Electric Fan

[DustyTrucks]

Hey guys, new to the forum. I have a project 79 CJ7 that needs a new fan. I am looking at the flex-a-lite 580. I'm trying to put new parts into it so I'm scrapping all ideas of a taurus pick or cutting corners. One badass piece per paycheck and I'll slowly, yea slowly.. Have a bomber I can shoot coyotes from!

Flex-a-lite. Reviews? Install troubleshooting? Thickness was my issue (a family curse lol) only 3.5" from radiator to my engine.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Hey guys, new to the forum. I have a project 79 CJ7 that needs a new fan. I am looking at the flex-a-lite 580. I'm trying to put new parts into it so I'm scrapping all ideas of a taurus pick or cutting corners. One badass piece per paycheck and I'll slowly, yea slowly.. Have a bomber I can shoot coyotes from!

Flex-a-lite. Reviews? Install troubleshooting? Thickness was my issue (a family curse lol) only 3.5" from radiator to my engine.

Forget the Taurus fan. You want a ford contour dual fan. "Cut corners" on this as these fans are very good and push a lot of air and have a built in shroud that covers the radiator fins almost exactly. Generally 30 bucks from a junkyard. Run the contour fan on every jeep and even my 06 f150.

For the controller I suggest the flexilite variable speed controller with the hose mounted sensor. It's expensive but very good.

 

[IOPort51]

I could not make the Taurus/Concourse fan work for me , for one reason or another. I do not remember the brand on these two 10" fans but they were from Auto zone and are operated by a 180* thermostat screwed into the water jacket controlling two 40 amp Bosh relays with fused power directly from the battery . I like to have parts that are readily available wherever I am. these are easy to find, and easily available from just about any parts house.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I could not make the Taurus/Concourse fan work for me , for one reason or another. I do not remember the brand on these two 10" fans but they were from Auto zone and are operated by a 180* thermostat screwed into the water jacket controlling two 40 amp Bosh relays with fused power directly from the battery . I like to have parts that are readily available wherever I am. these are easy to find, and easily available from just about any parts house.

That is because the Taurus fan is huge and the shroud has to be significantly modified. The ford contour/mystique fan shroud should not need cutting. Just need to fab a bracket to mount to the grill. I have a write up somewhere.

 

[HackFabrication]

I'm running the Contour/Mystique dual fan on my 76 CJ5 with Ford 5.0L:



For my install I wired the two fans together 'as one'. There are number of different ways to wire them.

It fit the aftermarket 4-row radiator almost perfectly. I trimmed a few spots, to 'neaten' it up a bit. The lower part of the fan shroud actually rests on the lower tank, as I had the radiator shop offset the core 3/8". It is attached to the radiator using plastic ties.

The fan controller is from Flex-A-Lite: Flex-a-Lite Automotive Flex-a-lite® Quick Start Variable Temperature Controller with Thread-in Temperature Sensor. Mine is an older version of that part number:



The temp sensor screw into the thermostat housing:



I have wired the controller to a DPDT switch with indicator lamps, that will allow the fan to be in the 'Always On' (amber) or 'Always Off' (red) position:



That switch and the ARB switches has been changed over in the new dash:



The fan switch will be above the wiper switch. In the picture you can see where the indicator lights are installed.

If you don't want to get a fan from a junkyard, you can buy a new fan from any of a number of autoparts stores.

 

[HackFabrication]

Forget the Taurus fan.

I toyed with this idea:



Taurus fan, stock Jeep CJ shroud.

Put them together:



I never took the time to do any final fitting, trimming, attaching, and sealing. But if it could be done satisfactorily, it would make one hell of a fan.

In reality, the Contour/Mystique dual fan, draws 'almost' as much air, as the 3.8L Taurus/Sable fan. I believe the Contour dual fan is around 3400 CFM and the 3.8L Taurus is around 3800. But finding concrete numbers on both fans is difficult.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I toyed with this idea:



Taurus fan, stock Jeep CJ shroud.

Put them together:



I never took the time to do any final fitting, trimming, attaching, and sealing. But if it could be done satisfactorily, it would make one hell of a fan.

