[Randy Walker]

Okay, what cooling fans etc. are you V-8 guys using? I'm running a mechanical fan/clutch with no shroud currently. The fan is for a late-model 4.2 F-150 (lots of blades with lots of pitch), the clutch is a flex-a-lite heavy duty. Corvette radiator mounted forward, inside the core support. Haven't got around to fabricating a shroud yet since I dont know if I want to stick with this set-up. Temps are OK this time of year, but last summer they would start to creep up in the drive-thru...
Oh yeah, the truck's an '85, 350/ 700R4.
Suggestions? comments?

 

[Jay72]

Do you have a/c?
I used several different fan set ups and couldn't get my truck to idle cool with the a/c on, the temp would slowly rise.
If you want to keep the fan you have there is a certain year, late 80's to early 90's ford aerostar that has a plastic fan shroud that fits with very little modifications and looks factory.
Or you could get the ford taurus 3.8 liter two speed fan. The only problem with that is the high amp draw needs a high amp alternator, like a 105 amp used in late 80's and early 90's GM full sized trucks.
I had an '87, it ran 12's in the 1/4 mile, had the corvette radiator in the forward position and with the taurus fan it would run not more than 5 degrees above thermostat temp in any situation in the hot florida weather.

 

[Randy Walker]

Good looking truck, Jay. Looks a lot like mine.
A/C is not functional yet, but will be by spring, just need to decide on a condenser. I know the A/C will aggrivate all cooling issues.
I have the 105A alternator, cause I have always planned to use an electric fan. Not happy with the fan/clutch, its just what I had at the time that would work. Had intended to use a '98 Cobra cooling fan, but centered in the shroud as the Cobra fan is, the big motor came within 1/4 inch of hitting my water pump pulley so that idea was rejected. You mentioned you had the forward mounted radiator - what condenser did you use? How about controls for the Taurus fan?

 

[Jay72]

Good looking truck, Jay. Looks a lot like mine.

Thanks, I noticed the resemblence, I thought I'd put that picture up to give you an idea of adding some more smoke to your avitar

I used a relay wired to key on power for the fan. For the condenser I used one out of a '95 S-10, it's designed for 134a, it uses metric fittings so I had to make some custom hoses and liquid line since the rest of the donor a/c was SAE.
Now, the truck originally had only heat, being in Florida I got the a/c stuff and removed all the vacuum doors and controls and set it up to run on max a/c, it would turn on with the a/c fan switch and used all the fan speeds.
I converted the truck to V-8 first, then added a/c, the radiator was moved back a little, it was no longer in the forward position, kind of in between forward and stock.
It was cold as hell running at 20 mph and up, 41 degree vent temp on a 95 degree day.
But as soon as I slowed down the engine would get hot and the a/c would stop blowing cold.
Maybe a cowl hood would allow more hot air to escape.
But instead I took the a/c out.

For the fan, the taurus fan is offset a little to one side, there are other cars that use the fan in different shrouds.
Here are some pics of the truck You can see the fan installed. There are few pics because I traded the truck and don't own it anymore, I do have pictures of it with a/c installed that I might put up on the site along with some others since people on this site might want to see them.