Electric fans < Clutch fan

[LAWL]

Ok, so everything that I read says the OEM clutch fan is better for cooling than any electric fan you can buy. Well I think I need to get rid of mine anyways. I keep locking them up at track days.

I believe it's from all the aggressive downshifting. The sudden change in engine speeds is causing the viscous coupling inside to overheat and fail. I have sent 4 fan clutches to meet their maker this way in the past year.

My questions are:
What is the best electric fan to get that will pull enough air for sitting in traffic, yet won't impede airflow while at speed?
Do I really have to buy a fan controller?
Is the clutch fan really that much better to warrant overlooking it's flaws?

[McCoy]

Hmm, I've never killed my clutch fan and that's after 3 years of track days now... and you want aggressive, I have to do a 4th to 2nd gear downshift twice each lap on our local track.

I'd still take the clutch fan/oem shroud over the electric fan... but if you keep killing them, then I guess you might need to look elsewhere for fans.

[gawdzilla]

clutch fan is definitely better for track cooling. you also don't need to worry about taxing your alternator. a new oem viscous fan coupling looks to be about $180 unfortunately. However, good dual e-fans will set you back over $200 anyway. and yes, the FALs, SPALs, etc. are much better than ebay fans. e-fans are more compact but you will definitely feel the draw on your alternator. lights dimming, idle dropping, and in extreme cases dropping spark or losing fuel pressure. i upgraded to the quest 110-amp to compensate, but would run a clutch fan without hesitation if it could fit easily.

i recommend a fan controller so they're not permanently on. don't need to buy a super expensive one though. the basic FAL fan controller is like $15 and has an adjustable setting and a temp probe you stick into the rad. just make sure you don't run the full amperage of the fans through it (use it to trigger a relay instead). as for a fan, i'd recommend something like the FAL-220 (dual 12" pullers with shroud). if you have it set up as a puller it shouldn't impede flow at speed.

i think if i were you i'd give a new clutch fan another shot though..

[jmauld]

The nissan ECU has a fan controller built-in, based on temperatures and the position of the A/C switch.

IIRC, you can fool it into thinking the A/C is on and have it control the fans.

[DuckyD]

The nissan ECU has a fan controller built-in, based on temperatures and the position of the A/C switch.

IIRC, you can fool it into thinking the A/C is on and have it control the fans.

Make sure you run dual relays if you are going this route. Most electric fans will pull quite a bit of amperage and we have seen a lot of relays melt.

[LAWL]

I think if i were you i'd give a new clutch fan another shot though..

I toasted my stock 140K mile fan clutch on the way to a track day, it locked up on an on-ramp, I don't really recall being to hard on it at that point. Then like clockwork every time I have installed a new one it locks up on the last session of the next track day. Of course these have all been aftermarket clutches. I got ahold of known good used OEM clutch after my last track day so we'll see how it does at Mid-Ohio in a few weeks. If this one locks up I think I'll be piecing together a e-fan setup.

[jmauld]

Your post timing stinks. I just tossed a good working OEM mech fan that I would've sent to you for the cost of shipping.

FWIW, I don't recall seeing other people have this problem. Is there any chance your water pump (or some other component) is out of balance and causing these to fail?

[Bumnah]

I'm running FAL 220s with a FAN controller. NO PROBLEMS AT ALL!

The FAL fan controller ran me $10 shipped from FAL. The 220s bolt on perfectly to a 240sx radiator.

I do have one question, during idle your motor is holding 700-800 rpms. Wouldn't your clutch fan be spinning more slowly as well? Wouldn't that be the time to have the best performance from your fans?

[Your Mom]

crazy i had a FAL 220 with duct work and had nothing but problems.

http://nissanroadracing.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1068

went from electric to stock and the difference is massive.

Sounds like OP's problem is aftermarket clutches you need an oem one, i've had one go bad but it just stopped spinning well.

[Bumnah]

I blew the fuse for my fan controller (improper wiring) and I didn't notice the fans weren't running. My car didn't over heat even when sitting in traffic. With my big front mount in front I wouldn't count on that happening now.

[Matt93SE]

I've been running a single 12" electric for a couple years now- in Texas heat at that.
I have it wired to my factory relays and such (I just cut the plug off my factory fans and soldered the leads onto my aftermarket one.

It lets the ECU do the work for the most part, and I can (well, could before I removed the AC controls) turn it on and off at will by using the AC switch. (I took out my AC a couple years ago as well)

comes on at like 205 or so and has no problems keeping it there. car runs about 200-205 the whole time I'm on the track- not sure if the fan is running or not since it's kinda hard to see or hear at 100mph!

I don't remember what brand mine is. it's not a SPAL or FAL or whatever though.. picked it up at the local domestic iron go-fast store.

[Your Mom]

You could get that temp from 200-205 down to 180 on track with a stock shroud and clutch fan.

[Matt93SE]

Or I could go with a radiator that isn't beat to sheit with rock dings and rubber marbles (this is why you use mesh screens!)

The temps with electric fan are within 5 deg of when I running with stock fan and shroud, btw...

[eye-5]

I run the altima dual fans with a flex-a-lite variable speed controller. I have an aftermarket radiator too. The altima fans come with a shroud and need very little modification to shore up the shroud fully and mount.

With the controller I can set the temp at which the fans engage and they only come on 60&#37; untill it gets about 20* more then they go on full. They stay on for about 2 minutes after I shut off the car.

My on track temps don't get above 200* and for the first few sesions of the day don't get above 185*.

The altima fans were pretty cheap aftermarket and I got my controller for $80 plus shipping.

[Rittmeister]

Read this, if you haven't already:

http://www.drifttexas.com/showthread.php?t=851

Altima fans pretty much kick the ass of any other electric setup, if you go that route. I've had Flexalite, a Taurus single fan, and the Altima setup, and the Altima fans have been the best by far. They cool faster and in the case of the Taurus fan they draw less current. Best of all, you can get a brand new set of Altima fans from ebay for $80 or so (mentioned above), or less from a yard.

I'd use them in conjunction with some kind of temp-activated controller, as opposed to wiring them for constant-on or hooking them to a switch.

I also keep hearing that the clutch fan works better, but my car stays in the 160s-170s even on days when it's in the high 80s, as long as I'm able to keep moving. It gets hotter if I have to sit in traffic.

YMMV