In reality, the Contour/Mystique dual fan, draws 'almost' as much air, as the 3.8L Taurus/Sable fan. I believe the Contour dual fan is around 3400 CFM and the 3.8L Taurus is around 3800. But finding concrete numbers on both fans is difficult.

That is how I would do it if you wanted to retain the oem shroud. Instead of the Taurus fan, I was at the junk yard the other week and the 00 grand Cherokees actually have a circular fan that is circular and mounted to a shroud just like what you modded that Taurus fan to do. I may go get one for my cj project when I get home instead of the contour fan. Then I could use the oem plastic shroud that bolts to the same places as radiator cleanly.

I'm also considering using this painless harness instead of the flexilite. http://www.ebay.com/itm/141286945190?redirect=mobile

Since I have a 4.0 I can tie that harness to the vSS so the fan will not run above 30 mph

 

[Posi]

and there isn't a need to spend big money on a fan controller. While your at the boneyard picking up your contour fan grab a volvo fan controller and bmw 2 stage temp switch, paid $20 for everything. The controller and temp switch turn both fans on low at 90* and both fans on high at 210* easiest e-fan to hook up IMO.

 

[Old Dog]

Can someone tell me how deep the contour (duel) fan is.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

and there isn't a need to spend big money on a fan controller. While your at the boneyard picking up your contour fan grab a volvo fan controller and bmw 2 stage temp switch, paid $20 for everything. The controller and temp switch turn both fans on low at 90* and both fans on high at 210* easiest e-fan to hook up IMO.

I use the expensive controller because it cuts the fan to 50% power and works it way up as needed. It cuts the load on your alt and can save some rpms when it starts..

I'm considering the really expensive painless one cause it does the above operation as well can tie into the vSS to be set to shut off at a given speed. Reduces unneeded strain on the alt.

Can someone tell me how deep the contour (duel) fan is.

Not very thick, most of it will fit into that space between your tanks and fins

 

[Posi]

I use the expensive controller because it cuts the fan to 50% power and works it way up as needed. It cuts the load on your alt and can save some rpms when it starts..

This is exactly what the volvo controller does as well, no big loads on the alternator with slow start-ups. Volvo has a history of longevity with their cars and parts.

OD, I'll post up some measurements tomorrow unless someone gets to it sooner.

 

[Posi]

OD, I have 2 3/4" at the fans, and 2" between them (the water pump sits between the 2 fans, V8)

 

[Shifter]

What years and engine do these contour fans come on ?

I'm on the road too much to scour junk yards... Just want to order one. Thanks

 

[CJ]

What years and engine do these contour fans come on ?

I'm on the road too much to scour junk yards... Just want to order one. Thanks

1998 - 2000 Ford Contour or Mercury Mystique. They work and fit great!

 

[HackFabrication]

1998 - 2000 Ford Contour or Mercury Mystique. They work and fit great!

I believe you also want one from either the SVT or the V6 equipt vehicles.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I believe you also want one from either the SVT or the V6 equipt vehicles.

And it's a pita to get out because of the metal ac lines

 

[DustyTrucks]

Check this out. Taken while installing the brand new Flex-A-Lite 580!!! Fit was perfect!!

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Nicely done!
Tell us about those mounting brackets.
How loud and how much electric drain(amps)are they?
LG

 

[IOPort51]

I can not swear to this but I suspect that the V8 has a bitt more room between the water pump and the radiator.

 

[DHugg]

I can not swear to this but I suspect that the V8 has a bitt more room between the water pump and the radiator.

IO, the AMC 304 has about 4 inches between the fan blades and the radiator, just enough to scrape the skin off your knuckles. The fan, if you don't have a clutched one, takes up maybe 3 inches. The fan has an aluminum spacer between the fan base and the waterpump shaft about 4 inches. The waterpump pulley is clamped between the aluminum spacer and the pump shaft.

When, as I intend doing, the dual electric cooling fans go onto my '80 CJ7 , I'll have about 7 inches of free space to work with. I could out of dire necessity get another inch by doing something creative about mounting the radiator, insetting on brackets instead of bolting as the factory does. Gotta need that space really badly to do that.