Electric Fan

[DustyTrucks]

The flexalite 580 has 'C' channel brackets which uses your existing hardware to flushmount the fan. Since my project had been previously jerryrigged, the old hardware was obsolete and I bought new. After the new radiator had been installed the 580 (a CJ7 specific model without thermostat) was purchased from amazon for $AMC 304 and arrived.

First, the aluminum C-channel brackets were bolted over the shroud and then the whole unit was slid into position over the radiator bolts and tightened down. The 580 has a rubber seal that snugs up to the radiator and provides 3/4" spacing for the entire fan setup.

Since there was 3 1/2" between the radiator and my engine I was praying to the JeepLord above and my prayers were answered. Not only was the max depth of the setup about 2 5/8" but the space between the dual fans was indented providing even more room just at the perfect spot.

I went with the 580 with no thermostat because I live in AZ and it's always hot. Pretty much gonna run all the time anyways.

Oh it supposedly has a 19.5 amp draw and I cannot hear it while driving. Pretty quiet to me. Had a 30 amp glass fuse installed in the system and the whole thing has it's own switch so my jeep starts without that draw at the time of ignition. I noticed the separate switch to be a huge help.

-Dusty

 

[Turbogus]

I'd like to echo about the Ford Contour/Merc Mystique dual fan setup. With the help of friends here and elsewhere one can set these up any which way they want. I went with building my own switch/relay pack but there are ready made controllers out there too.
These things fit so tight and neatly to the CJ radiator it seems they were designed to be. Only one thing is I had to remove a top clip that was part of the original shroud. Here's some pics of how tightly these fit;

Upper right


Upper left


Lower left


and Lower right


Initial test fitting I found I had to take my heat gun to shrink the shroud a couple of thousands of an inch to fit as I didn't want undue stress on the tanks. This setup's been serving me well for over a year now.

 

[IOPort51]

Has anyone put one of these in front of a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l ??

 

[Turbogus]

Hey IO ltns (me too) I'm thinking the AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l is a four banger and likely even shorter than a V8 so clearance won't be an issue, just core size fitment.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l is the 6 cyl.
LG

 

[IOPort51]

And I think it is a bit longer than the V8. I could not find room for a Taurus fan, could not find a Concourse. and I am thinking that the Concourse will not fit as well. But I am waiting to hear different from someone that has done it.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

If I can have a spec for the thickness/clearence needed. I'll ck mine.
I also want to know the amp draw.

LG

 

[Posi]

I haven't installed a contour fan in a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l but I know others have. Someone who has will chime in or check the net plenty of pics out there.

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks LG, I'm an analogue man in a digital world (also and SAE man in a metric world)

I too, have heard of folks using the Contour/Mystique fan setup on six's but I think there was a stubby water pump as part of that equasion. The Mystique fan I used in 'Black Betty' was like this;

btw these measurments are in inches

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Me speak "s

That 3.3 dim-Is that from the backside of the radiator?

Gary

 

[Turbogus]

Me speak "s

That 3.3 dim-Is that from the backside of the radiator?

Gary

That diagram is listed as of itself, sans radiator. Mounted it'll fit flush against the radiator core. So you will have to take the radiator core thickness into account and, even if clearance is lacking you could fab up some new radiator brackets and move the assy. forward to get even more clearance.
I'm using 40 amp relays/switches as I'm controlling the fans individually. Initially I was hung up on controlling them both together and was gearing up for a 70 amp relay circuit,




but after studying some wiring diagrams I found this was not needed and was able to go with common 40 Amp relays (3)



Ultimately I went this way but I lost faith in radiator probes so I went with the threaded fitting sender that I plumbed into the upper radiator hose with an insert I got from Summit Racing.

While I was at it I cleaned up all of my relays, fuses and switches, grafted into a Ford power distribution box I gleaned from a '90's Ford pickup.





I became a Pro-solderer after this project...

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

There is plenty of room for a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l or 4.0 to drop in the contour fan. Although the extra space is not as nice as it is with the v8. If you ever have to rotate the engine by hand, you may find it easier to drop the fan first, that is what I had to do. I have a write up on here somewhere with pics of the contour fan with a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l in my old cj and I will be running the same fan on my new cj with a 4.0 which, for all intents and purposes of this discussion, is dimensionally the same as a AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l as far as the block exterior.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

That diagram is listed as of itself, sans radiator. Mounted it'll fit flush against the radiator core. So you will have to take the radiator core thickness into account and, even if clearance is lacking you could fab up some new radiator brackets and move the assy. forward to get even more clearance.
I'm using 30 amp relays/switches as I'm controlling the fans individually. Initially I was hung up on controlling them both together and was gearing up for a 70 amp relay circuit,




but after studying some wiring diagrams I found this was not needed.



Ultimately I went this way.

I just dropped some big $$ on a painless control harness for my 4.0 project. It is capable of actual dual fan control and does the same as the volvo and flexalite harness with kicking the fans on at only 60 percent at the low temp and gradually increasing to 100. The reason I spent the extra $$ is that the painless controller can be taped into the VSS on the 4.0 and because of that I can actually set the controller to not operate the fans beyond a chosen hwy speed. Makes it work like a factory vehicle and reduces the load on the alternator.

 

[Turbogus]

I just dropped some big $$ on a painless control harness for my 4.0 project. It is capable of actual dual fan control and does the same as the volvo and flexalite harness with kicking the fans on at only 60 percent at the low temp and gradually increasing to 100. The reason I spent the extra $$ is that the painless controller can be taped into the VSS on the 4.0 and because of that I can actually set the controller to not operate the fans beyond a chosen hwy speed. Makes it work like a factory vehicle and reduces the load on the alternator.

I considered myself going with the FAL or Painless controller but couldn't justify the expense for what 3 relays, an extra Hayden controller (for the 2nd fan) and the PDB did. The wiring was free from the wrecking yard so I was able to keep wire color code continuity. All told I must've dropped around $50 clams for the whole enchilada and, having done the wiring myself, IF something should go haywire, knowing how I put it together would make it easier to track down. What's more with this setup the fans only operate at selected temp on the rheostat of the Hayden controller so they do not operate beyond a limit either as I tied the wiring to the original fan circuitry.

 

[IOPort51]

My AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l has about 2.5 inches between the end of the water pump shaft and the radiator coil. I will admit to having the thickest 3 row coil I could find but even with the original 2 row standard duty I do not think I had 3.3 inches.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

I have at best, 2 3/4 inches of clearance from the waterpump 'nose'.
LG

 

[Turbogus]

Not only the Ford Contour has these available I found mine in a Merc Mystique. It was already pulled with all of it's wiring, I think I must've robbed someone's cache. As I recall the one we want is for the Ford/Merc V6 with HD cooling but they're readily available even here in Oregon