too much radiator or too many fans?
02-28-2013, 12:38 PM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
too much radiator or too many fans? I have this dual pass radiator with twin 16" fans on it mounted in my 70 El Camino, LS2. The computer has control of the fans and kicks the primary on when the temp gets to range, or the A/C demands it.
So far, the secondary fan has never kicked on. I am trying to figure out if I have too much cooling, or if I should be happy about this. Even during a hot summer in the dirty South, the secondary fan wasn't needed to maintain temp. Am I going to wear out one fan, or lose one to neglect?
Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Blanchard
So far, the secondary fan has never kicked on. I am trying to figure out if I have too much cooling, or if I should be happy about this. Even during a hot summer in the dirty South, the secondary fan wasn't needed to maintain temp. Am I going to wear out one fan, or lose one to neglect?
Any thoughts?
Thanks.
Blanchard
02-28-2013, 12:42 PM
#2
I have a two speed fan and didn't bother wiring up the high speed. Did that cause I read enough posts from people running similar set ups who said they didn't need the high speed fan.
Never needing the fan is a good thing. The thermostat will keep the engine at the right temp.
I guess if you are really worried about it hook the fans in series so they both run at slow speed.
Never needing the fan is a good thing. The thermostat will keep the engine at the right temp.
I guess if you are really worried about it hook the fans in series so they both run at slow speed.
02-28-2013, 05:10 PM
#3
Meed more info.. What do you have set for your low/high speed fans for the on/off ranges and settings ?.. What Temp is your T-Stat ?
Also, what temp is your engine running at idle, city traffic and Highway speeds ? (once at operating temp).
Maybe your just not getting it in the Range to turn the High on ?
But as Pop said, If your T-stat is working, it will at least keep the engine in the operating range....
BC
Also, what temp is your engine running at idle, city traffic and Highway speeds ? (once at operating temp).
Maybe your just not getting it in the Range to turn the High on ?
But as Pop said, If your T-stat is working, it will at least keep the engine in the operating range....
BC
02-28-2013, 05:32 PM
#5
Mine's governed by a switch/sensor in the radiator that kicks the fan on at 205 and off at 195, as measured by another sensor in the head (don't know what the actual radiator temp is). It works very well and has never overheated or gone over 205. The fan is a junkyard pull from a late 90s bonneville. Never needed a second fan, though have a "pusher" ready to mount in front of the driver side. The PS cooler was added last fall.
02-28-2013, 05:53 PM
#6
TECH Regular
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Swedesboro, NJ
Posts: 425
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1 16" fan should be plenty depending on what mods you have done to the engine. I run a single fan using a 1 row 3rd gen camaro rad which probably doesn't have the cooling your rad does.
To answer your question: electric motors were made to be run. So yes, your second one might fail from lack of use. Running both at low speeds could be problematic too though because they may cool the fluid too fast and lead to the fans running for short intervals and more on/off cycles. Its the extra number of starts that will burn up the motor...or the built-in capacitor...whatever starts the fan turning.
To answer your question: electric motors were made to be run. So yes, your second one might fail from lack of use. Running both at low speeds could be problematic too though because they may cool the fluid too fast and lead to the fans running for short intervals and more on/off cycles. Its the extra number of starts that will burn up the motor...or the built-in capacitor...whatever starts the fan turning.
02-28-2013, 06:15 PM
#7
"The computer has control of the fans and kicks the primary on when the temp gets to range, or the A/C demands it."
Can you change that around. Maybe have the computer turn on the secondary fan when the A/C is on?
Can you change that around. Maybe have the computer turn on the secondary fan when the A/C is on?
Trending Topics
02-28-2013, 07:19 PM
#8
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm running a 180 deg stat. I don't know what the on/off temps are for either one of the fans. Speartech reworked the harness, and I don't know if that means he changed anything as far as temp range goes. The set-up was from an '06 GTO. The car runs in the 190-195 range after a warm-up. i've seen it climb to 205 sitting in the summer with the a/c on. never got hotter, and never hit the second fan.
