 Yukon burned up two Perma cool electric fan kits before I gave up and that wasn't even towing. The best success I have had with an electric fan is assisting a clutch fan for better AC performance before the clutch fan kicks in. My favorite fan is the EV clutch fan as you can kick it in quick for AC when the engine is cold and have the maximum CFM available for towing. Sadly EV reliability wasn't that great and cost is extreme. The flex fan experiment was short...

Interestingly enough the 19" 10,000 CFM (measured) clutch fan off a Trailblazer SS with everything in place doesn't pull enough air for a 1993 6.5TD. I tried it. Not enough blade pitch...

There are some disadvantages people should weigh before spending the coin on a conversion. Then they can make a better informed decision and at the least know why GM didn't go electric fans on their HD truck. Your mileage may vary, but, I have a bad enough time with the clutch fans not keeping things cool. I have experimented with electric fans enough to say for a fact that the CFM is less and will cause you trouble when the going gets extreme. Your call is if you will ever see the extreme to trade off for the MPG and better throttle response. Electric fans absolutely deliver that but with tradeoffs.

Florida isn't that rough as far as cooling and engines are concerned. Florida has wet air and is more or less flat. Dry air allows more gasoline detonation (less timing used to control it requires more throttle thus more fuel and needs more cooling) or lets diesel burn faster. Hills/mountain grades, another 10 degrees or more hotter, dry air, and you start to need every bit of cooling you can get. No disrespect, but, it is different out west for the oddest of reasons that most don't think about. In this way you can decide if you will ever need the max cooling in your planned travels while towing.
 
With double safeties I would be willing to take the chance with it. And if he does a custom tune that uses the GM control system it will use a high pressure transducer to tell it high side pressure, not just a cutoff switch. And there is a huge difference between a 93 R4 compressor, and his late model 03's DELPHI compressor. And you are also comparing a system never designed for electric fans to one that could have came that way stock. Aftermarket high output fans have been problematic, but if you go with OEM fans designed to run for a long time then there isn't a huge risk of danger there. Plus you have two fans that can be run independently which in itself provides a safety net. Plenty of guys out there running DURAMAX's at 500HP+ have also made the electric fan switch to dual TAURUS fans and tow 10K+ without issue. The key is to use a set-up that can keep up reliably, as they are out there. Some have problems, many more have great success. In the end is it worth it, maybe not. But then again how many of us do mods based on wether it is worth it or not, we do it because we want to be different. An we may not have the hottest weather here where I'm at as it normally peaks out around 98-100, but then again the OP is in an area that experiences similar summer weather to mine. And if a 600HP 6.0L can make it just fine down here, then a stock 300HP truck would make it in the mountains just fine.
 
I think I will handle it this way.. As I browse u-pull-it lots I will keep an eye out for an OEM fan setup. If I can get it cheap, I will proceed. If not, I will wait. While I like the idea of this mod, I want to ROI to be reasonable.
 
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