When I first got it running, I blocked off the air flow with a towel and forced it to get hot to make sure they both worked if needed. I wasn't paying attention to what temp it took to launch the second fan.
The primary fan comes on hard, and sounds like a vacuum cleaner is behind the grill. I would love to know how to get the A/C to demand the secondary fan when it need the air flow.
I'm sure it is not getting hot enough to hit the secondary fan, Just trying to figure out if it needs to run that fan every now and then.
When I first got it running, I blocked off the air flow with a towel and forced it to get hot to make sure they both worked if needed. I wasn't paying attention to what temp it took to launch the second fan.
The primary fan comes on hard, and sounds like a vacuum cleaner is behind the grill. I would love to know how to get the A/C to demand the secondary fan when it need the air flow.
I'm sure it is not getting hot enough to hit the secondary fan, Just trying to figure out if it needs to run that fan every now and then.
02-28-2013, 08:57 PM
#11
You need more stress in your life, as it seems you're making up reasons to worry. 
I don't think that the fan not coming on would hurt it much, and if it did fail from non-use, how would you know??? If your car runs cool, and at normal operating temp, then I wouldn't worry about it.
I don't think that the fan not coming on would hurt it much, and if it did fail from non-use, how would you know??? If your car runs cool, and at normal operating temp, then I wouldn't worry about it.
03-01-2013, 11:57 AM
#12
Most of the OEM tunes have the High fan on 227 or 235 deg (iirc) So, if the setting are stock setting and the temp of the engine doesn't exceed that turn on range,... you just stressing out as Ls1nova said...
If the highest you getting up too is around 205, you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure the AC demand is working when you turn on the AC
If the highest you getting up too is around 205, you have nothing to worry about. Just make sure the AC demand is working when you turn on the AC
03-01-2013, 06:20 PM
#13
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've decided to have a cold beer and not worry about it.
Maybe I'll swap the plugs around sometime just to exercise the secondary fan.
Thanks for all of the great input.
Maybe I'll swap the plugs around sometime just to exercise the secondary fan.
Thanks for all of the great input.
03-02-2013, 07:23 AM
#15
Teching In
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shreveport, LA
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
03-04-2013, 02:05 PM
#16
TECH Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Are you sure your fans are wired correctly for the factory ECM? From the GM schematics I have seen on this forum, the low speed pin in the ecu will force the two fans to both run in series when the low speed pin grounds. When the high speed pin grounds it will cause the relays to change states and force the two fans to run in parallel.
Basically the two fans in series (low speed) will be each be running on 6 volts while the two fans in parallel (high speed) will be each be running on 12 volts.
Do you have two fan relays or three? You need three fan relays to install the same way GM did with the factory ECM as summarized above.
If you have the fans wired such that single fan is getting a full 12 volts when the low speed pin grounds, then you are possibly just flowing enough air on low to keep the engine cool.
That all being said, long ago (1999?), when I installed a SN95 fan in my old Fox Mustang, I had a manual switch firing the relay, and I would turn the fan on manually if the engine started getting hot. I almost never turned the fan on, it never ran hot unless I was sitting in traffic. This was in West Palm Beach FL, so not exactly cold weather down there in the summer. I almost never had to turn the fan on while driving around, either highway or stop and go.
Basically the two fans in series (low speed) will be each be running on 6 volts while the two fans in parallel (high speed) will be each be running on 12 volts.
Do you have two fan relays or three? You need three fan relays to install the same way GM did with the factory ECM as summarized above.
If you have the fans wired such that single fan is getting a full 12 volts when the low speed pin grounds, then you are possibly just flowing enough air on low to keep the engine cool.
That all being said, long ago (1999?), when I installed a SN95 fan in my old Fox Mustang, I had a manual switch firing the relay, and I would turn the fan on manually if the engine started getting hot. I almost never turned the fan on, it never ran hot unless I was sitting in traffic. This was in West Palm Beach FL, so not exactly cold weather down there in the summer. I almost never had to turn the fan on while driving around, either highway or stop and go.
